Tayu and Kamuro

Category

Library Item

Item no

16616

Title

Tayu and Kamuro

Artist / maker

Unknown

Date

1912

Size

9.0 x 14.0 cm

Type

Photograph; Postcard

Location

Art and Design Library

There were several ranks of prostitute in Japan. 'Tayu' refers to the highest ranking courtesan who was highly educated. Tayu women had studied since childhood and their numbers were very limited in the Yosiwara quarter. A tayu was highly cultured and familiar with classical literature, musical instruments, poetry, calligraphy, dance and flower arranging. Therefore they were very proud and could choose their customers and spending time with a tayu was very expensive. The young girls are 'kamuro', meaning apprentice. Clever, good-looking girls were chosen as kamuro and were normally under the 10 years old. They had to learn a lot so that they could become tayu in the future. Kamuro served tayu and the tayu paid the kamuro's expenses. The Chinese characters (tayu) and their luxurious kimono (Japanese traditional clothes) show their status in this picture.

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Related subjects

Clothing and dress > Accessories > Headdresses

Clothing and dress > Accessories > Parasols

Clothing and dress > Garments > Kimonos

People > Adults > Women

People > Children > Girls

Places > Asia > Japan