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History of the Geisha
Whilst geisha are relatively modern in their emergence, dating back to the early 1700’s, “geisha-type” women have existed since the earliest history of Japan.Two notable predecessors to geisha were the...
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Geisha and Maiko
Their face snow white, eyes and eyebrows lined in crimson and black, bee stung lips - painted crimson. This is the face and make-up we have come to associate with maiko and geisha.Although their...
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Mineko Iwasaki
Mineko Iwasaki born Masako Tanaka ( November 2, 1949 in Kyoto), was Japan's number one geiko (geisha) until her sudden retirement at the age of 29. Arthur Golden later used her story to write the book...
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Okiya House
An okiya is the lodging house in which a maiko or geisha lives during the length of her nenki, or contract or career as a geisha.A young woman's first step toward becoming a geisha is to be accepted...
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Kyoto geisha prepare for New Year
Japanese traditional geisha entertainers in Kyoto gave a seasonal greeting to their dance master Monday as part of the "kotohajime" event signaling the start of their preparations for the New Year season.
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Coming-of-age ceremony
A maiko (apprentice geisha) based in Kyoto, 19-year-old Satono returned to her hometown here to participate in a coming-of-age ceremony on Jan. 9. The ceremony was just one of many events held by...
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Geisha cuts into kimono market
Wearing a kimono can be a daunting task, where one must follow numerous steps and protocols steeped in tradition to prevent making a fool of oneself.And wrapping the obi around the kimono and tying a...
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Miyako Odori
Miyako Odori is the most famous geisha show held in Kyoto by geisha women belong to Kyoto Gion Kobu. The MIYAKO ODORI is held April 1st - 30th. There are four performances daily- (12:30,14:00,15:30 and...
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City-funded novices start geisha courses
Three trainee geisha, including a young Chinese woman, have been recruited as part of local government-backed drive to preserve the geisha tradition in this historic port.
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Kyoto geisha visit Fukushima
The Hula Girls dance group and a party of geisha and ''maiko'' apprentice geisha from Kyoto are pictured at the Spa Resort Hawaiians leisure complex in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, on Feb. 27, 2012....
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Geisha express thanks for postquake support in London parade
Around 20 Japanese, including geisha and ''maiko'' apprentice geisha, took part in a London parade on Sunday, expressing gratitude for support in the wake of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami....
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There's much more to Gion than geisha
Kyoto. The name evokes the geisha of Gion and the mystique of old Japan. So what better way to experience that than by hightailing it to the ancient capital for the renowned Gion Festival in July?...
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PHOTO : Apprentice geisha
A group of maiko, or apprentice geisha, dance during a rehearsal of the ''Miyako Odori'' show in Kyoto on March 31, 2012.
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Apprentice geisha beckon foreigners back to Kyoto
Apprentice geisha put on a show at the Chinzanso banquet hall in Tokyo’s Bunkyo Ward as part of a campaign to tempt foreign visitors back to Kyoto. Invited guests from about 40 countries were treated...
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Geisha, maiko dance on eve of Kyoto's Kamogawa Odori
A colorful stage full of dancing geiko (Kyoto geisha) and apprentices known as maiko heralded the start of the annual Kamogawa Odori, a traditional event in Kyoto known as a harbinger of early summer...
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Miyagawacho : The Geisha District
Miyagawa-chō is one of the hanamachi ("flower towns") or geisha districts in Kyoto. Miya-gawa means "Shrine River", referring to the nickname of the Kamo River just south of Shijō. During the Gion...
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Ishikawa hot spring resort women called Lady Kaga to draw tourists
After Lady Gaga wowed her Japanese fans during recent concerts in the country, geisha girls and women working at Japanese-style inns and souvenir shops in Ishikawa Prefecture who call themselves "Lady...
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Geisha Ranking
At the pinnacle of the complex geisha ranking system are the grand dowagers of Kyoto. The gokagai of Kyoto are its five geisha districts, also known as hanamachi ("flower towns"). Gion Kōbu, Pontochō...
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Geisha Terms
Geisha , like all Japanese nouns, has no distinct singular or plural variants. The word consists of two kanji, 芸 (gei) meaning "art" and 者 (sha) meaning "person" or "doer". The most literal translation...
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Geisha Origins
In the early stages of Japanese history, there were female entertainers: saburuko (serving girls) were mostly wandering girls whose families were displaced from struggles in the late 600s. Some of...
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