Tokyo Bordello (吉原炎上 / Yoshiwara enjo) (吉原炎上)

A toei production

spring, 1907

in the asakusa district, in the heart of the city there was yoshiwara,

the biggest pleasure district in Japan.

This world apart, which covered a few acres

walled in by a high fence, could be entered only through a big gate.

Poor families would sell their young daughters there.

They would sell their bodies for seven or eight years.

Two ways led to the yoshiwara world:

The paradise way, for men; The hell way, for girls.

Tokyo bordello

From the novel by shinichi saito

screenplay: Kazuo kasahara and sadao nakajima

cinematography: Fujio morita

art direction: Yoshinobu nishioka

music: Masaru sato

Cast:

Yuko natori

sayoko ninomiya

mariko fuji

mineko nishikawa

rino katase

junichi inoue

mami nomura

naoto Takenaka

sumie sasaki

ittoku kishibe

Ken ogata

mikio narita

jinpachi nezu

so yamamura

kayako sono

narrator: Kyoko kishida

A film by hideo gosha

syphilis!

Syphilis!

Go see a doctor!

Stop!

Out! Get off!

Those damn kids!

Put your legs there.

Excuse me, doctor.

She's a new one, don't be rough.

The doctor must have a look at that work tool of yours which you'll use daily.

Doctor, I'll leave her to you.

You're not a virgin any more.

You had a man, back home?

Listen carefully.

You have special status.

But it's only because you have a license

that you can work.

It's lawful prostitution.

But that activity

can be practiced only in yoshiwara. You understand?

Something else.

To get out of the yoshiwara district,

you need to get police authorization.

As for the rest, your employers

will explain it to you.

Let's start.

Hisano ueda, nineteen,

from obayashi village, okayama district.

800 yen? She cost you a lot!

Yes, but she's a real gem.

Do read the contract before you sign.

Her father was in the Navy?

Yes, in the merchant Navy.

His ship sank because of overload.

He had to sell everything to pay his debts.

Not counting the compensations he had to pay his employees.

But as it was not enough, he had to sell his daughter.

Do you know the word "climax"?

"Climax"?

Fukushima! I didn't ask for you!

But, boss, she must be told.

You allow me to?

When you're with a man...

You climax when it is the most pleasant.

But when you have hundreds of men,

if you climaxed each time, you'd soon be a wreck.

Just make the customer believe that you climaxed, got it?

Fukushima! I told you to shut up!

Now, sign up.

Your skin is soft.

Hello, you sweep with energy.

Hello, I was waiting for you.

Everything's in order.

I'll leave her with you.

Thank you very much.

Come on, follow me.

Chika!

I'll take the girl.

You're going to show her around?

Serve kesaji some tea.

Come with me.

Come on!

Don't fall asleep!

Kesaji might prefer something else.

Serve her some good sake.

You found a good girl.

She'll bring a lot of money.

Do you want some sake?

Kokonoe, hello!

This is kokonoe.

My name is hisano.

She is the one who brings in the most.

If you follow her example, you'll be a great geisha, just like her.

From now on, she will be your little sister.

Take care of her and give her advice.

There's a strange smell here.

There's a smell.

Come closer.

It's her smell.

You smell nice.

She smells.

I can't smell anything.

Hello!

Kokonoe,

I wish you a nice day.

She is the new girl?

Not bad-looking at all.

Kokonoe, have a nice day.

See you later.

The boss only greets kokonoe, yoshizato and kobana,

our three great geisha.

They bring in the most.

They're our bread-winners.

Hello!

Yoshizato, I wish you a nice day.

See you later.

This is yoshizato.

Hello, my name is hisano.

Glad to meet you.

Thank you for taking care of her.

All right.

You understand? You must win the favors of your colleagues.

Yes.

Kobana, hello!

This here is kobana, our third great geisha.

If you work well,

you'll become as beautiful as she is.

Hello, my name is hisano.

Good luck.

O, great gods,

make men bring us lots of money.

You'll find something to suit your taste among those girls.

Well... long time no see!

I was told you're very busy...

Is that why you weren't coming any more?

So now, you've got time.

You're a regular, aren't you? I'm moved.

I mean business. Come inside and see for yourself.

The gentleman is coming up!

Come near, come!

Do you know where you are?

In front of yoshiwara's best house.

It's difficult to find better elsewhere.

Don't settle for just watching.

Do come inside!

If you hesitate,

they'll be taken by some other people.

Make your choice.

Going out in such a nice evening, that's good...

But don't stay outside too long.

You might catch a cold.

Look at those cute girls waiting for you.

Don't miss the chance.

And it's not expensive.

Good evening!

I was expecting you.

See?

The men watch but shrink from spending their money.

Attracting a customer is an art.

The most important thing is to make a regular of him, a patron.

If kokonoe, yoshizato and kobana are our three great geisha

it's because they know how to make their customers come again.

That way they don't have to expose themselves in the window.

But the other girls

go in the window

and must accept any customer.

You will have to find a rich customer.

With one or two customers a night, your debts won't be settled.

Come and sit down.

From here, I can see everything.

It's the house command center.

From here, you can see lots of things.

You can also see behind the scenes.

You must watch carefully too.

Those rooms, on the other side...

They're for ordinary girls.

Excuse Mel may I open the door?

Come here.

Excuse me.

I have to be away for a while.

Excuse us.

Don't worry.

I'm surprised.

The gentleman has got taste. She is an exceptional girl.

Here she comes.

Her regular had to leave in a hurry.