Memoirs of a Geiko: Inside “Geisha” Culture

Figure 1: Geiko Masaki (Photo: Christina Liao)

Japanese culture is rich in history, beliefs, material culture, and more, and it is popular globally, particularly among many Americans who are happy to consume Japanese anime, manga, food, and even fashion.  One aspect of Japanese culture that is quite popular but often misunderstood is its “geisha” or more respectfully geiko culture (Figure 1).  This blog post will discuss what a geiko is both in the past and today, dispelling many of the rumors and misconceptions about the culture.

The term geiko refers to a female entertainer who undergoes years of training to learn the artforms associated with the geiko culture.  Outside of Japan geikos are often referred to as “geishas”, which is not a wholly correct term, because it glosses over the complexities of the culture, as well as often confuses geikos with prostitution, which is not the historical or modern classification of the profession.  Therefore, it is more accurate to say geiko over geisha. 

Geiko culture is characterized as an artform that requires years of training.  Geikos are trained in etiquette, dance, music (song and playing instruments), voice training and pronunciation, and more.  The ultimate goal of a geiko is to provide a sophisticated form of entertainment for those who employ her services.  Traditionally, women would often secure a patron of the arts, known as a danna, to financially assist her in fulfilling the training of becoming a geiko.  This relationship also leads to some confusion because the danna is often confused as a john or pimp, but there is no intimate relationship between the geiko and the danna.  While the relationship is confusing to many, particularly as the danna seemingly received no benefit for paying for the geiko’s education and training, it could be that this was a form of status symbol to show a danna’s wealth as he could take on this financial burden.

Women interested in becoming a geiko had several stages training to fulfill, each of which instilled discipline into the girls.  The first stage was one of strict obedience where the young girls were maids and had to follow all instructions provided to them by the older and established geiko, including aiding them in dressing and undressing, preparing for bed, prepare for parties, clean the ochaya, etc.  These young girls also received training on how to act, speak, and entertain as a maiko (term referring to an apprentice geiko) and then later as an established geiko.  The second stage of the training was the formalized education to become a geiko.  Here there was a greater focus on the requirements of becoming a geiko and the girls dedicated more time to entertaining, learning how to properly put on make up and clothing, etc.  Upon completion of this training (which typically last six months) the girls would become a maiko, and as they reached adulthood they would graduate to being a geiko.

Geikos and maikos appear physically different from other members of society as the geikos and maikos take on specific traditional dress associated with their age/level of training.  Both must paint their faces and specific parts of their bodies white, and their eyes are accentuated with dark black eye makeup.  Geikos and maikos wear lip stick but in different styles to differentiate each from the other.  They both wear several layers of undergarments and kimonos, the latter of which are secured with an obi (sash).  The obi is also different between geikos and maikos, further differentiating them.  Also, while both wear their hair up in intricate and complex hair styles, geikos are the only ones allowed to wear wigs, whereas maikos are prohibited from such options. 

Ultimately, geiko culture is one of high art and fashion.  They are meant to represent the ultimate standard of femininity in Japanese culture.  They take their jobs very seriously as they devout much of their time to it.  To be a geiko means giving up many modern conveniences, such as free time, cell phones, television, and family.  Typically, a modern geiko is only allowed two days off a month, and they are only allowed to visit their family two or three times a year.  They also cannot make until they retire.  All of this, again, demonstrates their commitment to their art and symbolism of femininity in Japanese culture, and while there are fewer geikos today as compared to the past the tradition continues among the most dedicated of Japanese women, who provide their entertainment services to only those who are invited to experience this unique part of Japanese culture.

Works Cited

Asian Art Museum. An Introduction to Japanese Geisha. 2012. Electronic. 20 December 2019.

Geisha. (2017, May 24). New World Encyclopedia, . Retrieved 16:42, December 20, 2019 from //www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Geisha&oldid=1004897.

Liao, Christina. "An Inside Peek at Kyoto’s Secretive Geisha Culture." Vogue 21 May 2017. Electronic.