wakashu

“Although there are many literary and artistic representations dating from the Edo period 1603-1857 which describe sexual acts which took place between men using terms such as danshoku and wakashu, at that time participating in such acts did not designate a specific type of person and so these records cannot be read as part of the history of ‘gay’ or ‘homosexual’ men.”

井の中の蛙 » Homosexuality in Japan: The Meiji Gap » Print

“Skilled hands of maids and youths (_wakashu [u] - kozo [u] _) employed in the house were fast packing these latter into convenient parcels.”

Bakemono Yashiki (The Haunted House), Retold from the Japanese Originals Tales of the Tokugawa, Volume 2

“The _banto [u] _ and one of the _wakashu [u] _ (young men employes) grasped the arms of Cho [u] bei.”

The Yotsuya Kwaidan or O'Iwa Inari Tales of the Tokugawa, Volume 1 (of 2)

“It was just this time last year that a _wakashu [u] _ (attendant) named Tokuzo fell in love with a woman named Kotsu no Wakataké.”

The Yotsuya Kwaidan or O'Iwa Inari Tales of the Tokugawa, Volume 1 (of 2)

“Strong hands seized him as he rolled over and over to the edge of the platform, to land in the arms of the enthusiastic _wakashu [u] _.”

The Yotsuya Kwaidan or O'Iwa Inari Tales of the Tokugawa, Volume 1 (of 2)

“_Mikawaya_ -- "That Tokuzo, as the _wakashu [u] _ was called, when sent to the town hall was dressed in the thin grey cotton robe given as present to him by an _oiran_.”

The Yotsuya Kwaidan or O'Iwa Inari Tales of the Tokugawa, Volume 1 (of 2)