The Returning Palanquin, 1870’s

‘Woman seated on the left is Era Kayo, who was a popular geiko in the Gion district of Kyoto during the 1870s, with geiko Chiyo standing on the right.’ They are dressed as kago-ya (palanquin bearers).   Japan 1870’s

‘This carte de visite is believed to be a scene from the Kabuki play “Modori Kago” (The Returning Palanquin), about two palanquin bearers named Azuma no Yoshiro and Naniwa no Jirosaku and their passenger. During a brief rest stop, the two bearers are intrigued by the identity of their passenger, so they coax her out and learn that her name is Tayori, and she is a kamuro or apprentice courtesan.’