kabuki drama had developed, with plays being written by capable authors, such as Chikamatsu, and with stagecraft that was innovative and spectacular, with its revolving stages, trap doors and other theatrical devices.
The Ichi-riki ochaya, a 300-year-old red walled wooden place of geisha entertainment.
3 ICHI-RIKI OCHAYA
The areas of Shimbashi (along the Shirakawa River to the north of Shijo-dori and Gion (south of Shijo-dori) are still the heart of the geisha quarter of Kyoto. While many of the two-story tea houses in these two districts appear to be very old, most of them were built after the great fire of 1864, which devastated this area of Kyoto. Ochaya are generally wooden two-story, architecturally traditional buildings with protruding rust-colored, latticed windows (bengari goshi) on the first floor and sudare (reed screens) for privacy flapping in the breeze on the second floor. A noren (short curtain over the entryway with the name of the establishment upon it), and inaru yarai (“dog screens,” slatted and curved bamboo barriers that keep dogs and people at a proper distance from the first floor windows and walls of the building), provide a distinctive ambience to the scene.
Several entire streets in Shirakawa and Gion preserve these traditional buildings, thereby providing an idea of what Kyoto looked like in days gone by. Today in Gion, some 119 ochaya exist where an evening can be spent at a dinner with entertainment by geisha and maiko. In 1974, Kyoto placed the Gion and Shimbashi districts under special protection, and the areas were made into a Preservation District the following year. In 1976, architectural guidelines were set for seven distinct ochaya facades, and grants subsidized by the city have assisted in the maintenance of the facades of the buildings in these two Preservation Districts.
Of all these, the more than 300-year-old Ichi-riki ochaya on the corner of Shijo-dori and Hanamoi-koji-dori is the most noted. It is known not only for its traditional architecture and ambience, but as a locale where famous historic events have taken place.
Here, Oishi Yoshio (1659–1703) led a life of planned dissoluteness, giving himself over to the frivolous life of the Pleasure Quarters, seemingly drinking to excess—all to disguise his real intentions and thereby mislead the Shogun’s spies who were observing him. Oishi was a ronin, a masterless samurai who no longer had a lord (daimyo) to report to. This was Oishi’s state since his lord had fallen into disgrace and had been forced to commit seppuku (ceremonial suicide). Determined to avenge the unfair treatment of his master, Oishi divorced his wife and entered into a life of debauchery to disguise his revengeful intentions. Eventually, Oishi and 46 other ronin had a rendezvous in Edo (Tokyo), killed their master’s opponent, and were eventually forced by the Shogun to commit ceremonial suicide. All are buried with their master at a Tokyo temple. (Their story, The 47 Ronin, has become a classic in Japanese literature and kabuki as well.)
Some 150 years later, the Ichi-riki again became the center of intrigue. In the mid-19th century, in the latter days of the Tokugawa Shoguns’ rule, some of the opponents of the Tokugawa government would gather at the Ichi-riki under the pretense of a few friends having an enjoyable evening at a geisha party. Their real goal, however, was the overthrow of the government. Their plotting, and that of others of like mind, came to fruition in 1868 when the last Shogun signed the papers at Nijo Castle dissolving the Shogun’s government and ostensibly returning the Emperor to power.
Today, the Ichi-riki plays host to Japanese power figures of the business world rather than the political world, but its attraction as one of the prime geisha houses in Kyoto remains. Hanami-koji-dori, the street on which the Ichi-riki is located, is one of the best preserved of the old Gion streets of ochaya and the traditional Pleasure Quarters of Kyoto. It is a delightful area architecturally as well as historically in which to saunter. Many of the geisha live along Hanami-kojidori to the south of the Ichi-riki and, in the evening, at about 7:30, the maiko and geisha begin their walk to work at the ochaya that have requested their services for the evening, a delightful sight with their beautiful kimono and extravagant coiffures.
A traditional ochaya (tea house), with slatted and curved bamboo barriers along its outer walls.
The narrow Pontocho pedestrian walkway.
PONTOCHO AREA The area on both sides of the Kamo River thus became the center of entertainment in Kyoto, particularly after legal authorization for geisha entertainment was granted by the Shogun. Today, restaurants as well as ochaya can be found not only in the Gion-Shimbashi area on the east side of the Kamo River but along Pontocho, a very narrow pedestrian street on the west side of the Kamo River. The Pontocho pleasure quarter, once the red light district of Kyoto, lies between Sanjo-dori and Shijo-dori and is a particularly intriguing section due to its highly and colorfully illuminated signs along this street of restaurants. (Prostitution was abolished by law in 1958, but the area has its modern “love hotels,” as the type has been so aptly named, where rooms can be rented by the hour).
The Pontocho area consists of two narrow streets: one (Pontocho) is a pedestrian walk-way rather than a normal street, a home to many expensive restaurants and bars, as well as that modern replacement for traditional geisha entertainment—hostess clubs. Pontocho is the street closest to and parallel to the Kamo River, and many of the restaurants in the old buildings along this stone-paved passageway overlook the river. Some of these establishments have yuka, wooden platforms on the river’s edge on which you can dine and enjoy the cool breezes of the river. At night the illuminated signs hanging from each restaurant or bar on Pontocho provide a colorful and striking visual enrichment for this pleasure quarter. Pontocho’s parallel companion street to the west is Kiyomachi-dori, with its more modern buildings along the Takasegawa, the Takase Canal. At night, the canal’s dark waters provide an interesting contrast to the colorful and sometimes garish illuminated signs of Kiyomachi-dori, which are reflected in the water.
Toward the Sanjo-dori (Third Street) end of Pontocho is the Pontocho Kaburenjo Theater. Each spring (April–May) and autumn (October–November) the theater offers the Kamogawa Odori (Kamo River Dances). This theatrical spectacle, which had its beginning in 1872, offers Kyo-mai (Kyoto or Capital Dances) performed in the traditional geisha manner. Demonstrations of the tea ceremony are also provided.
Returning to the eastern side of the Kamo River, there are three theaters that offer traditional entertainment. The Minami-za (South Theater) is the oldest theater in Kyoto and in Japan, having first opened its doors in the 17th century—although the present building dates from 1925 and was modernized in 1990. The home of traditional kabuki drama, the highlight of its season comes every December at its kaomise (Face Showing) performances. During this month, the most important stars of kabuki appear in scenes in which they can demonstrate their prowess as performers in this highly stylized and entertaining form of theater. (A stone monument on the west side of the Minami-za Theater marks the area where Izumo-no-Okuni first performed her nascent form of kabuki, this area once having been a part of the river before the river was walled as a protection against flooding and before the area of dry land was extended.)
About 165 feet (50 m) east of the Minamiza Theater on Shijo-dori is the Meyami Jizo Shrine with its front gate and red lanterns. It is believed that the Jizo of this shrine can cure eye diseases.
On a side street south of Shijo-dori, between Hanami-koji-dori and Higashi-oji-dori, are the Gion Kaburenjo Theater and Gion Corner. Each April and May the Miyako Odori (the Cherry Blossom Dance—Miyako is the old name for Kyoto, so this is really the “Capital Dance”) is presented by geisha and maiko. In the adjacent Gion Corner is the Yasaka Kaikan, a small hall that seats some 250 people and is attached to the Gion Kaburenjo. From March 1st through November 29th, a sample of traditional Japanese arts is performed twice each evening for visitors to the city. Created by the Kyoto Visitors’ Club in 1962, demonstrations of geisha dancing, ancient court music, bunraku (puppet theater), flower arrangement and tea ceremony are presented. An English language commentary is provided. In addition, geisha and maiko present performances of the Gion Odori at the Gion Kaikan