In the pursuit of learning one of Japan’s traditional arts, girls around the age of 16 can become maiko-san, or apprentices, before they, after five years of training, enter the world of the geiko-san, or professional entertainers.
While they are taught to sing and dance, the geiko-san are especially prized for their ability to be completely attentive to what their guests, usually senior businessmen or politicians, think and say.
Most Japanese have never had the chance to spend time with a geiko-san, as the experience is an expensive one. To avoid any misunderstandings, the small bars where they meet, like the one pictured above, almost all have “By Invitation Only” signs out front.
While there are four major groups of geiko-san in Kyoto (this picture was taken in the Miyagawa-cho district), you can occasionally see a maiko-san or geiko-san walking down the streets of Kyoto’s Ponto-Cho and Gion districts.
STEVEN EMMET
Solana Beach, CA
