Women at Coal Pits in the Old Days #17: Lottery Draw at the Landing (Lottery Draw for Empty Mine Cars; Women's Hair Style)
1958 - 1963

Mukashi Yama no Onna #17: Makitate de Kujibiki (Hako-tori no Kujibiki; Onna no Kamigata)
[Women at Coal Pits in the Old Days #17: Lottery Draw at the Landing (Lottery Draw for Empty Mine Cars; Women's Hair Style)]
20.5 x 29.2 cm Ink Painting

Rules about mine-car allotment in the pit were revised around 1904. It was because quarrels and fights for empty mine cars never ceased. Tallies to show users were put on new empty mine cars on a first-come-first-serve basis. However, rude workers took more mine cars than kind ones who had waited longer. Such bad conduct was called "gai" tori. Therefore, mine cars were allotted evenly after the above revision, and each of the remaining cars were allotted according to the results of a lottery draw using face towels, in which each woman carrier drew a pair of towels bound together.
At that time Japan was fighting Russia and there might have been a rising tide of nationalism. A hairstyle featuring a big brim and a high top became popular among Japanese women including those in coal pits, which was called a nihyaku-san-kochi-gami named after 203 Meter Hill or Mt. Nirei (Nireisan) in Lushun (Port Arthur), sokuhatsu, debokakushi, etc.
[Translator's Notes: On 203 Meter Hill, the fiercest battle in the Russo-Japanese War was fought.]

Lyrics of "Gotton Bushi" Song at the Bottom
Onna nagara mo Takiyasha-hime wa
Shichiju goriki gama no jutsu.
Gotton!

Though she is a woman,
Takiyasha-hime can do the work of 75 people,
with her toad magic.
Gotton (Clang)! (Interjected chant)


Translation Assisted by Mr. Nathan Johndro

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