Saikaku masterfully shows the fate of women - strength of character and activity in the struggle for personal happiness are characteristic not only of the inhabitants of the world of “cheerful quarters”, but also of the inhabitant of a merchant’s house. Among the works devoted to this topic, the most interesting is “Five Women Who Surrendered to Love.” Particularly characteristic are the first four short stories, written on the basis of actual incidents that took place during Saikaku’s life and served as the basis for high-profile lawsuits. The writer preserved not only the names of the characters, but even the names of neighborhoods and commercial establishments.