Kabanko

**Kabanko** [かばんこ, a corruption of *kabashi-ku*, 'entertainment district') is a famous red-light district located in Kaimon, the modern capital of Kanton. Established in 1536 and called Shōreiku until the 1600s, Kabanko is one of the most well-known pleasure districts in Kanton and by the far the oldest to remain active in the modern day.

The area was originally created by the Sadama administration in order to narrow down the area in which prostitutes and entertainers were allowed to roam. The entertainment offered in Kabanko, alongside other licensed districts, would eventually give rise to the creation of *meiri* and *seiryō,* fashionable companions for the wealthy emerging merchant classes, and also allowed the traditional performing arts to grow in popularity.

## History

The licensed district of Shōreiku was created in the south-west of Kaimon, near to the most affluent business districts of today, and close to the Daiōren highway. In 1565, as the need for space in the city grew, the government decided to relocate Shōreiku, with plans made to move the district to the northern outskirts of Kaimon. Having been established some decades earlier, the original Shōreiku burned down, along with much of the surrounding area, in the Great Fire of Kaimon in 1567. It was then rebuilt in its new location, named Sai Shōreiku ('New Shōreiku'), although the moniker of 'new' was eventually dropped.

Kabanko was home to some 1,750 women and men in the 17th century, with records of some 3,000 people of both genders working as servants, entertainers, or sex workers, hailing from all over Kanton. Many were typically indentured to an establishment such as a theatre or brothel; though contracts did not last more than five to ten years, the debt sometimes accrued by workers could keep them trapped in Kabanko for much longer. However, a significant number either served out their contracts and married a client, went into other employment (such as play-acting), or returned to their family homes. Despite this, many also died of sexually-transmitted diseases, or for women, the consequences of failed abortions, before completing their contracts.

If chosen to receive the correct training at a young age, a girl indentured to a *kyūto* could become a *seiryō* performer; when the girl was old enough and had completed this training, she would be able to perform in a troupe or on her own for wealthy clients. Young prostitutes could also aspire to become *meiri*, high-ranking courtesans who were similar to *seiryō* but offered sex work in addition to vocal and dance performances. Another path to success and eventual freedom for a working woman in Kabanko was for a rich man (*ōtomi*) to buy out her contract from the brothel and keep her as his wife or mistress; a further path would be for a woman to work successfully enough that she could eventually buy her own freedom, though this was an uncommon and infrequent occurrence.

Social classes were not strictly divided in Kabanko; a commoner with enough money would be served as an equal to a *sai*, and though knights and warriors were discouraged from entering Kabanko, they often did so, the only requirement being that their weapons be left at the town's entrance. By law, brothel patrons were only allowed to stay in one establishment for a night at most. Like all official policies for Kabanko, this was rarely enforced.

Following its inception, Kabanko became a strong commercial area, with the local fashions created by respected prostitutes changing frequently and creating a great demand for merchants and artisans. Prostitutes of any rank were expected to wear specific colours (blue, red, and white), although the poorest could often be seen wearing low-quality, drably-dyed robes. In contrast, the *seiryō* came to be emblematic of the height of 17th-century fashion, wearing colourful and expensive silk scarves and refined yet elegant robes and hairstyles, which contradicted the often over-elaborate styles of the *meiri* and came to dictate the contemporary fashion trends of Kanton.

Despite the illusion of glamour and beauty that surrounded Kabanko and its workers in the highest echelons, most prostitutes working in the area came from poor families, were commonly exploited, and were so poor that, when they died, their bodies were often buried in mass graves (a standard funeral required ritualistic cremation, and the presence of a priest). The largest burial site, known as Hatsukiku (literally, 'throw-away place') has a memorial to the thousands of anonymous prostitutes who were put to rest beneath its soil.

### Early modern period

The area had over 9,000 women in 1893, many of whom suffered from syphilis and other venereal diseases. In 1913, the area was damaged by an extensive fire. However, Kabanko remained in business as a traditional red-light district until prostitution was outlawed by the Kantonese government in 1963.

Though technically illegal, other forms of sex work that do not violate the existing laws continue to exist in the modern area of Kabanko.

## People and services

People involved in the entertainment world of Kabanko (known as *banshō*, or the nightlife business) would include actors, dancers, rakes, gamblers, street artists, tea-shop staff, incense, lantern and candle makers, artists (poets and painters), *meiri* courtesans, prostitutes, and *seiryō*.

The sex workers found within Kabanko would consist of *banme* ('night girls', ordinary working prostitutes of no particular fame or reputation), *hanmei* (courtesans in training), and the *meiri*, the highest-ranking courtesans wielding prestige, respect and beauty. Another rank of prostitute, known as the *shūyame* (replacement girl) would serve the client of a *meiri* if she was busy or did not want to see him, taking only a small percentage of the price paid. *Shūyame* were often *hanmei* who had gone through *kannaiki* but were not yet established in the industry.

In addition to courtesans, there were also *seiryō*, *jōryō* (apprentice *seiryō*), *shōshin*, male sex workers (*hanaotō* and *ōrei*) *ōtomi* (wealthy men looking for a *courtesan* or *seiryō* to sponsor, often an established rake in the area), and the managers of betting-houses, theatres and teahouses.