title: A Woman of Pleasure by: Murata, Kiyoko published: 2024-02-27 read: 2024-07-07 preview

In Japan in the beginning of the 20th century, it was not uncommon for young girls to be sold to brothels by their impoverished parents. The girl could then, in the span of approximately 10 years if she’s lucky, pay off that debt while, of course, having to pay for her food, clothes, etc., and give a part of her proceeds to the brothel.

Ichi is one of these girls. Sold by her father from a southern small fishing island, she ends up at a brothel at age 15 (from 1907 until 2023, the age of consent in Japan was 13; now raised to 16). All arriving girls get a short inspection:

The man gestured for her to come near. She obeyed, attracted to the soft cotton futon like a frog hypnotized by the gaze of a snake. Swiftly he toppled her onto her back and with fluid motions parted her thighs, thrust a warm finger inside her, and then his hot sex. Ichi opened her mouth and softly cried out. It hurt.
The man moved his hips as if counting, one, two, three… and withdrew when he reached nine or ten. Then he motioned with his chin for her to leave. This was the inspection imposed on all girls purchased by the brothel.
Ichi stood up again. She found it hard to walk, as if something were stuck between her legs. She staggered to the door, opened it, and went out.

Follows a teaching period of about a year, where she does not only learn how to please men, but also how to read, write, and speak proper Japanese. She gladly goes to school and learns to write letters, which Ichi interprets in her own style:

November 18, continued Aoi Ichi
Teres something strange.
The doctor who comes to Female Industrial School says
initiation means you stop beng a virgin
but the oiran says
I’ll keep wearing the red kimono
3 months 4 months even 6 months more
Suppose Im sold 3 times?
2 will be a lie
If Im sold 5 times
4 will be a lie
If Im sold 10 times
9 will be a lie
And if as many as 30 times in 6 months
29 will be a lie
How awful!

The book focusses a whole chapter on the ‘red silk days’, those few days in the month where the prostitutes get days off and can enjoy their life. But besides that, does Ichi have a good life? She doesn’t mind pleasing men, perhaps, but is not too happy about the slavery that she’s in. While laws in Japan provide some official protection to prostitutes, these laws are not acted upon. For instance, one law says that cattle cannot pay back their debts. Since prostitutes are considered sub-human, they fall into that category, and legally thus cannot be forced to pay back those debts. Reality is different.

The situation gets more desperate for her when her father visits to borrow more money, thus increasing her debt. This forces her to realise that going back to her parents is never an option, and she needs to find her own life.

The book ends openly and positively. While no problems are really solved, life continues for all involved, and some of the girls get a more positive outlook on life.

This is one of only two works by Kiyoko Murata translated to English, the other a screenplay and her first work. Born in 1945, she won 11 Japanese literary rewards, and the Yomuriy prize awarded in 2014 for this book propelled her fame in Japan even more. The translation was published in 2024.

A beautiful book, with all the female pain it discusses, with all the feminine power that counters that, giving a negative yet balanced view.