All geisha must learn to play the shamisen, alongside additional instruments that often accompany the shamisen, such as the ko-tsuzumi (small shoulder drum) and fue (flute), during their apprenticeship, as well as learning traditional Japanese dance; however, after graduation to geisha status, geisha are free to choose which art form they wish to pursue primarily. Geisha who pursue musicianship are known as jikata ( 地方, "ground [seated, when playing instruments and singing] person") geisha, whereas geisha who pursue dance are known as tachikata ( 立方, "standing person") geisha. Some geisha not only dance and play music, but also write poems, paint pictures, or compose music. [17] Public performances [ edit ] Historically, geisha held an appeal for mainly male guests as a woman outside of the role of "wife". Wives were modest, responsible, and at times sombre, whereas geisha could be playful and carefree. Geisha would, on occasion, marry their clients, but this required retirement.

Geisha of Gion | Book by Mineko Iwasaki, Rande Brown

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Weisman, Steven R. "Ex-Geisha Accuses Uno Of a Dangerous Liaison". The New York Times . Retrieved 3 June 2020. In anticipation of the big event, the nights before the main parade also host many street wide parties called Yoiyama (July 16), Yoiyoiyama (July 15) and Yoiyoiyoiyama (July 14). It’s worth noting that technically and somewhat ironically, these major events don’t take part within the confines of the Gion District, but are held on the other side of the Kamo River. That said, it’s so all-encompassing that it does pour out onto the Gion neighborhood. Beyond the main parades, the area is constantly buzzing throughout the month with demonstrations, street vendors and party-goers. Iwasaki felt betrayed by Golden's use of information she considered confidential, and denounced the novel as being an inaccurate depiction of geisha life, criticising in particular the novel's portrayal of geisha engaging in mizuage (a deflowering ritual undergone by some apprentices) as a matter of fact when graduating to geisha status. [5] Iwasaki stated that she herself had not undergone mizuage, and that no such custom ever existed in Gion.After Japan lost the war, geisha dispersed and the profession was in shambles. When they regrouped during the Occupation and began to flourish in the 1960s during Japan's postwar economic boom, the geisha world changed. In modern Japan, girls are not sold into indentured service. Nowadays, a geisha's sex life is her private affair. [29] A maiko will start her formal training on the job as a minarai (a name meaning "learning by observation") at an ozashiki ( お座敷, a geisha party), where she will sit and observe as the other maiko and geisha interact with customers. In this way, a trainee gains insights into the nature of the job, following the typical nature of traditional arts apprenticeships in Japan, wherein an apprentice is expected to learn almost entirely through observation. Although geisha at the stage of minarai training will attend parties, they will not participate on an involved level and are instead expected to sit quietly. [56] This popularity was then increased by the introduction of various laws intended to clamp down on and regulate the lower classes – in particular, the emerging merchant classes who had established themselves as the premiere patrons of geisha. Both had, over time, come to hold much of the purchasing power within Japan, with their status as lower class allowing them a degree of freedom in their tastes of dress and entertainment, in contrast to upper-class families who had little choice but to appear in a manner deemed respectable to their status. [ citation needed] In the present day, geisha wear a variety of the shimada known as the chū taka shimada – a flattened, sleeker version of the bunkin taka shimada worn as a bridal wig in traditional weddings. Though geisha also wear this hairstyle as a wig, it is usually shaped specifically to their face by a wig stylist. Older geisha may wear the tsubushi taka shimada style on special occasions, featuring a flatter "bun" ( mage) than both the bunkin taka shimada and chū taka shimada styles. Goodby to Geisha Girl, She's on Her Way Out". The Ogden Standard-Examiner. Ogden, Utah. 27 September 1959. p.4 . Retrieved 16 October 2019.

Gion - The Traditional District in the Heart of Kyoto Gion - The Traditional District in the Heart of Kyoto

By train: the nearest station is Gion-Shijo where the Keihan Main Line stops. An alternative station is Kawaramachi Station where the Hankyu-Kyoto Line stops. Entertainment [ edit ] Shirakawa River in the Gion district, showing the rear of some ochaya Geisha [ edit ] A typical kaiseki restaurant in Gion Rinka – (Zhang Xue), a Chinese national from Shenyang, who became a geisha in Shimoda in the Shizuoka Prefecture in September 2011. [72] Geisha and maiko always wear kimono while working, and typically wear kimono outside of work. The type of kimono varies based on age, occasion, region and season of the year.Book Gion Night Walk Gion Kimono Experience Gion at night. Credit: bethom33. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2. 0 . History of the Gion District A number of terms are used to describe the profession and community that geisha both live and work in. Though each has its own distinct meaning and translation, some are used interchangeably to describe the geisha community on the whole, such as hanamachi and karyūkai. Despite this, a few changes – such as the standardisation of a geisha's fees – did withstand, and remain in place to this day. [9] Geisha wear their obi in the nijuudaiko musubi style – a taiko musubi (drum knot) tied with a fukuro obi; geisha from Tokyo and Kanazawa also wear their obi in the yanagi musubi (willow knot) style and the tsunodashi musubi style. Though geisha may wear hakata-ori obi in the summer months, geisha from Fukuoka – where the fabric originates from – may wear it the entire year. This is because brand-new formal maiko hikizuri are extremely expensive, and are unlikely to be something an apprentice can afford. An apprentice may also decide not to become a geisha and drop out, leaving them with an expensive piece of clothing their okiya cannot use for its other apprentices. As such, many okiya have several kimono and obi used by their apprentices that have been used for several years, and some are known for their distinctive designs.