Today I went to see a special event called Oiran parade held in Shitaderamachi, Osaka city.
Oiran was a high ranking courtesan in Edo period that was more than 250 years ago.
As one of the most famous Oiran called Yugiridayu’s grave is in a temple in the place, they hold the event at this time of the year.
Actually, the temple was a place where one of my father’s coworkers lived. A few decades ago, when we happened to pass in front of a temple, my father said to me, “Can you stop here? This is a place where one of my coworkers lives.” We visited him and were welcomed to a Japanese guest room surrounded with a beautiful Japanese garden and had a good time. Today I had a chance to talk with a lady who seemed to be his family member.
She said, “The garden was broken by the strong typhoon which hit Osaka several years ago.” I’m a little disappointed to know that.
今日、大阪下寺町で開催された花魁道中を見に行って来ました。江戸時代の最も有名な花魁の一人の夕霧太夫のお墓がここのお寺にあることから毎年この時期に開催されるようです。
実はこのお寺は私の父の仕事仲間だった人の家でした。何十年も前ですが、どこかに家族で車で出かけたときにたまたまそのお寺の前に通りがかったので父が私に「ここで止められるか、この寺は昔の仕事仲間の家なんや」と言って立ち寄ったことがありました。そのときは本堂横のきれいなお庭のある座敷に通して頂きました。先程、そのお寺の方に聞くと前に大阪を襲った台風で庭の木が倒れてしまってもうその庭はないとのことでした。寂しいです。