Takahide Mitsui - 3

Some books told the story about Takahide and Nobu.
Nobu was the most famous hostess in Osaka.
(She was "Geiko", whose meaning almost equals "Geisha")

Nobu was called "Kubi-Nobu" because of her beauty of the neck.
(In Japanese "Kubi" means necks.)
A lot of rich people cherished and courted her.
But she would not accept their courtships.

One day, Takahide loved her at first sight.
Nobu seemed not to feel badly.
Takahide visited her frequently,
and spent dozens of thousand ryo for her.
("Ryo" was the currency of Those days,
an amount of rice consumed annually by 1 person was bought for 1 ryo.)

because of his unusual expenses,
The Mitsui family disowned him
and shut him away in Matsuzaka.
(The hometown of Mitsui family)

Contrary to everyone's expectation,
Nobu followed him to Matsuzaka.
She took care of him diligently.

The clerks of his family company were confused at this.
They told Nobu to part from Him.
Persuaded by them, she determined to do so
after her 13 year's life in Matsuzaka.

She returned to Osaka and worked as a hostess again.
Soon she took back her popularity as once.
(Bakin met her this time.)
Takahide cameback to Kyoto and worked as before too.


This story is not all true.

Bakin met Nobu in Kyowa 2 (1802),
and then she was 43 years old.("Kiryomanroku")
"Naniwa-kenbun-zatsuwa"(1818) tells
she was later 40s in Bunka 1 (1804).
Supposing Nobu was born in 1760, Takahide was 7 years yonger.

There is no blank of 13 years in Takahide's life.
Nobu's Haiku is seen in "Akikaishi" (1794),
So she was not in Matsuzaka in 1794.
It is difficult to think Nobu went there when 20 years old.

We can see Nobu's Haiku in some collections of Ranko's and Teiga's Parties.
It was possible that Takahide and Nobu were
in a close relationship in Haiku.


There are numerous mysteries which fascinate me.
The more I know, the more I realize that I know only the little.