1.
licensed pleasure quarter; red-light district (historical)
A walled or designated district in Edo-period Japan where prostitution was officially licensed and regulated by the government. The most famous was Yoshiwara in Edo (Tokyo). These districts were abolished in the modern era.
吉原は江戸で最も有名な遊郭だった。
Yoshiwara was the most famous pleasure quarter in Edo.
遊郭は独自の文化を生み出した。
The pleasure quarters gave rise to their own distinct culture.
小説や映画の舞台として遊郭が描かれることは今も多い。
Pleasure quarters are still frequently depicted as settings in novels and films.
USAGE: 遊郭 is a historical term. These districts were established by the Tokugawa shogunate to control prostitution by confining it to specific areas. The most famous were 吉原 (Edo/Tokyo), 島原 (Kyoto), and 新町 (Osaka).
The 遊郭 developed a rich cultural ecosystem including fashion, music, art, and literature. Many ukiyo-e prints depict life in these districts.
Also written as 遊廓 (variant kanji).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 遊郭跡: site of a former pleasure quarter
- 遊郭建築: pleasure quarter architecture