Thursday, September 20, 2007 A glimpse of a geisha By Dorothy Bangayan The Unlonely Planet
MY FIRST encounter with a geisha was on the street of Gion in Kyoto. Gion is the old capital of Japan, long before Tokyo became the city center.
It was daytime and she had on a shiny kimono, her sock covered feet in wood sandals. Her face was clean of makeup but her hair is in an elaborate bun, nary a strand out of place.
"Can I take a picture?" I gestured with my camera. She smiled, took a low bow and just when I thought she will oblige, she opened the door of the tea house and went inside.
Our tour guide Kayoko explained: "The geisha's will not talk to you because you and they are not on the same level." They only talk to VIP.
I heard someone mutter "bitches" loud enough for me to hear. On the contrary, they are not prostitutes. The word Geisha translates to performing artist.
A geisha studies music, art, poetry, literature and dance in order to entertain. You can differentiate a true geisha and an "oiran" (prostitute) by the kimono. The former ties her elaborate obi belt at the back while the prostitute, who has to dress and undress many times ties it at the front.
You will see a lot of them at night, Kayoko promised. But mostly they are in taxi and go straight inside teahouse.
Geisha's entertain inside Ochayas (teahouses). Usually, fees are charged under the "incense stick fee." The time measured by the number of incense sticks burned while the party is ongoing.
Another option is through a geisha union office which charges a flat fee. The office is in charge of their schedule and training. In modern times, they are hired for parties and gatherings.
Many girls want to be geishas, Kayoko said.
During the olden times, it is usually a profession passed on from a mother to a daughter although there are records of sold children into okiya houses at a young age.
In the present, girls can enter training after they graduate junior high or high school or college. The first stage of training is called "shikomi."
Where the girls must work to the bone as maids in the Okiya (geisha house). During the day, they also attend geisha classes in art, dance and music.
At night, they have to serve their onee-san (elder sister) hand and foot and are not allowed to sleep until their onee-san comes home from work. Onee-sans are senior geishas who will act as their mentor when they advance. Once they pass a dance test, they can proceed to be a minarai.
Minarai's tag along with their Onee-san to parties. This exposure will help them in the art of conversation and social etiquette. At this stage, they are uninvited but welcomed by guests of the Onee-san with their attire the most elaborate at this stage since it will do the talking for her.
After a month, they become a "maiko geisha" or "apprentice geisha." This stage can lasts for years and she will still be learning from her mentor in honing the skills of serving tea, playing an instrument and dancing in order to garner more invitations to teahouses.
In Kyoto, to be a full fledged geisha can take as long as five years while in urban Tokyo, the training period can be from six months to a year and many Tokyo geishas hold university degrees.
Dressing a geisha can take hours. On her face, a wax is applied as base, then white paste made of rice powder, red lipstick and red and black eyeliner.
The heaviest make up is worn by the maiko geisha for her first three years. After that, they are allowed to wear less since their natural beauty are allowed to show.
Senior Geishas whose beauty is considered more mature do not wear the white mask anymore. For formal occasions and special performances, they are all required to wear heavy makeup.
The kimono of a geisha is intricately made, taking 1-2 years to embroider. An elaborate obi (belt), white split toed socks and wooden clogs complete the outfit. It will take someone else to dress the geisha due to its complicated process.
The hair is held in different style of chignon of many different styles. Ornate hair combs and wax keep it in place by a local parlor once a week. Geishas are trained to sleep with their necks on wooden supports so that it won't mess their hairdo.
Otherwise they will have to redo the whole process again. Nowadays geishas also use wigs but both still requires a tedious process at the parlor.
Can we talk to the geishas later. If we pay them in a tea house? We asked.
No, you cannot Why not? Because you cannot afford them.
