Japan for the Uninvited

The geisha (”person of the arts”) is the most famous symbol of traditional Japan. Originally, all geisha were male, but women geisha (”onna geisha”) eventually took over completely.

Traditionally, girls were bought from poor families and trained from early childhood. They learned a wide range of arts (music, singing, dance, ikebana, tea ceremony) from experienced geisha.

Geisha are not prostitutes, but notable men used to pay great amounts for the honour of taking a geisha’s virginity (an event known as mizuage).

Nowadays, few people can afford an evening with geisha, and increased regulation has made recruitment more difficult, so the geisha population is dwindling.

• Immortal Geisha
• Geisha (Japan Guide)
• Japanese Geisha (About.com)
• Geisha (Japan Zone)

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