CONTENTS
Maiko, geisha, or even geiko – these artisans have long been a part of preserving Japan’s traditional arts, and you can still meet them in Kyoto!
What Makes a Maiko a Maiko? A Geiko a Geiko? And Neither a Geisha?
Artisans, performers, entertainers, and more – movies and other media have been touching on the subject of "geisha" for years without showing the truth of this highly skilled Japanese profession. In Kyoto, a maiko generally begins her apprenticeship at the age of 15, after graduating from middle school. These new maiko will then move into an "okiya" to learn from their "older sisters," and their training includes a wide range of traditional Japanese arts. Over the years a maiko will learn the steps to elegant dances, old-fashioned games, and the complicated Japanese tea ceremony. They take up the shamisen, train their singing voices, and learn to play a variety of Japanese instruments to accompany others. They also learn how to act like a proper professional: standing, sitting, walking, pouring drinks, and of course, speaking the Kyoto dialect. After four or five years, around the age of 20, a maiko will finally debut as a fully-fledged geiko, officially received as a professional artisan.
So when do they become a geisha? Well, in Kyoto, they don't! When this profession was more common in other parts of Japan, other regions used the term "geisha" instead of "geiko." But Kyoto sticks with either maiko or geiko throughout the artist's career! In Japanese, "gei-sha" means "
Wondering about the risque part of the job? It doesn't exist. Unfortunately, pop culture has not always treated maiko and geiko with respect (or devoted any amount of time to real research), but these women are artists who specialize in traditional culture. History can be murky, but modern-day maiko busy themselves with traditional performances and polished hospitality. If you want to learn about Japan's classiest courtesans, you might want to look up the Wikipedia page for oiran instead.
Ready to finally meet a maiko or geiko? Well, first let's learn how to tell them apart! With a little observation, maiko and geiko can actually be differentiated by their clothing and hairstyles. Maiko outfits tend to be brighter than the kimono worn by geiko, with striking patterns, longer sleeves, and longer obis around their waists. They get to wear much flashier kanzashi hair decorations too. Maiko and geiko both style their hair in very specific shapes, and for a maiko, that means setting their own hair once a week – the exact style varies depending on how long they've been in training. Geiko, on the other hand, get to wear wigs already styled in a hairstyle called the "taka-shimada." Wearing a heavy wig might not seem like much of a privilege, but since it means that the wearer can take off the wig and sleep on a normal pillow without mussing their perfect hairstyle, it makes life a little easier for the geiko!
Lunch with Kyoto’s Maiko
Maiko and geiko will occasionally be hired for small get-togethers, and tour companies can sometimes arrange events with maiko just for tourists, but they're most commonly seen at upscale banquets in Kyoto. And that's exactly where the Japankuru team met these elegant entertainers, while joining in on a rather fancy meal at Saami, a traditional restaurant hidden away in the park next to Kyoto's famous Gion neighborhood. Saami has not only been operating for over 160 years, but it's also located inside a building originally constructed in 1615, giving it the kind of old-fashioned atmosphere where you'd hope to find a maiko around every corner.
Watching the maiko and geiko at work during the meal at Saami, the first thing that was apparent was their consummate professionalism. One member of the Japankuru team commented on how they were a little like flight attendants in first class – pouring drinks, engaging in comfortable small talk, and moving where they were needed with practiced grace. Their eyes scanned diners' trays for drinks nearing empty, ensuring that guests' needs were met before they even thought to ask. The stereotypical image of a geisha doesn't usually include a very bubble personality, but the warm smiles of these Kyoto maiko and geiko were clear to see, even with masks covering their faces as a covid safety precaution.
Hiring a maiko for your get-together doesn't necessarily mean that they will sing and dance, since an additional fee is sometimes required, but it's a price worth paying. Each traditional performance is like a scene from a movie, happening before your very eyes. If you have any interest in Japanese dances, or are curious about the unique sound of a traditional Japanese ballad, these skilled artists have each spent years perfecting their performance skills, and these masters of their craft offer an ideal way to enjoy Japanese culture.
Meeting the maiko and geiko of Kyoto is an experience like none other, from the unerring hospitality provided by these symbols of Kyoto culture, to the beautiful kimono that each of them wears like an artisan's uniform. And that's not to mention their fabulous performances, which create a world of Japanese tradition and open the door for audiences to enter. An opportunity to meet these artisans in Kyoto should not be missed – and if you get the chance, don't forget to ask them for their business cards, too!
For more info and updates from Japan, check Japankuru for new articles, and don't forget to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!
Details
NAME:Saami (左阿彌)
PROFILE
Follow us @Japankuru on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
COMMENT
FEATURED MEDIA
VIEW MORESee Kyoto Clearly With Your New Glasses #japankuru #kyoto #jins #교토여행 #진즈 #京都 #교토수족관 #가모가와 #kamogawa #kyotoaquarium
A Very Special Trip on the Ferry Sunflower #japankuru #ferrysunflower #hokkaidotrip #japanexperience #japantrip #girlstrip #oarai #tomakomai #北海道 #北海道旅行 #茨城 #홋가이도 #일본선박여행 #토마코마이 #이바라키 #북해도 #페리여행 #여행에미치다 #여자끼리 #日本渡輪 #sunflower號 #坐船旅行 #日本女子旅 #日本體驗
Japanese Makeup Shopping • A Trip to Kamakura & Enoshima With Canmake’s Cool-Toned Summer Makeup #pr #canmake #enoshima #enoden #에노시마 #캔메이크 #japanesemakeup #japanesecosmetics
⚔️The Robot Restaurant is gone, but the Samurai Restaurant is here to take its place. Check it out, and don't forget your coupon! 🍣신주쿠의 명소 로봇 레스토랑이 사무라이 레스토랑으로 부활! 절찬 쿠폰 발급중 💃18歲以上才能入場的歌舞秀,和你想的不一樣!拿好優惠券去看看~ #tokyo #shinjuku #samurairestaurant #robotrestaurant #tokyotrip #도쿄여행 #신주쿠 #사무라이레스토랑 #이색체험 #할인이벤트 #歌舞伎町 #東京景點 #武士餐廳 #日本表演 #日本文化體驗 #japankuru #japantrip #japantravel #japanlovers #japan_of_insta
Japanese appliance & electronics shopping with our KOJIMA x BicCamera coupon! 用JAPANKURU的KOJIMA x BicCamera優惠券買這些正好❤️ 코지마 x 빅 카메라 쿠폰으로 일본 가전 제품 쇼핑하기 #pr #japankuru #japanshopping #kojima #biccamera #japaneseskincare #yaman #dji #osmopocket3 #skincaredevice #日本購物 #美容儀 #相機 #雅萌 #日本家電 #일본여행 #면세 #여행꿀팁 #일본쇼핑리스트 #쿠폰 #일본쇼핑 #일본브랜드 #할인 #코지마 #빅카메라 #japankurucoupon
Odaiba's DiverCity Tokyo Plaza is home to the famous real-size 20m-tall Unicorn Gundam, and the popular shopping center has even more Gundam on the inside! Check out the Gundam Base Tokyo on the 7th floor for shelves upon shelves of Gunpla, and the Gundam Base Tokyo Annex on the 2nd floor for cool anime merchandise. Both shops have tons of limited-edition items! #pr #odaiba #tokyo #tokyotrip #japantrip #japantravel #PR #divercity #divercitytokyoplaza #tokyoshopping #gundam #unicorngundam #gundambasetokyo #anime #otaku #gunpla #japankuru #오다이바 #다이바시티도쿄 #오다이바건담 #건담 #일본건담 #건프라 #건담베이스도쿄