ABSTRACT
Somewomenhaveathirdroomplacedattheirdisposalin addition,butthisconsiderationismostlygrantedtothe "oshoku"exclusively.
Typicalzashikiarecosyroomsfittedwiththeusualtokono--ma(alcove)andchigai-dana(arecesswithtwoshelves,one alittlelowerthantheother,andeachonlyreachingabout halfwayacrossthewidthofthewall-spaceinvolved);inthe formerhangeitherpictureorspecimensofcaligraphy(not alwaysgenuine!)bysuchnotedartistsasChosa.nshii, Tesshu,Zeshin,Keishii,andothers.*Theroomsareprettily decorated,andfurnishedwithcutflowersarrangedinvasesof Kutaniporcelain;theseflowersarechangedaccording totheseason.Therewillalsobefoundmusicalinstrumentssuchasthekoto(harp),samisen(banjo),gekkin(guitar), ni-genkin(atwo-stringedmusicalinstrument),etc.;numbers ofsundryknicknacks,suchasashelf-ornamentintheshape ofarabbit,madeofimitationcrystal,whichisperchedona tinycushionofdaintilydyedcr~pe;ahangingclock,ahandsomemirror,aframedoil-painting;asmalllibraryofnovels, magazines,theatricalnotices,playbills,andotherlightreading matterdesignedtobeguilethetediumofguests.Onthe chigai-dana(recessfittedwithshelvesbythesideofthelokono-ma)restsadeeplacqueredtray(knownasamidare-bako, inwhichareputtheguests'garments)andotherobjects,while theroominvariablycontainsaclothes-horse(emon-kake)and
todefraytheexpensesoffurnishinganddecoratingherroom, itispaidforininstalments,butinsomecasesanintimate guestwillassistherbypayingtheseexpenseshimself.The expensesofrepairstoherzashikiandofthedailycleaningare alsobornebythegirl;thesqji'IWchingin(wageforcleaning) ispaiddirecttothewakai-mono(man-servant)whoperforms thisoffice.Theexpenseswhichyfi:fohavetobearinthis directionareveryheavy,andaccordingtotheofficialrulfs issuedbytheauthoritiesinthe7thyearofKwansei(1795)the girlswereexemptedfromtheseburdens;butanancientcustom isnoteasilybrokenup,andtheevil,beinghynomeans thoroughlyeradicated,hassurvivedtothesedays.Unfortunately,inthisprofession,aperniciouscustomexistsof spendingmoneylavishly,andshouldtheyfi:joshowherself meanorstingy(orevenmoderatelyprudent)inherexpenditure,thiswillcauseherunpopularity,raiseupahostof enemies,andmaketroubleforherinahundreddifferent ways;thusoldcustomsclingtotheYoshiwaraanddefy themanyearnesteffortsmadetorootthemout.It wouldappearthatatthetimewhenyfi:fousedtoreceive guestsinage-yatherewasnoneedtopaymuchattentiontobeautifyingtheirownrooms,butasamatter offacttheyweremadeveryprettybecausethekijin (-ItA="nobles"and"honourablepersons")wouldnotenter age-yaandcamedirecttothebrothels.Theregularstyleof futon(mattress)usedwasakagarni-huton(i.e.-afutonthe borderofwhichismadeofstuffdifferenttothatofthecentre, makingitlooklikeamirrorinit'sframe).Inthebesthouses thebordersweremadeofblackvelvetandthepanelsof redcrepe.Threeofsuchfuton(mattresses)werelaidone
