What is a Geisha? | Japanese Clothing (2024)

To become a Geisha is a long and painful process that took 4 to 5 years in the past.As often in Japan, the training is done in successive stages, the little girlgraduating from therank ofShikomi, to that ofMinarai,Maikoto finally become a Geisha. These stages still exist today.

Training Stages

1. Shikomi.

Shikomi(仕込み, “servant in formation”)is the firstrank in the wayof becoming a Geisha. At this step,young girls are only in charge of heavy domestic tasks and are at the service of the other Geisha of theOkiya. They also start learning different artistic disciplines. This phase is supposed to break their character andforge them intobecoming aGeisha apprentice.

2.Minarai

When they show certain talents (especially in dance), aShikomibecomes aMinarai(見習い, lit. “apprentice”). She no longer has to do household chores and receives a more artistic education.Minaraioften work in a tea house where they learn the tea ceremony.

3. Maiko

Source: Mai-ko.com

Upon completion of herMinaraitraining, she becomes an apprentice Geisha calledMaiko(舞子, lit “dancing child).The apprenticeis then assigned to an experienced Geisha of a higher rank whomshewill callOnē-san(お姉さん, honorific term for “big sister”) whom she will follow on her appointments in order to benefit from her knowledge and skills.

By following the teachings of herOnē-san, the apprenticeMaikowill gradually perfect the art of conversation and various artistic disciplines. She will then be able to start to get noticed by potential client in order to build her future clientele.

4. Geisha

To become a Geisha, a Maikoneeds topass an examination that will validate her mastery of a set of artistic disciplines as well as theErikaeandMizu-ageceremonies.

• Erikae(襟替え, “change of collar”) is the ceremony of changing the collar of the Geisha’s Kimono. The red collar of the apprentice ischangedto white, marking her as confirmed Geisha.

• Mizu-age(水揚げ, lit. “deflowering”) is a very controversial tradition among Geisha that marks the transition froma Maikoto Geisha andwasheldwhen the Onē-san in charge of the Maiko’s felt that her studentwas ready. Some rumors say that this ceremony putted a price onthe virginity of the apprentice Geisha thatwent to the highest bidder. Other rumors say that this ceremony marked an important change in the life of a Geisha who had to cut her hair and wear a special type of wig called “katsura“.

At the end ofthesetwo ceremonies, the Maikocan now access the rank of Geisha and animate her own events where she would start to be paid for her services.

As you can see, becoming a Geisha is a long term work and the consecration of years of intensive work. Today, the training of Geisha has remained largely the same, although it is probably shorter. Moreover, apprentices have to embrace this career of their own free will; the average age of an apprentice is 17 or 18 years old.

Reimbursem*nt of the training

Once their Geisha trainingcompleted, theGeikohad to pay back their debt accumulated over the years by working for theOkiya. This sum, often very important, was taken directly from the income of their activity.

An important thing that you need to know is that Geisha who still work fortheir original establishmentdo notmake any personal income, the entire amount earned goes directly to theOkiyauntil her debt isreimbursed(this is still the case today).

Once this debt was paid, they could continue to work for theOkiyaor set up their own business. However, the second option involved taking on the costs of clothing, hair and make-up alone, but also paying a commission to theOkiya, which acted as an intermediary.

Fortunately, there was a tradition at the time where some Geisha could count on a richbusinessman who brought them a certain financial stability, the Danna.

Geisha and Danna relationship

At the time, the Danna (旦那) was a financial guarantor, often a high class and very wealthy man, who would commit himself to pay for all Geisha’s expenses (through business expenses) and who wished to have a special relationship with her. Thanks to this financial support, the Geisha could continue her activities without fear of not being able to support herself.

As for the relationship between a Geisha and her Danna, it is independent of the situation itself. Very often, it was the Okiya who chose the Danna for his Geisha according to his wealth and prestige.

Some men also paid the expenses of some Geishas in order to benefit from sexual favors, a service that is never practiced by Geishas in normal times (although this information has never been officially declared).

Finally, it is much less frequent nowadays to see Geisha taking Danna and this because very few Japanese men are able to support the important financial expenses of such a profession.

Geisha Outfit and Appearance

As you can see, the Geisha world is governed by dedication to the artsandtheirappearanceis also extremely codified. Here is list of the most importantGeisha attire:

Clothing

The dress code of the Geisha must respect a certain number of rules. It is also accompanied by an array of details that are meant to subtly indicate age and level of training of the Geisha. Moreover, if many rituals and traditions surrounding the profession of Geisha have evolved over the centuries, the dress code of a true Geisha is a work of art that is perpetuated from generation to generation.

In short, the outfit of a Geisha consists of:

A Hikizuri, the Geisha Kimono

Thespecial Kimonoworn by Geisha is calledHikizuriorSusohiki(裾引き, lit. “trailing skirt”). The Susohikikimono is atype of Kimonomade ofheavy silk that can weigh nearly 20 kg (44 pounds). Entirely handmade, this kimono has a long train that slides gracefully to the ground when the Geisha walks and has bright colors and very original patterns that distinguish it from classic kimonos.

Geisha Kimonos are traditionally handmade and are very valuable. They often cost several thousand dollars. Moreover, dressing a kimono is a complex task and the fabrics are heavy. For this reason a professional dresser often assists the Geisha when they dress. He is also the only man allowed to enter the Okiya, the house where the Geisha live.

Maiko vs Geisha Kimono

As seen previously, the clothing of a Geisha is a garment that evolves and adapts to the rank which explains why a Geishado not wear the same Kimonoastheir apprentices.

Indeed, Maiko wear commonly more colorful kimono with more showy ornaments and longer sleeves while those of older Geisha tend to wear a more sober Tomesode and with shorter sleeves.

Finally, experienced Geishas also like to wear a Kurotomesode kimono with the coat of arms of their Okiya on each sleeve, shoulder and in the middle of the back during prestigious events.

An Obi Belt

Regarding the adjustment of the kimono, the Geisha close their outfit with the help of an Obi (帯 lit. “band”), aband of fabric made of a ribbon-like sash and whose length and type of knotting differ depending on the age and experience of the wearer.

• Maiko wear anobi dararithat can be up to 10 meters longthat is tied in a wide knot that goes up to the shoulder blades and falls to the ground in a long train.

• Experienced Geishas wear anobi nagoyaof about 3 to 4 meters. It is worn in a drum knot and without a train. Note that the knotting of the belt of Geishas can vary slightly depending on the region.

Footwear

Tabis and wooden wedge sandals complete the Geisha outfit. As for the sandals, here again, a difference is to be noted.

• Maiko wear okobowhichare very thick sandals. The color of the strap of the okobo will be different according to the status. Red straps are reserved for beginners while those at the end of their training will wear okobo with blue, pink or yellow straps.

• Experienced Geisha can combine their kimono with zori or geta sandals.

In the same way, bright colors and patterns are usually worn by younger people. The outfit is completed with white socks, tabi, and wooden wedge sandals.

Makeup

In addition to the traditional clothes of the Geisha, theirface is also an emblematic figure oftheir identity; A white face made up with white powder calledOshiroi (白粉), lips painted in bright red with lipstick, very black eyes and eyebrows colored with bamboo charcoal.

However, this very characteristic way of putting on make-up that we often associate with the image of the Geisha is in fact reserved for the apprentice Geishas, the Maiko.

Indeed, the older and more advanced Geishas wear less or no make-up at allto let their natural beauty progress. Therefore, the only times youwill see a Geisha over 30 years oldwearing makeup will be for stage performances and on special occasions.

During the first three years of her training, the Maiko must train to wear this very complex makeup without the help of their older sister. Concretely, the make-up of the Maiko requires to follow a certain number of steps.

1. First of all, the skin of the face, neck and chest are coated with camellia oil, which is reputed to be more adherent than bare skin. Today, this oil is replaced by a mixture of wax and vegetable oil.
2. Then, the face, neck and neckline are covered with the famous white powder generously applied with a bamboo brush. For the history, the white powder was chosen for the simple and unique reason that white was synonymous with beauty in the land of the rising sun. Also, it allowed to better see the face in the candlelight.
3. Once the complexion is finished, the Maiko makes up her eyes with a red eye shadow and her cheeks with pink powder. The eye contours are highlighted with black eyeliner as well as the eyebrows.
4. Finally, the mouth is painted in bright red. As a rule, the Maiko only paints her lower lip red during their first year of training.

It should also be noted that theOshiroipowder so popular with Geishas contained lead. Geishas often suffered from diseases and skin alterations. Fortunately, this material is now replaced by natural and skin-friendly products.

Finally, the make-up of Geishas did not stop at the face. Indeed, during the Heian era from 794 to 1185, Geishas used to color their teeth in black. This custom was calledOhaguro.

Teeth

Ohaguro(お歯黒, lit. “black teeth) refers to a traditional practice that is associated mainly with married women. Indeed, after the ceremony, the brides used to stain their teeth with charcoal in order to clearly announce to their entourage and to strangers that theyare promised to a man and that it is thus useless to try to court them.

While in Europe the sight of black teeth often evokes dirtiness, in Japan one can find pictures of Geisha with black teeth, a very popular dyeing technique dating back more than a millennium

If we can find traces of it elsewhere in the world, in the Japanese archipelago, this tradition was banned by the government on February 5th 1870.

Headdress

In addition to the dress and the make-up, Geishas are also recognizable by their very elaborate and particularly complex hairstylewhich consists of very sophisticated traditional buns held together with hairpins and combs. The buns are then decorated with hair accessories calledkanzashi (簪, lit. “ornamental hairpin”).

Like for the previous elements,kanzashistyles evolve and change according to the seasons, the age, the status and the level of training of the Geisha. En autres:

• Maiko wear hana-kanzashi which arekanzashi often very colorful with floral ornaments or animal shapes

• ExperiencedGeishas wear less conspicuous accessories and never wear hana-kanzashi

Finally, the more sophisticated the hairstyle of a Geisha was, the more expensive they were to make. This is why to kept them intact for several days,Geisha hadto sleep with their neck resting on a dedicated object so that their head does not touch the ground. This painful object is calledtakamakura(高枕, lit High Pillow).

Wig

If you have followed the previous chapter, you already know that Geisha tend to use fake hair to complete their hairstyle like theShimadawhich is a kind of artificial bun that Geisha put on top of the coiffed hair.

There are four main types ofShimada:

• theTaka Shimada, a high bun usually worn by young, single women;
• theTsubushi Shimada, a flatter bun usually worn by older women;
• the Uiwata, a bun usually tied with a piece of colored cotton;
• theMonowareworn only by young Maikos

However, itwas traditionally forbidden for mostMaikoto wear wigs while they are apprentices.

Accessories

Finally, in order to complete their outfits, the Geisha had a catalog of accessories:We can for example quote:

• The Hand Fan which in addition to being used outside is an essential accessory in certain refined dances like the Jinta mai
• The Japanese umbrella

Behaviour

Geisha are distinguished by their manners. Their obligation to be refined at all times makes it impossible for them to do certain daily tasks like:

• Having lunch in fast food restaurants
• Shopping in some clothing stores or supermarkets
• Carrying plastic bags

Moreover, during meetings with clients, they must entertain them while keeping a certain restraint and without never becoming vulgar.

Geisha in Japanese Society

A very symbolic element to know is that the first goal ofthe Geisha system was founded in order to promote the independence and economic self-sufficiency of womenin pre-war Japan.

Indeed, at the time, the vast majority of women did not work and had no choice but to become wives to survive in Japanese society. However, the Geishawere independent and could practicetheir services and be paid without having to rely on a husband, which made them thefirst independent womento have a profession recognized by the Japanese government.

Moreover, Geisha were considered in the 19th and 20th centuries as very efficient businesswomen due to the fact that almost allKaryūkai(花柳界, lit. the “flower and willow world”), where both Geisha and courtesans worked before the arrival ofHanamachi, were controlled by women.

Types of Geisha(Chart)

Relation between Geisha and their Clients

Although the time spent with them can be very intimate, the relationship between a Geisha and her client remainsmainly professional. Onlya Danna had the opportunity to have a more sincere and authentic relationship with his Geisha, but it wasn’t always the case.

Moreover, it was also very common for a Geisha affiliated with a Danna to end up marrying him after a few years. However, aGeisha is not the wife of anyone, so in order to get married, a Geisha had to give up her title first.

Do Geishas sleep with their clients?

In Japan, Geisha are above all artists, masters in the art of seduction, they know how disturb men with a single blink of eyes. However, despite many rumors,Geisha do not sleep with their clients.

Personal Relationships and Love Life

Traditionally, Geisha were allowed to have a love life outside of their profession and it was very common for them to have several lovers and boyfriends at the same time.

However, as explained earlier, a Geisha was not allowed to marry a man while still working for an Okiya.

“You cannot say to the sun: “More sun.” Or to the rain: “Less rain.” To a man, Geisha can only be half a wife. We are the wives of nightfall. And yet to learn of kindness, after so much unkindness… To understand that a little girl with more courage than she knew, would find that her prayers were answered…can that not be called happiness? After all, these are not the memoirs of an empress, nor of a queen. These are memoirs of another kind.”

Memoirs of a Geisha

Today, in modern Japan, there are modernJapanesewiveswho continue to work as Geisha, but this remains very rare and controversial.

Whydo people think that Geishas are Prostitutes?

Even today, the profession of Geisha suffersutterly from an association with prostitution, especially in the Western countries. However,real Geisha as we know them did not and still do not sell their sexual favorsto their rich clients during their meetings.

Geisha are the guarantors of the reputation of theOkiyathey work for and must distinguish themselves only by their excellence in entertainment. Therefore, if a Geisha provides a bad service or is associated with a controverse, it’s the entire reputation of theOkiyaand the other Geisha who live there that is penalized.

But why areGeishaassociatedwith prostitution? Here are some explanations:

1. Geishawere for a time confused withOiranduring the Edo period

During the Edo period, there were two types of women artists, the Geisha who only offered accompaniment and artistic performance services and the Oiran who offered both artistic performance and sexual services.

Moreover, there were some similarities in their way of dressing and make-up, which did not help this amalgam. It should be noted that the activity of Geisha was regulated from 1779 and that they were not allowed to engage in prostitution

2. In the 17th century, Geisha were active in the same areas as prostitutes

As seen earlier, the 1st Geisha lived in the same hot districts calledYūkakuwhere the sex workers of Japan and the Oiran offered their services. It was alsousual to seethese two professionsat the same timeat banquets.

3. During WW2, prostitutes dressed like Geisha to get more customers

During the WW2 period, the demand for Geisha girls was at its lowest, so prostitutes, whose demand was growing at the time, took inspiration from their appearance and refined manners to win the favor of American soldiers.

The latter, very fond of those they called Geisha girls, helped to propagate this idea. Some Geisha girls who turned to prostitution during the war also contributed to this confusion.

4.Movies and clichés

Cinema and literature have played an important role in the reproduction of a certain number of clichés. The film Memoirs of a Geisha is often cited as a (bad) example.

5. Rumors say that Maiko’s virginity was sometimes put up for auction

In the past, the Mizu-age ceremony forced the Maiko to put her virginity up for auction in order to become a Geisha.The highest bidder could also, after deflowering the girl, buy more nights.

In fact, this act was mainlyto createbuzzand the subsequent dates did not always include sex.

In Kyoto

1.Hamanachi

Likewise, if you want to see real Geisha in the street in Kyoto, it is best to go to the Geisha districts in Kyoto which are:

• Gion
• Miyagawa-chō
• Kamishichiken
• Pontochō

2. Gion Corner

Gion corner is the Japan national school of Geishawhich organizes all year long shows open to all which allow to have a quick and efficient overview (photos are allowed) of the different traditional Japanese arts: while a tea ceremony (chado) takes place on the right side of the stage, demonstrations of koto (Japanese zither), ikebana, gagaku (court music), kado (floral art), kyôgen (ancient comic show), kyomai (dance of the Maiko of Kyoto), and bunraku (puppet theater) follow on stage.

Hereis a list with thedates and prices of the different shows:

• Onshu-kai: October 1-6 at Kyoto Art Theater Shunjuza (8,500 yen)
• Mizue-kai: October 12-15 at Miyagawacho-Kaburenjo Theater (4,000-8,000 yen)
• Suimei-kai: October 19-22 at Pontocho-Kaburenjo Theater (3,300-8,000 yen)
• Kotobuki-kai: October 8-12 at Kamishichiken-Kaburenjo Theater (8,000 yen)

3. Maiko Show at the Kyoto Tower

The Maiko Show at Kyoto Tower also offers Maiko shows for tourists all year round. However, the Geisha do notattendto most daily performances open to the general public.

4. Festivals

Once a year, eachGeisha district holds a big Geisha and Maiko dance festival open to the public. If you are in Kyoto on the right dates, do not hesitate to go and see one of these performances called “Odori“!

The performances are much more elaborate than in the “introduction” shows for tourists, here it is about traditional performances also attended by the locals. The prices remain very reasonable, but in these showsphotos are generally forbidden.

Here are the dates and prices:

• Kitano Odori: March 25 to April 7 at Kamishichiken Kaburenjô (4,800 yen)
• Miyako Odori: April 1-27 at Minamiza Theater (4,000-5,000 yen)
• Kyo Odori: April 1-16 at Kaburenjo Theater (2,200-4,200 yen)
• Kamogawa Odori: May 1-24 at Kaburenjo Theater (2,300-4,800 yen)
• Gion Odori: November 1-10 at Gion Kaikan Theater (4,000-4,500 yen)

Geisha in Pop Culture

The growing interest in Geisha and their exotic appearance have propelledthem to a worldwide idol and celebrity status since the release of the 1998 novel and 2005 film, Memoirs of a Geisha, and the autobiography of formerGeisha Iwasaki Mineko, entitled Geisha of Gion.

Geisha in Movies

• Apart from You
• The Barbarian and the Geisha
• Cry for Happy
• Fireflies in the North
• The Geisha Boy
• Geisha Girl (1952)
• The Geisha House
• The Geisha (1914)
• The Geisha (1983)
• Late Chrysanthemums
• The Life of Oharu
• Memoirs of a Geisha
• My Geisha
• Ruten no umi
• Sisters of the Gion
• The Teahouse of the August Moon
• Violated Paradise

Geisha in Literature

• Memoirs of a Geisha– Arthur Golden
• Snow Country– Yasunari Kawabata
• Geisha: A Life– Mineko Iwasaki, Randee Brown, Rande Brown
• Geisha of Gion: The Memoir of Mineko Iwasaki– Mineko Iwasaki, Rande Brown
• Geisha– Liza Dalby
• Autobiography of a Geisha– Sayo Masuda
• Women of the Pleasure Quarters: The Secret History of the Geisha – Lesley Downer
• Madame Sadayakko: The Geisha Who Seduced the West – Lesley Downer
• Geisha: The Secret History of a Vanishing World– Lesley Downer
• A Geisha’s Journey: My Life As a Kyoto Apprentice– Komomo
• Eight Million Gods and Demons– Hiroko Sherwin
• The Blonde Geisha– Jina Bacarr
• The Demon in the Teahouse– Dorothy Hoobler, Thomas Hoobler
• 90-Day Geisha: My Time as a Tokyo Hostess– Chelsea Haywood

Geisha in Manga

• Seirô Opera (青楼オペラ)
• Utamaro (夢幻ウタマロ -)
• Sakuran (さくらん -)