「吉原神社・新吉原花園池（弁天池）跡」
江戸時代初期までこの付近は湿地帯で、多くの池が点在していたが１６５７年の大火後、幕府の命により湿地の一部を埋め立て日本橋の吉原遊廊が移された。
以来、昭和３３年までの３００年間に及ぶ遊廊街の新吉原の歴史が始まり、とくに江戸で有数の遊興地として繁栄を極め、華麗な江戸の風俗・文化の一翼をにない、幾多の歴史を刻んだが、昭和３３年の「売春防止法」の成立によって廃止された。
"Yoshiwara Shrine/Shin-Yoshiwara Hanazono Pond (Benten Pond) Ruins"
Until the early Edo period, this area was a wetland, dotted with many ponds, but after the great fire of 1657, part of the wetland was reclaimed by order of the shogunate and the Yoshiwara red-light district in Nihonbashi was relocated.
Since then, the 300-year history of Shin-Yoshiwara as an amusement street until 1958 began, and in particular it prospered as one of the most prosperous amusement streets in Edo, and played a role in the splendid Edo customs and culture.
However, it was abolished with the enactment of the Anti-Prostitution Law in 1958.
遊廊の造成の際、池の一部は残り、いつしか池畔に弁天祠が祀られ遊廊楼主達の信仰を集めたが、現在は浅草七福神の一社として、毎年正月には多くの人が参拝している。
池は花園池、弁天池と呼ばれていたが、大正１２年（1923年）の関東大震災では火災で多くの人がこの池に逃れ、４９０人が溺死したという悲劇が起こった。
弁天祠付近の築山に建つ大きな観音像は溺死した人の供養の為、大正１５年に造立されたものである。
しかし、弁天池は昭和３４年（1959年）吉原電話局（現吉原ビル）の建設に伴う埋め立て工事で、池は僅かにその名を留めるのみとなった。
When the red-light district was built, part of the pond remained, and before long, a Benten shrine was enshrined on the shore of the pond, attracting the faith of the owners of the red-light district. Today, it is one of the Asakusa Seven Lucky Gods, and many people visit it every New Year.
This pond was called Hanazono Pond or Benten Pond, but in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, many people fled to this pond due to a fire, and 490 people drowned.
A large statue of Kannon standing on an artificial hill near the Benten Shrine was erected in 1925 as a memorial service for those who drowned.
However, Benten Pond was reclaimed in 1959 for the construction of the Yoshiwara Telephone Office (now the Yoshiwara Building), and the name of the pond only remains.
「大江戸よしわら節分お化け」＝疫病を蹴散らせ！令和の勇者＝
吉原神社近くの花園公園では２０２３年２月５日に「大江戸よしわら節分お化け/異装コンテスト」が行われた。今年で１０回目で、コロナの影響で３年ぶりの開催だった。
"Oedo Yoshiwara Setsubun Ghost" Beat the plague! Hero of Reiwa
On February 5, 2023, the ``Oedo Yoshiwara Setsubun Ghost/Disguise Contest'' was held at Hanazono Park near Yoshiwara Shrine. This year was the 10th time, and it was the first time in three years due to the influence of Corona.
15 participants appeared in unique disguise, singing, skits, and dancing to ward off evil spirits from the people.
The origin of "Setsubun Obake" is a Japanese ceremony held on the night of Setsubun on February 4 (the night before the start of spring) to exorcise evil spirits.
吉原では「邪」から身を隠すため「お化け」と称して普段と違う装いをしたという。
The purpose of disguise is to get past the demons on the night of Setsubun by putting on ``a different appearance'', such as of a different age or gender.
Setsubun is about the beginning of January, which is the turning point
of the year in the lunar calendar, and it was believed that it was an unstable
season when the world order would be greatly reorganized from the old year
to the new year, such as the direction gods changing their place of residence.
In such a season, the order that separates this world from the other world becomes fluid, and while beings that bring good fortune, such as Toshigami, come from the other world, it is said that there are also demons and other beings that bring harm. There, obituary ceremonies such as throwing beans are performed, and ghosts are also one of such ceremonies.
It is said that in Yoshiwara, in order to hide from the "evil", he called himself a "ghost" and dressed differently than usual.
