The Secret World Of Geishas

Geisha are an iconic symbol of Japanese culture, instantly recognisable around the world. Assumptions and stereotypes about geisha are rampant, but you might not know the real story behind the cultural phenomenon.

The first geisha were men. Geisha translates to "arts person" and these men provided entertainment for people in the pleasure districts of Japan, from around the 1600’s.The first woman geisha was documented in 1751.

Becoming a geisha takes years of training.

An apprentice geisha is known as a ‘maiko’, and will train for three to five years, mastering traditional skills like calligraphy, musical instruments, flower arranging and the art of conversation. They continue to practice these arts every day for the rest of their careers.

Geisha sometimes paint their teeth black as hundreds of years ago, this was considered beautiful. The practise was banned in 1870 as part of a government effort to modernise the country. But some geisha still practice teeth blackening at the ceremony where maiko become geisha.

Geisha normally continue working as long as they can, some into their eighties and nineties. Generally, a geisha cannot marry unless she chooses to leave the profession, as the roles of wife and geisha are not seen as compatible, but a geisha may have lovers and even bear children.

Geisha is a dying way of life in Japan. There are far fewer geisha today than before; in the 1920s, there were over eighty thousand geisha in the country, but now, the figure is estimated to be between one and five thousand.

So whilst you might be lucky enough to spot a geisha in the street or performing at a public event, being entertained by geisha is a privilege only for high status individuals.

In fact, people pay up to 2000 us dollars per person to attend the exclusive ‘tea houses’ of the geisha. Perhaps that’s why the world of the geisha is one of such intrigue to the outside.