First edition. Yokohon measuring 103 by 162mm. Fukuro-toji binding, original brown paper wrappers, chipping and wear to binding, worming affecting read cover and ink stain on final few pages, text still legible, in later chitsu folding case, a good copy. [2], 29ff. Edo, Yamamoto Kyuzaemon, Horeki 4 [i.e, 1754.
An excellent overview of Yoshiwara in 1754, with a preface by someone named Yoshinobu who explains that on a clear spring day, watching the women (joro-tachi, i.e. prostitutes) walking by, they exude a certain sensuality as though they are a mix of willow and cherry blossom, which is the reason for the title of this book.
After the preface is a map of Yoshiwara, followed by a directory of brothels on each of the main streets. It also lists the names of some of the women who worked at each of the brothels, as well as a small vignette of the crest as it would appear on the noren door hanging.
Extremely rare. No copies in OCLC. There seem to be only two copies in Japanese institutions: one at the Edo Tokyo Museum, the other at Osaka University. Our copy contains four extra pages of advertisements after the colophon, which do not appear in the digitised copies in the Kokusho database.
