What is a Geisha?
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The word "geisha" translates to "arts person" or "one trained in the arts". Geisha are trained in the traditional Japanese arts of dance, singing, music, etc. Early in the twentieth century, men were typically the ones who went out at night and women stayed home, but the men would then hire geisha to entertain them for the evening.
Another word for a geisha is geiko. The training geisha is called maiko and the training typically takes about five years. Geisha are not allowed to marry, but they will have a dana who serves as their patron and are essentially their husband. When a geisha retires she is called, hiki-iwai, and at this point has the option to leave the geisha life behind or can become the leader of a geisha okiya (Layton, n.d.).
During WWII when US military men went to Japan, they had heard of geisha and assumed that they were prostitutes (Graham-Diaz, n.d.). Okiyas could be found in the "red light district" where prostitutes lived, but their professions are considered separate and different. There were even regulations to ensure that geisha and prostitutes did not compete for customers (Graham-Diaz, n.d.). Then in Japan in 1957 prostitution laws became highly enforced and the "red light district" closed. Unfortunately, this profession still has a reputation, but geisha are really artistic entertainers who preserve and learn traditional Japanese arts (Graham - Diaz, n.d.) .
In the 1920's there were 80,000 registered geisha. Today, there are fewer than 1,000 registered geisha. Geisha today choose this profession because it is a family business or they view it as artistic and romantic (Layton, n.d.).
For more information, please check out the website "Immortal Geisha".
Another word for a geisha is geiko. The training geisha is called maiko and the training typically takes about five years. Geisha are not allowed to marry, but they will have a dana who serves as their patron and are essentially their husband. When a geisha retires she is called, hiki-iwai, and at this point has the option to leave the geisha life behind or can become the leader of a geisha okiya (Layton, n.d.).
During WWII when US military men went to Japan, they had heard of geisha and assumed that they were prostitutes (Graham-Diaz, n.d.). Okiyas could be found in the "red light district" where prostitutes lived, but their professions are considered separate and different. There were even regulations to ensure that geisha and prostitutes did not compete for customers (Graham-Diaz, n.d.). Then in Japan in 1957 prostitution laws became highly enforced and the "red light district" closed. Unfortunately, this profession still has a reputation, but geisha are really artistic entertainers who preserve and learn traditional Japanese arts (Graham - Diaz, n.d.) .
In the 1920's there were 80,000 registered geisha. Today, there are fewer than 1,000 registered geisha. Geisha today choose this profession because it is a family business or they view it as artistic and romantic (Layton, n.d.).
For more information, please check out the website "Immortal Geisha".
Applying the makeup
The white faced makeup can be dated back between 794 and 1185 AD. The white powder is typically made from rice flour or is lead-based. After applying the foundation, a geisha would usually remove their eyebrows by plucking and then draw on a thick, straight black line. The makeup to provide the red lips is made from juice of benibana or sallflower (Graham-Diaz, 2001). To see how the makeup is applied play the video below.
the hairstyle
It is important that when young girls start training to become a geisha that they grow their hair out to a longer length. Throughout their lives as geisha they will wear five different hairstyles, wareshinobu, ofuku, sakkou, katsuyama and yakko-shimada. The wareshinobu is the most complicated hairstyle and is worn by novice geisha. The ofuku used to be worn after the geisha's first danna (patron) between the ages of thirteen and fifteen, but today the women wear it around the age of eighteen. The katsuama is worn by the senior geisha to during summer. Lastly, the yakko-shimada is worn to celebrate the new year around the first of August (Graham-Diaz, 2003). For further information click here. Below is a video of a demonstration done by a geisha hair stylist.
Getting Dressed
Typically geisha kimonos have very bright patterns. A geisha in training may wear a kimono called hikizuri. During the day, geisha wear a less elaborate kimono called kofurisode. A yukata is a thinner kimono worn in the summer months. The obi (the wide sash tied around the waist) is always in the back to signify the wearer is a geisha (Graham-Diaz, n.d.). To see a geisha getting ready to go out at night and entertain, watch the clip below.
Traditional Geisha dances
Geisha perform traditional Japanese dances. Below are a few examples of the dances typically done by a geisha or a maiko.