The 64 arts of a geisha

The Japanese character for gei means "of the arts" and sha means "person" so the word geisha literally means "a person of the arts". In fact, geisha are performers who are skilled in many traditional Japanese arts including nihon-buyoh (Japanese dance), music (singing accompanied by the three stringed instrument, the shamisen), sadoh (tea ceremony), ikebana (flower arrangement), shodoh (calligraphy), poetry, the art of kimono, etiquette, conversation and social graces. It takes geisha many years of training in each of these arts in order to become proficient.

Geisha dress in traditional kimonos and wear geta (wooden clogs). Their hair is worn up and adorned with ornaments exposing the neckline which is considered to be one of the most beautiful parts of a woman. Geisha dress in colorful traditional kimonos, use a white foundation make-up and paint their lips bright red.

The word geisha was first used to describe female entertainers of the 17th century who were skilled in singing, playing the shamisen and dance. Over the decades, the training of geisha became more formalized and the status of geisha began to rise. Since the social system in Japan was such that wives maintained the home and did not participate with men in business or politics, they could not entertain their husbands' business associates or host any related functions. Geisha therefore became an integral part of business entertainment by serving as gracious hosts at the many ryokan (inns), ryotei (restaurants) and o-chaya (teahouses) where banquet facilities were rented for this purpose. Well-to-do business men would rent these rooms, arrange for food and drinks, then hire geisha to entertain their associates with music, dance and light conversation. Some businessmen became patrons of a favorite geisha for which he paid handsomely. Because of economic hardship during the Second World War, many geisha were forced to work in factories. Under the Occupation Army, geisha entertainment was outlawed, however was soon reinstated once Japan stabilized. Since the war, the number of geisha has steadily declined. By 1970 geisha numbered about 17,000 and today there are fewer than 1,000. Contemporary geisha also study the English language and sometimes are called upon to participate in special functions both in Japan and internationally.

Geisha begin their careers as young girls who are accepted into an o-chaya or okiya where they live throughout their apprenticeship and usually well into their careers. The okiya is typically a Japanese style house with a banquet room for rent and dormitory type rooms where the maiko (geisha in training) and geisha live. The okiya is owned and managed by an okami (head mistress or guardian) who provides room and board and supervises and pays for the girls' training. The girls in turn contribute to the okiya by doing household chores. The okami later acts as a manager or agent of the geisha extracting a profit from her appointments. Sometime after entering the okiya, girls between the ages of 15 to 20 are promoted to the rank of maiko. They begin their rigorous training in the arts and accompany a geisha from the okiya to her appointments in order to get to know the customers and learn social graces. Maiko dress in long-sleeved kimonos, wear very tall geta (wooden clogs), don an elaborate hairstyle and only apply red lipstick to their upper lip. When a maiko turns twenty she decides whether or not she wants to become a geisha and if she does, a ceremony is held called eriage which means "changing of the collar".

The districts where most geisha live and work having many okiya and o-chaya are known as hanamachi which means "flower town". In Kyoto there is a district called Gion which was famous for its geisha and is still popular today. In Tokyo, the best known geisha districts are located in Shimbashi, Akasaka and Yanagibashi. Today, the procedure for hiring a geisha is relatively unchanged since its beginnings. When someone wishes to have geisha or maiko host a party, they either contact the okami directly or ask for a referral from the owner of the o-chaya, ryokan or ryotei. The request then goes through a management office called a yakata which is also responsible for billing the client. This elaborate system is based on trust and reputation and clients are usually invoiced at a later date and not on the night of the function. The cost of hiring a geisha is very high and is based on her experience and expertise. Clients are billed per person attending the function which averages between 0 to 0 for a two hour appointment.

Geisha belong to a well established association which is committed to upholding tradition and sponsors a test which maiko must pass before being promoted to the status of geisha. Throughout their entire careers, geisha take classes in the arts in order to continually refine their craft. Sometimes geisha decide to marry which means they must retire from their profession. Other geisha eventually become proprietresses of their own okiya and serve as okami training new girls to carry on the long tradition.

01/2007