TokyoBound

Before cutting to the chase, allow me to introduce myself as the new editor for this fan site (or fan blog, if you will). I go by the name of TieBreaker. Before you start speculating how I became known by that handle, let me assure you it has nothing to do with sub poaching. In fact, before I could start my cushy job at the editor’s desk I had to promise not to poach any of Osada Steve’s models . . . though, between you and me, I think an occasional defection wouldn’t exactly cause his harem to collapse. (Mental note to self: Gotta find out one day how Steve manages his flock, then post it here under “Secrets Revealed”.)
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Among the legendary exploits of machi bugyo of Edo, the greatest of them all perhaps was Ooka Echizen (1677-1751). His full title was Ooka Tadasuke, Echizen no Kami. Born in 1677, he began his career at age 35 as an obscure magistrate. His abilities caught the eye of Tokugawa Yoshimune, the reform-minded Shogun, and in 1717, he was promoted to machi bugyo of Edo’s southern court, where he presided until 1736, making him the third longest-serving governor-magistrate of the Edo period.

Judge Ooka gained a legendary reputation for his integrity and ability to serve the interests of justice. As part of his duties, he also made an effort to influence the language. In 1723, he banned the usage of shinju (heart center), the popular term for a suicide pact, which in his view romanticized what was an illegal act. Shinju itself was an artificial term, created by puppet theater and kabuki dramatist Chikamatsu Monzaemon (1653-1725) for the title of his 1703 play “Sonezaki Shinju” (which was based on an actual incident occurring only two weeks before).
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About four years ago I thought I’d show some of the regulars at Studio SIX a bit of suburbian underground. So we took two cars on a Sunday afternoon to make the trip to Funabashi in Chiba, seat of Wakamatsu Gekijo. Here’s the report that followed, courtesy of Scotto:

Nestled out in the middle of an otherwise undistinguished residential neighborhood in Chiba, is a fascinating little club called Wakamatsu. The photos of cute, perky women that are under glass next to the entrance are only a hint of what is inside.
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The casual visitor may be forgiven if he thought that this was MY blog. Though I’d love to toot my own horn, what you have read here so far has ALL been penned by KabukiJoe. (OK, I may have supplied the odd interview with Randa Mai, Akechi Denki, Yukimura Haruki and others, but that’s all I ever did here.)

KabukiJoe started this blog 18 months ago to offer a rare glimpse at the finer aspects of some of Japan’s more “esoteric” art forms. To this end he has reported and informed, generously splashed the pages with photo galleries and video clips, and successfully explained some of the enigma of what we call Shibari/Kinbaku. A five-fold increase in traffic and a good 169 posts later KabukiJoe’s assumption that people out there would appreciate such service to the community was right on the money.
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