So, if you happen to be an avid Japan watcher, such as myself, you may be aware of some less than savory comments that were recently made by the mayor of Osaka, one Mr. Toru Hashimoto. This, as you may have expected, has caused quite the uproar and plenty of admonishment from the international community, particularly the US.
Shintoism, the most widely practiced religion of Japan, does not view sex as a taboo and thus the trade of prostitution had no real ill consequences. As such, prostitution has existed in Japan as far back as the 15th century. At this time brothels were operating and accepting local visitors as well as foreign traders which were mostly comprised of Chinese, Koreans and East Asians.
Japanese girls and women were also sold into sexual slavery and taken overseas to colonies and plantations. Prostitution has been pretty widely spread and accepted throughout Japan but they were particularly confined to Edo modern day Tokyo , Kyoto and Osaka, and as such, there were both female and male prostitutes. These prostitutes accepted patrons both from the elite Shogunate as well as the newly rich traders and merchants.
Oftentimes, the newly rich townsmen, or in Japanese Chounin were often much more flush with cash than their royal counterparts and therefore posed a threat to the ruling classes.
And what better places to participate in some down low political intrigue then brothels? As such, the Tokugawa Shogunate passed a decree that relegated prostitution to red-light districts on the outskirts of Edo, Kyoto and Osaka where these Chounin were kept well away from the political action.
