Geisha District - Wednesday, January 18th

What is a Geisha?

A Geisha performing in a show

http://quest.eb.com/images/

Geisha (also referred to as geiko) are professional entertainers who receive people during meals, banquets, and other occasions.  The first geisha appeared and the 18th century and were actually men who entertained people with drums and music.  Today, geisha are women trained in dance, music, and communication, and their role is to make guests feel comfortable with conversation, drinking games, and performances.  The term geisha literally means “person of art,” as these skills that geisha practice are considered arts.  Distinctive features of a geisha are red lips, a white face, and an elaborate hairstyle.  The term geiko separates full geisha from prostitutes who dress like geisha and call themselves geisha.  The typical location for a geisha dinner is an ochaya (tea house).  Mos geisha only work at a licensed ochaya, which are exclusive, expensive, and membership-only.  Customers of an ochaya are customers billed monthly, and one can only become a member of an ochaya if recommended by a current member.  This protects both the exclusive image of the geisha and the geisha herself.  Since a geisha wears hundreds or thousands of dollars of kimono and accessories, it s important that the ochaya knows she is safe. Geisha are so exclusive that most people only ever glimpse one leaving a taxi or something of the like.  However, due to karaoke and recent economic downturn, there are few geishas left, and they are becoming less restricted to the public.

So you want to be a geisha?

A Geisha (center) usually wears more subdued makeup and clothing than the maiko (to the left and right)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/

         The path to becoming a geisha is certainly not an easy one. If you are looking to be a geisha, you should apply to an okiya house at a young age (usually around 15). At this point, you will be introduced to an okasan (mentor). You need to be on your best behavior because the okasan decides whether or not to accept you to begin training. Only the best are accepted. If you are one of the lucky young girls accepted, you now get to leave your family and friends behind to go live with your okasan at an okiya house. As expected, you start your training at the bottom of the totem pole, assisting your okasan with anything they might need and going to classes to learn formal Japanese manners as well as traditional instruments, dance, and vocal arts. You can expect to have this low position as a shikomi-san, or “girl in training,” for about four years. At this point you get to debut in a misedashi ceremony as a maiko, or geisha apprentice. At this pivotal point in your training, you will get an onee-san, or “older sister.” You will follow your onee-san around, beginning your “watching and learning period.” As a maiko, you are still expected to go to classes to learn more traditions and manners, but your transformation to becoming a geisha begins. You will wear flamboyant and printed kimonos with white faced makeup with a bright red lower lip, characteristic of geisha. You will also participate in hanamichi-wide dances to gain reputation in the district. You can expect to be a maiko for about five more years. After almost a decade of hard work, you are finally ready to become a full-fledged geisha! This is an exciting time for you as you prepare for your erikae, or “turning of the collar” ceremony. At this ceremony, you gain all the privileges of geisha. You may now charge full price for your time and performances. You can also switch to shorter, more refined robes that show your status. This is also the point in time where you get to wear the prestigious geisha wigs. Good luck on your journey to becoming a geisha!

Alaina, Jasmine, Emily, and Grace Ann with Mameryo

Today, we got the incredible opportunity to visit the Gion geisha district and speak with a maiko named Mameryo and see her perform.  While she said that dancing and nerves from it were the hardest part of being a maiko her slow dance was graceful and mesmerizing.   While the elaborate kimono, makeup, and hairstyle may seem glamorous, the geisha profession is quite difficult, and sixty percent of maikos drop out before becoming a geiko.  Mameryo's day begins around seven when she wakes up and goes to classes until around twelve, at which point she eats lunch and then had free time for a couple hours.  Next, she must get dressed and apply her makeup. Here face makeup alone takes forty minutes to complete! Starting around three in the afternoon, she begins work, which continues until around one in the morning.  When she goes to sleep, a maiko must sleep on her cheek on a special elevated pillow to avoid mussing her elaborate hairstyle, which is done once a week and must remain untouched and perfect the rest of the time.   A maiko only has one day off a year and is not allowed to used computers, phones, or other modern technology.


There is great pressure throughout the process of becoming geiko, as performing well and finding an "older sister" who wants to take you on are necessary to succeed and become a geiko.  The "older sister" introduces a maiko to clients and venues, and her role is so important that maikos take on the prefix of their older sister's name for their own stage name.  Additionally, Mameryo confirmed maintaining the elite image of the geisha is crucial.  She said that on her day off, she went to McDonalds because this was the only day she could let her hair down and wear normal clothes.  Otherwise, she could not enter McDonalds or the image of not just her as a maiko but the image of all maiko would be besmirched.  Even the color of kimono worn by geiko is paid close attention to, as Mameryo said she loved a wiseria-colored kimono, but her house leader would not let her wear it as it did not match her face.  The pressure put on these young women to perform and succeed and maintain a certain image is enormous, but Mameryo obviously bore the burden with grace and a cheerful attitude, and it was a delight and an inspiration to meet with her today. 

- Alaina Baird, class of 2017