Knowledge (XXG)

Wakashū

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In Edo-period Japan, adolescent boys were considered as suitable objects of erotic desire for young women, older women, and older men (as long as the latter played an active sexual role). Age was an important, but not crucial aspect of
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were prominently featured in Edo-period woodcuts, where they are often distinguishable from the female beauties in the same pictures only by a sword or the shaved spot on the crown of their head. In erotic prints
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theater. Female actors were banned from kabuki in 1629 in an effort to crack down on prostitution, and the roles of women and young boys began to be performed by
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period were relatively flexible, giving families and patrons the ability to accommodate the development and circumstances of the individual boy.
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wore a distinctive hairstyle, with a small shaved portion at the crown of the head and long forelocks at front and sides, and typically wore
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writes that only "members of a privileged class can understand the delights of boy love". The characteristic beauty of
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were no less in demand, they were also banned from the stage in 1652, and these roles were taken over by adult
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woodcuts, it is unclear whether the characters shown are adolescent boys or female prostitutes posing as
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coming of age ceremony (mid-teens through early 20s), which marked the transition to adulthood.
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is a historical Japanese term indicating an adolescent boy, used particularly during the
389:(1868–1912), the term became obsolete; the first meanings were replaced by the new term 1238: 1085: 786: 296: 108: 1332: 1211: 1133: 880: 435: 220: 101:
properly referred to a boy between the ages at which his head was partially shaven (
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Cartographies of desire: male-male sexuality in Japanese discourse, 1600–1950
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Cartographies of desire: male-male sexuality in Japanese discourse, 1600–1950
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Cartographies of desire: male-male sexuality in Japanese discourse, 1600–1950
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Male Colors: The Construction of Homosexuality in Tokugawa Japan
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Male Colors: The Construction of Homosexuality in Tokugawa Japan
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Prostitution and acting were closely linked in early
645:. University of California Press. pp. 221–234. 1272: 1147: 1116: 1056: 1028: 1021: 995: 975: 911: 904: 851: 802: 795: 735: 571: 305:, which lasted only a short time, was compared to 542:. University of California Press. p. 125. 160:or adult, the timing of both boundaries of the 42: 620:. University of California Press. p. 90. 517:. University of California Press. p. 33. 377:actors specializing in adolescent male roles. 51: 678: 461:Homosexuality in Japan § Pre-Meiji Japan 8: 16:Historical Japanese term for adolescent boys 397:, and the last by the related construction 277: 138:); boys from wealthier families could wear 57: 1025: 908: 799: 685: 671: 663: 111:, or employment outside the home, and the 573:"The 'Indescribable Fragrance' of Youths" 1124:Aomori International LGBT Film Festival 505: 565: 563: 561: 559: 357:. However, since the sexual favors of 25:Woodblock print by Ishikawa Toyonobu, 7: 32:, showing two actors portraying a 14: 770:LGBT Understanding Promotion Act 698: 693: 641:Pflugfelder, Gregory M. (1999). 591:Pflugfelder, Gregory M. (1999). 513:Pflugfelder, Gregory M. (1999). 72:, although never used for girls) 1162:Nana-chome & Higashi-Ueno ( 441:Homosexuality in ancient Greece 1280:LGBT themes in anime and manga 775:Recognition of same-sex unions 1: 446:Homosexuality in ancient Rome 257: 216:The Great Mirror of Male Love 26: 1004:The Life of an Amorous Woman 578:The New York Review of Books 1048:Genderless fashion in Japan 570:Iam Buruma (May 11, 2017). 483:Pederasty in ancient Greece 399: 391: 373: 365: 359: 353: 340: 334: 326: 319: 301: 272: 244: 238: 225: 209: 203: 195: 189: 183: 162: 156: 148: 140: 134: 124: 113: 103: 97: 80: 43: 34: 1365: 1349:Japanese words and phrases 1344:History of human sexuality 966:The Lady who Loved Insects 728:Sexual minorities in Japan 431:History of human sexuality 294:The Aesthetics of Boy Love 254:polychrome woodblock print 173: 1129:Asian Queer Film Festival 723: 344:to excite their clients. 92:Appearance and ceremonies 52: 122:During this period, the 84:status was indicated by 616:Leupp, Gary P. (1997). 538:Leupp, Gary P. (1997). 943:Torikaebaya Monogatari 810:Homosexuality in Japan 456:Homosexuality in India 451:Homosexuality in China 263: 248:sleeves worn by both. 176:Homosexuality in Japan 39: 235: 174:Further information: 24: 1318:OCCUR (organization) 887:transgender shamans 405:("beautiful boy"). 287:the way of boy love 223:features a samurai 132:with open sleeves ( 1339:Japanese sex terms 1139:Rainbow Reel Tokyo 264: 40: 1326: 1325: 1268: 1267: 1158:Shinjuku Ni-chōme 1017: 1016: 1013: 1012: 929:The Tale of Genji 312:The Tale of Genji 1356: 1026: 986:Chigo Monogatari 957:Ariake no Wakare 909: 895:Oyamakui no Kami 800: 780:Partnership oath 702: 697: 687: 680: 673: 664: 657: 656: 638: 632: 631: 613: 607: 606: 588: 582: 581: 575: 567: 554: 553: 535: 529: 528: 510: 479: 404: 396: 376: 370: 362: 356: 343: 337: 331: 322: 304: 291: 288: 285: 282: 279: 275: 262: 259: 247: 241: 228: 212: 206: 200: 192: 186: 165: 159: 153: 145: 137: 127: 118: 106: 100: 83: 73: 71: 68: 65: 62: 59: 55: 54: 48: 37: 31: 28: 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1257:Sakurazaka ( 1254: 1249:Fukuoka City 1244: 1237:Nagarekawa ( 1234: 1216: 1208: 1198: 1190: 1169:Taito Ward ( 1154: 1148:Gay villages 1105: 1098: 1091: 1084: 1077: 1070: 1063: 1036:LGBT culture 1002: 984: 964: 955: 948: 941: 934: 927: 920: 893: 879: 872: 865: 858: 835: 828: 821: 814: 725: 642: 636: 617: 611: 592: 586: 577: 539: 533: 514: 508: 387:Meiji period 384: 381:Obsolescence 374:wakashū-gata 346: 317: 310: 293: 270: 214: 179: 121: 95: 67:young person 44: 41: 18: 1247:Haruyoshi ( 1235:Hiroshima – 867:Sōsei Genri 743:LGBT rights 716:transgender 474: [ 267:In the arts 261: 1770 30: 1740 1333:Categories 1199:Kanagawa – 1191:Hokkaido – 922:Tosa Nikki 905:Literature 500:References 471:Kagemajaya 426:Greek love 416:Bacha bazi 371:actors or 76:Edo period 1285:Gay manga 1259:Naha City 1255:Okinawa – 1245:Fukuoka – 1230:Shinsekai 1201:Nogecho ( 1185:Ikebukuro 1178:Shinbashi 860:Amaterasu 852:Mythology 488:Pederasty 210:o-wakashū 197:wakashūdo 170:Sexuality 1310:Futanari 1203:Yokohama 1194:Susukino 1072:Barazoku 977:Medieval 843:X-gender 823:Onnagata 712:bisexual 493:Shotacon 421:Catamite 409:See also 401:bishōnen 367:onnagata 245:furisode 150:chonmage 142:furisode 1304:Class S 1273:Related 1217:Osaka – 1209:Aichi – 1171:Asakusa 1155:Tokyo – 1029:General 1022:Culture 837:Wakashu 803:General 796:History 763:Tottori 753:Ibaraki 704:Lesbian 385:In the 360:wakashū 354:wakashū 341:wakashū 335:wakashū 320:Wakashū 302:wakashū 281:  239:wakashū 226:wakashū 190:wakashū 184:wakashū 163:wakashū 157:wakashū 135:wakiake 125:wakashū 115:genpuku 104:maegami 98:Wakashū 86:haircut 81:Wakashū 61:  45:Wakashū 35:wakashū 1220:Doyama 1117:Events 1107:Samson 830:Kagema 714:, and 649:  624:  599:  546:  521:  466:Kagema 393:shōnen 349:kabuki 328:shunga 130:kimono 1225:Namba 1093:G-men 1065:Badi 1057:Media 1041:Tokyo 913:Heian 816:Shudō 758:Tokyo 748:Akita 478:] 273:Shudo 204:shūdo 1298:Yuri 1291:Yaoi 1164:Ueno 1079:Dōkō 647:ISBN 622:ISBN 597:ISBN 544:ISBN 519:ISBN 278:lit. 58:lit. 996:Edo 736:Law 708:gay 219:by 201:or 1335:: 710:, 706:, 576:. 558:^ 476:ja 258:c. 256:, 252:, 236:A 88:. 56:, 53:若衆 27:c. 1261:) 1251:) 1241:) 1205:) 1187:) 1180:) 1173:) 1166:) 686:e 679:t 672:v 655:. 630:. 605:. 580:. 552:. 527:. 324:( 290:' 284:' 276:( 70:' 64:' 50:(

Index

Woodblock print by Ishikawa Toyonobu of kabuki actors Nakamura Shichisaburō II and Sanogawa Ichimatsu, signed "Meijōdō Ishikawa Shūha Toyonobu zu", 1740s.
Edo period
haircut
apprenticeship
genpuku
kimono
furisode
chonmage
Homosexuality in Japan
wakashūdo
The Great Mirror of Male Love
Ihara Saikaku
Kannazuki (tenth month of the traditional Japanese calendar), polychrome woodblock print. Original woodblock by Harunobu Suzuki c. 1770, later printing. One of a pair (with Risshun) showing a young couple in autumn and spring, respectively.
Suzuki Harunobu
polychrome woodblock print
Taruho Inagaki
cherry blossoms
The Tale of Genji
shunga
kabuki
onnagata
Meiji period
shōnen
bishōnen
Bacha bazi
Catamite
Greek love
History of human sexuality
Homoeroticism
Homosexuality in ancient Greece

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