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In a corner of Senzoku 3-chome, Taito Ward, in Tokyo’s old downtown, a stone monument quietly conveys the remnants of the former Yoshiwara pleasure district. This area flourished as Japan’s largest red-light district from the Edo period through the mid-Showa era. Now enveloped in silence, this place was once filled with brilliant lights and lively bustle.
The Yoshiwara pleasure district was established in 1617 in Nihonbashi Fukiyacho, but after the Great Fire of Meireki in 1657, it was relocated behind Sensoji Temple in Senzoku Village and revived as “Shin-Yoshiwara.” Surrounded by moats and walls, people could only come and go through the sole entrance, the “Omon.” Within this closed space, courtesans dressed in gorgeous costumes, enjoyed performing arts and tea ceremonies, and entertained visiting guests.
Near the entrance to the pleasure district stood a willow tree called the “Mikaeri Yanagi” (Willow of Looking Back), named for the custom of guests turning around with lingering affection as they left. Inside the district, a moat known as the “Ohaguro Dobo” encircled the area, serving to prevent courtesans from escaping. Part of this moat remains today as a stone wall, evoking memories of the past.
Despite enduring many disasters, such as the Great Kanto Earthquake and the Tokyo air raids, Yoshiwara was repeatedly rebuilt, but with the enforcement of the Prostitution Prevention Law in 1958, its history as a pleasure district came to an end. Afterwards, local volunteers erected the “Hanayoshiwara Nagori-hi” monument, which continues to convey its glamorous history to the present.
Today, when visiting this area, traces of history are scattered throughout the quiet residential neighborhood. Places of former worship, such as Yoshiwara Shrine and Yoshiwara Benzaiten, still remain, evoking images of the district’s former liveliness. In addition, buildings that retain early Showa architectural styles can be found in the area, allowing one to feel the passage of time.
Walking through this place, it feels as if you can hear the breath of people swept along by the elegance and glamour of Edo and the flow of the times. This site, once a stage for history, still speaks many stories to those who visit.