Changes

''Wakashû'' refers generally to a young man, prior to the age of ''[[genpuku]]'', who therefore has not had his forelocks cut/shaved off yet. The term can also refer more specifically to the younger partner in a samurai pederastic relationship (''[[shudo|shûdô]]''), or to young male actors in [[kabuki]].

''Wakashû'' refers generally to a young man, prior to the age of ''[[genpuku]]'', who therefore has not had his forelocks cut/shaved off yet. The term can also refer more specifically to the younger partner in a samurai pederastic relationship (''[[shudo|shûdô]]''), or to young male actors in [[kabuki]].

Coming of age in early modern Japan involved maintenance of particular hairstyles, in stages depending on one's age. In the first stage of progression from child to ''wakashû'' ("youth"), a section just in the middle of the top of the boy's head was shaved. Though hair was left on all sides, it was the forelocks, or bangs, in front, the ''maegami'' (lit. "front hair") which were seen as particularly marking one's identity as ''wakashû''. At age fourteen or fifteen, the shaved crown was still maintained, and one's hair was cut into straighter right-angles; this was known as ''kado o ireru'' ("putting in the corners") and as ''sumi-maegami'' ("cornered front-hair"). Finally, at age eighteen or nineteen, one's forelocks were shaved off, along with the crown, resulting in the shaved pate (''sakayaki'') that was the mark of a full adult.<ref>Joshua Mostow, "Wakashu as a Third Gender and Gender Ambiguity through the Edo Period," in Mostow and Asato Ikeda (eds.), ''A Third Gender'', Royal Ontario Museum (2016), 19.</ref>

Coming of age in early modern Japan involved maintenance of particular hairstyles, in stages depending on one's age. In the first stage of progression from child to ''wakashû'' ("youth"), at age eleven or twelve, a section just in the middle of the top of the boy's head was shaved. Though hair was left on all sides, it was the forelocks, or bangs, in front, the ''maegami'' (lit. "front hair") which were seen as particularly marking one's identity as ''wakashû''. At age fourteen or fifteen, the shaved crown was still maintained, and one's hair was cut into straighter right-angles; this was known as ''kado o ireru'' ("putting in the corners") and as ''sumi-maegami'' ("cornered front-hair"). Finally, at age eighteen or nineteen, one's forelocks were shaved off, along with the crown, resulting in the shaved pate (''sakayaki'') that was the mark of a full adult.<ref>Joshua Mostow, "Wakashu as a Third Gender and Gender Ambiguity through the Edo Period," in Mostow and Asato Ikeda (eds.), ''A Third Gender'', Royal Ontario Museum (2016), 19.</ref>

This shaved crown, along with the forelocks, can often be easily seen in ''[[ukiyo-e]]'' woodblock prints and other works; often, the forelocks were grown out, and tied back. As a mark of one's youth, the forelocks came to be somewhat eroticized. Kabuki actors playing female roles (''onnagata'') covered over their shaved crowns or shaved pates with a purple cloth, known simply as ''murasaki bôshi'' ("purple hat"), in order to hide this mark of their maleness. These purple cloths quickly became eroticized by the fans as well.

This shaved crown, along with the forelocks, can often be easily seen in ''[[ukiyo-e]]'' woodblock prints and other works; often, the forelocks were grown out, and tied back. As a mark of one's youth, the forelocks came to be somewhat eroticized. Kabuki actors playing female roles (''onnagata'') covered over their shaved crowns or shaved pates with a purple cloth, known simply as ''murasaki bôshi'' ("purple hat"), in order to hide this mark of their maleness. These purple cloths quickly became eroticized by the fans as well.

==In Kabuki==

==In Kabuki==

''Wakashû kabuki'' typically refers to kabuki performed chiefly or exclusively by young men in the period from [[1629]], when women were banned from appearing onstage, until [[1652]], when young men (''wakashû'') were banned; in both cases, the chief reason behind the shogunate's bans was because the women and the young men were working as prostitutes, and were using the performances to advertise their bodies.

''Wakashû kabuki'' typically refers to kabuki performed chiefly or exclusively by young men in the period from [[1629]], when women were banned from appearing onstage, until [[1652]], when young men (''wakashû'') were obliged to shave their heads, in order to appear as adult men;<ref>Mostow, 26.</ref> in both cases, the chief reason behind the shogunate's bans was because the women and the young men were working as prostitutes, and were using the performances to advertise their bodies.

Despite the 1652 bans, young men eventually returned to the stage. While ''wakashû'' continued to refer somewhat generally to actors (and, indeed, any men) who had not yet come of age, the term also came to refer more specifically to a type of apprentice actors known as ''kagema'', who also worked as male prostitutes.<ref>These apprentices largely remained in the background of kabuki scenes, or even off-stage entirely, "in the shadows" (''kage no ma''), in order to watch and learn. Mostow, 19.</ref>

Despite the 1652 bans, young men eventually returned to the stage. While ''wakashû'' continued to refer somewhat generally to actors (and, indeed, any men) who had not yet come of age, the term also came to refer more specifically to a type of apprentice actors known as ''[[kagema]]'', who also worked as male prostitutes.<ref>These apprentices largely remained in the background of kabuki scenes, or even off-stage entirely, "in the shadows" (''kage no ma''), in order to watch and learn. Mostow, 19.</ref>

==References==

==References==