Procession of Courtesans inside the Main Gate of the Yoshiwara

Toyokuni meticulously portrays contemporary life in the Yoshiwara. Inside the main gate a chic client wearing a loose outer robe is being flattered by an obsequious male entertainer. To the right are two high-ranking courtesans and their retinues of assistants and child attendants. Behind them are rows of teahouses with their green bamboo blinds, where clients would await the arrival of the women; the establishments’ names are written on the curtains along the eaves. At upper left, a palanquin hurries along the causeway that led to the district.