卍屋

English translation: adult toys dealer

02:31 Aug 18, 2012
Japanese to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - History / Edo period Japanese
Japanese term or phrase: 卍屋
A character has referred to himself as a 卍屋の若い者 and refers to a 親分 in a piece that takes place in the Edo period. My attempt to research this has only come up with results about the 卍 character, not what a 卍屋 is. My first thought that it had to do with the spiritual background of the character, but then the 親分 does not make sense. Does anyone have an idea?
maconley
United States
Local time: 22:03
English translation:adult toys dealer
Explanation:
If there is explanation in the story, or if you wanted to add some, then Manjiya may work fine. A quick search on Google reveals the following:

「江戸時代―男女和合の秘具や媚薬を扱う業者を、卍屋と呼んだ。」
http://books.google.co.jp/books/about/卍屋龍次無明斬り.html?id=118ZP...

「秘具媚薬を商う卍屋」
hon.gakken.jp/author/鳴海丈

So it would seem that your 卍屋 is a dealer of adult toys/sex toys and aphrodisiacs. Depending on the context and content, shop may be more appropriate than dealer.
Selected response from:

Nathan Takase
Local time: 14:03
Grading comment
Thank you for the thorough answer, it helped a lot!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5Adult store
naruru
3 +1Manji-ya
cinefil
3 +1adult toys dealer
Nathan Takase


  

Answers


30 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Manji-ya


Explanation:
や【屋・家】

人の住むために造った建築物。いえ。家屋。住宅。〈和名抄一○〉
屋根。「—の棟」
接尾
その職業の家またはその人を表す語。「花—」「八百—」
家号や雅号、書斎に用いる語。「鈴—(スズノヤ)」「播磨—」
あなどりやからかいの気持をこめて人を呼ぶ語。
性向を表す語に添え、そのような傾向の人である意を表す。「わからず—」「やかまし—」「がんばり—」
仕事・分野を表す語に添え、そればかりを専門としている人の意を表す。「政治—」「技術—」

や‐ごう【屋号】‥ガウ
商家または俳優などの家の称号。伊勢屋・成田屋の類。
広辞苑 第四

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Note added at 36 mins (2012-08-18 03:08:02 GMT)
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http://kotobank.jp/word/屋号

cinefil
Japan
Local time: 14:03
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese
PRO pts in category: 18

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Akiteru Sasayama
2 hrs
  -> Thanks a lot!

neutral  humbird: Good research as always, but this does not tell much about real social function and nature of 卍屋.
12 hrs
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11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
adult toys dealer


Explanation:
If there is explanation in the story, or if you wanted to add some, then Manjiya may work fine. A quick search on Google reveals the following:

「江戸時代―男女和合の秘具や媚薬を扱う業者を、卍屋と呼んだ。」
http://books.google.co.jp/books/about/卍屋龍次無明斬り.html?id=118ZP...

「秘具媚薬を商う卍屋」
hon.gakken.jp/author/鳴海丈

So it would seem that your 卍屋 is a dealer of adult toys/sex toys and aphrodisiacs. Depending on the context and content, shop may be more appropriate than dealer.

Nathan Takase
Local time: 14:03
Native speaker of: English
Grading comment
Thank you for the thorough answer, it helped a lot!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  humbird: Wonderful research as usual Nathan! Off the topic but related -- 卍 is swastica its origin is older than that of Nazi Germany. If you are careful you find this on the roof tile of Buddhist temples in Japan. Although its orientatation is reverse of Nazi's.
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, humbird. Indeed, the swastica has a long history. It's too bad the Nazis ruined its image.
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14 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
Adult store


Explanation:
This can also mean, plainly, adult store.

naruru
Local time: 14:03
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic, Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  humbird: Well could be, but the asker also mention 親分, so I'm under the impression this is something to do with underground operation. So it appears having a deeper coonotation than just adult store.
1 hr
  -> Ah I see what you mean! Thank you for explaining it to me! :) <3
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