Y奴jomono: Voices of Indentured Women in Jiuta S艒kyoku Lyrics

September 4, 1:30pm - 2:30pm
Mānoa Campus, Moore Hall 319 (Tokioka Room)

Y奴jo (lit. 鈥榳omen of play鈥) refers to females in Japan who from ancient times used their charms, physical attractions and entertainment talents to serve men. The term carries a negative connotation as it frequently referred to women involved in prostitution, but depending on the period and social context, it could also denote a class of highly talented professional courtesans whose refined artistic skills were popular in the licensed entertainment areas called y奴kaku. The y奴kaku constituted an integral part of Edo culture and was frequented by intellectuals, artists, and writers of the day. Y奴jomono refers to a subclass of songs from the jiuta s艒kyoku genre of salon ensemble music that utilizes voice, shamisen, koto and shakuhachi; popular from the Edo period (1603-1868) to the present day. In spite of the fame and glamour of the high-ranking courtesans, it must be kept in mind that these women were鈥攁long with their less fortunate colleagues鈥攂asically indentured workers. Because of this historical reality, some Japanese music scholars are reluctant to discuss this aspect of jiuta s艒kyoku ensemble music. Nonetheless, the y奴jo mono songs bequeathed to us today are some of the most popular and beautiful songs in the jiuta s艒kyoku musical repertory. This presentation will discuss a sampling of song content, along with recordings, to illustrate the various voices of y奴jo women and the y奴kaku culture, demonstrating their agency in contributing to the Japanese culture and society.


Event Sponsor
Center for Japanese Studies, co-sponsored with EALL, Mānoa Campus

More Information
Center for Japanese Studies, 956-2665, cjs@hawaii.edu,

Share by email