[Biographies of Famous Women of Past and Present] Tamagiku of Nakamanji
Tamagiku of Nakamanji. During the Kyoho era, the courtesan Tamagiku of the Nakamanji-ya in the New Yoshiwara was not necessarily a great beauty, but she was born with a refined nature and was loved by all, with no equal in the pleasure quarters. At that time, a game called 'fist sumo' was very popular, and Tamagiku was known to be skilled at it. It is said that she had a fist-game set made of black velvet with patterns embroidered in gold thread, which she used for the game.
1702 - 1726
Died on the 29th day of the 3rd month of the 11th year of Kyoho. She was 25 years old and was buried at Kokan-ji Temple in Asakusa. Starting from the first Obon festival of that year, the tradition of hanging memorial lanterns for Tamagiku began. Also, the Joruri performance for the memorial service by Chikujin (the haiku poet Kenju) was an offering for her third anniversary. Since Tamagiku was also skilled at playing the shamisen in the Kato style, Masumi Ranshu organized a performance and composed the 'Mizu-choshi' (Water Tuning) piece. A haiku by someone reads: 'On the night of the lanterns, the late Tamagiku returns.'
* 'Chikujin' was a lyricist of Kato-bushi and a haiku poet in the mid-Edo period. He was the lyricist of 'Keisei Mizu-choshi'.
* 'Haiku poet Kenju' refers to Iwamoto Kenju, a haiku poet of the mid-Edo period.
* 'Tsuizen' refers to praying for the repose of the deceased's soul.
* 'Kato' is one of the representative styles of Edo Joruri, founded in the mid-Edo period by Edo Tayu Kato, who took the name Masumi Kato.
* 'Masumi Ranshu' is a professional name in the Kato-bushi tradition.
* 'Mizu-choshi' is a shamisen tuning where the strings are loosened to produce a lower pitch. Here, it refers to the Kato-bushi piece 'Keisei Mizu-choshi' composed for Tamagiku's third memorial service.
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Tamagiku was a woman who lived in the mid-Edo period and was a Tayu at the Nakamanji-ya in Sumicho, New Yoshiwara. She was well-versed in various arts such as the tea ceremony, flower arrangement, and haiku, and was said to be particularly skilled in Kato-bushi and fist sumo.
She was a renowned Tayu with a good disposition, loved not only by her regular patrons but also by the people of the New Yoshiwara, but she passed away young in her mid-twenties in March of the 11th year of Kyoho (1726).
Tamagiku holding a tray with a large sake vessel
She was very fond of sake, which is considered one of the reasons for her early death. The picture above depicts Tamagiku holding a tray with a large sake vessel.
The Tamagiku in 'Biographies of Famous Women of Past and Present' also has a stylish sake vessel placed at her feet.
During the first Obon after Tamagiku passed away, Tawaraya Kobun of Naka-no-cho, Matsuya Hachibei of Ageya-machi, and others hung lanterns to mourn her spirit. This was the beginning of the 'Tamagiku Lanterns,' one of the annual events in Yoshiwara.
Tamagiku Lanterns of New Yoshiwara
It is said that when the Kato-bushi piece 'Mizu-choshi' is played at the Nakamanji-ya in Sumicho, the spirit of Tamagiku appears.
On the night of the lanterns, the late Tamagiku returns.
* Reference: National Diet Library Digital Collections "Mirror of Famous Women of Past and Present of Great Japan", "Lotus Flower, Part 2", "Biographies of Beautiful and Charming Women", "Illustrated Guide to Famous Sites in Tokyo, Volume 2", "Pocket Illustrated Guide to Famous Sites in Tokyo", "History of Japanese Pleasure Quarters", Wikipedia "Tamagiku"
Author's note: I will update this as needed when new text is deciphered or when I notice typos or misreadings. For details, please read the "Self-Introduction/Disclaimer". 📖