#dochu


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Thank you @bahandingbulawan

For sending this in. It was quite interesting to see the two different Tayuu interacting with their surroundings. Some things i noted were the presence of the Hanaguruma, the flower chariot at the beginning of the procession. These chariots carrying exquisite vessels of Ikebana creations are displays of virtues like poetic sensibilities, wealth, romantic prowess and imperial connections: All very Tayuu-coded. One could argue it was like a version of a Tayuu herself, a stand-in so to speak to elongate the procession and add more spiritual weight to it.

The first Tayuu looked very focused to me, and also very meticulous in her walking, trucking along like a well oiled machine. The second Tayuu seemed a bit more flustered to me, her Hikifune was clearly doing her best to keep this boat afloat. This Tayuu looked like she was struggling a bit with her volume while the helper kept fussing and arranging. Interesting to note also that each Kamuro has her own handler as well. Which i wasn't aware of was so common. It's quite normal to see modern Hikifune gently nudge Kamuro during the dochu as they clearly don't get a lot of routine these days. But i would have imagined Kamuro of yore to have more practice. Maybe it was also a question of keeping these girls safe and focused too. A lot was invested in these little princesses so they needed to keep from mingling too much with the crowd. Just a guess though.

Also something that i found a bit strange was the sheer amount of Bekko kanzashi worn by both Tayuu. I have two theories: Either it was just the fashion of the moment between the Tayuu to go all out and more "Yoshiwara"-style. Or it was a question of occasion where the dress code was "More is more".

If anyone knows exactly if the gentlemen in the Haori and (bowler?)-hats are something like handlers, bodyguards or simply rude spectators of the parade barging on through, feel free to chime in.

August 1, 2021: Aoi-tayuu (葵太夫), and her kamuro, of Suehiro okiya, taking part in Hassaku Dochu (八朔道中) as they pose in front of the Shimabara Oomon.

April 14th, 2019: An actress dressed as an Oiran performs a douchuu for the Nagahama Kashiyama Matsuri (長浜曳山祭り).

How to kiss a person who's taller than you? 

Make him fall backwards, catch him, kiss him! But not so with Germany. XD

Hope youre doing well

Hello Anon

Thank you for sending it it! I haven't been keeping up with Aoi so i was struck by how she changed and matured into a more vibrant Tayuu as represented in these pics!

She looks so confident in her role, sporting the Yoshino mage and an uchikake with a dominant phoenix and peony motif. On the one hand the Yoshino mage can be considered one of the most important Tayuu hairstyles, being an homage to the great Yoshino Tayuu. On the other hand the uchikake sports deep and energetic colors like red, green and black. The latter was historically reserved for the most financially successful Oiran of the Yoshiwara. This in combination with the prominent and traditional Tayuu red, the entry ticket to the royal palaces, states: "I'm at my best" which i hope is true for Aoi!

While the peony has been considered the "King of Flowers", the Chinese phoenix has been connected with the Japanese Empress for millennia: It's been said to descend from heaven in time of need to relieve distress and dreaming of a phoenix was a good omen and so it was connected to the passive yet powerful role of royal women.

If we examine this through the lens of the Tayuu, there are actually a few parallels. While Empresses were expected to live secluded, spiritually active lives as crown jewels of an empire, so the Tayuu were considered the most precious flowers in the Hanamachi, only equal to the men and the arts they devoted themselves too. Tayuu lived secluded too, either learning or practicing. Even though it all was in service to men, the Empress was headed in the exact same direction. It was no surprise that the most powerful leaders needed an equal partner to converse with- As royal women were not expected to share their knowledge with men, so the Tayuu filled this gap. As some Empresses donated to temples and defined their spirituality through alliance with them, so emulated the Tayuu.

These pics were taken in November at the Tayuu Dochu in Jocho-Ji Temple in Kyoto. A few notes on that: The most famous Tayuu Dochu is usually in April and it is a privilege of the Wachigaiya Tayuu to pay their respects to Yoshino Tayuu II (she was the financier of the famous red Mon of the grounds) during this ceremony. Historically there would have been three annual Dochu: The Cherryblossom Parade in April, as still upheld today, The Parade for Irises in summer and then the autumn parade to celebrate the Chrysanthemums. The autumn flower is also considered an imperial flower, it is the symbol of Japan to this day, again linking the Tayuu to royalist symbolism.

It's an interesting note that this temple is an intersecting scene for all Tayuu of Kyoto. Aoi has been paying her respects for years here, just as well as it being a hotspot to see Wachigaiya Tayuu out in the flesh. In a sense it's incredibly fitting for Aoi to flaunt off her seniority in the ranks of Tayuu and also her financial pull in a place where a legendary Tayuu left her spiritual marks through her generosity. Hopefully we get to see many more appearances on these grounds!

August 1, 2021: Tsukasa-tayuu, Aoi-tayuu, and her kamuro, of Suehiro okiya, taking part in Hassaku Dochu (八朔道中) by posing with the owners of the Shimabara Otobun establishment.