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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
1356: 1065: 688: 493: 303:) was associated both with erotic discernment (particularly among samurai) and with artistic refinement. In his book 983: 738: 441: 1146: 790: 320:. The cult of youthful male beauty in Japanese literature may be traced as far back as the 11th-century classic 884: 877: 374:
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
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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
656:. University of California Press. pp. 221–234. 1290: 1165: 1134: 1074: 1046: 1039: 1013: 993: 929: 922: 869: 813: 806: 746: 582: 316:, which lasted only a short time, was compared to 553:. University of California Press. p. 125. 171:or adult, the timing of both boundaries of the 53: 631:. University of California Press. p. 90. 528:. University of California Press. p. 33. 388:actors specializing in adolescent male roles. 62: 689: 472:Homosexuality in Japan § Pre-Meiji Japan 8: 27:Historical Japanese term for adolescent boys 408:, and the last by the related construction 288: 149:); boys from wealthier families could wear 68: 1043: 926: 810: 696: 682: 674: 122:, or employment outside the home, and the 584:"The 'Indescribable Fragrance' of Youths" 1142:Aomori International LGBT Film Festival 516: 576: 574: 572: 570: 368:. However, since the sexual favors of 36:Woodblock print by Ishikawa Toyonobu, 7: 43:, showing two actors portraying a 25: 781:LGBT Understanding Promotion Act 709: 704: 652:Pflugfelder, Gregory M. (1999). 602:Pflugfelder, Gregory M. (1999). 524:Pflugfelder, Gregory M. (1999). 83:, although never used for girls) 1180:Nana-chome & Higashi-Ueno ( 452:Homosexuality in ancient Greece 1298:LGBT themes in anime and manga 786:Recognition of same-sex unions 1: 457:Homosexuality in ancient Rome 268: 227:The Great Mirror of Male Love 37: 1022:The Life of an Amorous Woman 589:The New York Review of Books 1066:Genderless fashion in Japan 581:Iam Buruma (May 11, 2017). 494:Pederasty in ancient Greece 410: 402: 384: 376: 370: 364: 351: 345: 337: 330: 312: 283: 255: 249: 236: 220: 214: 206: 200: 194: 173: 167: 159: 151: 145: 135: 124: 114: 108: 91: 54: 45: 1383: 1367:Japanese words and phrases 1362:History of human sexuality 984:The Lady who Loved Insects 739:Sexual minorities in Japan 442:History of human sexuality 305:The Aesthetics of Boy Love 265:polychrome woodblock print 184: 1147:Asian Queer Film Festival 734: 355:to excite their clients. 103:Appearance and ceremonies 63: 133:During this period, the 95:status was indicated by 627:Leupp, Gary P. (1997). 549:Leupp, Gary P. (1997). 961:Torikaebaya Monogatari 821:Homosexuality in Japan 467:Homosexuality in India 462:Homosexuality in China 274: 259:sleeves worn by both. 187:Homosexuality in Japan 50: 246: 185:Further information: 35: 1336:OCCUR (organization) 905:transgender shamans 416:("beautiful boy"). 298:the way of boy love 234:features a samurai 143:with open sleeves ( 1357:Japanese sex terms 1157:Rainbow Reel Tokyo 275: 51: 1344: 1343: 1286: 1285: 1176:Shinjuku Ni-chōme 1035: 1034: 1031: 1030: 947:The Tale of Genji 323:The Tale of Genji 16:(Redirected from 1374: 1044: 1004:Chigo Monogatari 975:Ariake no Wakare 927: 913:Oyamakui no Kami 811: 791:Partnership oath 713: 708: 698: 691: 684: 675: 668: 667: 649: 643: 642: 624: 618: 617: 599: 593: 592: 586: 578: 565: 564: 546: 540: 539: 521: 490: 415: 407: 387: 381: 373: 367: 354: 348: 342: 333: 315: 302: 299: 296: 293: 290: 286: 273: 270: 258: 252: 239: 223: 217: 211: 203: 197: 176: 170: 164: 156: 148: 138: 129: 117: 111: 94: 84: 82: 79: 76: 73: 70: 66: 65: 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102: 100: 98: 93: 89:(1603–1867). 88: 58: 57: 47: 34: 30: 19: 1326: 1314: 1307: 1275:Sakurazaka ( 1272: 1267:Fukuoka City 1262: 1255:Nagarekawa ( 1252: 1234: 1226: 1216: 1208: 1187:Taito Ward ( 1172: 1166:Gay villages 1123: 1116: 1109: 1102: 1095: 1088: 1081: 1054:LGBT culture 1020: 1002: 982: 973: 966: 959: 952: 945: 938: 911: 897: 890: 883: 876: 853: 846: 839: 832: 825: 736: 653: 647: 628: 622: 603: 597: 588: 550: 544: 525: 519: 398:Meiji period 395: 392:Obsolescence 385:wakashū-gata 357: 328: 321: 304: 281: 225: 190: 132: 106: 78:young person 55: 52: 29: 1265:Haruyoshi ( 1253:Hiroshima – 885:Sōsei Genri 754:LGBT rights 727:transgender 485: [ 278:In the arts 272: 1770 41: 1740 1351:Categories 1217:Kanagawa – 1209:Hokkaido – 940:Tosa Nikki 923:Literature 511:References 482:Kagemajaya 437:Greek love 427:Bacha bazi 382:actors or 87:Edo period 1303:Gay manga 1277:Naha City 1273:Okinawa – 1263:Fukuoka – 1248:Shinsekai 1219:Nogecho ( 1203:Ikebukuro 1196:Shinbashi 878:Amaterasu 870:Mythology 841:Otokonoko 499:Pederasty 221:o-wakashū 208:wakashūdo 181:Sexuality 1328:Futanari 1221:Yokohama 1212:Susukino 1090:Barazoku 995:Medieval 861:X-gender 834:Onnagata 723:bisexual 504:Shotacon 432:Catamite 420:See also 412:bishōnen 378:onnagata 256:furisode 161:chonmage 153:furisode 1322:Class S 1291:Related 1235:Osaka – 1227:Aichi – 1189:Asakusa 1173:Tokyo – 1047:General 1040:Culture 855:Wakashu 814:General 807:History 774:Tottori 764:Ibaraki 715:Lesbian 396:In the 371:wakashū 365:wakashū 352:wakashū 346:wakashū 331:Wakashū 313:wakashū 292:  250:wakashū 237:wakashū 201:wakashū 195:wakashū 174:wakashū 168:wakashū 146:wakiake 136:wakashū 126:genpuku 115:maegami 109:Wakashū 97:haircut 92:Wakashū 72:  56:Wakashū 46:wakashū 18:Wakashu 1238:Doyama 1135:Events 1125:Samson 848:Kagema 725:, and 660:  635:  610:  557:  532:  477:Kagema 404:shōnen 360:kabuki 339:shunga 141:kimono 1243:Namba 1111:G-men 1083:Badi 1075:Media 1059:Tokyo 931:Heian 827:Shudō 769:Tokyo 759:Akita 489:] 284:Shudo 215:shūdo 1316:Yuri 1309:Yaoi 1182:Ueno 1097:Dōkō 658:ISBN 633:ISBN 608:ISBN 555:ISBN 530:ISBN 289:lit. 69:lit. 1014:Edo 747:Law 719:gay 230:by 212:or 1353:: 721:, 717:, 587:. 569:^ 487:ja 269:c. 267:, 263:, 247:A 99:. 67:, 64:若衆 38:c. 1279:) 1269:) 1259:) 1223:) 1205:) 1198:) 1191:) 1184:) 697:e 690:t 683:v 666:. 641:. 616:. 591:. 563:. 538:. 335:( 301:' 295:' 287:( 81:' 75:' 61:( 20:)

Index

Wakashu
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

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