Geisha Spotting ...

I'm going to quote Wikipedia all over this blog for fear that I'm going to give false information, so here it goes ...

"Geisha (芸者) or Geiko (芸妓) are traditional, female Japanese entertainers, whose skills include performing various Japanese arts, such as classical music and dance. Contrary to popular belief, geisha are not prostitutes." (Wikipedia)

To go 'geisha spotting' you need to head to the Gion district of Kyoto. "It eventually evolved to become one of the most exclusive and well-known geisha districts in all of Japan. There is a popular misconception that Gion was a red-light district. However, as it was a geisha district, and as geisha are entertainers, not prostitutes, Gion is not, and never was, a red-light district."

"The geisha in the Gion district do not refer to themselves as geisha; instead, Gion geisha use the local term geiko. While the term geisha means "artist", the more direct term geiko means specifically 'a woman of art.'".

Amanda and I have been to Kyoto a few times and every time we are there we go 'geisha spotting'. We know exactly where to go, what time, how long to wait & what to do when you actually see one. It's kind of like celebrity spotting back home.

"Modern geisha still live in traditional geisha houses called okiya in areas called hanamachi (花街 "flower towns"), particularly during their apprenticeship. Many experienced geisha are successful enough choose to live independently. The elegant, high-culture world that geisha are a part of is called karyūkai (花柳界 "the flower and willow world")."

A lot of geisha come out of this building, but we don't know if it's an okiya or not.

We refer to it as the hideout.

Giesha Street:

"In modern Japan, geisha and maiko are now a rare sight outside hanamachi. In the 1920s there were over 80,000 geisha in Japan, but today there are far fewer. The exact number is unknown to outsiders, and is estimated to be from 1,000 to 2,000, mostly in the resort town of Atami."

Check out those red lips:

"Geisha are often hired to attend parties and gatherings, traditionally at tea houses (茶屋, ochaya) or at traditional Japanese restaurants (ryōtei). Their time is measured by the time it takes an incense stick to burn, and is called senkōdai (線香代, "incense stick fee") or gyokudai (玉代 "jewel fee"). In Kyoto the terms "ohana" (お花）and "hanadai" (花代), meaning "flower fees", are preferred. The customer makes arrangements through the geisha union office (検番 kenban), which keeps each geisha's schedule and makes her appointments both for entertaining and for training."

"There remains some confusion, even within Japan, about the nature of the geisha profession. Geisha are frequently depicted as expensive prostitutes in Western popular culture. Geisha are entertainers, their purpose being to entertain their customer, be it by reciting verse, playing musical instruments, or engaging in light conversation. Geisha engagements may include flirting with men and playful innuendos; however, clients know that nothing more can be expected. In a social style that is uniquely Japanese, men are amused by the illusion of that which is never to be. Geisha do not engage in paid sex with clients."

Whoa, geisha. Where's your make up? Who let her out of the okiya?

This geisha was running SO fast. She clearly didn't want to be photographed.

Sorry!!

So the geishas are kind of stalked by the Japanese/tourist paparazzi, and I'm just as guilty as the next tourist. This poor girl had to have had her picture taken 342 times between the front of the okiya to the taxi. Yes, all of those people are there to see her & get her picture.

A group of geisha paparazzi:

Trying to not stick out as we wait to spot geishas. :)

Amanda, Casey & I ... very patiently waiting for some geisha action.

And somehow we got our own paparazzi.

This man took our picture at least 10 times.

It tends to happen around Japan though. I've had my picture taken several times by the Japanese people. Once a lady in Kyoto asked us to come sit down around her & pose for pictures. Another lady was photographing us through a restaurant window once & another time a group of us were out eating and the people at the table behind us were taking our picture. Yes folks, we're that good looking. :)

This was the first geisha we ever saw on our first trip to Kyoto. We weren't looking for her and she just popped up on this street corner. We were SO excited we took her picture at least 30 times. I was just amazed by how beautiful she was.

Maybe it's her mom, haha.

There was quite a crowd on the corner, in the middle of the street, climbing on benches & dangling out windows to get her picture. I definitely was not the only one.

They don't typically smile so it's a big deal when they do.

Our first official night of geisha spotting we took this ridiculously long video (again, with really poor commentary) because I was supposed to go through the video and cut some good still shots. Yea, kinda need help with that maybe? Cathy? Seth? :)

much love

-tara-

xx