Since it was famous for sake, many people visited and made use of the yukaku there, and being close to the Uji-gawa River with good transportation facilities, Chushojima was both a yukaku and Hanamachi (geisha districts in Kyoto) and produced many famous geishas, almost exceeding Gion Kobu district.
酒の名所である為に利用し遊びに来る人が多く、また、宇治川に近く、交通便の良い中書島は遊廓であると同時に花街でもあり、祇園甲部に凌ぐほどの名妓を輩出してきた。