Geisha in Japanese ukiyo-e In Japanese, the word "妓" retains its traditional Chinese usage, representing both female art performers and female sex workers. In Japanese, the word "geisha" retains its traditional Chinese usage, representing both female art performers and female sex workers, with "妓" (妓) referring to the former because geisha are in principle art performers and do not engage in the sex trade. However, in modern Chinese, the word "妓" is often intuitively associated with the sex trade, which is why the modern Chinese translation of "艺伎" is written for the purpose of avoidance. The Japanese word "kabuki" refers to a male performer, such as a kabuki, so some people argue that "geisha" is the correct Chinese translation to show the difference.
Geisha are not prostitutes. Geisha (げいぎ、Geigi) is a type of female performing artist in Japan. In addition to serving food and drink to their guests, a large part of their job is to entertain at banquets with dances, music, and musical instruments. Their trade is to fulfill men's dreams of pleasure, romance and possessiveness. Usually, they are traded by rich and powerful men from the upper class. In expensive restaurants and teahouses, men talking business like to have the company of a geisha to serve them wine and food, which can cost as little as 1,000 dollars. Today, there are still a few women who join the geisha trade with romantic fantasies and a love of traditional arts. In the past, however, geisha was a lifelong profession that had to be inherited from the mother. Before World War II, the vast majority of geishas were forced into the profession to make ends meet.
The geisha industry is a performing art, not a pornographic business, and it does not sell sex. The industry stipulates that geisha are not allowed to get married during the period of their employment, or else they must retire first, in order to maintain the "pure" image of the geisha.
Historically, the geisha industry in Japan used to be quite developed, with tens of thousands of people working in tens of thousands of geisha houses in Kyoto, the centralized area. However, after World War II, the geisha industry declined, but after the economy recovered, the geisha industry flourished for a while with the rise of the corporate public relations industry and the boom in tourism. It is estimated that there are now only about 200 geisha in Kyoto, and with some of the geikan converted to other uses, the decline of the geisha industry is indisputable.
Geisha are not unique to Japan. Geisha, whose profession is to "serve wine, feasts, songs and dances", were not historically unique to Japan. According to Huang Junxian, geisha were "very similar to the official prostitutes and courtesans of the Tang and Song dynasties". During the Tang and Song dynasties in China, it was a common custom for scholarly men to sing with prostitutes, and there are a lot of good lines about singing girls in the vast Chinese poems and songs. At that time, Chinese government prostitutes, as well as Korean prostitutes, were similar to Japanese geisha. With the development of history, only the Japanese Geisha has continued to the modern day. And it has become the carrier of Japanese traditional culture and one of the symbols of Japanese traditional culture.
The geisha, although the decline of the geisha still exists, although also efforts to reform, but the scenery is no longer, the demise is only a matter of time. The geisha are now seen as outdated by modern young men and women. It is worth noting that the geisha still manipulate this industry, but do not lose confidence. They even travel around the world to increase their value. Some even say that geisha are the symbol of Kyoto and that the traditional culture must be preserved. In recent years, there has been a tit-for-tat struggle between the decline and rise of the geisha, and between preservation and abandonment.
The training of geisha
</B> In Japan, the conditions for becoming a geisha are very demanding, and the cost of learning the art is very high, and not something that the average family can afford. Moreover, the process of learning the art is arduous and not all Geisha are able to persevere.
In the olden days, geisha usually began their studies at the age of 10, but nowadays, due to the Child Welfare Law and the Labor Standards Law, they are required to graduate from high school (i.e., around the age of 14 or 15) before they can begin their studies. The learning process is grueling and involves a wide variety of subjects. It includes culture, etiquette, language, decorations, poetry, music, bowing, pouring wine, etc., and there are strict requirements for every action and word, reflecting nobility and stability. For example, one of the elements of the training is to eat hot tofu without making a sound, not to mention not touching the lip gloss, which shows how strict the requirements are. At the age of 16 or so, a geisha can officially become a geisha, and the entire process lasts for five years. The first Geisha is called a "maiko" (or maiko), and only later can they be officially transformed into a "geisha". A Geisha's career generally ends at the age of 30, and if one continues to work as a Geisha beyond that age, he or she is demoted and becomes a companion to the younger, more beautiful geisha. Geisha refer to their predecessors as "older sisters" (姉さん).
Dressing for Geisha
Most of the women who work in the Geisha industry are beautiful and feminine, and are well-dressed, well educated, and good at singing, dancing, and playing the piano, and their main occupation is to drink and have fun with their clients. Geisha industry is performing arts, not to sell pornography, not to sell their bodies. However, it contains elements of male and female pleasure, so it is called Geisha. Geisha elegant and not vulgar place, not only because it is different from the prostitute, but also because it is not abusive, do not know people are difficult to intervene, most of them are acquaintances or celebrities introduced. Geisha mostly in the art gallery guests, but sometimes also invited to the teahouse restaurant accompanied by guests as art. The industry stipulates that geisha are not allowed to get married during the period of their employment, or else they must retire first, in order to maintain the "pure" image of the geisha.
Geisha costumes are very ornate kimonos, with superior workmanship, texture and decoration, and are therefore very expensive, generally over 500,000 yen, and some as much as 1 million yen. The costumes of Kyoto's maiko are even more famous, and are known as "dara-ori no" (だらりの), which are quite heavy and require considerable strength to tie, so they are often helped by male servants known as "menso" (男眾).
The kimono worn by maiko and young geisha is called a "train," and the part of the kimono from the obi to the skirt is called a "tsuke" (褄褄). Geisha's obi is tied behind their backs, unlike prostitutes' obi, which is tied in front. When walking outside, maiko and young geisha are sure to put their left hand on this section, which means "sell your art, not your body.
Although geisha costumes are categorized as kimonos, they are in fact somewhat different from traditional kimonos. While the traditional kimono has a high back collar, which usually covers the woman's neck, the kimono worn by the geisha has a large collar that is purposely sloped back so that all of the geisha's neck is exposed.
Geisha make-up is also very carefully applied, with special procedures for applying heavy make-up and traditional materials. The most striking thing is that geisha use a liquid white pigment to evenly coat their faces and necks, making them look like beautifully carved dolls.
Performances by Geisha
Geisha generally live a quiet life, and are usually seen in public only hurrying from their homes to the tea house, or from the tea house back to their homes. They form a small circle among themselves, and it is very difficult for the general public to pry into their lives, thus creating curiosity and interest in their lives. Geisha earn a lot of money and have an extraordinary demeanor, but their ability to take care of themselves in daily life is very poor. For this reason, their employers provide them with personal nannies to take care of them.
Outstanding geisha were often sought after by the rich and powerful, many of whom were in love with them. In ancient Japan, married women were obliged to give up their jobs as geisha, a practice that was only gradually abolished in modern times to allow geisha to lead normal lives. But while most women still follow the tradition of leaving geisha after marriage, there are a few who return to the profession after divorce, none more famous in modern times than Kiharu Nakamura.
When a geisha goes out to a banquet, she is accompanied by a man with a shamisen case, who not only does the chores for the geisha, who has difficulty getting around because of her dress, but also protects the geisha from drunken patrons and debauchees.
The props used in geisha performances are in a narrow sense exclusively hand-held performance tools, including all kinds of musical instruments and ornaments; in a broader sense, they should include the kabuki halls, the accompaniment of songs and dances, and even all the knowledge that the geisha has learned. Because the geisha reception is not limited to song and dance performances, they provide for the guests to feast on a multitude of activities.
Geisha performances were initially confined to the Geikan, but later, as they were required to attend the banquets of dignitaries, geisha began to frequent teahouses, restaurants, and kiosks. With the change of times and the impact of modern Western culture, geisha decline pressure increased, so that the art of geisha had to change the tradition of geisha practitioners are also allowed to the teahouse in the ad hoc bar room in the guest performance.
Geisha performances can be broadly categorized into "cubic" and "local" 2 kinds.
The "cubes" are performers who mainly dance, while the "local" performers sing songs such as "Naga" and "Kiyomoto", and play taiko. The term "local" refers to performers who sing songs such as "nagayama" and "kiyomoto," and who play taiko drums, shamisen, and so on. Because the performances of the "local" category are difficult and require long training, they are usually performed by veteran geisha. On the other hand, "cubic" performances are easier, so they are usually performed by less experienced geisha and maiko. In addition to the two main types of geisha performances mentioned above, geisha also perform traditional Japanese arts such as the tea ceremony and incense ceremony. In addition, geisha are trained to speak, so there are many talkative geisha, and after the performance, they will also talk to their customers to enhance the atmosphere. The performance fee given by the customer to the geisha is called "koji yoyo" or "tamayo", and in Kyoto, it is called "hanayo".
Development of Geisha Culture
Japanese Geisha culture began in Kyoto, and the origins of Geisha in Kyoto can be traced back to Higashiyama in Kyoto, where Yasaka Shrine is located, around the 17th century.
Yasaka Shrine is one of the most famous shrines and temples in Kyoto and has a long history. It is said that many people visited Yasaka Shrine at that time, and naturally, many stores gathered in the vicinity, forming a commercial area. Among them, there were many stores called "mizuchaya," which sold tea, dumplings, and other confectionery, and provided a place for worshippers from all over Japan to take a break. The waitresses who work at these stores are called "chagai girls" or "tea girls. Some of these women used songs and dances to attract customers, in what is now known as a commercial approach. As time went by, these commercial methods were constantly being introduced and the quality was constantly being improved, for example, by the addition of music to the shamisen. As a result of this virtuous cycle, some mizutaya became better and better, their size began to expand, and the variety of their products began to increase, with, for example, sake and haute cuisine appearing.
Since the performance of chagallas was an important business practice, some mizukaya owners began to systematically train their chagallas, and this was the beginning of the geisha culture. From ordinary water tea houses to high-class kiosks, the division of labor became more and more refined under the consideration of cost. Instead of each store supporting and training its own geisha, it was better to centralize the training and then invite them to perform when necessary, so as to bring out more economic benefits. This is why the professional training centers and operators called "chikuyas" came into being.
Traditionally, in Japan, a woman who poured wine at a banquet without training in the art was called a "shochu" (酎妇), and had a low social status. Prostitutes were often referred to as "girls" or "girls", and the highest-ranking among them were called "taio" or "hanakoi". The most senior among them are called "taiwu" and "huaqui". "They were not only young and beautiful, but also had good attainments in the tea ceremony, singing, dancing, incense and other arts, and their services were limited to dignitaries, who also treated them as guests, so their social status was relatively high. However, no matter "girl", "traveling girl" or "too husband", "flower girl", all of them will sell their bodies, and the real status of geisha is an entertainer. The real identity of geisha is an entertainer, and their main job is to wait for customers to make art.
However, because of the prosperity of the geisha industry, the demand for more and more, and for the flirtatious environment, more or less unavoidable profit-oriented industry, so there are geisha origin because of the birth of a family in need of money, orphans, and other socially disadvantaged factors, and signed a contract of sale, or trafficked by human traffickers. Perhaps in order to pay off their debts and redeem themselves, or perhaps because they could not resist the lure of money, some geishas began to engage in the sex trade. Although this kind of self-indulgent behavior is traditionally punished, in fact, until after the Second World War, there were many geishas who sold themselves as prostitutes throughout Japan, and there were also many unscrupulous businessmen who specialized in this kind of business in disguise. Nonetheless, the real first-class geisha were "for sale, not for sale". On the contrary, a first-rate geisha, like any woman, may have a single lover, called a "dana (husband)", and may even commit herself to him, and the "dana" will also commit herself to her, and the "dana" will also commit herself to her, and the "dana" will also commit herself to her. The "dana" will also provide material assistance such as money to take care of the geisha's needs. There are also many geisha who leave their jobs and marry their loved ones and start a family.
Historically, Japan's geisha industry used to be highly developed, with tens of thousands of people working in tens of thousands of geisha houses in Kyoto, the center of the industry. However, the geisha industry in the Second World War after the great depression, only in the economic recovery after a period of time, with the company's public relations industry heating up, the tourism industry is booming, geisha and flourished for a while, in the late 80's to the early 90's, the geisha still retained a few hundred people. However, with the bursting of the bubble economy and the decrease in corporate business, the geisha industry has once again fallen into the doldrums, and it is estimated that there are only about 200 geisha in Kyoto at present, and the opportunities for escorting clients have been greatly reduced, so it can be said that "the door is cold and the cars are scarce". The decline of the geisha industry is indisputable as some of the houses have been converted to other uses, costumes and musical instruments have been sold or rented out, and geishas have moved to nightclubs to work as entertainers.
Geisha, in the traditional sense, were not seen as indecent in the past; on the contrary, many families were proud to have their daughters in the art world. On the contrary, many families were proud to have their daughters enter the art world, because it not only showed that the family was highly educated, but also that they had enough money to pay for their daughters to learn the art. This concept is less prevalent today, but geisha are still not uncommon in people's minds. In fact, it is not easy to be a Geisha. Learning the art, generally from the age of 10, to be completed in five years from culture, etiquette, language, decoration, poetry, books, qin, until bowing, pouring wine and other courses, is very hard. From the age of 16, they can go into the sea as a "maiko" and then as a geisha until they are 30 years old. When they get older, they can continue to work, but they have to be demoted and can only work as a companion to the young and famous geishas. As for the way out of old age, most of them are not very optimistic. The ideal is to marry a rich man and live a stable life, but this is rare. Some people make use of their skills to run an art school or art class, which is also very good. If you have the opportunity to enter the company as an image of Miss, although only a "vase", can still show the former style. Of course, there are also a lot of people fall into the vulgar as a servant, or even fall into the greenhouse, it is very unfortunate.
The decline of the geisha has also prompted some reforms to adapt to the requirements of the times, such as hiring women outside of Kyoto to join, change the face, set up a bar in the teahouse to attract late-night customers, etc., but the results are not very good. The geisha are now considered obsolete by modern young men and women.
What makes Japanese men most satisfied is the art of geisha conversation. Whether it's international news or gossip, they know it all. They know how to appeal to men's egos and are good at reading men's emotions. Their work is actually very stressful, while the men get completely relaxed.
Cultivating a geisha is a big investment, but once they become famous, the price is also very high, especially young and beautiful senior geisha price is even higher, the average person does not dare to ask, but the rich and wealthy businessmen, spend a lot of money, large enterprises and large companies but do not hesitate to throw thousands of dollars. When the economy is booming, the big companies in order to solicit business, always have to ask geisha as a public relations means.
Geisha although the decline is still there, but the scenery is no longer, the decline is the trend, the demise is only a matter of time. It is worth noting that the geishas who are still in the business have not lost their confidence. They feel that the geisha is the "face" of Kyoto and Japan should be preserved. They even traveled around the world to increase their value. Some even say clearly that the geisha is the symbol of Kyoto and that the traditional old culture must be preserved. In recent years, there has been a tit-for-tat struggle between the decline and rise of the geisha, and between preservation and abandonment.
The world of the Japanese geisha has always been a mysterious one. Their profession is known as the "flower and willow world". The young and beautiful Geisha with their powdered faces and heavy make-up have charmed countless men. However, when you enter their world, you will find that the real Geisha life is a different flavor.
The famous geisha ---- Nakamura Kiharu
A generation of famous Japanese geisha, Nakamura Kiharu, passed away in New York City recently, bidding farewell to a bright and colorful life. Kiharu Nakamura, who had entertained such distinguished guests as famous movie star Charlie Chaplin and baseball giant Bubba Ruth, came from a wealthy family when she was a child, but she was willing to show her face and sing and perform in order to promote Japan's traditional national culture and prove to the world that geisha are not prostitutes, but performers of sound, color and art.
Attracting Chaplin
Kiharu Nakamura died in his New York City apartment on June 6 at the age of 90, according to a report by the New York Times. Honda, the editor of Soshisha Publishing House, which published Kiharu Nakamura's autobiography, said, "I've heard that her health has been weaker in recent years, and it's not something that can be helped, because after all, people are getting old." Nakamura Kiharu's death, the younger generation of Japan may not have much significance, part of the Japanese youth do not even know who she is, but for the older generation of Americans and Japanese, Nakamura Kiharu is not only a witness to Japan's glory days, but also an ambassador for the promotion of Japanese culture.
Kiharu Nakamura was born in Ginza, Tokyo, in 1913, to a doctor and a very strict upbringing. While living in Tokyo, Kiharu Nakamura was fascinated by the heavily made-up performers at opera houses and dance halls, which led to her interest in geisha. At the age of 16, despite her parents' objections, she joined the ranks of the Geisha, singing and dancing in restaurants, dance halls and other entertainment venues, mingling with the customers onstage and making a name for herself.
Most of the guests who enjoyed Kiharu Nakamura's performances were rich and famous. In addition to local celebrities and tycoons, the famous movie star Charlie Chaplin, the baseball giant Bubba Ruth and the French painter Jean Cocteau were also her fans, and Cocteau, who was so enamored with Kiharu Nakamura's performances that he once wrote a touching poem titled "The Geisha," which was very popular with the public.
Married at 27
In 1940, Kiharu Nakamura married a Japanese diplomat. Unfortunately, her husband was working in Burma when he met a local woman, whom he intended to marry at the risk of committing bigamy. Nakamura soon found out about her husband's extra-marital affair, and as a result, she was unable to tolerate his infidelity, and the two ended up splitting up. After the breakup, Kiharu Nakamura did not give up on herself, but returned to Geisha after the Second World War, and with her excellent shamisen skills, she injected new vigor into the then lifeless Japanese dance scene.
In 1956, Kiharu Nakamura moved to the United States, where she lived in various cities before settling on Queens Boulevard in New York City. In the U.S., this strong Japanese woman made her living teaching Japanese music and dance, and was also employed at the prestigious Princeton University, where she taught Japanese culture. She also worked as a consultant for the famous opera Madame Butterfly, teaching people how to wear kimonos and other Japanese etiquette. Kiharu Nakamura occasionally returns to Japan to visit her family, and even then she doesn't stay idle, appearing on various TV talk shows and singing on stage when she feels like it to remember her homeland.
In her later years, Nakamura Kiharu was still committed to promoting Geisha culture and correcting outsiders' negative perceptions of Geisha, saying, "I'm a Geisha woman, and a Geisha is a performer with artistic qualities. They can sing, they can dance, they are skilled in all the 18 dance arts, and they understand men's thoughts the best. But unfortunately, not many people can understand this, and they have less knowledge of their country's traditional culture."
Autobiography published at 70
Kiharu Nakamura, who became known for her distinctive style and was invited to be interviewed by the media, released an autobiography, "Memoirs of a Geisha in Tokyo," in 1983, which recounted her story as the only pre-war geisha in Tokyo who could speak English. The autobiography was translated into eight languages and adapted into an opera, and in 1985 she released another book, Mourning Japan, which was also well received. Transitioning from geisha to writer, Kiharu Nakamura has continued to write and has **** 10 books to her credit.
Masakatsu Ota, 60, Kiharu Nakamura's only son, who now teaches modern art at American University, admires his mother's lifelong dedication to acting, saying, "My mother was a remarkable woman who, in addition to her attractive appearance, was also very knowledgeable. Don't look at her as if she doesn't care about anything, but in fact she values academic achievement so much that all her boyfriends are graduates of the University of Tokyo, and many of them are still my teachers."
With the gradual westernization of Japanese society and the influence of modernization, the number of Japanese geisha, a symbol of traditional Eastern culture, is shrinking. According to reports, there are only about 200 geisha left in Japan, and the number of maiko (geisha who have not undergone the rite of passage) has been reduced to more than 20, a far cry from the thousands that existed during the Edo period of the 18th century, and the death of Kiharu Nakamura, one of the most famous geisha of the generation, is, to some extent, symbolic of the declining popularity of geisha performances in Japan.
Geisha training is long and grueling
Taking five years to train in the art of poetry, calligraphy and qin, and then dropping down in rank after the age of 30.
Japanese geisha were born in Tokyo and Osaka in the 17th century. Originally all male, they made their living by performing dances and musical instruments in brothels and amusement parks, and in the mid-18th century the profession was gradually replaced by women, a tradition that continues to this day.
Marriage requires retirement
Most of the female prostitutes in the geisha industry were beautiful and tender, dressed in gorgeous costumes, knew their books and manners, and were especially good at singing, dancing, and playing the piano, and their main job was to drink and have fun with their clients. Geisha industry is the art of performance, not to show pornography, not to sell their bodies. Geisha elegant and not vulgar place, not only because it is different from prostitutes, but also because it is not abusive, do not know people are very difficult to get involved, most of them are acquaintances or celebrities recommended. Geisha mostly in the Museum of Fine Arts guests, but sometimes also invited to the teahouse restaurant accompanied by guests as art. The industry stipulates that geisha must not get married during their working life, or else they must retire in order to maintain the "pure" image of the geisha.
Hard to make a living in old age
Traditionally, geisha were not seen as indecent in the past, and many families were proud of their daughters' careers in the arts. On the contrary, many families were proud to have their daughters enter the art world, because it not only showed that the family was highly educated, but also that they had enough money to pay for their daughters to learn the art. This notion is less prevalent today, but geisha are still not uncommon in people's minds.
In reality, it is not easy to be a Geisha. Learning the art, usually starting at the age of 10, is grueling, as one has to complete courses in culture, etiquette, language, decorations, poetry, books, and the qin and sei, right down to bowing and pouring wine in a five-year period of time. From the age of 16, they can go into the sea as a maiko and then as a geisha until they are 30 years old. If you get older, you can continue to work, but you will be downgraded to a younger, more famous Geisha. As for the way out of old age, most of them are not very optimistic. The ideal is to marry a rich man and live a stable life, but this is rare. Some use their skills to run an art school or art class, which is also very good. Of course, there are also a lot of people fall into the vulgar as a servant, or even fall into the greenhouse.
The current state of art and culture
South Korea (North Korea) geisha to do "Geisha" to pay hard work
The reporter visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Mukojima, is one of the only remaining six "Hanayagi". ***There are 18 kaiten, or high-class hotels, that offer geisha services. Currently, 156 Geisha, ranging in age from 18 to 80 years old, live and work here. Traditionally, Geisha must belong to a certain "group". They then go through "Shugyo," or training, before going to a banquet or performing on stage. The "Mukaijima Mukti Group" is both a management organization and a training facility for geisha. Here, this reporter visited the Geisha's training center with a sense of wonder and excitement, and learned more about the true meaning of the word "Geisha".
What the word "Geisha" means
At the entrance, the reporter saw clogs arranged in a very neat row, and the large glass windows were filled with small wooden plaques with the names of the Geisha, which gave the impression that the place was in order. Inside, there were drums and flutes. In one room, seven women in plain kimonos were dancing, and the Director of Combined Affairs said they were receiving professional training in Japanese dance. Sure enough, a kimono man sits against the wall in the room, barking orders to the dancers, reminding them to keep their bodies soft and light. In the other room, the geisha were practicing their music, drummers and flute players, all sitting very still and very serious. Next to the drumming practice was the song class, where two geisha practiced the sanchin and sang Japanese songs under the guidance of their teacher. Their voices were warm and melodious, and their rhythmic cadences conveyed traditional rhythms. In this small "group", geisha learn to play and sing as much as they can until they become proficient. So the simple word "art" is so profound that it may take them a lifetime to master it and become a "famous geisha!
In a large single room with a stage, the reporter watched the Geisha's dance performance, which is also the real state of their "work". Only to see the different ages of the size of the Geisha, put on heavy makeup, wearing brightly colored kimono, simply with the practice of the time to be a different person. Between performances, the reporter and a young geisha called "Orange" to talk. She is only 22 years old, 18 years old into the "Hanayagi", aspiring to become a geisha. She says she has little time for leisure. She wakes up around 9:00 a.m. in the morning, then goes here for training, returns home after lunch, takes a bath and starts to prepare her makeup, and is usually ready to "accompany" her clients around 6:00 p.m. She gets off work around 2:00 p.m. late at night. She gets off work late at night, around 2:00 p.m., and goes back to her dormitory to rest. She said that Geisha not only to song, dance and music all-round, but also to learn to receive guests, training in the skills of speech, so that guests happy. The reporter asked her if she had any worries about being a Geisha. She smiled and said the main thing is to drink too much alcohol, which can damage the body. So, one has to always take medication to protect one's liver. Many of her sisters are like that.
Making women more feminine
Close examination of Orange's makeup showed that while her face was all white, the corners of her eyes were dabbed with red, while her hands had no makeup whatsoever. An older geisha said that the red color had no special meaning, but just made the women more feminine. The dance teacher added that the reason why the Geisha's faces were painted very white was because in the past there were no electric lights, but candles, and that was the only way to make them look more beautiful. As for the Geisha's hands, they were not painted white to show that they were clean, so that they could reassure the guests when providing food and drink services.
Disappearing Cultural Landscape
Geisha society is highly regulated by various precepts. For example, women were not allowed to marry, but they could find a man to be their "dana" (sponsor). In order to avoid competition, a man could only be the "dana" of one woman. Legend has it that a woman born in the year of the "Bunun" will bring disaster to a man and should not get married. As a result, many Japanese women were sent by their parents to the hanayagi world, where they remained alone for the rest of their lives. Because of their ability to sing and dance, and their commitment to chastity, geisha were adored by many of the most powerful and influential people in Japan.
Now a sunset industry
As times have changed, similar precepts no longer exist in Japan. Because of the rigorous training and hard life of the Geisha, as well as the fact that it is a service industry that focuses on pleasing men, the industry has become a sunset industry, and its numbers are dwindling. It is said that there are now only about 200 people who can truly be called Geisha. Kyoto is the largest concentration of geisha, and there are currently five "hanamachi" (geisha districts) in Kyoto. Japan's "Sightseeing Kyoto Network" offers a special service for dining with a maiko***. A maiko is a geisha who has not yet graduated. Because they are younger than geisha, they are very popular and expensive. If you dine in a high-class restaurant and have a maiko accompany you, the cost is as high as 7,500 yen, and the service time is 90 minutes.
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