遊(ゆう)女(じょ)

昔(むかし)の花(か)柳(りゅう)界(かい)は、多(おお)くの芸(げい)妓(ぎ)や遊(ゆう)女(じょ)で賑(にぎ)わっていた。

• In the past, the flower and willow world was bustling with many geiko and courtesans.

江(え)戸(ど)時(じ)代(だい)、遊(ゆう)郭(かく)で一(いち)番(ばん)高(たか)い身(み)分(ぶん)の遊(ゆう)女(じょ)は太(た)夫(ゆう)で、その次(つぎ)がてんじんでした。

• During the Edo period, the highest-ranking courtesan in the pleasure quarters was the Tayu, followed by the Tenjin.

仮令(たとえ)遊(ゆう)女(じょ)でも純(じゅん)粋(すい)な恋(こい)をすれば、その恋(こい)は無(む)垢(く)な清(きよ)いものです。

• Even if she's a prostitute which falls in love, her love is a pure and noble feeling.

ここ浄(きよし)閑(かん)寺(てら)、通(つう)称(しょう)「投(な)げ込(こ)み寺(てら)」の墓(ぼ)地(ち)には、最(さい)後(ご)の休(きゅう)息(そく)場(ば)所(しょ)を見(み)つけた何(なん)千(ぜん)もの遊(ゆう)女(じょ)、いわゆる「楽(たの)しみのための女(じょ)性(せい)」の慰(い)霊(れい)碑(ひ)があり、それは言(い)い知(し)れない哀(あい)愁(しゅう)に満(み)ちていて、どういうわけか何(なん)度(ど)でもここに戻(もど)ってきたい気(き)持(も)ちが沸(わ)き起(お)こる。

• Here at the Jokanji, also known as the "Nagekomi-dera", in the cemetery there is a memorial to thousands of prostitutes, the so-called "women of pleasure", who have found their final resting place here. It's filled with an indescribable melancholy, and, for some reason, it makes me want to come back here again and again.