Manga like Chou no Michiyuki

Chiruhi

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Fantasy , Romance , Slice of Life

In the title piece, Chiruhi, Orin is a prostitute who works on a boat near the seashore. She falls in love with a young hairdresser, who is one of her customers, even though she knows it is an impossible love. This collection consists of six historical short stories which tragicomically depict people trying to do their best in the city of Edo throughout the seasons.

Tags: Female Protagonist , Prostitution , Historical , Anthology , Primarily Female Cast , Heterosexual , Rural , Oiran , Primarily Adult Cast , Seinen , Nudity , LGBTQ+ Themes , Tragedy , Youkai

Sakuran

Also known as Sakuran.

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Ecchi , Romance

The story follows Kiyoha, sold into a brothel as a child and forced to work as a maid and her rise to prominence as one of the top-ranking courtesans in Yoshiwara. The allure of the "flower and willow world" as it was called by artists in the day is underscored by the very real tragedy, heartbreak and difficult lives led by those seemingly glamorous courtesans. Will Kiyoha's fox-like wiles give her a chance to break free of her gilded cage? Or will her fighting spirit ruin her chances of ever escaping the brothel?



Tags: Oiran , Historical , Female Protagonist , Seinen , Tragedy , Prostitution , Time Skip , Orphan , Nudity

Hidamari no Ki

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

Edo, 1855, in the Hill of the Three Hundred district: Japan's isolationist foreign policy has been lifted, and the era of the Bakumatsu has begun. The samurai Ibuya Manjiro, 26 years old, has just begun his career as low-ranking retainer to the minor daimyo Lord Matsudaira. Tezuka Ryoan, 29, a disciple of Dutch medicine, has just been accepted as a student at Teki Academy in Osaka. Each has a temper to go with his talent, and in a time of brewing upheaval the two are not slow to find trouble, which brings them together in spite of their mutual dislike. Tezuka is called in one night to sew up Ibuya after an illicit duel; a few weeks later, Ibuya finds himself the only thing standing between Tezuka and a gang of swordsmen sent by the head of medicine for the Shogunate.

Note: Won the Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga in 1984.

Tags: Historical , Medicine , Seinen , Swordplay , Samurai

Haruka Tooki Ie

Also known as A Home Far Away.

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance

In the winter of 1990, a young man named Alain finds himself lost and searching for direction. He currently cannot find it at home nor through the church. But when he meets Hayden, a free-spirited cook, he at least finds someone he can relate with. He may not know where his life is going but at least he has someone to lean on. But Alain's new life, filled with new feelings and many new challenging experiences, may force him to find his path on the road...



Tags: LGBTQ+ Themes , Travel , Boys' Love , Tragedy , Fugitive , Religion , Crime , Foreign , Suicide , Male Protagonist , Prostitution , Nudity

Oiran Nee-san

Also known as Oiran Nee-san.

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama

A "kamuro" is a young girl who takes care of and runs various errands for a courtesan, and at the same time studies the art for herself. The way kamuro would refer to their respective courtesans as "big sister" gave rise to the word "oiran", the most elite courtesans in Edo-era Japan. This story takes place in a brothel called Shinkiro in notorious Yoshiwara red-light district, starring an oiran known to many as the "Courtesan from Hell", a super popular sadist specialist named Hashidate. Her personal kamuro, Namiji, narrates the story, and paints a picture of Hashidate that most would never expect. A variety of customers, including townsfolk, samurai, and high-rollers, are in full force as Namiji recounts these fantastic tales!


Tags: POV , Episodic , Primarily Female Cast , Work , Found Family , Oiran , Nudity , Female Protagonist , Seinen , Historical , Slapstick

Edo Karuta

Status: Finished
Genres: Romance

A collection of historic short stories, each associated with a karuta card. The stories revolve around the red-light district of Yoshiwara, in Edo.

1) Kimori
Okuma is a good-natured, sweet girl, but she is unable to find a husband due to her weight. One day, a samurai defends her from being publicly mocked. Is this samurai her chance to find happiness?

2) Kanrobai
After her father ritually commits suicide, Asagi finds herself in much reduced circumstances. Some of the girls who work with Asagi bully her, and the high-class airs she puts on don't help the situation. All she wants is a way to get back to the lifestyle to which she was accustomed, but all she has is mistreatment and the company of a strange man trapped under a barrel...

3) Maigoishi
Tama is a lost child, and she's taken in temporarily by a family who already has a son, Shirou. Tama can't wait to find her beloved father again. However, finding the place where she belongs may not be so simple for little Tama.

4) Akaishinyo
Seiichi is the only one left to protect his princess, Miya. He wants what's best for her, regardless of their feelings for one another. But can he really tell what that might be?



Tags: Shoujo , Historical , Anthology , Oiran , Episodic , Female Protagonist , Karuta , Heterosexual , Samurai

Hira Hira

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance

Set in the Edo Era. Tadaaki, one of her frequent customer's footman had always irked Akane, a courtesan. She plots his downfall but along the way she realizes what she's feeling may not just be pure animosity after all...

Also contains other stories about courtesans as well.




Tags: Oiran , Anthology , Female Protagonist , Shoujo , Historical

Kagerou Inazuma Mizu no Tsuki

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance

A collection of stories set amongst the oiran (high-rank courtesans before the time of geisha) in (mostly) the Yoshiwara district of Edo, a famous historical 'red-light district.'

Kagerou no Shou
Inazuma no Shou
Mizu no Tsuki no Shou
Nagasaki Bojou

Tags: Anthology , Oiran , Shoujo , Historical , Female Protagonist , Tragedy