Katsura Tsutsumi

A hairstyle custom for women in the late Middle Ages. A long white cloth wrapped around the head like a headband, tied in front and hanging down. Also called Katsuramaki. It is said to have started as a custom of Katsurame ladies from Katsura Village on the western outskirts of Kyoto, who peddled sweetfish and candy throughout the city. The legend goes that it originated from a cotton hat bestowed upon a Katsurame lady while she served in the camp of Empress Jingu in the so-called "Conquest of the Three Kingdoms of Korea." As far as illustrated scrolls and other art are concerned, this custom was not seen among aristocratic women, and it is often depicted as a custom for common women. In "Kyushoran," it is written, "Katsura wraps can be seen in "Muromachi Nikki" and "Koyo Gunkan," among other books, but in the past, all low-class women wrapped their heads in them, and later they came to be written as Katsura wraps because that style remained only among women of low rank. However, "katura" refers to long hair..."

[Shogo Watanabe]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中世末期の女性の髪の風俗。長い白い布で鉢巻のように頭を包み、前で結んで下げたもの。桂巻ともいう。京都西郊の桂の里から、鮎(あゆ)や飴(あめ)を京都市中に売り歩いた桂女(かつらめ)たちの習俗から始まると伝えられている。神功(じんぐう)皇后のいわゆる「三韓(さんかん)征伐」の陣中に桂女が仕えたおりに下賜された綿帽子を起源とする伝説を伝えている。絵草紙などをみる限り、貴族の女子にはこの習俗はなく、多くは庶民の女性風俗として描かれている。『嬉遊笑覧(きゆうしょうらん)』に、「かつら包は、『室町日記』『甲陽軍鑑』などにみえたれども、昔は賤女(しずめ)なべて頭を包みたるが、後に桂巻と書くは、桂女にのみ其(その)風残りたれば、然(しか)いひけるなれど、かつらは長き意にて髪をいふなり……」と記される。

［渡邊昭五］

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