Five Women Who Loved Love

by Saikaku Ihara, William Theodore de Bary (Translator), Yoshida Hanbei (Illustrator)

First published in 1686 under the title Koshoku Gonin Onna, Saikaku's Five Women Who Loved Love was an immediate bestseller in the bawdy, naive, life-loving, artistic, medieval world which was Genroku Japan. And its popularity has, if anything, increased with the years, making it today as much a living classic as, say, Boccaccio's Decameron or the writings of Rabelais.

Cover design by M. Kuwata, using the figures of Oshichi and Kichisaburo from a 1775 Toyonobu print and calligraphy from the 1686 edition of the novel.

Genres: Japan, Japanese Literature, Fiction, Short Stories, Classics, Romance, Asia

264 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1686

About the author

Saikaku Ihara (井原 西鶴) was a Japanese poet and creator of the "floating world" genre of Japanese prose (ukiyo-zōshi).

Born the son of the wealthy merchant Hirayama Tōgo (平山藤五) in Osaka, he first studied haikai poetry under Matsunaga Teitoku, and later studied under Nishiyama Sōin of the Danrin School of poetry, which emphasized comic linked verse. Scholars have described numerous extraordinary feats of solo haikai composition at one sitting; most famously, over the course of a single day and night in 1677, Saikaku is reported to have composed at least 16,000 haikai stanzas, with some rumors placing the number at over 23,500 stanzas.

Later in life he began writing racy accounts of the financial and amorous affairs of the merchant class and the demimonde. These stories catered to the whims of the newly prominent merchant class, whose tastes of entertainment leaned toward the arts and pleasure districts.

Reviews

[Miriam Cihodariu · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a delicious, funny, and extremely easy to read collection of short stories (especially considering its age, since writings which are several hundreds of years old can be stuffy).

It was interesting for me to discover a bit from the lore and values of the emerging Japanese middle class or bourgeoisie. I only read either modern, contemporary Japanese novels, or old ones imbued with values of tradition and of the warrior class (the path of Bushido). This collection of stories is a refreshing take on life, stemmed from the emerging merchant class which valued love and seizing the moment above notions of duty or tradition.

Of course, most of the characters are still punished for shunning tradition and following their hearts. After all, it's still the 1600s we're talking about. There's also a bit of sentimentalism and a naive conception of the unity of physical and emotional love (no distinction between them yet). But there's also humor, wit and a lot of compassion.

Another great detail is that the author took the scandals of his day as a starting point for all his stories. So, in a way, everything you read is true history, a bit embellished. His intimate knowledge of the art and theater world is also apparent.

As always with historical sources, you should really pay attention to the foreword and notes, as they can help you understand the text in its context. But don't worry, the modern-day notes surrounding the original text are just as entertaining as the stories themselves.

[Nguyên Trang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kiếp người thì ngắn, tình yêu thì dài ;)) Lần đầu đọc Ihara là Đời du nữ cười ẻ luôn =))) Đọc tới Male Love thì sốc nặng =)) chả hiểu cái lão này là thể loại gì luôn =)) Vì đã qua ải Male Love rồi nên đọc cuốn Đàn bà si tình này không bị sốc lắm. Nhưng vẫn không hiểu cái lão này là thể loại gì luôn =))) Đi tu mà chơi bời thấy kinh, rõ là không báng bổ Phật giáo nhưng viết láo quá. Bèn phải đi tìm hiểu thân thế xem thế nào.
Hoá ra ông này không phải đi tu mà chỉ cạo đầu mang tính phát tâm thôi, vẫn là cư sĩ ăn chơi bình thường. Giới tu ở Nhật Bản thì xưa đã hơi nhợn nhợn rồi nhưng lần này tìm hiểu kỹ lại thì họ kiểu tu nhập thế, lấy vợ uống rượu ăn mặn ngủ mặn chơi bời bình thường công khai hợp pháp luôn. Đại để tu Theravada khó quá tôi tu được tới đâu hay tới đó vậy. Còn cái kiểu trai trưởng thành cặp bé trai thì cũng là tính toán cả: bé trai lúc ấy chưa dậy thì nên cũng không khác gì con gái mấy và nhất là không lo hệ luỵ (chửa đẻ, kết hôn) lại có tí đạo mạo bảo ban. Tóm lại đúng kiểu trai gái quan trọng gì, cái chính là vị thế của tôi ;))
Nhìn lại thì đúng ông Ihara này bị cuồng sau khi vợ chết. Trước đấy bình thường có sốc gì đâu. Vợ chết kiểu cuồng dại quá. Không thấy lịch sử ghi chép là ông này ăn chơi thế nào. Nhưng rõ là ông này phát tiết ra sách vở, lại bán được sách nên càng viết tợn hơn. Nên đọc thấy ông này cũng kiểu cười cợt bản thân. Cuốn này có rất nhiều đoạn kiểu mấy người đang ham tu lắm, dạy đạo lý, quyết giải thoát các kiểu, nhưng có tí gái vào quên sạch Phật. Đỉnh cao có anh chơi 2 trai trẻ xong đều chết nên quyết tâm tu, gặp cô giả trai tới anh này thấy ôi thôi kệ trai gái quan trọng gì lại hoàn tục xong được nhà vợ cho mớ tiền liền hoá rồ nghĩ ôi nhiều tiền thế này bao hết gái khắp các vùng ăn chơi cho thoả =))))
Nhìn trong giới tu tập thì cũng chẳng lạ. Ái dục bao giờ cũng là cái khó bỏ nhất của người tu. Có người tu gần cuối đời rồi còn đổ. Gặp tí trai gái quên sạch đường về xứ Phật =))) Năm ngoài mình đi gặp rất nhiều vị chân tu lẫn những người mới tu, tới nhiều chùa thuộc nhiều truyền thống khác nhau, lớn bé già trẻ tăng ni. Sau thì chốt được 2 điều về ái dục:
1. Nó là nghiệp. Nghiệp ái nặng quá thì phải trả thôi. Trả bao giờ hết được thì mới tu được. Quan trọng là tâm quân bình mà đợi nó trôi qua =))
2. Nghiệp quá khứ thì không thay đổi được. Nhưng có thể suy nghĩ, hành động để tránh sinh ra nghiệp mới trong kiếp này. Có bài quán tử thi để diệt ái đó. Nhưng nói chung vẫn là chánh niệm, tránh đi cho khoẻ. Ăn uống giảm bớt các chất kích thích đi. Ngủ sớm dậy sớm vận động nhiều. Đầu óc chánh niệm thông thoáng. Thích Ca có hẳn bài dạy A Nan. Đại để nữ nhân thì tránh luôn đừng tiếp xúc. Nếu bắt buộc phải tiếp xúc thì đừng nhìn. Nếu phải nhìn thì đừng nói. Nếu phải nói thì hãy nói trong chánh niệm.
Còn kiểu sách như cuốn này, đọc không biết tốt hay xấu =))) xấu thì thấy rõ là nó làm mình khởi tâm, tự dưng thấy cảnh chùa chiền lại liên tưởng không tốt =)))) còn tốt thì đúng style của Ihara, nó nói về sự phù thế ở đời. Tình yêu của ông luôn điên rồ sống chết nhưng cũng sớm lụi tàn chả đâu ra đâu. Nhưng dù có hiểu rõ được thế nhưng mấy ai tránh nổi? Hoho đúng truyện cuối ông này viết: “Con người là giống tàn nhẫn, đáng khinh nhất trong vạn vật” =)))

[Smiley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found reading this five-book paperback famous for the author's witticisms, ways of looking at things in this 'Floating World', sense of humor, etc. stunningly enjoyable and this translation by Wm. Theodore de Bary classic of its genre. Accordingly, the five books (chapters) are entitled as follows:
1. The Story of Seijuro in Himeji (Our family visited Himeji Castle in November last year.)
2. The Barrelmaker Brimful of Love
3. What the Seasons Brought the Almanac Maker
4. The Greengrocer's Daughter with a Bundle of Love
5. Gengobei, the Mountain of Love

Acclaimed also as moral tales, all five episodes based on five actual characters with their own fateful consequences of five different women some 300 years ago (first printed in 1686) focuses on their own 'fate' after they seemingly enjoyed life with their cunning ways in entrapping the young male counterparts they hoped to love and be loved. Each protagonist faces her problem and tries to solve it formidably and unimaginably.

Moreover, there is another translated version entitled "The Life of an Amorous Woman" (Morris, 1969) in which there are three stories in Part 1 Five Women Who Chose Love as follows:
- The Tale of Seijuro from Himeji, the Town of the Lovely Damsels (= 1. The Story of Seijuro in Himeji by de Bary)
- The Almanac Maker's Tale in the Middle Part (= 3. What the Seasons Brought the Almanac Maker by de Bary)
- The Tale of Gengobei, the Mountain of Love (= 5. Gengobei, the Mountain of Love by de Bary)

However, some readers might be deceived to read this novel due to the supplement after the title, that is, ‘Amorous Tales from 17th-Century Japan’. Therefore, as one of the masterpieces of the Tokugawa literature, we readers should enjoy reading each episode to learn their mischievous follies and good deeds if any so that we have known some better lessons to be aware of their sins and thus would not tread on their paths again.

I like this paragraph (Book 2): "This woman was formerly an abortionist known as Kosan from Myoto Pond, but when this profession was prohibited she gave up her cruel practice and worked at making noodle-flour with a mortar. Because of the hand-to-mouth nature of such an occupation, she had to work so hard that she did not even hear the temple bell sounding the end of the day. ..." (p. 78) because the choice of modifier, that is, 'hand-to-mouth' could be succinctly visualized and surprisingly similar to our Thai idiom (ปากกัดตีนถีบ). I can't help wondering if we've translated from English and adopted it as our own since hundreds of years ago.

I also liked this footnote: "To sit alone in the lamplight with a good book spread out before you and hold intimate converse with men of unseen generations -- such is a pleasure beyond compare." (p. 122) This passage written by Yoshida no Kaneyoshi (1283-1350?) a court official who later became a hermit is illuminating and consoling since I totally agree with him and it's practical to do so quite conveniently and happily.

Finally, I liked the large fonts used in the book as well as generous footnotes below in which, I think, it's easier for the readers to see them below, instead of turning to the notes section after the end of contents.

[Lilly Minasyan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always say this, but the Japanese literature isn't for most people's taste and I don't think I'll ever comfortably recommend them to my friends, since they might read it and think "what is wrong with Lilly's taste?!".
When I started this book, it was very confusing and I was constantly comparing it to the other Japanese authors, but then I reminded myself that this book was written during the 17th century and this author used to be the Haruki Murakami (I've used Haruki Murakami, since he is the most known Japanese author currently in my humble opinion). Back then, other authors heavily plagiarized his works. And when you read this book, it is so full of ordinary but yet not ordinary book. He wrote about a monk being in love with two men in the 17th century. I don't know about the LGBTQI+ rights back then, but you need to be very brave to write about that. Even one of the female characters was pretending to be a guy.
I constantly notice that it is very common to write about suicide, gay/lesbian love in the Japanese books. Considering how traditional they are in real life, I wonder why it is so.
Back to the book. Once I got over the comparison, I really liked the book. It is surely weird and in some places confusing, but I think the translation lost some of the beauty. I bet in Japanese it is way better, and it really sucks I can't read it in Japanese to compare.
If you end up reading it, I wonder what you thought about this book.

[sally ✿ · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book was honestly so strange.

[Hilâl]

Kitap 5 hikâyeden oluşuyor. Hepsi de imkânsız aşk ve sonları iyi bitmeyen hikâyeler. Sadece 5. ve son hikâye istisnai şeyler içeriyor. Her hikâye yaklaşık 20 sayfa olduğu için kurgulamada eksik şeyler var. Klasik imkânsız aşk kurguları, hikâyeler için pek fazla diyecek bir şey yok aslında. Kitabın Türkçe hali de nazaran eski sayılır sayılmasına… Ama ben hayatımda bu kadar kötü bir çeviri görmedim. Yani ittire kaktıra sonunu gördüm desem yeridir. Her hikâyede neredeyse 20’ye yakın not var ama ronin kelimesi efendisiz şövalye diye çevrilirken bazılarının notla açıklanması filan, hiç belli bir tarz benimsenmemiş kitapta. İngilizceden çevrildiğini düşünüyorum ama ona rağmen bile çok çok kötüydü. Doğrusunu söylemek gerekirse keyif açısından bu kitabı okumamak bir şey kaybettirmez ama çeviriye takılmazsanız ve eski Japon hikâyeciliği, hikâyeleri, temalar vs. ilginizi çekiyorsa bir bakabilirsiniz. Ben o nedenle sonunu görebildim. Bu kadar eski hikâyeler çok çevrilmiyor çünkü.

[Daniel Warriner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recommend reading Richard Lane’s essay on these five stories first, which is at the end of this edition. Saikaku’s protagonists are five women who are ultimately condemned for their amorous pursuits. Lane’s essay provides historical background and a bundle of context for each, and suggests the author’s moralizing is at least partly the result of limitations imposed by the era. I wonder if Saikaku, while on the surface pointing out that certain acts violate moral principles, was actually (and artfully) encouraging a broader understanding and change, like holding a mirror up to society to show people its lovers and the fateful consequences of their love.

Excerpt from Lane’s essay:

“To realize the uniqueness of Saikaku’s bold and sympathetic treatment, it is necessary to remember that each of these loves was a crime against feudal law. Even to write sympathetically about such was perilous; for although at this period the Edo government concerned itself little about pornography, anything that savored of anti-authoritarianism or lese majesty was an unpardonable crime. Ample grounds could have been found for stamping this volume criminal, simply on account of its sympathetic depiction of creatures who had violated the most sacred laws of feudalism.”

[Vakaris the Nosferatu · Rating 3 out of 5]

First two stories left little to no impression. But the three last ones are the ones who deserved the stars. And beside the simple and yet fun short little stories, there's lots of interesting facts about those-days Japan, culture, religion, traditions.

[Ben Koops · Rating 4 out of 5]

Voor de in de Genroku tijd schrijvende Ihara Saikaku (1642-1693) was de roman als genre in Japan eigenlijk nog niet uitgevonden. Het in de feodale tijd geschreven Verhaal van Genji kwam nog het dichtste in de buurt bij wat wij nu als een roman beschouwen. De vrij moderne veelschrijver Saikaku begon als haikai (gelinkte komische verzen, voorloper van de haiku) dichter en criticus. Voor hij zich begin 1682 zette aan het schrijven van vrij realistische romans vaak gebaseerd op echt gebeurde verhalen uit het theater en de populaire ballades. Hij werd ongekend populair onder de nieuw opkomende middenklasse als schrijver die over hen schreef.

Five women who loved love zou je als zijn doorbraak kunnen zien, in vijf novelles beschrijft hij het wel en wee van vijf heldinnen die zich volledig aan de liefde wijden. Het zijn amoureuze, licht erotische verhalen die meestal slecht eindigen voor de betrokkenen. Japan had in die tijd vrij strenge wetten wat betrof overspel en dat soort zaken, dus vier van de vijf eindigen dood of als non. Het punt is dat ze door lief te hebben allemaal op een bepaalde manier de wet breken, en dat kan volgens Saikaku nooit goed eindigen. ''This is a stern world and sin never goes unpunished'' Hoewel er dus een vrij strenge moraal lijkt te heersen is sympathie voor zijn karakters nooit ver bij de schrijver. Hij hield er vrij revolutionaire opvattingen op na wat betreft partnerkeuze, in de verhalen kiezen de vrouwen juist vaak voor iemand buiten hun klasse. In de strenge klassensamenleving was het natuurlijk ondenkbaar dat een samoerai met een goed voorgeslacht er vandoor ging met een dienstmeisje.

Veel van de karakters begeven zich moreel gezien op glad ijs zodra ze aan hun passie voorrang geven. Overigens zijn het niet alleen maar de vrouwen die hier last van hebben, monniken en mannen zijn ook niet vrij van fouten bij Saikaku. ''Life is short, love is long'', zo begint hij het tweede verhaal in de bundel. Zijn karakters, en zijn lezers, zouden zich allemaal bewust zijn geweest van de onbetrouwbaarheid en onvoorspelbaarheid van het leven. Het leven is vaak even onwerkelijk als een droom, Saikaku gebruikt de uitdrukking ''the floating world'' om hier uitdrukking aan te geven. In deze ''toverlantaarnwereld'' is de dood dus een geldige uitweg. Vandaar dat veel karakters ervoor kiezen om zich van hun leven te beroven zodra hun partner er niet meer is. Dubbele zelfmoorden waren ook populair onder geliefden. Wat zo boeiend is aan de onderwerpkeuze van Saikaku is dat hij ervoor kiest om alledaagse stadsbewoners als hoofdpersonen op te voeren. Deze chonin waren ver verwijderd van de gebruikelijke courtisanes die meestal het onderwerp vormden van romances. Het gaat bij Saikaku over een groenteboer, een vatmaker, en een ronin. Wel is er nog de vage echo van de Genji die in bepaalde verwijzingen of scenes te lezen valt.

Saikaku was gefascineerd door alle aspecten van de liefde, waaronder ook de homoseksuele, en er is zelfs sprake van een meisje die zich vermomt als jongen om in de smaak te vallen bij haar geliefde. Hierin zou je Five Women kunnen vergelijken met Bocaccio's Decamerone, de vaak humoristische spiegel van liefde in het Italië van de renaissance. Saikaku gaat vrij losjes om met zijn plot, het draait bij hem meer om de stijl en het gevoel wat hij op wil roepen. In die zin zou je hem als een voorloper van Kafu Nagai kunnen zien. Aangezien de verhalen in vijf losse delen werden gepubliceerd als een serie kon hij zich een zekere nonchalance veroorloven. Toch vinden we hier een vrij complex plot en karakters wat het verheft boven alleen maar romannetjes. Niet alleen de keuze voor vrouwen als hoofdpersonen was vrij nieuw, ook hoe de vrouwen optreden mag vernieuwend genoemd worden. De heldinnen van Saikaku nemen altijd het initiatief en weten goed wat ze willen. Wat consistent is dat ze zich allemaal laten meeslepen door passie. Door een licht te werpen op de consequenties van hun daden, en wat er allemaal aan voorafging kiest Saikaku ervoor het oordeel bij de lezer te laten. Maar zijn portretten veroordelen niet, ze doen realistisch aan en laten de mens zien zoals hij is, ten prooi aan passies en tekortkomingen, maar allemaal strevend naar geluk en liefde.

[Edie Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

These 17th century cautionary tales of love and eroticism featured both heterosexual and gay lovers. Their exploits would have felt at home on the pages of “The Tale of Genji” except for a lack of princes and palaces.

The introduction explains that the author came from Osaka, a city populated with merchants and common folk. These worldly inhabitants appreciated life’s earthly pleasures.

This introduction, by the way, and the end notes, critically inform the reader as to the background of the stories. Do not miss reading them!

It took some adjustment to read that the 15 was the perfect age of sexual appeal (apparently this is actually 16 by the Japanese system). These young teenagers starred in some rather mature subject matter. I also thought I detected a bit of misogamy. If you try to read any of this with 21st century eyes you’ll be sorely disappointed (and possibly outraged).

The famous Edo poet, Basho, found Saikaku vulgar. I thought him entertaining. None of these adventures changed my life, but they were fun to read.

[RD Chiriboga Moncayo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed these fascinating 17th century stories of young women who dangerously violate Japanese feudal law in pursuit of love and sex.

[Reika · Rating 5 out of 5]

skaiciau 1983m leidimo knyga, mokykloje dar :) man iki siol istrigusi kaip nuostabi knyga.

[Dzeseye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drammatico ed esagerato, non può annoiare.

[Filip Matwiejczuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

struktura piękna, prozą gęsta, realistyczna, obyczajowa, liryczna

[Aries Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una stella in più anche solo per la splendida edizione curata dalla #Adelphi, note dettagliatissime ed interessanti, prefazione davvero esaustiva (complimenti a Gian Carlo Calza) e per la traduzione, bellissima (a cutra di Lydia Origlia).

[Camila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ihara Saikaku said gay rights and I’m here for it.

[Daniel Romero Vargas · Rating 5 out of 5]

No Empire of the Senses. A delicate narrative that insunuates passion and mystery in a civilization long gone. Good books survive tempests even censorship.

[Nicholas Whyte · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3212901.html

It's a set of five love stories set in contemporary 1680s Japan - in fact, all based more or less on real life, where those who loved outside their social class would often face the death penalty (in four of the five stories, one or both of the protagonists is executed). I found it a really easy quick read, markedly more realistic than, say, Pilgrim's Progress (which was published the previous year). The last of the five stories is particularly interesting - Gengobei, a monk, is heartbroken by the deaths of two young boyfriends in quick succession; Oman, a young girl, falls in love with him and disguises herself as a boy to get into his bed; Gengobei discovers he likes her too, and they live happily ever after (after certain dramatic tribulations). It's the only story of the five with a happy ending. Sex is a universal, and probably tales of doomed love have fascinated humans since we were first able to gossip about how Ugg and Obba wanted to get together despite being from different caves, but here we have a fascinating snapshot of a changing Japan, a growing bourgeoisie not entirely happy at the policing of sexuality by the authorities. The translation by Wm. Theodore de Bary is maybe a bit old-fashioned and a twenty-first century treatment would be fun to read.

[Erika Schoeps · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars.
I couldn't finish this book, but I was almost halfway through. I have never seen writing so disorganized in myself. The individual sentences are written just fine, but the separate sentences don't connect. I couldn't make any sense of the stories, but they were very original. In one story the protagonist dies and then we get a different character as the protagonist. There were original ideas and interesting settups, but the execution was horrible.

[Libby · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a strange little book this one was. Perhaps the transalation from Japanese to English was tricky...but it was hard to follow any kind of plot in these stories. Once I gave up on making any sense of them I enjoyed their bizzare quirkyness.

[Daniel Burton-Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

It amuses me that deBary, the post-War apostle of Confucian Studies in the West, began his career translating the quintessential Genroku era pleasure quarters writer.

[Monica. A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Il corpo è limitato, ma la passione amorosa non si esaurisce mai.

Scritto nel 1686, narra le vicende della nuova classe borghese sviluppatasi grazie al governo Tokugawa che, imponendo ai daimyo di risiedere
periodicamente ad Edo, o di lasciarvi in loro assenza la famiglia, favorì lo sviluppo della città, che prosperò velocemente. La nuova classe sociale dei chonin era costituita da quelli che non appartenevano all'aristocrazia, al kuge, quindi prevalentemente da artigiani e mercanti. Parallelamente nacque un nuovo genere letterario, il chonin bunka, la cultura borghese, di cui Saikaku ne fu il maggiore esponente.
E' proprio questa la classe sociale che predomina nei cinque racconti, tutti basati su vicende realmente accadute, già rese famose da ballate e drammi.
Ciò che prevale nei suoi racconti, è il voler mostrare le figure femminili spogliate dall'onore, dal dovere e dal rispetto verso la famiglia, come se fossero totalmente in balia delle passioni, travolte dai desideri terreni. Le sue donne, anche se appartenenti alla classe borghese e quindi costrettte ad un certo tipo di vita che le incatena a mille riti quotidiani, non esitano
un solo istante ad abbandonare tutto e, incuranti degli altri, vivono liberamente le loro bramosie amorose. Non si sacrificano per nessuno, persino di fronte all'eventualità di seguire l'amato nella morte, una di loro rifiuterà per paura di rimpiangere troppo il mondo fluttuante; ma vivono sapendo che quegli attimi di felicità, strappati alla vita reale, non saranno eterni.
Una costante in questi cinque racconti è la casualità delle passioni, iniziate più per gioco che per l'esistenza di sentimenti reali.
C'è da ricordare che quasi tutti i racconti sono stati modificati, e che raramente Saikaku rispetta la realtà degli eventi, il suo intento sembra essere quello di voler modificare la vicenda in modo da scaricare tutta la responsabilità sulle figure femminili.

STORIA DI SEIJURO E DI UNA BELLA DI HIMEJI
Onatsu, 1659/60
Seijuro, figlio di un ricco mercante, disconosciuto dal padre a causa del suo stile di vita dissoluto, è costretto a lavorare per sopravvivere. Invaghitosi della figlia del titolare tentano la fuga. Seijuro, imprigionato e accusato ingiustamente di furto, sarà per questo giustiziato. Onatsu intenzionata a seguirlo il centesimo giorno, si limiterà poi a sacrificare i suoi lunghi capelli per colui che non è più e abbandonerà il mondo.

STORIA DELLA PASSIONE AMOROSA DI UN BOTTAIO
Osen, 1685
"Il corpo è limitato, ma la passione amorosa non si esaurisce mai".
Qui, grazie all'aiuto di una vecchia kosan/abortista un bottaio riesce a sposare la donna di cui s’innamora. Ma purtroppo le donne sono volubili, s’infervorano alla vista di un bel giovane, e per questo finiscono con l'odiare l'uomo che hanno sposato. E' così che Osen più per inerzia che per un reale desiderio finisce per tradire il bottaio. Colti in flagrante dal marito, l'amante fugge e lei si trafigge il petto con la lama di una pialla.

STORIA DELL'EDITORE DI ALMANACCHI LETTA NELLA PARTE DI MEZZO
Osan, 1682/83
Storia di Osan, e del suo amante, l'aiutane del marito. Anche questa passione nasce più per gioco che per vera attrazione. Durante un pellegrinaggio decidono di inscenare un annegamento per poter fuggire. Ritrovati dal marito di Osan, saranno anche loro destinati a tramutarsi in rugiada del mattino.

STORIA DEL NEGOZIO DI VERDURE E DEI FASCI D’ERBE AMOROSE
Oshichi, 1681
Il loro amore nasce in un monastero, il rifugio dopo un incendio. In seguito, tenuti lontani dalla sua famiglia, Oshichi tenterà di appiccare il fuoco alla sua casa pur di incontrarlo ancora, ma una volta scoperta sarà pubblicamente svergognata e poi reclusa nell’attesa del giorno della morte.
"Effimera è la vita: al tocco delle campane serotine, presso il sentiero erboso, fatto insolito, il suo corpo si mutò in fumo".
Proprio il centesimo giorno lui scopre la sua stele funeraria nel monastero e decide di sguainare la spada per seguirla nella morte. Sarà fermato dai bonzi e convinto ad attendere il rientro del "fratello maggiore". Apprese poi le volontà di Oshichi deciderà di radersi il capo e pregare per la sua amata.

STORIA DI GENGOBEI: UNA MONTAGNA D'AMORE
Oman, 1663
Sono qui narrate le vicende amorose un po' sfortunate di Gengobei, dedito alla "via dei giovanetti". Come già visto nel precedente racconto
era comunemente tollerato l'amore omosessuale, si prediligevano i ragazzi adolescenti, perchè il divario fra uomo e donna era celato solo da un sottile velo. Gengobei dopo il decesso di due suoi "fratelli" decide di farsi monaco e pregare per tre anni prima di seguire l'amato. Oman grazie ad un inganno, riesce a fargli abbandonare sia la tonaca sia la via dei giovinetti.
Questa è l'unica vicenda che termina in modo positivo, anche se nella realtà, finì con un doppio suicidio d'amore.

[Matt Mansfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Life is Short, Love is Long.”

In many ways this sentiment at the opening of his second tale expresses the feelings and world of Ihara Saikaku’s five short stories, “Five Women Who Loved Love”, written around 1686CE during the strict class system society of the Tokugawa Shogunate in Japan.

Unlike the 11th century Japanese work, “The Tale of the Genji”, considered the first novel ever written, Saikaku’s stories focus on the lives of everyday middle and even lower class people, not nobility.

With the exception of the last tale, the stories depict women who despite social restrictions pursue love affairs that go against social rules and end tragically for one or both partners. Sometimes out maneuvering rivals, they enthusiastically enter the affairs with passion, tenderness and hope to escape safely. But usually bad luck or unforeseen events disrupt plans though the lovers are accepting of their fates.

Only the final story, “Gengobei, The Mountain of Love”, ends happily though not without guile. Not unlike Shakespeare’s “Two Gentlemen of Verona” (1589-93), the female protagonist disguises herself as a young man in order to attract her lover away from his homosexual involvements and ultimately achieves a happy ending.

Particularly interesting are the ages of these lovers: the women are in their early to mid teens, while the men are in their 20s. Not unlike Romeo and Juliet, these youths seem far advanced in understanding the world and its expectations.

The author has a wonderful eye for detail such as this description of a woman’s clothing: “A black, ink-slab pattern adorned her white-satin chemise; a peacock design could be perceived in the iridescent satin of her outer garment. Over this hung lace made from Chinese thread and sleeves which were beautifully designed. A folded sash of twelve colors completed her ensemble.”

While Saikaku writes about the “floating world” of fashion and pleasure on one level, the drama of his tales delves further into the tension and acceptance of a social order with strict rules and consequences for those who stray. And on another deeper level, he hints at the transcendent values of Buddhism over these earthly dramas.

Quaint and relevant tales for us to consider in our own fleeting world.

[compassion_for_all · Rating 5 out of 5]

Came for the smut but stayed for the well-written stories and the history they present. 

For those times (1685), the book was definitely surprising, as it does talk about the desire for bodily love from the perspective of women. The author was no stranger to controversy, as he wrote extensively on homosexual love too. 

Reading the book is simply eye-opening; you come to realise just how brutal the punishment was for simply loving someone or for making the mistake of sleeping with the wrong person. Most of the heroines of the story do not face a happy ending; they are either killed or forced to become nuns. Men of those times had it relatively easier; those with means could use the services of sex workers whenever they needed them, and man-with-man love was also easy to find, it seems. However, for women, it was not easy at all.

Surpring to us wil also be the very young age of the lovers in the book, with most of them being under 18. Well, those were the times when the concept of adolescence was not yet discovered. Fortunately, we live in better times now.

To the modern reader, who just wants to enjoy a bit of smut, the book may be disappointing, as it does not dwell much on naughty descriptions. Still, the book is a good read to remind us of the times when just loving someone would bring you death... and to also remind us how many people today, especially women, have to face brutality or even death if they make love with the wrong person.

The book is also, of course, a product of its time, so do expect casual misoginy from time to time... yet, there is stereotypical language about men too, and, most importantly, not even the upper classes are spared this. All this just adds to the charm of the book, as the author often laments this cruel and floating world for being so unfair to lovers. 

It is totally worth reading. 

Quote:
'In this world we cannot afford to be careless. When travelling, keep the money in your waistband out of sight. Do not display your knife to a drunkard, and don't show your daughter to a monk, even if he seems to have given up the world.'

[Iris · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are five novellas about (forbidden) love from 17th century Japan.

Seijuro in Himeji loses his father’s (financial) support and, instead of spending his time in the local pleasure districts, has to find serious work. There, he promptly seduces his master’s daughter Omatsu…

The Barrelmaker Brimful of Love tells of a happy marriage between two people from its beginning to the tragic end of Osen and her lover…

What the Seasons Brought the Almanac Maker is another happy marriage destroyed by an adulterous prank, this time instigated by Osan, the wife…

The Greengrocer’s Daughter with a Bundle of Love meets a dashing young man after a fire burned down her house. When Oshichi loses sight of him, she is ready to commit a serious crime to see him again…

Gengobei, the Mountain of Love, is a samurai from Satsuma who only loves young boys. Enter Oman, who is determined to change his ways for her own happily ever after.

These five stories are filled with eroticism, even though they are quite tame from our modern perspective. What makes them special – groundbreaking in fact, when they were written – is the detailed depiction of the life and affairs of Japan’s lower class townspeople in the Edo period. At that time, having an affair outside of one’s class (in general: with a higher-class woman) was forbidden and punishable by death. Yet, four of the five women carry on such affairs regardless, and seem to take their inevitable punishment in their stride.

All five stories are based on real events that often happened just a few years earlier. This familiarity to the readers may have been one reason why they were instant bestsellers – the other one being the eroticism – and Saikaku quickly became one of Japan’s best-known novelists and poets of the time.

This is an enjoyable book if you love Japan beyond samurai and geisha; but don't expect anything explicit - that's what shunga were meant for.

[Frankie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this novel due to historical interest. I’ve only read one other Sakaiku collection before (The Great Mirror of Male Love) and also enjoyed it for what it shows you about Edo era Japan.

Saikaku Ihara was a popular writer and poet from 17th century (Edo period) Japan. Unlike other renowned classic writers, he didn’t focus on the court nobility; he focused on ordinary people: merchants, samurai, Buddhist monks and acolytes, prostitutes and actors, young women and widows. He wrote in a genre called Floating World literature that expressed the decadence of life… and all the scandalous love affairs going on.

The title’s very self-explanatory. The book is a collection of five novellas about different women and their adventures in love. In true Japanese fashion, they often end in melodrama and tragedy, with a lot of suicides. But I loved how interesting his descriptions were. It painted a vivid portrait of life in 17th century Japan along with the social norms of the time. For me the most memorable story was the last: a woman falls in love with a notorious… man-izer… a man who has dedicated his entire life to the love of other men, so our heroine seduces him by dressing up as a boy and basically wowing him through her audacity. The stories are very playful and they’re accompanied by reproductions of ukiyo-e illustrations that were included in the original book.

Another funny line… When a woman accuses the heroine of cheating on her husband because her hair is in a disarray after she leaves the room… she says “you went to bed without going to sleep.”

Really great for if you’re interested in a primary source from the Edo era! Obviously the stories are fictional, but Saikaku incorporated a lot of realistic details and made various references to other literature that was popular at that time.

[Virginia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anche se ho studiato Ihara Saikaku all’università, quest’opera è stata il mio primo approccio all’autore. Un vero peccato, perchè ci regala un quadro della società dei primi anni del periodo Tokugawa (1603-1868), soprattutto di quella parte composta dai Chōnin, ovvero la borghesia fatta di mercanti e artigiani, non a caso Saikaku stesso apparteneva ad una famiglia di mercanti.

L’opera si divide in ben 5 racconti (ognuno di 5 paragrafi), tutti incentrati proprio su questa nuova classe sociale che iniziava ad emergere ed arricchirsi in quegli anni e tutti basati su fatti realmente accaduti, che erano già stati riportati nelle canzoni popolari.

Le figure centrali di queste storie sono sempre le donne, appartenenti ai chonin, che, noncuranti del loro status, si lasciano andare al mondo fluttuante, alle loro passioni e desideri, non agiscono per valori nobili e i finali sono tragicomici. Disposte anche a sacrificare la propria vita per quell’attimo di felicità, le figure femminile vengono descritte sempre come stupide, frivole e colpevoli di tutto.

Ancora una volta abbiamo a che fare con quella che era la mentalità neoconfuciana, insieme alla legge karmica del buddhismo. Infatti, alla fine di ogni storia si cerca sempre di riportare l’equilibrio che era stato alterato da quelle azioni avventate delle donne, mosse da sentimenti incontrollabili; Saikaku pone quindi rimedio tramite lo shinju (suicidio d’amore), il suicidio di uno dei due amanti o abbandonando il mondo fluttuante e prendendo i voti.

“I due amanti non poterono sfuggire alla giusta punizione”

Inutile dirvi che questa edizione di @adelphi è sublime, a partire dalla copertina, che riporta un famoso ukiyo-e di Utamaro; le storie sono arricchite dalle illustrazioni originali di Yoshida Hanbei dell'edizione del 1686; e infine, molto importante, presenta una ricca introduzione storica a cura di Giancarlo Calza.

[Hamstone Vernix · Rating 4 out of 5]

Đây là một trong số những cuốn mà tớ xếp vào hàng cuốn hút. Từng mẩu truyện đều làm tớ phải đọc một lèo luôn không thể bỏ xuống được.
Tình yêu của những cô gái trong truyện đều có những nét chung, nhưng chúng cũng rất riêng, rất đặc biệt. Oshichi vì tình ái mà phóng hỏa, Onatsu và Osan vì tình yêu mà bỏ trốn, Oman vì tình yêu mà giả trang thành nam nhân. Duy chỉ có truyện của Osen có hơi khác biệt, vì lòng đố kỵ và ghen tức nhất thời mà ngoại tình, sau đó quyên sinh. Tất cả những người phụ nữ đó đều có một tình yêu đầy rực cháy và sẵn lòng theo đuổi điều đó để giành lấy hạnh phúc cho riêng mình.
Thật sự thì đọc quyển này tớ thích nhất truyện của Onatsu và Seijirou. Chuyện tình của hai người làm cho tớ thấy tình yêu là một thứ gì đó rất dữ dội, kiểu như... erm... món gà kho cay của Việt Nam mình ấy. Những miếng gà chín mềm, thấm gia vị và nước sốt nổi bật là vị cay nồng của ớt tươi làm cho chúng ta cảm thấy như có lửa bên trong sau khi ăn xong ý. Những tình tiết sau cũng như vài miếng măng muối xổi hơi chua và đắng ăn kèm với gà, làm dịu đi cơn nóng cay nhưng lại làm cho chúng ta đọng lại những chua xót và cảm thương cho số phận của hai người họ.
Tbh, tớ chẳng định viết dài thế này đâu, nhưng "5 người đàn bà si tình" thật sự là một tác phẩm đáng đọc đấy mấy cậu.

[Luca Frasca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un testo affascinante che mostra con poesia la scissione bicefala della cultura giapponese: la concretezza arcaica e la passionalità sanguigna dello Shinto, contrapposte al formalismo confuciano e alle aspirazioni nichiliste del Buddhismo.
Le passioni amorose dei protagonisti, travolgenti e concrete, sono sempre punite con la morte, quasi a riportare equilibrio in quell'esistenza, tutta forma e codici, che erano venute di prepotenza a sconvolgere.
Stiamo parlando ovviamente di una letteratura storicamente connotata, che restituisce in maniera esemplare la cultura del periodo Edo (massima espressione della scissione tra il potere formale dell'imperatore e quello reale esercitato dallo shogun), e del "mondo fluttuante": allegoria che esemplarmente assume il doppio significato di illusorietà e transitorietà dell'esistenza, ma anche di vita dedita ai piaceri, alle passioni e alle gioie del corpo.
Quest'ultima accezione è quella che dal 1600 in poi, e soprattutto a cavallo tra '700 e '800, diviene dominante nella cultura del Sol Levante, come testimoniato dalla ricchezza lubrica dei soggetti ritratti in molte opere di artisti dell'epoca (Utamaro, Hokusai, Hiroshige, Kuniyoshi, ecc.)

[Zachary Littrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kinda gets old going over women who each have sex and then die miserably, but it's still pretty interesting. They keep ending like a Grimm fairy tale where a narrator goes "That's just the way it goes sometimes" when you make the tactical error of boning outside your class.

I don't think Saikaku's storytelling works for me. He drags out parts that end up having nothing to do with anything, while spending terribly little time with the meat of the story (an affair takes up maybe a page or less, but you *gotta* know about the time this rando tickles a girl's foot). But I sure did like the last story. That's some Decameron Italian-style comedy where a young woman desperately wants a, ahem, male-preferring monk, so she disguises herself as a young man. There's a delightful footnote where the author matter of factly reveals that this ain't all that uncommon.


(The ebook, though, was pretty bad. The formatting was straight up broken for my phone app and there were some pretty easy to catch typos, including by not limited to sake always being written as saké...even if it's sake like "for his sake.")