Katsurame

These women peddled sweetfish, uruka (sweetfish intestines) and candy from Katsura Village (present-day Katsura, Nishikyo Ward, Kyoto City), at the end of the Oigawa River in the western outskirts of Kyoto, to the towns of Kyoto. They were well known in the medieval and early modern periods for their custom of wearing a Katsura wrap with a white cloth on their heads. The Katsura family had been a succession of female heirs for generations, and in the ancient Heian and Kamakura periods they took refuge in the Sanjo (shrine of a young woman) at Gokonomiya in Fushimi, Kyoto, which enshrines Empress Jingu. Originally, it was a custom to visit the residences of nobles in Kyoto on New Year's Day and Hassaku to present sweetfish and candy, but this custom evolved into peddling. There are also legends that they accompanied Empress Jingu in the wars, and in the Middle Ages, they frequented samurai homes and acted as shrine maidens (miko) to pray for victory in battles. They were called Gojin-jochu (ladies in the military), and apparently participated in battles and also served as comfort women. There was also a custom of them accompanying brides at samurai weddings, and it is said that they were endowed with magical powers to celebrate safe births and help the children grow.

[Shogo Watanabe]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

京都市西郊の大堰川(おおいがわ)の末流の桂の里（現京都市西京区桂）から、京の町々へ鮎(あゆ)やうるか（鮎の腸）や飴(あめ)を売り歩いた女たち。頭を白布で巻いた桂包(かつらづつみ)の風俗で、中近世期にはよく知られていた。桂女の家は代々の女子相続で、古く平安・鎌倉時代に神功(じんぐう)皇后を祀(まつ)る京都伏見(ふしみ)の御香宮(ごこうのみや)の散所(さんじょ)に身を寄せた。もともと正月と八朔(はっさく)に京の貴人邸に伺候して鮎と飴を献上する風習が、売り歩く姿に変わったもので、ほかに神功皇后に従軍したという伝説をもち、中世には武士の家にも出入りし、戦勝祈願などの巫女(みこ)の役も行っている。御陣女中とよばれ戦陣にも参加して慰安婦を兼ねたらしい。また、武家の婚礼に、花嫁に付き添う慣習もあり、出産時には安産を祝い、子供の成長を助ける呪力(じゅりょく)も備えていた、と伝える。

［渡邊昭五］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例