What is a courtesan?
Oiran is the name given to the highest-ranking prostitutes in the Yoshiwara pleasure district that existed during the Edo period. In the Kamigata area such as Kyoto, they were not called oiran but tayu.
Usually, lower-ranking courtesans would enter a latticed room called a harimise to appeal to customers, but oiran did not do this and had to be summoned to a establishment called a hikide-chaya. A large amount of money was needed to hire an oiran, and customers who wanted to hire one had to behave lavishly in the brothel to demonstrate their financial means. In this way, oiran held a special position compared to ordinary courtesans.
Although they were courtesans, being the highest ranking, it was not enough for an oiran to simply be beautiful. They were taught various arts and culture from a young age, known as kamuro, and were required to have not only beauty but also the dignity and knowledge that went with it. Oirans trained in this way were treated differently from other courtesans, with kamuro performing odd jobs for them and young apprentice courtesans known as shinzo taking care of their personal needs. Customers were not only required to pay a large sum of money, but also had to be deemed worthy by the oiran to be a customer. It took around three visits, starting with an introduction, before they could finally spend the night with the woman.
Attention-grabbing courtesan fashion
It is often thought that courtesans were only popular with men, but courtesan fashion is gaining attention among young women.
Originally, oiran were not simply courtesans; their beautiful attire attracted the attention of young women around town during their courtesan processions, playing a role similar to that of fashion leaders today. Oiran were admired not only by men who frequented the brothels, but also by women of their own sex, and young women of the time flocked to imitate their style. It's like imitating the looks of models on the covers of fashion magazines today. Even today, oiran fashion is gaining attention from young women. In particular, more and more women are wearing oiran-inspired kimonos and hairstyles, such as furisode, for glamorous events like coming-of-age ceremonies. More and more women are wearing flashy hairpins, so numerous that it seems impossible to conceal them all, in an effort to stand out at glamorous events.
Actual courtesans also wore many hairpins and dressed flashily, but modern women seem to prepare their own hairpins, either by making them themselves or by purchasing them from specialty shops. Courtesan hairpins come in a variety of types, including the Tamakanzashi, Houchou, Kohanzuki, and Birakanzashi. By skillfully combining these, a gorgeous oiran hairstyle can be created.
