“Oiran with the Mizuhiki Hairpin” (2026)

Acrylic, gold, on wooden board, 27×22cm

“Mizuhiki” literally means water pull or water‑drawing cord, yet it refers to a traditional Japanese decorative string made from twisted washi paper. When tied onto gifts, mizuhiki conveys prayers, sincerity, and the wish to bind good relationships.

During the Edo period (1603–1868), oiran were the highest‑ranking courtesans of the pleasure quarters—figures who shaped fashion trends and were admired much like modern‑day idols. Yet behind their glamorous appearance lay a harsh reality: under the strict regulations of the pleasure districts, many women were deprived of life choices and bound by heavy debts and relentless labor.

The pattern in the background is known as “Yoshiwara‑tsunagi.” It symbolizes how patrons were “chained” once they entered Yoshiwara, and also represents the social constraints that restricted the freedom of the women who lived there. Peeking out from behind this curtain of chains, the oiran gazes toward the outside world with a hopeful, gentle smile.

Iceland ranks among the highest in the world for gender equality and women’s social advancement. Japan, by contrast, remains at one of the lowest levels among developed nations— a condition shaped by deeply rooted historical structures.

The mizuhiki hairpin worn by the oiran carries a prayer: that the knots representing the many constraints historically placed upon women may one day be untied, allowing them to step into a freer world— a world like the one Iceland exemplifies.

「水引簪の花魁」 2026

The Oiran Geisha with the Mizuhiki Hairpin

アクリル 金　木製ボード　27×22cm

「水引＝Mizuhiki」はwater pull、water-drawing cordといった意味の和紙製の飾り紐の呼び名です。贈り物に結ぶことで「祈り」「誠意」「良縁を結ぶ」などを表します。

江戸時代（1603―1868年）、花街遊女の最高位に君臨する花魁（おいらん）はまさに現代のアイドルスターのような存在でした。しかしながらその華やかさの裏では、厳しい遊郭制度によって人生の選択肢を奪われ、過酷な負債や労働に縛られ続ける現実がありました。

背景に描かれている模様は「吉原繋ぎ」と呼ばれ、一度吉原遊郭に来た客は鎖に繋いで離さないという意味。また彼女たちを縛る社会的制約の象徴でもあります。そんな暖簾から顔を覗かせる花魁は、閉ざされた場所から希望と慈愛に満ちた笑顔で外の世界を見つめます。

アイスランドは国際指標において世界で最もジェンダー平等と女性の社会進出が進んでいる国。一方、日本は先進国の中にあって最も低い水準を維持し続けています。

花魁が挿す簪には、Mizuhiki結びが解かれるように、根強く残る女性たちへの様々な制約が解かれ、アイスランドのようにより自由な世界へ解き放たれるよう祈りと願いが込められています。