If you have any interests in Japanese culture, you got to be hear about Geisha or white-faced female.  They are called Geisha.  If one is younger than 19 years older, called Maiko.  They are female entertainers who performs acts, dances, and sings in front of people. 

Geisha first started in high social getherings in 6th century.  Girls were brought or sold from struggling families, and forced to entertain for living.  Some were also used as sexual service purposes.  Around 16th century, Japan had numersous cilvil wars to take the government power.  And during that time, the power of males grows, and tribes needed more birth to grow the babies as soldiers.  As a result, the tradition of Geisha spreaded. 

On 1900s, the traditional aspects of Geisha started to acknowledge as a Japanese traditional standards.  However on 1950s, Geishas where used as sexual needs for American military.  Geisha had lost their reputation, but trying to rise up again.  They only follows tradtional ways of entertainments, and trains their successors right after when a girl turns to 14.

To make money for living, Geisha started to open their customs to publics.  They can be called in to a house or party with high price, or for foreigner’s attractions.  During my IES trip to Kyoto, i got a chance to see the actual Geisha within a meter.  Geisha served us a meal, danced, and chatted.  I was alarmed by their speaking skills.  They were able to make a joke with combining Japanese and English. 

This is a doll figure of traditional Japanese Geisha with a Geish House owner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the room where we had our dinner, and waitress who served us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the meal we had.  Raw fish, tofu, white rice, fried shrimp, cooked fish, meet and vegetable soup, and much more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And we got a piece of melon for a dessert.  Suprisingly, the price of melon is really expensive in Japan.  It is about $40 for a whole piece melon of middle quality.  That melon was the most delicious and juciest melon i ever had.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now its the main picture of two young and official white make-up Geisha with me on the middle.  As you can see, i was really nervoused about meeting in the middle.  haha.

The one on the left is 17 years old Maiko, and the right is 26 years old Geisha.  Maiko turns to Geisha on the age of 18, and needs to get a official acceptance into the Geish tribe.

 

 

 

We also got a chance to play traditional Japanese hand game with Geish, one on one.  The game is like rock, siccor and paper.  You need to show different sigh of hand when other person is on offense.  Since Geisha played the game for the entire life, it was hard to beat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a picture of Geisha serving us a drink.  If you see closer, you can notice the white make-up on there back of the neck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Geisha was really friendly and skillful.  She made fun of my hat, and took it for fun.  Talking with them were really enjoyable experience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They also sang and danced while we were eating.  The music and the dance was really slow and quiet.  I also took a 20 minutes long video, but it was impossible to upload in this blog.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a picture of the main lobby of the inn.  Inn is “ryokan” in Japanese.  The lobby is decorated in a traditional Japanese style.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am having a life changing experiences in Japan.  I sees and experiences that i could not have in anywhere else.  Getting used to and experiencing the traditinal side of the Japanese culture is astonishing.  I hope that every geoblogers around the world are having same pleasant experiences as i do.  If you want to know more about the Geisha, there is a famous Hollywood movie called “the memory of geisha.”  Thank you very much for reading this.  see you next time.

 

Little Japanese lesson

げいしゃ – geisha – Japanese female entertainer

まいこ – maiko – young Japanese female entertainer

りょかん – ryokan – inn

いえ – ie – house

すし – sushi – raw fish

さかな – sakana – fish

にく – niku – meet

やさい – yasai – vegetable

 

 

 

Location: Nagoya, Nanzan university, Japan