The Courtesan Emu of the Matsuya Brothel as a Cormorant Fisherwoman (Ukai Matsuya Emu), from the series “A Costume Parade in the Shimanouchi District” (Shimanouchi nerimono)

Shunbaisai Hokuei 春梅斎北英

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Emu, a courtesan of the Matsuya brothel, is shown cross-dressed as a cormorant fisherman for a costume parade held in the Shimanouchi district of Osaka. Standing above a pair of cormorants, she holds the type of a torch that would have been used at night to attract fish, which would then be temporarily caught by the birds. The long necks of the cormorants were tied so that could not fully swallow the fish they caught, allowing the fishermen to retrieve the catch. The headgear, costume, and straw apron (koshi mino) are based on a theatrical adaptation of an actual fisherman’s outfit, as used for the Noh play Cormorant Fisherman (Ukai), which is still performed to this day.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art