Understanding the Geisha

Geisha translated to English means entertainer, artisan. A ceremony called eriage which when translated means “changing the collar” is performed as a rite of passage to their life as geisha.

Most of the training in becoming a geisha is acquired through the knowledge passed through them from their atotori, okiya and onesans, through keen observation for the only formal lessons they are taught are dancing, music and the dialects and geisha language.

A geisha’s services were called to the fore when she is employed to act as hostess cum entertainer during meetings, social functions usually of men. Armed with knowledge on the proper execution of customs, she entertains the men through her dancing and music skills and amuses them with her capability to carry an interesting or intelligent conversation.

Another common ritual for a geisha to be asked to perform is the sadoh. Geisha were often called to teahouses, restaurants, and inns to perform such ceremonies. These age old ceremonies and rituals that the geisha learn to perform and pass on to the next generation of entertainers is a vital key to the preservation of Japan’s ancient traditional practices.

A geisha who knows how to carry conversations in various topics is almost always the one most likely to succeed. The physical performance in serving the client is closely intertwined with the mental capacity of a geisha, with how she could stimulate and keep her client interested and to sometimes be at par with the men she serves seemingly submissive. Living a challenging paradox, that is perhaps a geisha’s calling.

At the end of her term as geisha she takes up the responsibility of instructing the young ones. This becomes her family, her respite after a challenging journey. Her life is a cycle of giving and taking, very much like the life cycle of a butterfly. A beginning wrapped in dark gossamer threads, an outsider looking in they looked like hideous creatures but upon emerging their beauty and importance in Japan’s culture is inimitable.

Presently, the number of young girls who want to become a geisha is dwindling. The interest in taking up the challenge of becoming a geisha is fast vanishing. With the onset of the modern world, may just witness the extinction of a rare breed people.