Edokko

Edokko (Japanese江戸っ子,江戸っ児, literally " child of Edo " ) referred to an inhabitant of the residence of the shogun's Edo (now Tokyo), there is at least the third generation born and raised.

Description

When Tokugawa Ieyasu after the seizure his residence in Edo great goal for and then all the daimyo under the sankin Kótai were obliged to entertain city residences, workers, craftsmen and traders were needed in large numbers. In the Kyoho period ( 1716-36 ) as the number of " urbanites " ( Chonin ) had reached half a million. ( These again came half a million military nobility. ) The proportion of "real Edokko " (生粋 の 江戸っ子, Kissui no Edokko ) but was only 10%. And so the term is only 1771 is in a senryu verse for the first time: Edokko no waranji o haku rangashisa (江戸ッ子 の わらんじ を はくらん が し さ) describes the " excitement / noise of Edokko when tightening the straw sandals [ after the drinking session, before the trip ]. "

By living together in a confined space in the big city is not only a separate dialect began to emerge, it also created their own forms of behavior, such as in dealing with money. In particular, the craftsmen, fishmongers, Painter ( sakan ), the (often tattooed ) firefighters at the fire front ( tobi no mono), the goods delivery boy said of himself, " We are the Edokko " (俺 たちゃ 江戸っ子 だ, ore - tacha Edokko there).

The historian and specialist in the Edo period Nishiyama Matsunosuke (1912-2012) is the indicator for a Edokko in phrases ( which exist in different variants) again as follows:

The essential characteristics are likely iki - about life - and hari - be - about perseverance. Santo Kyoden et al go into their books on the Edokko and its way of life, the latest in the Bunsei time ( 1818-30 ) that was part of the "Greater Edo culture" ( Ō- Edo bunka ). This culture was typical of Edo and differed significantly from the fine life in the imperial city of Kyoto and the intent on money in Osaka.

The hero Hanakawado Sukeroku in the Kabuki play Sukeroku yukari Edo zakura from the series Kabuki no jūhachi -ban represents a typical Edokko dar. The popular one-act play is set in the Yoshiwara, where Sukeroku to the courtesan Agemaki campaigning, at the end against the rich, vicious patron Ikyu interspersed. Besides Kabuki belonged Yoshiwara, Sumo and the great festivals of the shrines, the Matsuri, the annual fireworks display over the water to the lifestyle of Edokko.

As with the beginning of the Meiji period Edo became Tokyo, there were attempts to preserve the Edokko; 1899 was even published a newspaper under that name. But with the merger of the estates to modern society unit, the term morphed from a way of life to a name tag that can be infected at any Tokyo. Kabuki and in historical films ( Jidai - geki ) the real Edokko lives on, of course.

Sayings

• 江戸っ子 は 五月 の 鯉 の 吹流し, Edokko satsuki no koi wa fukinagashi - " The Edokko is how the Koi Nobori in May, an inflated carp: Big mouth and nothing behind it. "
• 江戸っ子 は 宵越し の 銭 は 使わ ぬ, Edokko wa yoigoshi no zeni tsukawanu - " The Edokko has left for the riotous living the next day not a cent more. "
• 江戸 者 の 生まれ 損ない 金 を 溜む, Edomono no umare zokonai kane o tamu - " The Edomono (as opposed to Edokko ) to accumulate the innate bad property, money. "