C1 Part1

Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.

Translation of some of the free preview chapter

http://seiga.nicovideo.jp/watch/bk116248

Some notes beforehand.

The story takes place in Yoshiwara.

Wikipedia: Yoshiwara (吉原) was a famous yūkaku (遊廓、遊郭?, pleasure district, red-light district) in Edo, present-day Tōkyō, Japan.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoshiwara

…

So please be aware of the themes.

Honorifics just in case:

Neesan: Like “older sister,” but not necessarily related.

Obaba-sama: Elder woman

The book description and character descriptions are here: http://clock08.tumblr.com/post/47507018534/yoshiwara-lament-novel-release-date-4-26-14

<strike>I tried not to sound awkward i’m sorry and please let me know if something looks particularly wrong or left out

</strike>

and now starting

Yoshiwara Lament

Written by Miyuki

Original work by Asa and Oyamano Mayo

Illustrated by Arisaka Ako, Oyamano Mayo, and Murakami Yuichi

The orange sun disappears, and in its place falls the curtain of night.

Blossoming Yoshiwara.

At the end of the main street, Nakanochou, a continuously burning light is lit.

Signaled by that light, bustling voices in the assignation teahouses dance about.

As the night advances, the town grows increasingly brighter.

In the center of the dazzling light are the women.

Swarming around the light are the men.

They are like a bonfire flickering in the dark night.

They are like moths fluttering around.

Yoshiwara is a world both real and unreal.

Soaked in color and emotion, people see fantasies in this nightless town again today–.

Chapter One

Spring in Full Bloom

It was nine o'clock in the evening when the rain sounded from the other side of the latticed window, the sun had set, and the drinking parties were in full swing. Yayoi the kamuro who had been holding back in the corner sprang toward the latticed window like a startled hair, yelling, “Ah! Rain!” [Note: Kamuro= “young girl working as a servant for a high-class prostitute (Edo period)” Jmdict]

“Hey, Kasane-neesan! It’s raining! Rain is coming down!”

“Yayoi, your voice is too loud. You’re going to be scolded by Obaba-sama.”

Pouring alcohol for a customer, I shushed Yayoi and glared at her. Now is not the time to be worried about the rain. I bowed my head and apologized to the customer holding his cup, then tilted the bottle again.

This is the Oyama brothel in Yoshiwara. It is also known as the barren flower of Edo, or the paradise of this fleeting world. This is the town where the sophisticated men come to have adult fun.

“But Kasane-neesan, the rain is terrifying. What if a thunder god…”

Yayoi didn’t leave the window.

“Enough,” I said, returning the bottle to the small dining table and raising my eyebrows at her. “If a thunder god were to go on a rampage in a little shower like this, it would just be a little young one not worth being afraid of! Come on, hurry up and come here. You need to work in Sasagiku-neesan’s place!”

Yayoi still didn’t budge. She protested, covering her ears with her small hands, and curled up, looking like a turtle pulling its head into its shell. I wouldn’t make any progress like this. Just as I scrunched my nose in irritation, the customer before my eyes– the young master of Oojiya suddenly chuckled.

“A ‘little young thunder god,’ huh? Your conversation is really enjoyable. I almost forget that I’m waiting for Sasagiku.”

Gesturing toward frightened Yayoi, the young master called, “There, there, come here,” and sat her on his lap.

“The rainclouds don’t seem like they will go far away yet. Until the thunder stops, you should hide your bellybutton so it won’t be stolen.” [Note: It is a Japanese legend that the god of thunder steals bellybuttons.]

“Okay.”

I alone bit back a sour face at Yayoi’s ever so childish behavior. Yayoi is not afraid of thunder. This is actually the art of coaxing, her specialty. Even though she’s really not afraid of thunder, she simply pretends to be afraid so that she can look cute.

Yoshiwara is said to be one of the two great dangers of Edo, along with kabuki. [Note: Kabuki=Japanese classical drama http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabuki]

If kabuki is men selling their craft, Yoshiwara is women selling their sexuality. Even within this, the Oyama brothel is called a “large establishment” and is the playground of specially high-ranked customers. In order to get those customers to gladly spend their money, a bit of lying and acting is needed to some extent.

“By the way, Kasane, are you not afraid of thunder?” the young master asked as he pet Yayoi like a kitten, who was fawning upon him in his lap.

I shook my head no.

“I’m not afraid of thunder, because it’s an old saying that years with a lot of thunder have abundant harvests. While the rumbling sound may be startling, I don’t think it’s something to be unreasonably afraid of.”

“I see. Then what about the rain? Don’t you find the dampness and humidity depressing?”

“Yes, I don’t like this dampness and humidity, for sure, but I do like looking at the rain.”

“Oh?”

“When it rains, all of the people in the street hold up umbrellas. It doesn’t look like anything special from the side, but looking at the flowers of umbrellas from above is beautiful. And when they pass by each other, the way they naturally tilt their umbrellas so that the edges don’t hit each other is elegant like a dance, in my eyes.”

The young master nodded in understanding and amusedly put his cup to his lips.

The young master of Oojiya is a sophisticated gentleman. He is of course well dressed, and his composed appearance is wonderful. Even while waiting for Sasagiku-san, he makes company with us like this and quietly empties his cup. He never gets irritated and fidgets, nor does he ever yell at the people of the shop. Though our establishment is only open to upper-class clients, there are still some who are a bother. For example, there are the gossiping country samurai and those who pretend to know it all. Those types of men are often stingy, arrogant, and uncouth. I don’t know how many times I’ve wished that all of our customers were like the young master of Oojiya.

–Nonetheless.

I glanced toward Yayoi. No matter how tolerant the young master is, today Yayoi was taking the rudeness too far. It’s fine that she planted herself on his lap, but possibly being very comfortable, she had at last started to doze off. That image was quite adorable, but it disqualified her as a kamuro to entertain customers.

“Yayoi! It’s time to wake up!”

I slapped Yayoi on the forehead. The moment I did, the sliding door opened with a slow sound.

The person to appear was Sasagiku-neesan, the top oiran of the Oyama brothel. [Note: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oiran]

Her butterfly pattern one-piece sash was tied in front, and she was elegantly dressed in an uchikake with a design of layered peonies. The scent of face powder and perfume drifted in the air. One could think that Sasagiku-neesan’s figure, standing out from the faint light of the paper lanterns, was that of an angel. She wasn’t ranked most beautiful for nothing. [Note: Uchikake=formal kimono http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimono#Uchikake]

“Thank you for waiting.”

After greeting the young master, her eyes immediately stopped on Yayoi on his lap.

“Well, Yayoi is being rude.”

“Oh, no, I don’t mind. Thanks to her, I haven’t been bored. Right, I should reward her.”

The young master reached his hand into the pocket in the sleeve of his haori and took out a small box. [Note: Haori=Formal, hip- or thigh-length kimono-like jacket. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimono#Men.27s_kimonos]

“Here, you two should split this.”

I took the box as he urged, and opened the lid. Inside were light red cherry blossom-like flowers. However, on closer inspection, they weren’t normal flowers. They scent was sweet, the petals were transparent, and they even glistened like stars. These flowers are–

“Toffee!” Yayoi, who was half asleep, suddenly yelled out. “Southern-crafted candy! Uwaah!“ [Note: They look like some of these: http://www.kanshundo.co.jp/okashi/ohigashi/higashi_arihei.htm]

Sasagiku-neesan rebuked excited Yayoi, telling her to be quiet. She then bowed her head to the young master and said, “Such expensive southern candies… We except them with gratitude.”

“What, this is cheap to be able to see Kasane and Yayoi’s excited faces. Oh, right, something for you, too.”

The young master gently pulled out something else. It was a long and thinly folded bluish-purple package. Taking the package, Sasagiku-neesan remarked, “Why…?” and opened it with a dubious expression. Sasagiku-neesan widened her eyes. Inside was what looked much like candy crafted into the form of chrysanthemums and bamboo leaves– but was actually a beautiful tortoiseshell hairpin. [Note: The gift has to do with Sasagiku’s name. Sasa=bamboo and giku=chrysanthemum.]

“This is more suitable for you than candy, isn’t it, Sasagiku?”

A childish smile crept onto the his face at Sasagiku’s speechlessness. The young master of Oojiya really is all too sophisticated of a gentleman. He earnestly considered what would please Sasagiku-neesan and even how to present it to her. He had a light, playful spirit even with such an expensive ornate hairpin, so it was a big deal. –Nevertheless.

“It looks like the candies you gave to me and Yayoi are a bonus that came with that hairpin, right?”

Sasagiku-neesan’s face turned red at my words, and the young master raised his voice in laughter.

After that, he ordered more alcohol from the counter, and gave a platter full of even more candies to me and Yayoi. Until it got late and Sasagiku-neesan and the young master went to bed just the two of them together, we would enjoy the party with them like this. The jesters, geishas, and shamisen player who came during the middle of the party also joined in the entertainment. As I stuffed my cheeks with candy, I turned my ears toward their cheerful conversation with the young master, and then–

“Ah.”

“What is it, Kasane?”

Without answering the young master’s question, I turned toward the sliding door. I felt like there was someone there, but there was nobody to be seen. I answered that it was nothing, and returned my gaze to where I was looking before.

“You were being watched,” he said, lifting the corner of his mouth.

“What?”

“You’re not very observant, are you, Kasane? I mean that there was a man on the other side of the sliding door staring at you.”

“A man? Why?”

After asking that, Sasagiku-neesan scolded, “Kasane, you don’t ask customers such insensitive questions. This is Yoshiwara. It’s only natural that a fifteen year old furisode shinzou like you would be looked at like that. Even here, you in particular stand out.” [Note: Furisode shinzou and ranks are explained later.]

Still, I couldn’t very well understand what she meant. When I tilted my head, she breathed a small sigh and added, “In Yohiwara, customers who are intimate with prostitutes have a relationship similar to a couple. The customer who was over there definitely wants to become a “couple” with you when you become able to take customers. That is why.”

“Ah, so he wants to be a couple with me. What strange taste.”

Sasagiku-neesan silently furrowed her eyebrows. Beside her, the young master laughed, “Kasane is quite an amusing girl.”

“Well, young master, please do not spoil Kasane. She is still a bit uninformed in the affairs of men and women. If we don’t properly teach her, it won’t be beneficial to her.”

“I see, then I’ll teach her.”

At hearing that, a male entertainer butted in with a dull pun; “In Yoshiwara, even lectures are fun.” [Note: The pun is that lecture=sekkyou and fun=ikkyou.]

The young master laughed weakly.

“Listen carefully, Kasane,” he said as he set down his cup. “It’s not something I would have to say after all this time, but Yoshiwara is a place in Edo that is different from the rest of Edo.”

“Right.”

“So you know the customs are different than elsewhere as well, don’t you?. In Yoshiwara, men can choose a 'female love interest’ regardless of social status or family. Women aren’t restricted to one man, but must gain a number of 'hosts.’ In other words, even I am just one of Sasagiku’s many hosts.”

At that moment, Sasagiku-neesan’s face clouded over. However, the young master disregarded that and continued, possibly not even noticing.

“The pledges exchanged between men and women are fake in Yoshiwara, but people know this and have fun, which makes Yoshiwara what is called a pleasure district.”

“–Okay,”

As I answered, I realized that he sounded as if he were warning someone. I pondered over his words in my head. Devoting oneself to one man is a true pledge, and devoting oneself to many men is a fake pledge. Truth and deception. It wasn’t as if it were difficult or I couldn’t understand the meaning of his words; but I didn’t want to understand. I unconsciously dropped my gaze. I could see the small birthmark on my right hand, which was placed in my lap.

–It made me feel hopelessly depressed.

“Then may I ask if you have ever exchanged vows that weren’t fake, young master?”

As soon as it slipped out, I came to my senses. I asked an insensitive question, even though we can’t ask customers about things outside Yoshiwara. Still, the young master let out a small chuckle.

“I don’t really know what you’re thinking about,” he said, and gulped down his alcohol. “Right, let me tell you something, since I haven’t told you before. I am single, so the only one I can truly call a female love interest is Sasagiku.”

“But that is fake, isn’t it?”

Sasagiku looked down, and the young master did not answer. After that, a “closed” sign was hung from outside the room, and the entertainers, Yayoi, and I exited to the hallway. The alcohol and food were cleaned up, ashtrays tended to, and futons spread out by Obaba-sama. Now Sasagiku-neesan and the young master’s time alone together would begin. Crunching at the leftover candies, Yayoi and I set out for a different room.

“Does the young master of Oojiya by any chance want to be Sasagiku-neesan’s lover?” Yayoi suddenly asked me.

By that, she meant an actual lover, who she really trusted. Naturally, it isn’t such a delightful thing in an establishment such as ours.

“Well, we don’t know,” I answered curtly, because I truly don’t know, and there is no way that I would.

Sasagiku-neesan is someone who used her beauty, wisdom, and good-naturedness to climb to the top and be the highest ranking oiran. She receives any client, no matter how unpleasant, with a smile, and doesn’t forget to use kind words. Since she doesn’t give just the young master special treatment, I couldn’t guess her feelings from my perspective as an outsider. –Ah, but.

“I don’t know, but…”

Come to think of it, only when she is with the young master of Oojiya does Sasagiku-neesan show a different expression than usual. Her cheeks redden, and she looks down anxiously. When I try to think of what that might mean, it must be…

“Ah.”

Suddenly, Yayoi pulled my sleeve.

“Kasane-neesan, Kasane-neesan. There’s a man looking this way.”

Lifting my gaze, I spotted an unknown man staring this way through the window to the courtyard and grinning. He was a creepy man. I concealed that feeling and returned his smile appropriately. I didn’t like it, but I couldn’t help it. If I acted too stern, I would be scolded by Obaba-sama again.

“Does that man want to be Kasane-neesan’s lover, too?”

“Well, I don’t know, but he’s a pretty unrefined man. Looking at prostitutes is what harimise are for. I wouldn’t take someone so uncouth to stare somewhere like here.” [Note: Harimise=Cages that displayed the women. http://www.ginacolliasuzuki.com/author/the-glittering-world-of-the-japanese-courtesan.html]

At hearing that, Yayoi rebutted with a knowing look.

“I don’t think that’s too extravagant. After all, the young master just said before that women in Yoshiwara have to have plenty of hosts.” I asserted. I froze with an “ugh.” Of course I couldn’t be particular over men. If I could just choose, it wouldn’t be a job.

I let out a deep sigh. At the same time, I heard a sweet, flirtatious voice, unsure of where it came from.

False love, echoing late in the night. Our backs to it, Yayoi and I walked down the long corridor.

Yoshiwara pleasure district is also known as the “town of courtesans.” Courtesans are women who take even heroes captive, so matchlessly beautiful that they endanger the country. Here in Yoshiwara, there are many of those women.

There are many establishments in Yoshiwara. They are largely split into three types; from highest to lowest ranking, they are the “large establishments,” “medium establishments,” and “small establishments.”

Naturally, the oiran of the large establishments are the stars. Their gorgeousness take captive not only the men, but also the women throughout Edo. Though, called prostitutes, they sell their bodies to men, all long for the beauty of the oiran.

However, this isn’t something that one could become in a day. These are women with a sad past. They are sold into Yoshiwara at a young age and lose all that they had of themselves that they were born with. Until they reach the end of their contract period or are paid out of bondage, they are not allowed to leave Yoshiwara. Whether daughters of warriors or daughters of peasants, all are equally called “kamuro,” cut out from the outside world, and trained in everything from the etiquette to the performing arts.

After that, they are promoted from kamuro to shinzou, where they accompany older prostitutes and learn how to receive clients. At that step, they still only observe and learn, and do not take any clients.

There are various types of shinzou as well, but within that, the furisode shinzou are special, as they are set to be the next generation of oiran. [Note: Furisode is a long-sleeved kimono. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furisode]

”Prostitutes are both prostitutes and noblewomen.” These are words that have been said by customers of Yohiwara since long ago. Noblewomen are court ladies of high status who attend to the shogunate and feudal lords. In other words, prosititues, even if low class, were unsurpassed by upper class noblewomen.

It isn’t enough only to be beautiful; without willpower and strong feelings, one would not be fit to be an oiran in Yoshiwara, even if that meant put into an exhibition room called a harimise and being evaluated through the grating from the street every night.

The Oyama brothel is a two-story structure, with a garden inside surrounded by several rooms. Despite its large size, there is only one staircase. Though it is apparently to prevent crime, more than anything, it is inconvenient for us to constantly traveling between the first and second floor.

Turning around the long hallway, I descended the staircase alongside with Yayoi and happened upon Sadaji, the manservant who did chores. In his right hand was a large oilcan. It looked as if Sadaji was the one on night watch today.

“Are you going to pour oil in the paper lanterns?”

“Yeah, because it’s an important job. …More importantly, you guys had something good to eat, didn’t you?”

He told us that Obaba would yell at us if she found out, so we reluctantly handed over some of the candy we had obtained.

Sadaji is the same age as me, has a face covered in pimples, and is short. He claims that he’s short because he’s still growing and would gradually grow taller, but in actuality, we don’t know whether that will happen.

“Sasagiku-neesn’s client is Oojiya, right? He was wearing a stylish long haori. That’s the young master of a fabric shop for you.”

“Something so high class wouldn’t suit you, Sadaji.”

“That can’t be,” Sadaji said and pouted his lips.

Sadaji was born and raised in Yoshiwara, and has never left. His mother is a former-prostitute, and his father is unknown. I’ve heard that his mother used to always say that his father was probably the master of a large store. For this reason, Sadaji couldn’t help being curious when the gentlemen of large stores came.

We said good bye and parted, Yayoi and I going down and Sadaji up. Even if the rest of Edo is wrapped in the darkness of night, just this neighborhood stays lit. Every time the guard for the night drowsily lights the paper lanterns, the men and women passionately burn again just as the torches.

* * *