Edo Culture: Daily Life and Diversions in Urban Japan, 1600-1868

Glossary

269 GLOSSARY agemaku Curtain hung over the rear entrance to the hanamichi in the kabuki theater. ageya Houses of entertainment to which courtesans went when called by customers; intermediary houses. akahon Literally “red (covered) books”—short illustrated books, mostly for children, popular especially during the opening decades of the eighteenth century. akanuke Unpretentious urbanity, elegance, polished manners—considered by some to be an essential ingredient of iki. aragoto “Rough” kabuki acting style, particularly as developed by Ichikawa Danjûrò, that features nonnaturalistic makeup and grandiose, exaggerated , vigorously masculine deportment. azuma nishiki-e See ukiyo-e. bakufu Literally “tent government”—the military government of Japan. During the Edo period the Tokugawa family ruled the land and thus its government is known as the Tokugawa bakufu. Earlier bakufu were established by the Minamoto family (Kamakura bakufu, 1185–1333) and the Ashikaga family (Muromachi bakufu, 1333–1573). bikuni Itinerant nuns who, by the Edo period, were also known to engage in prostitution. binzasara Clapper or rattle made of a dozen or more thin boards loosely tied together. The instrument is held on both sides and produces a sound when the boards are suddenly brought together. bitai Allure, coquetry, flirtatiousness—considered an essential ingredient of iki. biwa Four-stringed lute, played with a large plectrum, heard in gagaku and often used to accompany battle tales and other historical narratives. bon A midsummer festival when the souls of the dead are believed to return for a visit to this world. Bon dancing is one of the most common folk dance genres throughout Japan. It is usually accompanied by drums, flutes, and song. bonseki The creation of miniature landscape-like scenes in a tray by using rocks and sand. bonten Sacred poles with a paper streamers, located at the top (left and right) of a kabuki theater tower. 270 Glossary bu A gold or silver coin equal in value to a quarter of a ryò. bugaku Court dances. See gagaku. bukan Registries containing information on military households. Bukan were often printed in book form and sold to the general public. bungo bushi A form of jòruri performed by the chanter Miyakoji Bungo no jò from around the second decade of the eighteenth century; banned by the Edo city magistrate in 1736. bunjin-ga “Literati painting,” or “literary men’s painting,” originally influenced by eighteenth-century Chinese painting. Many of the artists were Confucian scholars, poets, and calligraphers who sought to be individualistic in their painting. choku A dish—usually of boiled vegetables with dressing. chongare bushi A form of popular narrative often chanted to shamisen accompaniment by itinerant performers. chònin Townsperson—including members of both the artisan and merchant strata of Edo-period society. daijin Ostentatiously wealthy patrons of the pleasure quarters. daimyo Major feudal lords with holdings of over 10,000 koku of rice. Daimyo were divided by the Tokugawa bakufu into various groups based on types of vassalage. The most important division was between shinpan (collateral houses), fudai (hereditary vassalage lords), and tozama (“outside lords”). daishòkai Calendar designing and printing events. dangibon “Sermon books”—somewhat humorous books critical of contemporary society. Many were published between the 1750s and 1770s. degaichò See kaichò. dòshin Low-ranking peace officer, rated at 30 koku of rice, who worked under the yoriki. ebòshi Tall black lacquered hats worn by nobles in court dress. Echigo chijimi A type of strong ramie fabric produced mainly in and around Ojiya village of Echigo province. Edo-dana Edo branch shops of businesses with headquarters in the Kamigata area or elsewhere. Edo-e See ukiyo-e. Edokko The prototypical Edo citizen. enkyoku Long “banquet songs” popular in the court and among the military nobility during the Kamakura and Muromachi periods. fudai See daimyo. fudasashi Originally rice brokers who saw to the conversion of warriors’ rice stipends into cash, fudasashi eventually became de facto financial agents offering loans to warriors with the rice stipend as collateral. Many were renowned for being extremely wealthy. fudoki Books describing the geography and cultural characteristics of various areas of Japan. fue Transverse flute usually made of bamboo. Numerous types are used in gagaku, nò, and folk music genres. gagaku Court music of an ensemble featuring transverse flutes (fue, more Glossary 271 accurately ryûteki and komabue), a double-reed oboe-like instrument (hichiriki), a free-reed mouth organ (shò), a four-stringed lute played with a large plectrum (biwa), and other...