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[Image above: Kyoto Sanzenin Temple, statue of Mahāsthāmaprāpta]
What is the 23 nights temple? [Part 1]
Thank you for your continued support of the ‘A Message from 23 Nights Temple’ blog. We have received quite a few questions from our readers about the ‘23 Nights Temple’, so we would like to answer them here in two parts.
23 nights is one of the folk rituals on the night of a specific moon phase, such as the 13th, 15th, 17th or 19th night, to wait for the moon to rise, make offerings, eat and drink together. Hundreds of years ago, halls where these events used to be held were scattered all over Japan, but unfortunately most of them have now been demolished and replaced by parking lots and modern ossuaries, especially in urban areas. The moon-waiting rituals of the Mid-Autumn Moon, 15 Nights (Full Moon), are still practised today. Although most modern Japanese are agnostics, some ritual events incorporating Buddhism and Shintoism remain.
The moon phase on the 23rd night is the ‘waning moon’, the half moon after the full moon, when the left half of the moon appears to be shining. The moon on the 23rd night is characterized by appearing late, around midnight, and in some mountainous areas surrounded by mountains, it can appear as late as 1 a.m.
In moon-waiting, the object of worship was determined by the time of the lunar phase at which the event was held. The object of worship on the 23rd night was Mahāsthāmaprāpta (bodhisattva mahāsattva), who was also said to be the incarnation of the moon. The light of wisdom possessed by Mahāsthāmaprāpta was thought to illuminate everything, freeing people from suffering and giving them strength.
In Shinto, Tsukuyomi-no-mikoto (Ref) is another name for Mahāsthāmaprāpta. He is also known as the god of agriculture and fishery, due to his characteristic control over the moon calendar.
The widespread ritual of waiting for the moon on the night of the 23rd lunar phase can be attributed to the worship of Mahastamaprapta, the savior of all things.
In “ A Message from 23 Nights Temple,” one of those shrines is featured. However, 2 years ago, the shrine, built over 1,000 years ago, was removed and converted into a commercial ossuary (August 2022), and the monk who left many of his messages died at the same time, but we continue to present the Zen words he left behind.
And personally, I am posting this not quite as a religion, but with the hope that as many people as possible will remember the philosophy of the prehistoric people, who lived with a sense of the cosmos, worshipping nature and enjoying the beauty of flowers, birds, wind and moon.
Welcome to the 18th installment of this series (my 7th). This time, we’re having a look at the Geigi that work in one of Tokyo's Hanamachi: Mukojima (向島).
Historical context
Geisha started to live in Mukojima in the early Meiji period (1868-1912) [1]. From the Edo to Meiji period, Mukojima was a recreational area for the common people, and was frequented by Yanagibashi and Yoshiwara Geisha with their customers. [3] The earliest record of a Mukojima Geisha (known to me) is Omomo お百, who was featured in "Contemporary Beauties", 1897 [2].
In 1906, 30 Geisha lived in the area. By 1928, their number had increased to 239. In 1940, several Kenban united, further increasing the number of Mukojima Geisha to 1300. Like in all Hanamachi around Japan, their number declined steadily after the second world war. In 1951, their number was 600, in 1993 240 [7], in 1996 170, in 2007 120 [3], in 2020 around 90 [4]. This makes Mukojima approximately as populated as Gion Kobu and Tokyo's largest Hanamachi.
The look of Mukojima Geiko. Local Term: Geisha 芸者
※ Hairstyle: Taka shimada, Tsubushi shimada
※ Kanzashi: Kushi, Maezashi, Hirauchi or Tama in the back, rice husk in the new year period
※ Makeup: Oshiroi
※ Kimono: everyday Kimono: Homongi. Kuromontsuki Hikizuri mostly in the new year period or for Erikae, rarely non-black Hikizuri.
※ Haneri: white
※ Obi: Taiko musubi, Yanagi musubi with Kuromontsuki Hikizuri, Tsunodashi musubi with other Hikizuri
※ Obijime: mostly light-coloured. No obijime with yanagi musubi
※ Obiage: mostly red, pink, or white. Seldomly turquoise, white/green, white with red shibori (red/red-white shibori with Kuromontsuki)
※ Footwear: mostly Zori, also Geta
Casual/Jikata look
※ Hairstyle: Yohatsu
※ Kanzashi: none
※ Makeup: western makeup
※ Kimono: Homongi, Kurotomesode
※ Eri: white
※ Obi: Taiko musubi
※ Obijime: mostly light-coloured. In rare cases with pocchiri
※ Obiage: white with red shibori, pink, white, pink/turquoise
※ Footwear: Zori
The look of Mukojima Maiko. Local term: Hangyoku 半玉
※ Hairstyle: Momoware (own hair or wig), Yuiwata for senior Hangyoku (only wig). Shibori, Kanoko and Chinkoro are mostly red, but can also be pink during summer.
※ Kanzashi: seasonal flower kanzashi (1-2 Daikan, Katsuyama, 1-2 Bira-Ôgi, Shidare popular during the entire apprenticeship), Maezashi (optional), Hirauchi. Minimal flower kanzashi with Yuiwata.
※ Makeup: Oshiroi, both lips painted from the start
※ Kimono: Furisode with or without tucks (all variations possible)
※ Eri: mostly white or red/white. But also pink/red, red/purple/green on white base, pink, green, black/pink/white, etc., etc.
※ Obi: kôken musubi
※ Obijime: light-coloured. sometimes with pocchiri
※ Obiage: most common colour variations are red/silver, or red/white shibori. But there are many other combinations.
※ Footwear: mostly Okobo (with red or pink straps), Zori
Dances [6]
Some dances that are local speciality of Mukojima:
※ Asazuma bune かさずまぶね
※ Fuji musume 藤娘
※ Fukagawa Kuzushi 深川くずし
※ Gorô ごろう
※ Mukojima ondo 向島音頭
※ O-Sumio お角力
※ Otemoyan おてもやん
※ Sôran bushi ソーラン節
※ Yosakuraya 夜桜や
Others that you can also see in Ozashiki outside of Mukojima:
※ Ayame Yukata 菖蒲浴衣
※ Echigo Jishi 越後獅子
※ Hanami Odori 花見踊り
※ Hatsuharu 初春
※ Ina bushi 伊那節
※ Kiyari Kuzushi 木遣りくずし
※ Sawagi さわぎ
※ Setsuhonkaina せつほんかいな
※ Shichi fukujin 七福神
※ Takeda bushi 武田節
※ Tatsumi no hidarizuma 辰巳の左褄
※ Tsurukame 鶴亀
※ Yakkosan 奴さん
※ Yoshiwara Suzume 吉原すずめ
Notes
Mukojima allows part-time workers, calling them Kamome かもめ [5]. Most of them are students or work in a different job already. Their task is mainly assisting Geisha/Hangyoku in the Ozashiki. Kamome can become Hangyoku or Geisha if they wish to work full-time. Mukojima dancers also play instruments at ozashiki: Hangyoku frequently play shime-daiko, Tachikata more often play ko-tsutsumi, sometimes fue. Shamisen seems so be reserved for Jikata.
Usually, Ryotei and Okiya are separate businesses in Tokyo. In Mukojima, however, several Ryotei also function as Okiya [3], similar to how in Kyoto, several Ochaya also have an attached Okiya.
Sources - Text
[1] Foreign Press Center Japan, Mukojima Press Tour April 2006 https://fpcj.jp/en/assistance-en/tours_notice-en/p=6744/
[2] https://www.flickr.com/photos/blue_ruin_1/28442353867/
[3] numbers 1906-1951, 1996-2007: Sumi Asahara "Tokyo Rokkagai", 2007
[4] not an exact number (account required) https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/tsurukomaiko/hanamachi-population-reference-wip-t2000.html
[5] Kamome http://sengoku-japan.com/
[6] dances compiled at Tsurukomaiko, it's by no means a complete list (account required) https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/tsurukomaiko/list-of-dances-in-all-hanamachi-t1988.html
[7] 1993: Tsuiseki (追跡): The World of the Geisha, ca. 1993 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkhRWNDwTyM
Sources - Pictures
Omomo ※ Kingyo Ozashiki ※ Momoka ※ Komachi ※ Yuki+Otokichi ※ Chikage ※ Senyume ※ Hiroya ※ Chikage+Natsuki ※ Tamaki ※ Shingetsu ※ Natsuki (twitter) ※ Soraka (insta) ※ Tomoka ※ Kingyo (fb) ※ Teruka 2x ※ Kanzashi ※ Kintaro (insta) ※ Ayame ※ Kingyo+Rin Ozashiki (fb) ※ Sakura matsuri 2023
I tried to trace back all pictures. If you find the missing links, let me know.
"The look of" other Hanamachi:
Yamagata, Tokyo Yoshicho, Niigata, Atami, Gifu, Tokyo Kagurazaka, Arima Onsen, Tokyo Asakua, Nagoya, Tokyo Shinbashi, Anjo
I Osaka Kitashinchi, II Tokyo Akasaka, III Osaka Nanchi, Fukuoka, V Yuzawa, VI Morioka
More Mukojima content: https://maigeiko.tumblr.com/tagged/mukojima
Layout: @geimaiko, thanks as always! ♥
(Text omitted)
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you, including your dear father, for your bravery. I am very pleased to hear of your older brother Kenjiro's marriage proposal and move to the Ichigaya area.
Next, I have been recruiting volunteers to repay the nation with loyalty without regard for my own life, and have been entrusted with the affairs of bureaucrats. I've had too many worries on my mind and I have been unexpectedly very ill. Last February, Higo-no-kami-dono asked me to visit a hot spring, so I did. After just 7 or 8 days, a courier suddenly arrived with news of Higo-no-kami-dono's change of position, so overnight I returned to Kyoto at a distance of 50 blocks and 16 ri [16 hour walk]. At the same time, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you for your concern. For the time being, I can only offer my best wishes.
Now, I sometimes recall that last year when I was in Fuchu, we visited brothels and indulged in raunchy games. In that regard, people no longer play around with the ladies these days. Male sexuality is popular frequently throughout the headquarters. I would like to mention this to you upon my return to my home province. That is all.
Commentary
In the main text (omitted), he writes that he was disappointed in the Shinsengumi's position and its role, and that he considered disbanding the group, but was consoled, and so on. [T/N: This was before Ikedaya]
In the postscript, in addition to congratulating the Nakajima family on their happy event, he wrote that he had fallen ill due to hard work and went to a hot spring for treatment, as recommended by Katamori, but after about a week, Katamori informs him that he was to be reassigned to a different position. It is written that he returned to Kyoto, sick and beaten.
He then fondly remembers how they used to indulge in "raunchy games" together at a brothel in Fuchu, and tells them that these days there is no such thing as playing with women at all, and that "danshoku" (male sexuality) is prevalent within the Shinsengumi.
(source: www.toshizo.com)
Translator Notes
Instead of interpreting it as Kondo complaining about the prevalence of male sexuality, doesn't it sound like he's actually trying to convince Nakajima to go for male prostitutes together next time?
"I know we used to play around with women, but no one does that anymore. Here at the Shinsengumi HQ, we do male love all the time. Just something I wanted you to know before I visit you ;)" 😂