花魁おいらん道どう中ちゅう

お

い

ら

ん

ど

う

ちゅ

う

Meanings

1

noun

procession of courtesans

historical term

Historical term for the parade of high-ranking courtesans (oiran) through the pleasure quarters, especially in Edo-period Yoshiwara.

花魁おいらん道どう中ちゅうは、江え戸ど時じ代だいの吉よし原わらで行

おこな

わ

れ

て

い

た

華はな

やか

な

行ぎょう

事じ

です

。

The oiran dōchū was a gorgeous event held in Yoshiwara during the Edo period.

Kanji

花flower
魁charging ahead of others
道road-way, street, district
中in, inside, middle

Related words

花魁おいらん
Refers to the high-ranking courtesan herself, while 花魁道中 is the procession in which she paraded.
道どう中ちゅう
A general term for a journey or parade; here it specifically refers to the courtesan's procession.

Built from

花魁おいらん+道どう中ちゅう

Written forms

花魁おいらん道どう中ちゅう
Standard kanji spelling for the historical procession of courtesans.
おいらん道どう中ちゅう
Mixed kana-kanji spelling; less common but still encountered.

Etymology

Compound of 花魁 (oiran, 'high-ranking courtesan') and 道中 (dōchū, 'procession' or 'journey'). The exact origin of 花魁 is uncertain, but it is a historical term from the Edo period.