The villain also has spring 2

Chapter 2235-2233 The Spider Girl

Chapter 2235-2.233 The Spider Girl

as predicted.

Besides Komimoto Yamazakiya Komi, the Nishinomaru Palace also houses Okita (Yuko Hamada), the tea-drinking maid of the Mizuchaya, and the wife of the exiled ronin "Animoji" Banzo.

"Mizuchaya" was a unique business form that emerged during the Edo period and was the prototype of geisha culture. Initially located near shrines, temples, or along roadsides, they provided simple food and drinks, such as tea, dango (dumplings), and tea sweets, as well as a place to rest for worshippers and passersby. To attract customers, mizuchaya employed female servers, known as "chaki-onna" or "chashin-onna," who entertained the guests with singing and dancing. Over time, the owners began to provide them with systematic artistic training, such as shamisen playing and dancing, gradually evolving them into professional geisha.

And three Thousand-Station girls specially invited to serve the participants of the Nishinomaru Famous Swords Martial Arts Tournament: Acher (Ikuko Mori), Hana (Miyoshika), and Roku (Yoko Wakasugi).

Unlike the geisha Yanabashi Kakichi who appeared earlier at the Noh noodle maker's dance house, the three Senju girls are prostitutes serving the lower classes in Okaba. Because they frequently frequented refugee camps near Kawaramachi Bridge, and had even disguised themselves to discover Katagiri Takayuki's secret of testing a sword under Kawaramachi Bridge, they were abducted to the Nishinomaru Palace.

"Kawahara-cho" is located about 10 ri northeast of Edo Castle, in the "Senju-cho," one of the four post stations of Edo. Senju-cho was the first stop on the Nikko Road from Oshu (Iwate Prefecture) into Edo, and it was a post station town that provided accommodation and supplies for travelers and merchants.

Shinagawa, Shinjuku, Senju, and Itabashi were four post stations (or "Yosuku") during the Edo period, collectively known as the "Four Post Stations." These post stations arose around the same time as Edo. In 1603, after Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo, he began constructing five main transportation routes, starting from Nihonbashi in Edo: the Tokaido (towards Kansai), the Nakayama Kaido (towards central Honshu), the Nikko Kaido (towards Ibaraki), the Oshu Kaido (towards the Tohoku region), and the Koshu Kaido (towards Kofu). Soon after, many post stations (or "post stations") appeared along these five routes, rapidly developing into post station towns (or "Yosuku-cho").

After the construction of the five major streets and post stations, the "ryokuraya" (inns in post stations that provided food and lodging for travelers; initially referring to the inn's stables, later evolving to mean food containers and becoming a general term for inns. During this period, each post station had ryokuraya to accommodate samurai and commoners, with lodging fees including breakfast and dinner around 200-300 mon. They were divided into three categories based on size: large, medium, and small, and by service: "hira-ryokuraya" (lodging only) and "i-mori-ryokuraya" (serving women with rice bowls)) industry flourished. Post station maids gradually evolved into "i-mori-jo" (serving women), and ryokuraya used this name to circumvent the shogunate's ban on ryokuraya to attract travelers. Although the shogunate tacitly allowed their existence, it stipulated that each ryokuraya could not have more than two people.

"Imemori-onna," also known as "Imemori-onna" (rice-serving women), was a group of prostitutes who provided sexual services under the guise of government officials in post stations during the Edo period. The term originates from the "Yakuma-onna" (food-serving women) in shogunate regulations. While their official duty was serving rice to guests at inns, most were actually engaged in sexual services. They were often forced into this profession due to their parents' inability to repay debts or because they had been trafficked, leading extremely tragic lives. According to Tomio Igarashi's book, *Imemori-onna*, the average lifespan of Imemori-onna in Fujisawa-juku was only 21.3 years, and 39 Imemori-onna died over 41 years.

Senju-ju, ranked third among the "Four Shuku" (Four Great Shuku), was located on a major transportation route from Edo to the northeastern Oshu region. In 1625, it was officially designated as a post town on the Oshu Road. Following the will of the second shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada, Tokugawa Ieyasu's remains were interred at the Toshogu Shrine, built in Nikko in 1617. Afterwards, the number of people visiting the shrine increased daily. Senju-ju, serving as a lodging point on both the Oshu and Nikko roads, flourished and gradually developed into a long and narrow post town. Like the other four Shuku, it was permitted to have 150 "Iiseri-na" (women who serve rice). However, they primarily served local farmers, and their appearance, temperament, and talent were insufficient to satisfy the daimyo, thus preventing them from entering high society.

Furthermore, there was an unwritten rule in the Edo period. Because of concerns about potential misfortune for friends traveling far from home, one would see them off at the nearest post station to ensure a safe journey. Similarly, if a friend came to visit, one would greet them at the nearest post station as a sign of hospitality. Of course, a visit to the "post station town" for food, drinks, and entertainment was also a delightful part of life, worthy of a hearty drink.

In other words, the identity of Senju Sanyujo is actually Imori-no-jo.

And then there's Matsu-onna, the matriarch of the Katagiri family, sitting upright. As the mother of the next shogun, according to the rules of the Ōoku (inner palace), she should be respectfully addressed as "Matsu-onna no Kata". "No Kata" was a respectful term for women (especially samurai women) from the Muromachi to Edo periods, often used for concubines, mothers of children, etc.

"I've heard that 'a duck carrying a green onion' means something good is about to happen." Katagiri Matsuko looked at the elegant and stunningly beautiful captain of the Gobancho courtesan, Yuko, her eyes full of admiration: "It's really exciting to have a courtesan participating in the Famous Sword Martial Arts Tournament again." "There are other courtesans too?" Captain Yuko's heart stirred.

“That’s right.” Katagiri Matsuko smiled and said, “It’s the Tatsumi Geisha, known as the best in Fukagawa.”

During the Edo period, "Tatsumi Geisha" specifically referred to geisha in the Fukagawa region (especially Tatsumi-cho), hence the general term "Fukagawa Geisha." Unlike Yoshiwara courtesans, they were known for their simple attire and minimal headdresses, and were called "Haori Geisha" or simply "Haori." They championed a more streamlined and hardcore aesthetic called "Sui." Even in the dead of winter, they wouldn't wear tabi socks, walking barefoot in geta (wooden clogs), and often even parading around wearing men's haori. To match the shape of the bridge, they pioneered a new way of tying the obi (sash) on the Taiko Bridge, lifting the back of the obi high to resemble an arch. This is the Taiko knot that would later dominate the Japanese kimono for two centuries. With its exceptional stability and uprightness, the Taiko knot quickly rose from the margins of the entertainment industry to sweep across the entire working class of women.

Ranji must be her stage name.

As expected, "SuperBrain Blockchain" immediately popped up a window to locate her source.

Her initial identity was that of Ayan, the young lady of the Shiya family in the novel *Tattoo*, who eloped on a snowy night but was kidnapped by thugs and sold into geisha. To transform Ayan into a superb geisha, the tattoo artist poured his life's energy into tattooing a "Lady Spider" design on her back. At the moment the tattoo was completed, Ayan seemed to be awakened by the bewitching power of the Lady Spider, becoming wildly addicted to endless lust. She later changed her name to Ranji, moving among various men, deceiving them of their feelings and money, and eliminating all those who had framed her, regardless of gender.

The real-world actress portraying her is the famous actress Ayako Wakao, known as a "beautiful Japanese film actress." Born in Tokyo in 1933, Wakao attended a girls' high school in Sendai during World War II, where she was nicknamed "Stone Buddha." She made her film debut in 1952 and soon became as famous as Machiko Kyo and Fujiko Yamamoto, both actresses working for Daiei Film Studio. Her appearances in over 160 films marked the peak of her acting career. She retired from film in 1970 to focus on stage performances. Wakao's presence fulfilled the erotic fantasies of male audiences. She was the first actress of the Showa era to provide male viewers with erotic pleasure and was once voted the object of desire by 90% of Japanese male viewers.

"Girl Spider" is another name for Jorogumo.

"Jorōgumo" is a humanoid spider demon in Japanese folklore, first recorded in Toriyama Sekien's illustrated scroll "Gazu Hyakki Yagyō" (Illustrated Night Parade of One Hundred Demons), also known as "Shinbura". Its prototype is the vengeful spirit of a lord's wife who merged with a poisonous spider. During the day, it transforms into a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl, and at night, it reveals its true spider form, releasing venom to suck human blood. It lures men and devours their heads at midnight three days later.

Legend has it that during the Kamakura period, an enraged lord threw his adulterous wife into a spider-skin box, transforming her into a witch who hunts men. This monster's weakness is fire. Records of this monster appear in Edo-era ghost story collections such as *Zoro Rimonogatari* and *Sukunaozō*, describing her as having giant spider legs remaining after being killed by a blade. In *Taiping Hyakumonogatari*, it is recorded that Jorogumo would build illusionary pavilions to lure scholars, only to manifest as a swarm of spiders under the eaves when her illusions were exposed.

(End of this chapter)