Four-eyed shop - Yotsumeya

Japanese: 四目屋 - よつめや

During the Edo period, this store specialized in selling sex-related drugs and equipment. It was located in Yagenbori, Yonezawa-cho, Ryogoku, Edo, near present-day Higashi-Nihonbashi 1-chome. It is unclear when this store was founded, but the store's sales notice states that it was founded in 1626 (the third year of the Kan'ei era). In Fuki Chizai (1777), it states, "Medicine section, Upper Upper Yotsumeya Chubei, Ryogoku, Chomeimaru, which prolongs one's age with its charm." The section on "Miscellaneous Goods" in the "Edo Shopping Guide" (1824) reads, "Japan's number one women's miscellaneous goods workshop, tortoiseshell and buffalo horn, Dutch medicines, Edo Ryogoku Yakenbori Shimeya Chubei, who exchanges letters with officials from all over the country, will send your order in a sealed box, or you can have it delivered promptly by courier."

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

江戸時代，セックスに関係ある薬品，器具を専門に売った店。場所は江戸の両国米沢町，薬研堀（やげんぼり）にあった。現在の東日本橋1丁目付近である。この店の創業時期ははっきりしないが，店の能書の口上に〈寛永3年(1626)〉とある。《富貴地座位》(1777)中に〈薬品之部　上上四ッ目屋忠兵衛，両国　おもしろさに齢（よわい）をのぶる長命丸〉とある。《江戸買物独案内》(1824)の〈小間物〉の部に〈日本一元祖　女小間物細工所　鼈甲（べつこう）水牛，蘭法妙薬　江戸両国薬研堀　四目屋忠兵衛　諸国御文通ニテ御注文之節は箱入封付ニいたし差上申す可く候，飛脚便リにても早速御届申し上ぐ可く候〉とある。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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