New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-04-10
I0KI0'S yOSH|WARA
DESTROYED BY FIRE
psIatiaI Houses Of Licensed
Courtesans Are Swiftly
Wiped Out.
SIX THOUSAND HOMELESS
MANY Women Severely Injured
5000 Buildings in Ashes
Troops Guard the
District.
slY THOUSAND HOMELESS

ros,o April 9.-The notorious Ycshi-
the principal quarter Of Toxic In
,..;,ad bv the licensed hetaire, was de-
.-orAd BIZ fire to-day Many Of these
rsss we're almost palatial in appear
100 and a thousand of them were
,-,ed in a little more than three hours.
ca thousand female inmates were rem
s.r.d homeless The district lies one
ii. north OF Asakusa Park
The yoshiwara is conducted under gov
.-,,,e,t licenses. which provide for the
establishment Of hospitals, and several
- these Institutions also were burned.
Tho fire. which began at 11:30 o'clock
4, The morning. spread over great area
=. was famed by a strong southern
wind and the flames were swept TO the
surrounding structures to the north.
--bese we're chiefly himsy dwellings and
80 houses Altogether II is estimated
,ha, Eve thousand houses are in ruins.
covering an area approximating four
square miles.
large number of women were
severely injured. but so far as known no
deaths have occurred. Five hundred
troops are guarding the territory to-
night
When the wind died down on the clear
night the entire northern skies Of Toxic
seemed ablaze from the glowing embers.
II is impossible ar present TO estimate
the total loss.
Henry Norman. in his book. The Real
rapan." devotes n chapter 20 the Yoshi
wara- From II the following extracts are
taken:
There IS q place in Japan which every
male tourist visits 10 gaze on It's outside.
g Mace that contains probably the most
remarkable attempt ever made TO solve the
great problem Of human society. yet
pace entirely unknown 10 the Western
world for nobody has yentured 10 make in
print more than an airy passing allusion
10 II, No foreigner. indeed. has ever been
ms position 70 write seriously OF this place
from his own knowledge. Tor the police au-
tbor;ties Tell me that | am the first 10
whom opDortunities for thorough investiga-
ston have been afforded
Toxic. an hours ride in the jinrikisha from
anywhere. there is a large colony apart
You enter u through d wide gate, on one
sde Of which Il large weeping willow
The Willow of Welcome. in Japanese
end on ;he other side a post of police. The
streets inside are long and wide. shops and
Tea houses alternating Down the middle
is beautiful flower garden. six feet across,
where a succession OF flowers in full bloom
e maintained among pleasant fountains
ana quaint stone lanterns.
An eagle. marvelously constructed OF
shreds OF bamboo. is sitting on a tree
stump. and half dozen wax figures Of men
and women. startlingly likelfe, are pluck
frr the lowers and strolling b. the foun-
tsins One man has trodden upon a toad
and Is Swinging hack 10 disgust. his foot
orawn I'D almost 70 HIS waist A lady has
stopped before a little brook and stands
With her gown gathered up, hesitating TO
cross when coOlie-a japanese Sir Wal
Ter Raleigh-runs up.and spreads his coat
On the mud before her. .-..--
~ the end Of the principal street is a
arge and handsome building surmounted
by clock tower dominating the entire
cconN Anu Wuen YOU hoNe "dlheu AVi "
quarter Of 4 mile under the lanterns and
beside the flowers you find not only one,
t1t dozen such buildings. massive struct-
r-es OF stone and brick with pillared veran-
das and lofty vaulted entrances. through
which you get a glimpse Of great stairways
s1d columns Of polished wood. with cool
green gardens extending temptingly beyond.
Structures Massive and Costly,
There are no finer buildings in Toxic than
these. and they have cost hundreds of thou
sands Of dollars. They bear no sign or
mark outside 10 indicate their purpose.
though If YOU look up in passing YOU Will
r-obably see a graceful figure or two IN
bright gowns stroling upon the balcony
OF pair Of black eyes will look curiously