{"id":23554,"date":"2019-04-16T15:18:32","date_gmt":"2019-04-16T14:18:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/?p=23554"},"modified":"2019-04-16T15:19:13","modified_gmt":"2019-04-16T14:19:13","slug":"maiko-trainee-geisha","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2019\/04\/16\/maiko-trainee-geisha\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting to know a maiko (trainee geisha)"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F23554&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F23554\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li 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class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F23554%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F23554\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F23554\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Why would a teenager leave their homes and families to embark on gruelling training, work long hours and follow rules on how they should dress?<\/strong><strong>\u00a0Tour leader <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/about-us\/staff-profiles\/tour-leaders\/120\/ben-walker\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ben Walker<\/a> meets a trainee geisha in Kyoto to find out.<\/strong><br \/>\n<!--more--><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_23559\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23559\" style=\"width: 510px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium-plus-size wp-image-23559\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Maiko2-510x765.jpg\" alt=\"Maiko in Kyoto\" width=\"510\" height=\"765\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Maiko2-510x765.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Maiko2-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Maiko2-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Maiko2-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Maiko2-376x564.jpg 376w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Maiko2.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Maiko2-900x1350.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Maiko2-720x1080.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Maiko2-390x585.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Maiko2-780x1170.jpg 780w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 510px) 100vw, 510px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-23559\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>\u00a9 David Lovejoy<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Upon stepping into the Maruume Teahouse in the Gion district of Kyoto, we were immediately transported back centuries, to Edo Period Japan (1603\u20131868). There, seated in the entrance, was a Japanese cultural icon in the flesh \u2013 a geisha (actually a trainee, or <em>maiko<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p>As we clumsily took off our shoes, she greeted us in a cheerful sing-song voice, and despite the fact that she was, in reality, still a 17-year-old girl, something about the otherworldliness of the situation left us strangely quiet and, dare I say, a little bit shy. The dark, lamp-lit interior, the tatami flooring and the smell of incense and matcha green tea added to the ambience as we took our seats on the floor, and with that, we began our hour with a <em>maiko-san.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">What is a <em>maiko<\/em>?<\/h2>\n<h2><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-half-width wp-image-23560\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Tomikiku5-720x540.jpg\" alt=\"Maiko in Kyoto\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Tomikiku5-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Tomikiku5-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Tomikiku5-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Tomikiku5-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Tomikiku5-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Tomikiku5-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Tomikiku5-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Tomikiku5-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Tomikiku5-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Tomikiku5-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Tomikiku5-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/h2>\n<p>First, however, there are a few things worth knowing: Kyoto\u2019s geisha are not called \u2018geisha\u2019, but <em>geiko<\/em>. The first kanji character, \u2018gei\u2019 (meaning \u2018art\u2019), is the same, but the \u2018sha\u2019 character, which means \u2018person who does\u2019, becomes instead \u2018ko\u2019, which translates as \u2018child\u2019. Despite these semantics, geisha and <em>geiko<\/em> refer to exactly the same thing, and apprentice geisha are known all over Japan as <em>maiko<\/em>, which translates as \u2018dancing girl\u2019.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Japanese culture<\/h2>\n<h2><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium-plus-size wp-image-17832\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Geshia-Tokyo-Bay-3-510x340.jpg\" alt=\"Geisha playing traditional instruments\" width=\"510\" height=\"340\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Geshia-Tokyo-Bay-3-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Geshia-Tokyo-Bay-3-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Geshia-Tokyo-Bay-3-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Geshia-Tokyo-Bay-3-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Geshia-Tokyo-Bay-3-564x376.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Geshia-Tokyo-Bay-3-1200x801.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Geshia-Tokyo-Bay-3-900x601.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Geshia-Tokyo-Bay-3-720x481.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Geshia-Tokyo-Bay-3-1440x961.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Geshia-Tokyo-Bay-3-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Geshia-Tokyo-Bay-3-780x521.jpg 780w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 510px) 100vw, 510px\" \/><\/h2>\n<p>In Kyoto, a <em>maiko<\/em> will often start her training after she finishes junior high school, when she is between fifteen and sixteen years old. This does not mean that her education stops. On the contrary, she will study prodigiously for the next five to six years in one of the schools in her <em>hanamachi<\/em> (geisha district). She will learn calligraphy, tea ceremony and poetry. She must also become proficient in Japanese percussion, learn to play the <em>shakuhachi<\/em> (a type of Japanese flute) and master the <em>shamisen<\/em> (a three-stringed banjo-type instrument). She will learn traditional Japanese dancing and have to remember a plethora of extremely complicated dances by heart.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Geisha dialect<\/h2>\n<p>Remarkably, this is still only a small part of the education a <em>geiko<\/em> receives. She also has to learn how to talk \u2018properly\u2019, as the <em>geiko<\/em> of Kyoto use a dialect unique to their role. Seeing as most of the girls come from other prefectures, it is akin to having to learn a completely different language. On top of this, she has to discover how to navigate the complex society that is the <em>hanamachi<\/em>, and from the beginning of training she must look to make contacts and find customers to secure her future. I soon came to realise that these were tough young women.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Geiko<\/em> history<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_17838\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17838\" style=\"width: 720px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-half-width wp-image-17838\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Kyoto2-1-720x480.jpg\" alt=\"geisha in Kyoto\" width=\"720\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Kyoto2-1-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Kyoto2-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Kyoto2-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Kyoto2-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Kyoto2-1-564x376.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Kyoto2-1-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Kyoto2-1-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Kyoto2-1-1440x960.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Kyoto2-1-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Kyoto2-1-780x520.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Kyoto2-1-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-17838\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>\u00a9 David Lovejoy<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Before <em>geiko<\/em> even begin their training, there is a period that they spend simply observing, sometimes for up to twelve months. Not surprisingly, there is a 50 percent dropout rate during this time. You could draw parallels with special forces training, or the arduousness of elite sports. Knowing how hard it was, I could only conclude that these girls really want to be where they are. It\u2019s been this way, by and large, for centuries.<\/p>\n<p>The original geisha descended from the tea servers at roadside inns, from dancing girls and from the artists who entertained customers waiting for popular courtesans in the Edo (Tokyo) pleasure districts. These first geisha were actually men, but by the 1750s there were female geisha also working as entertainers. They quickly gained popularity as skilled musicians, dancers and excellent raconteurs, and over time the gender balance shifted.<\/p>\n<p>When the Tokugawa Shogunate took control of Japan in 1603, it ushered in a period of peace that allowed for a flourishing of the arts. This peace also led to the rise of the samurai class, retired warriors who began to look for other pursuits, and rich merchants, who had money to spend solely on pleasure and the arts. Their world became known as <em>ukiyo<\/em> (The Floating World), in which the newly in-demand geisha found their lucrative place.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Memoirs of a geisha<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_23556\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23556\" style=\"width: 720px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-half-width wp-image-23556\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_4558-720x540.jpg\" alt=\"Tour leader Ben Walker and maiko\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_4558-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_4558-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_4558-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_4558-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_4558-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_4558-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_4558-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_4558-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_4558-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_4558-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_4558-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-23556\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Ben and Fukuhana<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>All of this swam through my mind in Gion as we met Fukuhana-san \u2013 although it should be noted that Fukuhana is not her real name; this is a title given to her by her house mother, and (as tradition dictates) includes a Chinese character from the name of the senior <em>geiko<\/em> in her house.<\/p>\n<p>I could tell by the fact that she only had her bottom lip painted red that she was a first-year apprentice. Despite this, she was remarkably self-assured and managed to keep up a stream of small talk until we regained our composure and were ready with our questions. It soon became apparent that Fukuhana was no shrinking violet, and she was refreshingly frank with all her answers.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Geisha dress<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_23571\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23571\" style=\"width: 510px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium-plus-size wp-image-23571\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Geisha_NeilSPrice-510x770.jpg\" alt=\"Geisha kimono\" width=\"510\" height=\"770\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Geisha_NeilSPrice-510x770.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Geisha_NeilSPrice-199x300.jpg 199w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Geisha_NeilSPrice-768x1160.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Geisha_NeilSPrice-678x1024.jpg 678w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Geisha_NeilSPrice-374x564.jpg 374w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Geisha_NeilSPrice-1200x1812.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Geisha_NeilSPrice-900x1359.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Geisha_NeilSPrice-720x1087.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Geisha_NeilSPrice-1440x2174.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Geisha_NeilSPrice-390x589.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Geisha_NeilSPrice-780x1178.jpg 780w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 510px) 100vw, 510px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-23571\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>\u00a9 Neil S Price<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cCan you tell us a bit about your kimono?\u201d I enquired.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSure,\u201d she said and stood up. \u201cThe kimono are all seasonal,\u201d she elaborated. \u201cThis one is for early autumn \u2013 you can tell by the colour and the flowers\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>She was wearing a light-green, hand-painted silk kimono that flowed along the ground, so you couldn\u2019t see her feet. It had incredibly long sleeves, which she quickly explained away. \u201cIn the past, <em>maiko<\/em> were dancing girls, and they often had to wear the kimono of the older girls living in the <em>okiya<\/em> (geisha house). The way we wear our kimono today is a relic of those times\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium-plus-size wp-image-22359\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/DSC_0028-510x765.jpg\" alt=\"Maiko doing tea ceremony in Kyoto, Japan\" width=\"510\" height=\"765\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/DSC_0028-510x765.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/DSC_0028-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/DSC_0028-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/DSC_0028-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/DSC_0028-376x564.jpg 376w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/DSC_0028-1200x1800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/DSC_0028-900x1350.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/DSC_0028-720x1080.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/DSC_0028-1440x2160.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/DSC_0028-390x585.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/DSC_0028-780x1170.jpg 780w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 510px) 100vw, 510px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>She then turned to show us the obi (the broad sash worn with the kimono). \u201cCan you see the way this is worn up high and hangs down at the back? It\u2019s called a <em>darari obi<\/em> and is only worn by us <em>maiko<\/em>\u201d. She then pointed to a crest printed on the end of her sash.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s my <em>okiya<\/em>\u2019s crest. In the old days, that was there in case one of the dancing girls got lost and had to be taken home \u2013 it doesn\u2019t happen now,\u201d she added with a laugh.<br \/>\nThe obi is so long and heavy that it takes a lot of strength to tie it up, and is only done by professional male kimono dressers, she told us. Incidentally, these are the only males allowed into the everyday world of the geisha, a province otherwise entirely dominated by women.<\/p>\n<p>Then one of our party noticed that the white make-up she wore on her face and neck had two strips of skin left unpainted on the back.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn Japan, the neck is often considered to be a woman\u2019s most beautiful feature, so we wear the collars of our kimono down low and paint the neck to draw attention to it \u2013 and to make it seem longer\u201d, she explained.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDo you do your own make-up?\u201d someone asked incredulously.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes,\u201d she answered. \u201cAnd how long does it take?\u201d came the follow-up question.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWell, it used to take me ages but now I can do it in about 30 minutes\u201d, she smiled, miming the action of using two mirrors.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Behind the make-up<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_23577\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23577\" style=\"width: 510px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium-plus-size wp-image-23577\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Geshia-14-510x765.jpg\" alt=\"Geisha\" width=\"510\" height=\"765\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Geshia-14-510x765.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Geshia-14-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Geshia-14-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Geshia-14-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Geshia-14-376x564.jpg 376w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Geshia-14-1200x1800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Geshia-14-900x1350.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Geshia-14-720x1080.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Geshia-14-1440x2160.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Geshia-14-390x585.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Geshia-14-780x1170.jpg 780w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 510px) 100vw, 510px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-23577\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>\u00a9 Norman Blaikie<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Question followed question, and it wasn\u2019t long before someone piped up to ask the obvious: why did she choose her profession? It turned out that her mother was quite a well-known <em>shamisen<\/em> player, who often brought her young daughter to Kyoto when she came to perform. Fukuhana, an accomplished player herself, said that being a <em>geiko<\/em> was all she ever wanted to do, and behind her calm demeanour clearly hid a very driven young woman. She gave a sense that she genuinely wanted to preserve the art form and seemed to see herself as more of a curator than a hostess.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen do you get time to yourself?\u201d we asked, now emboldened.<\/p>\n<p>The answer came simply that she doesn\u2019t. <em>Maiko<\/em> must study between late morning and afternoon, then go home to get ready before accompanying a <em>geiko<\/em> or an older <em>maiko<\/em> to learn how to entertain customers in the evening.<\/p>\n<p>They are always chaperoned, and forbidden from drinking until they reach legal age, but only get one day off a week (and during busy periods, sometimes work for a month with no days off at all). <em>Maiko<\/em> are also expected to live in an <em>okiya<\/em> with their \u2018mother\u2019 (the house mistress) and \u2018older sister\u2019 (a senior <em>geiko<\/em>) \u2013 who together are responsible for their education. The \u2018mother\u2019 covers the hefty expenses that accompany <em>geiko<\/em> training, (the kimono themselves run to millions of yen), and until a <em>maiko<\/em> debuts as a fully-fledged <em>geiko<\/em>, the money she earns goes back to the house.<\/p>\n<p>But beneath all the responsibility, tradition and make-up, there is still a modern girl underneath, and when we asked Fukuhana what she did on her few days off, the young girl soon emerged \u2013 \u201cGo to Starbucks and watch TV\u201d. Of course.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Why do it?<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_23580\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23580\" style=\"width: 510px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium-plus-size wp-image-23580\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU9-510x765.jpg\" alt=\"Geisha hair, Kyoto\" width=\"510\" height=\"765\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU9-510x765.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU9-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU9-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU9-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU9-376x564.jpg 376w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU9-1200x1800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU9-900x1350.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU9-720x1080.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU9-1440x2160.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU9-390x585.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU9-780x1170.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU9.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 510px) 100vw, 510px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-23580\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>\u00a9 David Lovejoy<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>You may ask yourself why these girls put themselves through this hardship, and I initially considered the same thing. But discussing this with one of my fellow travellers changed my thinking. Are the arts of the <em>geiko<\/em> so different to what, say, a ballet dancer or gymnast has to go through? I guess to join the elite few in any discipline, you have to train and suffer for your art. But once you achieve your goal, there are amazing benefits to be had \u2013 and it\u2019s no different here. A <em>geiko<\/em> can not only earn very good money once she goes out on her own, but also traditionally achieves a high social rank as well as the kudos that goes with the profession.<\/p>\n<p>As Fukuhana poured us some tea, I commented on the dangling ornaments that hung from her hair \u2013 something you can\u2019t help but notice with every <em>maiko<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s not a wig,\u201d she told me. \u201cAll <em>maiko<\/em> must keep their hair in the traditional style until they debut as a <em>geiko<\/em>\u201d. This means they have to visit the hairdresser once a week to get it washed and set, and sleep on a <em>takamakura<\/em> (a wooden-block pillow) to preserve the style. \u201cIt takes a long time to get used to\u201d, she confessed.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Geisha games<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_23572\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23572\" style=\"width: 720px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-23572 size-half-width\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU10-720x480.jpg\" alt=\"Geisha games, Kyoto\" width=\"720\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU10-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU10-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU10-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU10-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU10-564x376.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU10-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU10-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU10-1440x960.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU10-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU10-780x520.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU10-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/JU10.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-23572\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>\u00a9 David Lovejoy<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>After the tea and some more small talk, it was time to play a game. These games were traditionally used by the <em>geiko<\/em> to distract their clients and keep them drinking. We played an old drinking game \u2013 minus the sake \u2013 and let me tell you, she was a master. We played one called Konpira Fune, one of the most famous, and none of us won. The game was accompanied by a lullaby-like song that made it even more difficult to concentrate.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Maiko<\/em> dances<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-23562 size-half-width\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Donny_geishas4-720x540.jpg\" alt=\"Geisha dances\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Donny_geishas4-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Donny_geishas4-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Donny_geishas4-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Donny_geishas4-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Donny_geishas4-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Donny_geishas4-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Donny_geishas4-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Donny_geishas4-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Donny_geishas4-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Donny_geishas4-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Donny_geishas4-510x383.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Donny_geishas4.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Following the game, Fukuhana retired to get ready to dance for us. When she emerged, I had something of an epiphany. It finally dawned that this was not simply hosting but a genuine art form, and one that had been honed over many centuries. It was a slice of ancient Japan every bit as compelling and valuable as Kyoto\u2019s temples and shrines, and as she began to dance, I couldn\u2019t look away.<\/p>\n<p>There soon followed a hush as my group became transfixed. Sung to a haunting traditional melody, the song was one about the <em>darari obi<\/em>, perfect for a <em>maiko<\/em>. As we watched and listened, Fukuhana told a story in dance about a young <em>maiko<\/em> in Kyoto, taking us through the four seasons. She mimed rivers, water, the heat, falling leaves and snow, leaving us with a sense of beauty, accompanied by a hint of loneliness and sadness. We were astonished by the skill in her movement and the depth of the story. that the dance conveyed. When it was over, there was complete silence as we took it all in and collectively decided whether to cry or give her a round of applause \u2013 we clapped.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">The future for Fukuhana<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-half-width wp-image-23584\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Maiko1-2-720x480.jpg\" alt=\"Maiko, Kyoto\" width=\"720\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Maiko1-2-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Maiko1-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Maiko1-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Maiko1-2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Maiko1-2-564x376.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Maiko1-2-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Maiko1-2-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Maiko1-2-1440x960.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Maiko1-2-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Maiko1-2-780x520.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Maiko1-2-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Nobody knows how many geisha are left today. It\u2019s thought that in pre-war Japan there were over 80,000, and current estimates vary wildly from a couple of hundred to two thousand. But though their numbers have diminished, a revival in interest in traditional culture has led to a resurgence in young women entering the profession \u2013 despite its hardships. But it is still very rare to see a geisha or a <em>maiko<\/em> on the street, and even more special to meet one in person. I and my group can certainly testify to that.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Meet a <em>maiko <\/em>on our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japan-small-group-tours\/i-se\/spring-elegance-ijt-classic-\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Spring Elegance<\/a> Small Group Tour. Not only will you have chance to watch a performance and play some games with a trainee geisha, your tour leader will be on-hand to translate all those questions you&#8217;re longing to ask. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/about-us\/contact-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Get in touch with our Japan travel experts<\/a> to find out more.<\/strong><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">This article originally featured in\u00a0<em>east\u00a0<\/em>magazine. To get the latest travel inspiration from Japan and Southeast Asia delivered to your door twice a year for <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>FREE<\/strong><\/span>, sign-up <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/magazine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">here<\/a>. Alternatively, all our back issues are available to read <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/magazine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">on our website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23496\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Issue-8-Cover.jpg\" alt=\"East magazine issue 8 cover\" width=\"300\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Issue-8-Cover.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Issue-8-Cover-211x300.jpg 211w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<h4>Like this post? 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Help us by sharing it! Why would a teenager leave their homes and families to embark on gruelling training, work long hours and follow rules on how they should dress?\u00a0Tour leader Ben Walker meets a trainee geisha in Kyoto to find out. Like this post? 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