Gion Kobu (Gion-machi), one of Kyoto’s five Kagai districts, was established as the area surrounding Yasaka Shrine, and has been thriving ever since.

Since the Heian period (794-1185), women known as chakumi onna (“tea-serving girls”) and chatate onna (“tea-making girls”) entertained customers at tea houses in the Higashiyama area, renown for cherry blossom viewing and moon gazing. In addition to serving drinks and food, they began to sing, dance and perform music, which gave rise to the geiko of Gion and the naming of the ochaya tea houses, and established the foundations of Gion-machi during the Edo period (1665-1732). In addition to being excellent drinking companions, women working in ochaya tea houses were well-versed in tea ceremonies and the performing arts. They were also considered to have gracious manners and valued formality, qualities which continue to be passed down to this day.

Further, the Miyako Odori Dance Performance, a now widely popular spring tradition in Kyoto, was established as an attraction for the Kyoto Exposition held to revitalize Kyoto, which had become desolate after the capital was moved to Tokyo during the Meiji Restoration. The Miyako Odori has withstood the test of time through the Meiji, Taisho, Showa, Heisei and Reiwa eras, and celebrated its 150th festival performance in 2024. When tasked with designing the choreography for the Miyako Odori, the third generation Yachiyo Inoue secured the promise to make the Inoue School of Kyomai (Kyoto Mai Dance) the sole dance style performed in Gion-cho, a commitment which is still upheld to this day. Beginning with the first generation Yachiyo Inoue, born in 1767, and the fifth generation Yachiyo Inoue, the current head, the Inoue School incorporates the Imperial Palace style and noh. Along with its rigor toward the performing arts, its refined performances are the cornerstone of today’s Gion-machi. Furthermore, the Ryureishiki style, a tea ceremony style using chairs, was conceived for the Miyako Odori tea ceremony by the Urasenke School.

The Gion-Kobu Kaburenjo Theater (completed in 1913), a unique structure with passages on either side of the audience, was constructed as the venue for the Miyako Odori Dance Performance, and has since become the heart and soul of Gion-machi. The facility re-opened in 2023, after seven years of earthquake resistance repair work. Along with the adjacent Yasaka Club and Annex, the Gion-Kobu Kaburenjo Theater is a nationally-designated tangible cultural property. Together with its garden, it is an important asset which conveys Japanese culture.

In addition to the presence of geiko and maiko, what makes Gion-machi truly unique are the kind hearts, enthusiasm and traditional skills of many people who continue to support, protect and nurture its culture over the years, with the aim of becoming world-class. We hope that these exhibits will help you will sense the power of Kyoto’s world-renown Kagai world of geiko, maiko and traditional Japanese culture, as well as the spirit of our predecessors.

Gion-machi will continue its endeavor to keep the tradition of the Kagai culture alive and connect it with the future, without turning it into a historical heritage. Thank you for visiting us today.

Yasaka Nyokoba Gakuen School Chairman
Kyoko Sugiura

As soon as the month of April is insight, the Gion quarter is suddenly abuzz with excitement.

This is because the Miyako Odori Dance Performance of the Gion quarter, which today is intimately associated with springtime in Kyoto, is about to commence.

After the Setsubun celebration of the end of winter in February, daily rehearsals begin for geiko and maiko in preparation for the Miyako Odori, which is performed in front of unprecedented sold-out audiences, held thrice a day for one month from April 1 at the Gion Kobu Kaburenjo Theater.

First performed as entertainment for the Kyoto Exposition in 1872, the Miyako Odori was performed for the 150^th time in 2024. This gorgeous and stately program features a different theme every year, and is performed by a huge cast which includes all of the geiko, maiko and jikata performers (who sing or play the shamisen lute) in the Gion area.

As April approaches, the ochaya tea houses, where geiko and maiko entertain, send programs out to their patrons on behalf of the geiko and maiko. These programs are personally addressed to each patron, his name preceded by “Dear Patron.” The more popular the patron, the more programs he receives.

The patron carefully studies the program to check when his favorite geiko and maiko will perform. He ponders over what he should bring as a congratulatory gift when he visits them backstage.

Tea ceremonies are also held each day at the venue. If a patron’s favorite geiko or maiko will be presiding over a tea ceremony on a particular day, he will also arrange for a bento box and confections to be delivered to her. He busily arranges for deliveries from his favorite restaurants and confectioners.

Just like one goes to admire cherry blossoms in spring, the patron will brings his guests and friends to admire his favorite geiko and maiko, who are considered to be the “Flowers of Gion.”

Because in the Kagai culture, “flower” refers to geiko and maiko.

Visitors to the Gion quarter are likely to find themselves captivated by the Gion Kobu Kaburenjo Theater on the southern end of Hanami-Koji Street in the south side of Gion-machi. Standing out from the surrounding traditional merchant houses, this building is rather large and has a mysterious appearance.

Constructed in 1913 with a traditional Japanese design, this impressive grand theater could be mistaken for a temple. Most of the buildings within the grounds are recognized as cultural assets, each astounding in its own way. Built for the banquet for the enthronement of the Taisho Emperor in 1915, the Yasaka Club is a two-story wooden building featuring a sprawling hall of 100 tatami mats and a circuit-style garden.

This is the venue for the Miyako Odori Dance Performance, which is performed three times a day for the month of April. Watching this performance, your breath will surely be taken away by the charming maiko who appear from the two passageways on either side of the audience, and mesmerized by the splendor of their mai dance. The Miyako Odori is held during cherry blossom season, and is the busiest time of year in the Kagai district, where geiko and maiko live and work.

In addition to major events like the Miyako Odori in April and the Onshukai public dance performance (*1) in October, traditional performing arts events such as mai dances and ohayashi orchestras are held throughout the year. In the Gion Corner, visitors can watch traditional mai dance performed by maiko without having to attend an ozashiki banquet. Within the Kaburenjo Theater grounds, there is also a school specialized in traditional performing arts, attended by geiko, maiko and jikata performers (who sing or play the three-stringed shamisen lute), and the sight of people dressed in kimono coming and going is unique to this area. The local ochaya tea houses, restaurants and the people living and working in the Kagai district are very fond of the Kaburenjo Theater. Maiko first set their sights on performing on this stage, and devote themselves to the art of the mai dance. After many years, they present their refined skills here.

April in the Gion quarter begins by admiring cherry blossoms and the splendor of the Miyako Odori at the Kaburenjo Theater.

1. Onshukai: a public dance performance where geiko and maiko of the Gion Kobu quarter present the fruit of their lessons in the traditional art of the Inoue style mai dance. “Onshu” means “to rehearse.”

Even for frequent visitors to the Kagai district (*1), it’s rare to see mokuroku posters.

Mokuroku are hand-painted posters celebrating a maiko’s debut or her erikae ritual, when she changes the color of her kimono collar to signify that she has becomes a geiko. These posters are painted on noshi paper and decorate the entrances of okiya lodging houses (*2) and ochaya tea houses (*3) to mark the occasion.

On the day of a maiko‘s debut, mokuroku posters, delivered with congratulatory gifts from her patrons (*4) and older sisters, decorate her okiya lodging house. For a maiko‘s patrons, sending her a mokuroku poster is considered a chic act.

Each mokuroku poster is adorned with vivid celebratory images, and adds splendor to the occasion. Treasure ships (for new beginnings), red sea bream (for longevity), bells (for good luck), sake cups for toasts, a round-faced otafuku woman (for happiness), lucky mallets and other auspicious motifs line the entrances of the okiya lodging house and ochaya tea houses, setting the mood for celebration.

In the Kagai district, where customs are cherished, the tradition of mokuroku posters has been passed down over the generations as an expression of felicitation. However, these days, proprietresses of okiya lodging houses are concerned about the decline in the number of craftsmen who can paint mokuroku posters.

1. Kagai district: where geiko and maiko entertain customers with traditional performing arts such as mai dances in ozashiki banquet rooms. There are five Kagai districts in Kyoto: Gion Kobu, Gion East, Pontocho, Kamishichiken and Miyagawacho.
2. Okiya lodging houses: where maiko live and are affiliated. Those who aspire to become maiko are first accepted as junior apprentices, then as apprentices. Okiya lodging houses provide full support until their debut as a maiko.
3. Ochaya tea houses: where customers dine and are entertained by geiko and maiko.
4. Patrons: fans and supporters of a particular geiko, maiko or restaurant.

The Inoue School of Kyomai (Kyoto Mai Dance) is a school of traditional Japanese dance that developed in Kyoto with approximately 200 years of history. Since it was established in Kyoto by Sato Inoue, this mai dance continues to be transmitted solely in Kyoto.

Yachiyo Inoue I (born Sato Inoue, 1767-1854)

Sato was born in 1767. Not much is known about her parents, but her older brother, Keisuke Inoue, was a renown Confucian scholar and calligrapher. At the age of 16, she entered the service of the Konoe family, the head of the 5 noble court families entrusted as imperial regents and advisors. She leveraged the knowledge and skills in the performing arts which she acquired during her service in the Imperial Court to establish the foundation of the Inoue style of mai dance.

When she left the Konoe family at the age of 31, it is said that the head senior lady-in-waiting regretted Sato’s departure and lamented, “I will never forget you, not for the 8,000 years of the Tamatsubaki camellia tree” (*1). At the same time, the wife of the Konoe family cut out a diamond-shaped crest and presented it to Sato. Based on this legend, each generation of the head of the Inoue School has taken the name Yachiyo, used the diamond shape as the school’s crest and cherished the camellia as the school flower.

Thus was born Yachiyo Inoue I, who received acclaim from the members of the Imperial Court, including the noble Konoe family, and was welcomed as a master of mai dance in Shimabara, an officially recognized entertainment district. Sato later adopted her niece Aya (daughter of her brother Keisuke) and trained her to succeed the Inoue School.

Yachiyo Inoue II (Aya Inoue, 1790-1868)

Aya Inoue, who later became Yachiyo II, was born in 1790. Aya studied nohgaku (classical drama) in private (*2) under Sanjiro Nomura of the Kongo School and became well versed in nohgaku and Bunraku puppet theater, using them to expand the Inoue-style repertoire, including Gidayu (*3) music from Imoseyama Koimichiyuki (*4), a Bunraku puppet theater piece, and Shino, which was based the long novel Nanso Satomi Hakkenden (*5). She created many of the Inoue School masterpieces, such as the noh-based Ama, Yashima, Kanawa and Aoi-no-Ue.

Many of the representative pieces of the Inoue style were composed during the time of Yachiyo I and II, who also designed most of the choreography. Although no written records remain and the information based on the memory of Yachiyo III may be somewhat vague, Yachiyo I and II worked together to establish the Inoue style.

Yachiyo Inoue III (Haruko Katayama, 1838-1938)

Haruko, who supported the Inoue School after the death of Yachiyo II and later succeeded her as Yachiyo III, was born in 1838. Born into a family of Shinto priests in Sumiyoshi, Osaka, Haruko moved with her family to Kyoto, where she studied under Yachiyo I and II. She became the first natori accredited master of the Inoue School after her skills and knowledge were endorsed by the two heads of the school. The establishment of the natori system was a result of the systemization of the Inoue School during this period.

The first Kyoto Exposition was held in 1872, when Yachiyo III was 35 years old. In addition to featuring crafts and local products, Masanao Makimura, the then Kyoto Prefectural Councilor (Vice-Governor), came up with the idea of providing entertainment at the Exhibition. He asked Jiroemon Sugiura, the ninth generation head of the Gion Man-tei (now Ichiriki-tei Tea House), for advice, which led to the plan of additional entertainment by the geiko and maiko of Gion.

Haruko, a young mai dancer at the time, was singled out from the many dancers in Kyoto to be the choreography instructor. The performance was based on the Kamenoko Dance of the Furuichi area of Ise in Mie Prefecture, and was highly lauded for its resplendent group dance and innovative composition, which was a departure from the usual style of mai dance performed in the intimate space of the tatami rooms where geiko and maiko generally perform.

According to a book written by Yachiyo IV, there was some dispute over the title of the performance. After deliberating between Miyabi (“elegance”), suggested by Makimura and Miyako (“capital”, also the second letter of Kyoto), suggested by Haruko, it was decided to call the dance Miyako Odori to preserve the image of Kyoto as the capital city. This was the beginning of the Miyako Odori Dance Performance, which continues to this day. The success of the Miyako Odori strengthened the Inoue School’s ties with the Gion quarter.

Although some of the geiko and maiko in Gion had been trained in the Inoue School since the time of Yachiyo II, it was Haruko’s achievements that made the Inoue School synonymous with Gion.

Following the Miyako Odori premiere, Haruko married Kuroemon Katayama (Shinzo), the sixth generation noh actor, establishing deep ties with the nohgaku family. Today, many old repertoires of songs and mai dances performed by the Inoue School are handed down exclusively through the school.

Although various reasons can be presumed about why this art has been passed down so smoothly over the generations, an easily imaginable one is the longevity of the heads of the Inoue School. Another major factor was the family’s strong ties with the Gion quarter during the time of Yachiyo III. Because Gion serves as the foundation of the Inoue School, it has helped to preserve the tradition and protect the mai dances, despite the turbulent changes through the Meiji, Taisho and Showa eras.

Yachiyo Inoue IV (Aiko Katayama, 1905-2004)

After Yachiyo III passed away in 1938 at the age of 100, Aiko Katayama succeeded the Inoue School and became Yachiyo IV. Aiko originally worked as a maiko in Gion, and a recommendation by a senior disciple helped her secure an apprenticeship under Yachiyo III at the age of 13. She later married the grandson of Yachiyo III, who was also the eighth generation Kuroemon Katayama (Hiromichi). Just as Yachiyo III led the Inoue School from the Edo era into the Meiji era, Yachiyo IV preserved the Kyomai (Kyoto Mai Dance) and carried it into the present day.

As a mai dancer, she took Inoue-style pieces such as Ama, Yashima, Tetsuwan and Aoi-no-Ue, which had been carefully passed down in Kyoto, and performed them in Tokyo. Extending the appeal of Kyomai (Kyoto Mai Dance) outside its native region, she transformed it into one of Japan’s leading performing arts.

In addition to Gion Kouta and Rokudan Kuzushi, which are still considered to be classic performances in ochaya tea houses today, Aiko choreographed new pieces such as Hana-no-Dan, whose lyrics were written by Junichiro Tanizaki.

While carefully protecting the Kyomai (Kyoto Mai Dance), Yachiyo IV personally showcased this heritage on a national level, and was recognized as a holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property (Living National Treasure) of Kyomai (Kyoto Mai Dance) in 1955. In addition to being the youngest person to receive this title at the time, she was also the only woman in the entertainment industry to be recognized with this award.

Two years later, in 1957, she became the first female dancer to be appointed a member of the Japan Art Academy, and was honored as a Person of Cultural Merit in 1975. In 1990, she was awarded the Order of Culture, which recognized her many years of achievements.

Yachiyo Inoue V (Michiko Kanze, 1956-)

Michiko Inoue, the granddaughter of Yachiyo IV, was born in 1956. Before her death, Yachiyo IV passed on the Yachiyo title to Michiko. From a young age, Michiko learned the Inoue style from Yachiyo IV, and quickly attracted attention as a talented young artist who would carry the Inoue School into the next generation.

In 2000, she received the Yachiyo title from her beloved grandmother, and has since continued to transmit this art without compromise. Like Yachiyo IV, in 2013, she was appointed a member of the Japan Art Academy, and in 2015, she was recognized as a holder of Important Intangible Cultural Properties (Living National Treasure).

Even after receiving this title, she continues to train every day and evolve with the Kyomai (Kyoto Mai Dance), educating the next generation of performers and devoting herself to refining her skills, while contemplating the direction of the Inoue School.

1. Tamatsubaki: a poetic name for Japanese camellia, which is a symbol of longevity, as the plant is said to have a lifespan of 8,000 years. In other words, the head senior lady-in-waiting was so fond of Sato that she vowed to remember her forever.
2. Study in private: to learn in secret from a respected setmaster without receiving direct instruction. This was necessary because, at the time, women were forbidden from learning nohgaku.
3. Gidayu: a style of music performed as narrative for Bunraku puppet theater. Many songs performed in the Inoue style are based on Gidayu.
4. Imoseyama Koimichiyuki: "The Travel Dance of Love at the Matrimonial Mountain," a dance based on a Bunraku puppet theater piece, which was highly popular during the Edo period.
5. Nanso Satomi Hakkenden: "The Legend of the Eight Dogs of Nanso Satomi," a long novel popular during the Edo period, whose story was incorporated into Kabuki and Bunraku puppet theater pieces.

In the Kagai culture of geiko and maiko, there are scenes where tenugui hand towels are used.

To celebrate a maiko’s debut, and for her erikae ritual when she becomes a geiko, cotton tenugui hand towels, which are dyed with family crests and wrapped in noshi wrapping paper, are offered to patrons and ochaya tea houses as gifts.

Conventionally, tenugui hand towels are made of cotton or bleached cloth. However, tenugui hand towels for mai dances are made of silk and are custom ordered by a maiko’s okiya lodging house for her debut, along with other accessories. To make these silk tenugui hand towels, the maiko’s name and family crest are dyed onto white chirimen (silk crepe) fabric that has been dyed red. The cotton tenugui hand towels are used for mai dance lessons, while the red silk ones are used for mai dances performaned in ozashiki banquets where the maiko entertains customers.

When the maiko undergoes her erikae ritual and becomes a geiko, she uses a silk tenugui hand towel that is dyed purple instead of a red one. And when she becomes a natori accredited master (*1) of the Inoue School of Kyoto Mai Dance (*2), she is permitted to use a white tenugui hand towel dyed with the Inoue School crest.

Compared to the red tenugui hand towels used by young maiko, the purple tenugui hand towels used by geiko reflect their maturity, and the white tenugui hand towels with crests attest to the natori master’s devotion to the art of the mai dance. This custom of changing the color of the tenugui hand towel according to status is unique to the Kagai world.

At times, different tenugui hand towels are used for specific mai dance performances. While a maiko only uses a red tenugui hand towel, a geiko may use a cotton or silk tenugui hand towel, depending on the mai dance performance. Characteristics of the material, such as the flexibility of the fabric, are incorporated into mai dance performances by varying the hand movements. The usage of the tenugui hand towel during a performance also varies: sometimes, one end is tucked into the obi sash, while at other times, it is used to cover the head from the beginning of the performance.

Like ogi folding fans, tenugui hand towels used for mai dances are important props which require considerable practice to master. The use of tenugui hand towels allow geiko and maiko to enhance their mai dance by adding cadence or expressing feelings like sadness when they portray certain scenes.

A maiko often talks about the joy she felt when she first held a tenugui hand towel with her name dyed on it when she became a maiko. This emotion gradually fades, as she always carries a tenugui hand towel with her. But as the color of her tenugui hand towel changes, she is reminded of the spirit with which she began, as well as the tears she wiped from her face during lessons that were particularly difficult.

Maiko are taught that mastering the mai dance demands constant effort, and to be as flexible as silk.

1. Natori accredited master: a disciple who has trained for a certain period of time and is recognized by the Head of the Inoue School to have attained a higher than standard level. She is permitted to perform activities in the name of the school.
2. Inoue School of Kyoto Mai Dance: one of the schools that teaches traditional mai dance. The Inoue School is the only school of mai dance in the Gion Kobu quarter.

Whenever geiko and maiko entertain at an ozashiki banquet, they always bring their ogi folding fans for traditional mai dances. In the Gion Kobu quarter (*1) of the Kagai district, junior apprentices and apprentices participate in daily mai dance lessons to become maiko. When a maiko debuts, she receives ogi folding fans as a celebratory gift from the Head of the Inoue School of Kyoto Mai Dance, which she will use for performances in ozashiki banquets. These ogi folding fans are called Beni-no-Sandan (“Red Rank 3”) and are given to her when she first becomes a maiko. A maiko always has her ogi folding fans at hand when she performs at an ozashiki banquet, and carries them with great care.

After several years as a maiko, she undergoes the erikae ritual to become a geiko. For this ritual, she receives new ogi folding fans called Murasaki-no-Godan (“Purple Rank 5”) as a celebratory gift. At each turning point – her debut as a maiko, and her erikae ritual when she becomes a geiko – she is given two ogi folding fans from the Head of the Inoue School. This is because she uses two ogi folding fans for the Nimai-Ogi-no-Mai (“Two Fan Dance”).

When a maiko becomes a geiko, the color of her ogi folding fans changes from red to purple, and the number of stripes on the fans increase according to her rank. The Inoue School crest is also printed on the ogi folding fans. Whether performing a mai dance alone or in a large group, everyone has matching ogi folding fans.

After 10 to 20 years of experience, a geiko becomes a natori accredited master, attesting to her devotion to the art. When she becomes a natori master, she only receives one ogi folding fan. This special ogi folding fan is only given once in a lifetime. It carries the name of the Head of the Inoue School and the Tamatsubaki (Japanese camellia) crest, which is often found in kimono and obi sash designs. In addition to receiving the special ogi folding fan as an attestation to her status as a natori master, she is permitted to use the Inoue name as her family name.

Every December, during the New Year’s preparation period called Koto-hajime (*2), maiko and geiko receive ogi folding fans for lessons. Natori masters also receive an ogi folding fan with a different design each year, in preparation of the mai dances to come. In this way, geiko and maiko continue their training in the mai dance, mainly through their lessons, protecting and transmitting its legacy to future generations.

Their memories and dreams are embedded in the pictures and patterns of the ogi folding fans they receive at each milestone, beginning with their early days as a junior apprentice, and motivate them to devote themselves further to their training. This is how geiko and maiko learn not just how to dance, but how to perform traditional mai dances.

1. Gion Kobu quarter: the largest Kagai district in Kyoto, where geiko and maiko live and work, which has flourished as a tea house district since the Kan-ei Period (1624-1644) of the Edo Era.
2. Koto-hajime: the day when New Year's preparations begin. On this day, geiko and maiko follow the custom of making New Year's courtesy calls to their master, restaurants and other places they frequent throughout the year.

Elaborate kanzashi hair ornaments used by resplendent maiko are known as hana kanzashi, which change every month and according to the season.

The kanzashi ornament for January features the auspicious sho-chiku-bai (pine, bamboo and plum trees) design, perfect for celebrating New Year’s. They are ordered by a maiko’s okiya lodging house or her older sisters to be ready in time for New Year’s Day. As symbols of auspiciousness, new kanzashi ornaments are made every year for New Year’s. Even today, each one is carefully made by the hands of an artisan.

There is a wide range of maiko, from those who recently debuted, to older maiko with three or four years of experience. If you look closely, you can spot differences in the subtle tones and designs of their kanzashi ornaments and kimono. Although the sho-chiku-bai kanzashi hair ornaments have the same design, if you look closely, you’ll find that the designs of beginner maiko tend to be more flamboyant and use vivid colors like red, while those of experienced maiko are more reserved and simple.

Traditional coiffure styles also differ between beginner and experienced maiko. Beginner maiko arrange their hair in a style called wareshinobu, while experienced maiko arrange their hair in a chignon style called yakko. Both adorn their hair with the sho-chiku-bai kanzashi ornament. In addition, beginner maiko wear a large kanzashi ornament called katsuyama on the top of their head, and a kanzashi ornament called daikan on the left side. Experienced maiko wear a tortoise shell comb and a daikan.

Since it is the New Year, they change into different kimono every day during the Matsu-no-uchi period in the first half of January. For the first three days of the New Year, the opening ceremony on January 7, and the Little New Year Festival on January 15, maiko wear black crested kimono and a sho-chiku-bai kanzashi ornament in front of the tortoise shell comb. During the rest of the Matsu-no-uchi period, they wear color crested kimono and adorn their hair with stunning sho-chiku-bai kanzashi ornaments.

The tradition of changing kimono and kanzashi hair ornaments for different occasions and customs is still kept alive today. Subtle tones that are unrecognizable from a single glance, and differences in the placement of kanzashi hair ornaments carry specific meanings, and are long-held traditions that are kept alive in the Kagai culture of geiko and maiko.

Geiko and maiko have the custom of wearing crested kimono (*1) from January 1 to 15, during the period known as Matsu-no-uchi in the Kagai district, where geiko and maiko live and work. And during this period, every one adorns their hair with a special kanzashi ornament decorated with ears of rice and a dove.

Ears of rice signify a year of good harvest and financial abundance. They also are a reminder of the saying, “The boughs that bear most hang the lowest,” underscoring the importance of humility. As such, ears of rice are said to have a double connotation of good fortune and admonition. Real ears of rice are used for these kanzashi ornaments.

Perched on the ears of rice is a white dove made from pottery, paperwork or other material. There is also a story behind this dove.

When this kanzashi ornament is first worn, the dove has no eyes. The geiko and maiko must ask someone to draw in the eyes during the Matsu-no-uchi period. But they only receive one dove from their okiya lodging house, so they can only choose one person for this task. Whether a patron or a person they fancy, they give a lot of thought in choosing who will draw in the eyes of their single dove.

Some are swift in choosing, and show off their completed dove early on in the Matsu-no-uchi period, while others require more time before their dove is complete. Considered the Valentine’s Day of the Kagai district, this custom is also the only chance in the year for a geiko or maiko to express her feelings to someone. This charming exchange takes place in the Kagai district during the Matsu-no-uchi period of the New Year.

Another New Year’s custom relished by patrons during this period is to receive three grains from these ears of rice, which they place in their wallet as symbols of prosperity and abundance.

1. Crested kimono are considered to be formal attire. Kimono with white crests dyed on black fabric are called black montsuki (crested kimono), while those with crests dyed on a color other than black are called color montsuki (crested kimono).

When you see a maiko walking in the streets of the Kagai district, where geiko and maiko live and work, you will notice her platform wooden sandals, which look like zori (sandals worn with kimono) or geta (wooden sandals worn with yukata summer kimono). These platform sandals are called okobo. In the past, okobo platform sandals were also worn outside of the Kagai district for celebrations and festivals such as Shichi-go-san (celebrating the growth of children at ages three, five and seven). Today, children still wear okobo platform sandals for ceremonies at shrines during the Gion Festival.

On the day of her debut, a maiko is given a pair of okobo platform sandals custom made for her by her okiya lodging house, which she will wear from this day onwards.

Okobo platform sandals are made with paulownia wood, which is carved out with a single chisel. They have a strange shape which looks like a combination of a trapezoid and a cone. The width gradually widens towards the sole, an intentional design to provide stability. At first glance, they appear quite heavy. But when you look at the sole, the bottom is hollowed out to reduce the weight. A bell is sometimes inserted into the hollowed space. When the okobo platform sandals hit the ground, the sound resonates in the hollowed space and makes a “kobo-kobo” sound, which is the origin of the name. This sound forms a duet with the jingling bells, announcing the arrival of a maiko.

The sound of okobo platform sandals is quite unique. Different from the usual dry “karan-karan” sound of normal geta sandals, a maiko’s footsteps seem more rhythmical, and sound more like a musical instrument. In fact, there are other names for okobo platform sandals, like “pokkuri” or “koppori,” which undoubtedly originate from the sound of a maiko’s footsteps.

Usually, a maiko wears a pair of okobo platform sandals with a white sides. But in the summer, she may also wear a pair with sides coated in urushi lacquer. The footrests are made with tatami straw, which keep the feet cool in the summer and warm in the winter, making them highly cherished items. The hanao sandal straps of a maiko’s first pair of okobo platform sandals are red. When the hanao straps become worn, they are replaced with different color straps – pink, then sky blue, then other quieter tones.

Okobo platform sandals are over ten centimeters high. Needless to say, it’s difficult to learn how to walk in them, not to mention trying to keep your balance on the stone pavement. Yet, it is the art of these okobo platform sandals that makes tall maiko look even more slender, and help shorter maiko look more stylish.

When we think of a maiko, we easily conjure up the image of a long darari–no–obi sash, okobo platform sandals, and a white-painted face. But our attention doesn’t go to her hairstyle or the decorations in her hair, and we hardly notice the kind of kanzashi hair ornaments she may be wearing.

Few people know that maiko have many coiffure styles, or that they have a different kanzashi ornament for each month to adorn their hair. Kanzashi ornaments represent the changing seasons: pine and winter chrysanthemum for January, plum for February, rapeseed flowers for March, sakura cherry blossoms for April, wisteria for May, willow for June, round paper fans for July, silver grass for August, purple balloon flowers for September, chrysanthemum for October, autumn leaves for November, and maneki rake charms for December. Together, these are referred to as hana kanzashi (elaborate hair ornaments). Maiko adorn their skillfully coiffed hair with kushi combs and kanzashi ornaments to accentuate their charm, and have special kanzashi ornaments for New Year’s and festivals.

Some okiya lodging houses may chose to replace the willow for June with hydrangeas, for example. That’s how much proprietresses, older sisters and patrons relish the elaborate hana kanzashi ornaments.

Each elaborate hana kanzashi ornament is finished by hand with fine workmanship transmitted over many generations. The summer kanzashi hair ornaments are particularly splendid. Made in the image of shimmering silver grass, which tends to be plainly depicted, the silver grass of the summer kanzashi hair ornaments are given a gorgeous finish.

Elaborate hana kanzashi ornaments swaying in the Kagai district of geiko and maiko… It doesn’t take long for a maiko to acquire a refined sense of seasonality and taste.

If you look closely at a maiko with a traditional coiffure or a geiko wearing a wig, you’ll notice that there are many types of kanzashi hair ornaments. While most kanzashi ornaments are flamboyant, there are also modest ones with a simple blue or red bead. Geiko and maiko don’t find these simple kanzashi ornaments to be anything special because they’re an everyday item in their world. When an apprentice begins to have her hair done in a traditional coiffure, the simple blue or red bead is one of the first kanzashi ornaments placed in her hair at her okiya lodging house. After that, this simple kanzashi ornament becomes a standard item that she always wears in her hair.

The color of the bead changes at the same time as the seasonal change for kimono, with the blue bead worn from June to September, and the red bead worn from October to May. Just like a maiko’s kimono and the items she carries with her, these blue and red beads give us a sense of the season.

The blue beads are made with blue-green jade, while the red beads are made with red coral, both of which are slightly expensive materials for a maiko. The handle is made with silver, which brings out the color of the red and blue beads.

Originally, okiya lodging houses bought these kanzashi ornaments in bulk, and offered them as gifts to maiko apprentices. These kanzashi ornaments are normally inserted on the right side of the coiffure. However, depending on the other kanzashi ornaments used, sometimes they are inserted on the left side.

Although the 8-size (24mm) bead is common, the size of the bead varies, with smaller beads inserted in the front. Nowadays, in addition to jade and coral, glass beads called neridama are sometimes used. It’s customary for geiko and maiko to wear the same color bead kanzashi ornament with formal attire such as black crested kimono.

According to proprietresses of okiya lodging houses, when a girl joins an okiya as a junior apprentice, she spends every moment with her sisters – training, eating, and sleeping – and gradually matures into an apprentice. The first time she is sent to the hairdresser, she comes back looking like a maiko. And when this bead kanzashi ornament is inserted into the apprentice’s beautiful traditional coiffure, the proprietress feels an indescribable joy.

From the day of her erikae ritual, when a maiko changes the color of her kimono collar to signify that she is now a geiko, she no longer coifs her own hair. Instead, she wears a kazura wig styled with a traditional coiffure.

The kazura wig is ordered in time for her erikae ritual and is tailor-made to fit the shape of her face and head perfectly. However, this is not a simple feat. The kazura wig maker comes several months before her erikae to take measurements, but this can only be done on a day when the maiko’s hair is not coiffed in a traditional style. Once her measurements have been taken, the kazura wig maker will lend the maiko a practice kazura wig. On days when her hair is not coiffed, she practices wearing the kazura wig.

A maiko has her hair done in a traditional coiffure, which she keeps for one entire week. Once a week, she unties her hair for washing, then has it coiffed again. This is the only day when she can practice wearing the kazura wig. From the morning of the maiko’s erikae ritual, she wears the kazura wig with a black crested kimono, and spends the next few days making courtesy calls in this formal attire.

As a geiko, a kazura wig called Shimada and a kimono with a long train will be her standard attire. Depending on the mai dance she performs, she will wear a kazura wig with a different coiffure.

After a kazura wig has been used for a certain period of time, it is sent to the kazura wig shop to be reset so that it retains its beautiful shape. Naturally, as women, geiko have their personal preference for certain kanzashi hair ornaments and kushi combs, even for their kazura wigs. In addition to the bead kanzashi ornaments that are often used, other hair ornaments and kushi combs with elaborate craftsmanship are also used to add style.

A geiko who now wears a kazura wig will sometimes visit her hair stylist to have her hair coiffed in a Western style, which is done without a kazura wig, for a particular ozashiki banquet.

On such an occasion, the geiko will surely reminisce about the first time she had her hair done in a traditional coiffure as a maiko many years ago, and feel a sense of confidence and accomplishment in becoming a geiko who is able to perform a mai dance with a kazura wig. This may be the moment she realizes how much she has matured as a women, and how far she has come.

When a maiko attends an ozashiki banquet, she always brings a basket woven with bamboo strips and lined with a cloth bag with drawstrings.

Inside this basket, she carries a mirror for fixing her makeup and hair, a naginata comb, a card holder for her hana-meishi business cards and senjafuda stickers. She also carries also a fan case containing two ogi folding fans, which she uses for the Nimai-Ogi-no-Mai (“Two Fan Dance”). A special cloth bag for the tenugui hand towel used for mai dances is custom-made with the same fabric as the cloth lining the basket. Each fabric is custom-made with the maiko’s name stitched or dyed onto the cloth.

For her debut, a maiko receives her own basket as a celebratory gift from her older sisters and her okiya lodging house. Her first basket is lined with pretty red fabric. For maiko who are only in their teens, it’s extremely exciting to receive something that is custom-made with your name. Every item in the basket is essential for everyday life as a maiko. Before she heads out to an ozashiki banquet, she checks her basket to make sure she hasn’t forgotten anything.

The items that a maiko carries in her basket couldn’t be more different from what a normal teenage girl carries with her. It’s very important for a maiko to learn how to utilize each tool and accessory, which she uses with great care until the day of her erikae ritual, when she changes the color of her kimono collar to signify that she has become a geiko.

But no matter how carefully she uses these items, she uses them every day, so wear and tear is inevitable. When the time comes to replace a worn-out item, she buys a new one with a fabric pattern she likes. When a young maiko sets foot in a traditional Japanese accessory shop, her eyes light up. As a teenager, it’s no surprise that she wants to buy everything in the shop! Gradually, the number of items she carries in her basket increases, as she replaces old items or buys new items, such as a new pouch for her tabi socks, rouge and a pointed brush for her lips, tools to fix her makeup, or okaishi multipurpose paper. Each item in her basket has an important role for maintaining her appearance and performing mai dances at ozashiki banquets.

She dreams about the day when she will be a geiko and is called “older sister” by younger maiko, and ponders what she will offer to her little sisters as celebratory gifts.

In the Kagai culture of geiko and maiko, where traditional Japanese customs and culture still thrive, there is little room for brand names or jewelry. Geiko and maiko consider custom-made accessories with their own names to be much more luxurious than any brand-name product.

Why do geiko and maiko paint their faces white? Many have pondered this question.

There are many theories about the white makeup of geiko and maiko. But in the Kagai culture, maiko generally wear white makeup, except during lessons. As for geiko, they apply white makeup and wear wigs when they don a kimono with a long train.

As junior apprentices, they learn how to apply white powder to their face and the nape of their neck. Learning how to use coupled mirrors effectively to paint the base of their neck, shoulders and back is also part of their training.

After applying white powder to their face and neck, the white makeup is completed by drawing in the eyebrows and applying rouge. This traditional makeup style has been cherished since the times when electric light was yet to be invented. White makeup made their faces more prominent in candle light.

There is something sensual about the nape of a maiko or geiko’s neck, but there are also differences here, depending on how the kimono is worn. Usually, a maiko draws a semicircle at the base of her nape, between the white lines on either side of her nape that extend downward from behind her ears. On the other hand, with formal attire such as a black crested kimono, a maiko will draw three sharp mountains at the base of her nape. This makes the silhouette of her neck line appear slimmer and longer.

Among the many customs in the Kagai culture of geiko and maiko is the handing out of tenugui hand towels when a maiko debuts and when she becomes a geiko. These tenugui hand towels embody the hope of the maiko to establish a lasting relationship with the other person.

Carrying a bundle of tenugui hand towels, the maiko makes courtesy calls to the Head of her mai dance school, her patrons, restaurants, and ochaya tea houses where she entertains.

The tenugui towels are wrapped in noshi wrapping paper on which she has inscribed the name of her older sisters, who are also her guardians, and her own name is written on the last line.

In the Kagai culture, having a younger sister is referred to as “leading.” In general, in order to become a maiko, you must find a geiko who is willing to be your guardian. This determines which okiya lodging house you will join. “I was able to become a maiko because my older sister agreed to lead me.” This is how a maiko would express how she was able to debut. This synopsis is very important, as the maiko‘s relationship with her older sister establishes which domain she will belong to within the Kagai world.

As mentioned earlier, the older sister’s name is written before the maiko’s name on the noshi wrapping paper. Each older sister has her own older sister, so the maiko must visit each of them in hierarchical order to ask for permission to write their names on the noshi wrapping paper.

The maiko custom orders the tenugui hand towels to be dyed with her older sisters’ family crests in the proper order. This intergenerational connection within each okiya lodging house is symbolic of the seniority system and lineage in the Kagai culture.

For her patrons, the maiko writes their name on the noshi wrapping paper, prefixed by the term, “Dear Patron.” Naturally, a tenugui hand towel on this celebratory occasion is considered to bring good luck. Patrons who receive a tenugui hand towel from a maiko offer her a congratulatory gift, then head to the ozashiki banquet where she will be entertaining.

If you look carefully at the face of a geiko or a maiko in the Kagai district where they live and work, you’ll notice that she wears rouge on her eyebrows and under her eyes. The base of her nape, her neck and face are painted almost completely white with white powder, providing a stark contrast to the rouge. This is a very unique style of makeup, and learning to apply it is also part of a maiko‘s training.

When preparing for an ozashiki banquet where she will entertain customers, a maiko will apply her makeup before donning her kimono. A geiko will also put on a kazura wig and, as the final step, have otokoshi (*1) help her don a kimono with a long train.

The order of applying the makeup depends on the person, but white powder is always applied to the back, the nape, the back of the neck, the front side of the neck and the face. They use coupled mirrors to apply white powder to their back and to the nape of their neck by themselves. At first, maiko try to follow the order of applying makeup they learned from their older sisters, but easily get confused. One maiko looked at her white face in the mirror, but had no idea how and where she should apply her makeup, or how her face would appear to other people. But as time goes by, every maiko finds her own order and method of applying makeup, choosing the right brush or pointed brush, and is eventually able to do her own makeup.

Though everyone starts by imitating others, this style of makeup is a world apart from Western makeup, and uses completely different hues from modern makeup. It takes several years for a maiko to establish her own style of makeup. One geiko took two years to find a style that she was satisfied with. Now, several years after her debut as a maiko, she is able to do her makeup in just 20 minutes.

Not everyone applies rouge the same way. If you look closely, you’ll see that each person has their own way of applying makeup. Often, a thin, pointed brush is used to draw the eyebrows over the white makeup, to apply rouge under the eyes, and to apply lipstick. Geiko and maiko carefully apply rouge to bring out their features. Although they repeat this procedure every day, their demeanor is always serious when they sit in front of the mirror.

Eyebrows, eyes and lips highlighted in bright rouge match the white powder perfectly. For both maiko and geiko, this elaborate makeup is an art form. This makeup transforms geiko and maiko into sensual world beauties who continue to allure the Kagai district.

1. Otokoshi: male assistants who help geiko and maiko don their kimono.

One of the striking things about maiko and geiko is their white makeup. To become a maiko, you must first train as a junior apprentice. After one year, you become an apprentice and help at ochaya tea houses, where geiko and maiko entertain. Ten days before becoming an apprentice, you learn how to apply white makeup, with your older sisters and the proprietress of your okiya lodging house as your teachers. At first, everyone is perplexed to see the reflection of their own face painted completely white. But over time, they gradually become accustomed and learn how to complete the entire process of applying makeup on their own. Some makeup tools have been passed down from generation to generation in an okiya lodging house, while others are provided by the okiya proprietress for personal use. In either case, the makeup used is completely different from Western makeup.

To give a simplified explanation of the procedure, you first warm pomade oil in your palms. As it softens, you spread it over your face and neck. Next, you apply white powder to the nape of your neck, then to your back, neck and face, in that order. During this step, you primarily use a small round brush and a flat brush to skillfully apply the white powder so that it is even. There are also many brushes of various sizes and shapes that are used for the overall process.

The white foundation alone appears flat, so to create depth, you add a touch of red to the bridge of your nose and around your eyes with the small round rush.

You then sprinkle white powder so that the makeup appears even throughout. Several types of brushes are then used to bring out your features, by drawing contours with rouge around your eyebrows and eyes, and adding shadows with black calligraphy ink. A pointed brush is used for intricate details, and layers of makeup are carefully added. For the final touch, you apply rouge to your lips with a pointed brush, then add gloss by applying a solution made by dissolving crystal sugar in water.

You may wonder if this is the same traditional makeup used in Kabuki theater. There aren’t any textbooks that outline how to apply this type of makeup, so maiko practice every day what they learned from their big sisters, and gradually master the techniques over time. At first, it takes a maiko one hour to apply her makeup. Even those who are quick require at least 30 minutes. They paint their backs and the nape of their necks by themselves, using a set of coupled mirrors.

At first glance, everyone appears to have the same makeup, but each person makes slight modifications to suit their face, by changing the way they use rouge, for example. Using the same time-honored makeup tools, these techniques have been transmitted from generation to generation. In the days when there was no electric lighting, these techniques of applying makeup allowed a maiko’s alluring beauty to glow in candle light, and continues to captivate us today.

Maiko have their hair arranged in traditional coiffures every day except for their days off, which are referred to as “public holidays.” As such, they always wear kimono. Although the formal attire for maiko is the lustrous long-sleeved furisode kimono worn with a long darari-no-obi sash, they normally wear more modest everyday kimono, which they wear kimono to attend lessons and when they go out in the neighborhood.

In the summer, they sometimes go out in yukata (cotton kimono for summer). But the way they wear their yukata is somewhat unusual, with the obi tied in the taiko-musubi (“Japanese drum” knot) style and adorned with an obji-shime ornament, along with formal tabi socks.

Instead of flamboyant kanzashi hair ornaments that are usually worn with formal attire, they adorn their hair with stylish kushi combs. The standard kushi combs worn by maiko with their everyday kimono from June to October are called makigushi, which have cloth stretched over the base of the comb, with finely wound silver thread on top. The silver thread offers a sense of seasonality and expresses coolness. At first, maiko wear makigushi combs with a charming red cloth covering the base of the comb. Along with the maiko’s age, the color of the base cloth gradually changes to pink, light blue, yellow then light purple. In addition to makigushi combs, maiko also use combs decorated with flowers and other items.

From October to May, makigushi combs are replaced by combs called tsumamino-kushi. The base of these elegant combs are made with tsumami workmanship (*1). Like makigushi combs, maiko first adorn their hair with tsumamino-kushi combs that have lots of red. Over the course of 4 years, the color of their tsumamino-kushi combs gradually becomes more subdued.

Another slight change that takes place when maiko reach their fourth year is that they stop wearing large kanzashi hair ornaments called katsuyama on the top of their heads, even when they are not wearing everyday kimono, and replace it with a makigushi or tsumami comb. Although the difference may be small, it is through these details that the sense of seasonality and customs unique to the Kagai culture of geiko and maiko have been passed down. The subtle use of colors conveys the passage of time from a maiko’s debut. It is this level of attention to detail that allows Gion to remain unchanged. One maiko shares her experience: “My hands will never forget the soft texture of the habutae (a finely woven silk fabric) on my brand new kushi comb when I had my hair arranged in a traditional coiffure for the first time.”

1. Tsumami workmanship: a traditional craft that has been passed down since the Edo period (1600〜1868). Habutae fabric is cut into small squares, pinched and folded, then pasted onto a backing to create flowers, butterflies and other items invoking a sense of seasonality.

When visiting a shrine or temple in Japan, we often see stickers on pillars and walls with names inscribed on them.

These stickers, called senjafuda, are thought to date back to the Muromachi Period (between the 14^th and 17^th centuries). When people went on pilgrimages to the Ise Grand Shrine or other sites around the country, they offered cards inscribed with their name to commemorate their visit, which is said to be the origin of senjafuda stickers.

Today, there is a wide variety, ranging from smaller stickers to larger, flashier ones. Most of the senjafuda stickers we see in town are left by actors or people in the entertainment business. There are many forms – some are written with calligraphy ink, while others are made with wood engravings.

In the Kagai district, geiko and maiko use hana-meishi business cards printed on washi paper a third of the size of a normal business card, carrying their name and the name of their Kagai district. When you become a maiko, your okiya lodging house orders your hana-meishi business cards. Teenage maiko present their hana-meishi business cards at ozashiki banquets to help customers remember their names. A pretty pattern is usually printed along with the maiko’s name.

The senjafuda stickers we find at shrines and temples are basically a modern version of these hana-meishi business cards, with adhesive tape on the back. Everyone, from maiko to older geiko, carry hana-meishi as business cards. They are custom ordered with their favorite design, so that their hana-meishi business cards reflect their personalities. Some are shaped like paper lanterns, while others show images of seasonal flowers or animals.

Because they present them to customers at ozashiki banquets and parties every night, geiko and maiko go through hundreds, even thousands of hana-meishi business cards each month. When they run out, some choose a different pattern or font, while others order another batch of the same design, as if it were their family crest.

They keep their hana-meishi business cards in a hana-meishi case, which they tuck away in their kimono. When they present their hana-meishi business card to a customer, they always say, “My name is ___. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Generally, once we receive someone’s business card, we usually don’t receive another one from the same person again. But in the Kagai culture, patrons are presented with their favorite geiko or maiko’s new hana-meishi business card every time she prints a new batch. Geiko and maiko enjoy coming up with new designs for their hana-meishi business cards and presenting them to their patrons. Patrons also enjoy coming up with new designs for geiko and maiko, and ordering new hana-meishi business cards for them is considered to be a chic gift.

In any field, you must first be an apprentice before launching your career in that field. Similarly, a maiko is required to undergo extensive training before she is allowed to attend an ozashiki banquet. A girl may be as young as 15 or 16 when she knocks on the doors of an okiya lodging house. She first becomes a junior apprentice, which is essentially a helper.

Through chores for the okiya lodging house, such as grocery shopping, helping in the kitchen, delivering packages and preparing kimono for her older sisters, the junior apprentice learns the rhythm of life in the Kagai culture of geiko and maiko. And of course, she takes lessons in traditional mai dance at the same time. Outside lessons, she is not permitted to wear kimono, and runs around in casual clothes like jeans as she does her chores.

After a year as a junior apprentice, she is given authorization from the Master of the Inoue School of Kyoto Mai Dance. The day of her debut is decided, when she will finally be permitted to attend ozashiki banquets at an ochaya tea house.

From this day onward, she is called an apprentice. In addition to her usual lessons, she begins her training at ozashiki banquets. Every day, she goes to the ochaya tea house arranged by her okiya lodging house, where she is initiated in greeting manners and the order of service by the proprietress and waitresses. She is then offered a seat at an ozashiki banquet, and introduces herself to the patrons. When she becomes accustomed to ozashiki banquets, she is given the opportunity to perform the traditional mai dance that she has just learned.

As an apprentice, she is dressed like a maiko, except that her obi sash is half the length of a maiko’s long obi sash, the sleeves of her kimono are shorter, and she is not yet allowed to use fancy ornaments. Her face is painted with white makeup, but she is only allowed to apply rouge to her bottom lip.

She applies herself to her daily lessons during the month-long period as an apprentice, in hopes of being recognized as a full-fledged maiko and dreaming of her debut.

After a year of training, a junior apprentice becomes an apprentice, whose role is to help at an ochaya tea house. After completing her apprenticeship, she will finally debut as maiko. Wearing a long darari-no-obi sash and okobo platform sandals with her hair styled in a traditional coiffure, she transforms into a maiko.

With white makeup and rouge, she has the appearance of a full-fledged maiko. But if you look closely, you’ll notice that her upper lip is left unpainted.

After her debut, she begins her duties as a maiko, but she still has a long road ahead of her before she is recognized as a full-fledged maiko. She is allowed to apply rouge to her bottom lip, but not to her upper lip. She must wait one year after her debut before she is allowed to apply rouge to both her upper and bottom lips.

In the early days after her debut, her mai dance repertoire is limited, and the teenage maiko has not yet acquired the art of conversation to entertain customers at ozashiki banquets. As such, for the time being, she serves as an assistant to her older sisters. Her manners are still awkward, and it will take time for her to learn the proper manners. Even after she is allowed to perform at ozashiki banquets, she will sit quietly for the first while, simply taking in the atmosphere. As she gradually becomes accustomed, she will begin to pay attention to customers’ drinks or to the food on the table, and will gradually learn how to provide attentive service.

Patrons will invite a newly-debuted maiko to their ozashiki banquets, providing opportunities to accustom herself to the atmosphere. A new maiko usually remains quietly seated, which in itself makes for a lovely picture.

Patrons request the presence of the new maiko at their parties as often as possible, helping her to learn the flow of ozashiki banquets. So, in a sense, customers nurture the maiko. In addition to her daily lessons, the skills a maiko must learn is endless, from the art of conversation to providing attentive service at ozashiki banquets. As such, by the time she is allowed to apply lipstick to her upper lip, she has grown accustomed to ozashiki banquets and strides confidently in the Kagai district, where geiko and maiko live and work, as a full-fledged maiko.

She has set foot into a completely different world from the modern era. Unphased by the endless training that brings out her splendor and adorning herself with costumes that would be unimaginable with Western clothing, she charms and mesmerizes visitors to the Kagai district. Though the rule may seem trivial, maiko devote themselves to their daily training, awaiting the day they will be able to apply rouge to their upper lip.

A maiko adds color and life to the streets of the Kagai district, where geiko and maiko live and work. But just how do you become a maiko? Although there are differences depending on the Kagai district, most knock on the doors of an okiya lodging house through some kind of connection, perhaps by knowing a geiko or maiko, or by introduction from a local restaurant or ochaya tea house, where geiko and maiko entertain. In recent years, the number of applicants applying directly to the Yasaka Nyokoba Gakuen School (*1) has grown.

A decade ago, more than a dozen okiya lodging houses lined the streets of Kyoto. Today, only a handful remain. A single okiya lodging house is unable to accept a large number of apprentices and junior apprentices, and can only care for two or three at the most. Recently, many people from all over Japan come to Kyoto in hopes of becoming a maiko, but most have difficulty finding placement in an okiya lodging house.

Once a candidate is accepted by an okiya lodging house, they agree on a starting date, and the candidate leaves her hometown to live in the Kagai district. In addition to locals from Kyoto, candidates come from all over Japan. The okiya lodging house provides everything, including meals, clothing and housing, for their maiko, nurturing them as if they were their actual children. In addition to meals, the okiya lodging house supplies all items required for lessons, such as kimono, yukata (cotton kimono for summer), props and everyday wear. Initially, the candidate becomes a junior apprentice when she joins an okiya lodging house, learning the customs and language of Kyoto by helping around the okiya.

Although many people come to Kyoto in hopes of becoming a maiko, it’s not easy to be accepted into an okiya lodging house. Okiya lodging houses only accept candidates who remain interested after learning about the traditional mai dance, strict lessons, ozashiki banquets and the unique customs of the Kagai culture. To become a maiko, you must first be a junior apprentice, then an apprentice. During the training period over 1 year and several months, some give up and return to their hometown.

To reach the stage where you are allowed to wear a resplendent kimono and debut as a maiko, you must apply yourself to mai dance lessons to acquire basic skills such as learning how to carry yourself, and thoroughly learn the etiquette and manners.

Those who train as maiko enter a world that is drastically different from those of their teenage peers. Yet, we can see glimpses of the innocence of an ordinary teenage girl in a maiko who has just debuted.

1. Yasaka Nyokoba Gakuen School: a school located in the southern area of the Gion quarter, where geiko and maiko are trained in a diverse range of subjects, including the performing arts such as traditional mai dance, shamisen (three-stringed lute), narimono (percussion instruments) and nohgaku (classical drama), as well as tea ceremonies, flower arrangement and calligraphy.

Geiko and maiko have slightly old-fashioned names, which reflect the traditional culture of the Kagai district, where they live and work. But to receive a name, a complex order of steps must be followed.

To become a maiko, you first join an okiya lodging house as a junior apprentice. But as a junior apprentice, you do not yet receive a name as a maiko. Towards the end of your training as a junior apprentice, when preparations are underway for your placement as an apprentice at an ochaya tea house where geiko and maiko entertain, you are finally given a name.

Again, this is not a straightforward process. First, before your debut as a maiko, you must choose someone to be your mentor and guardian, who will look after you for many years. This person will become your older sister in the Kagai district.

Your older sister will take care of everything from the moment you become a maiko. Sometimes, someone at the okiya lodging house is available to become your older sister, while at other times, no one at the okiya is able to take on this role. Things go very smoothly if a geiko from the same okiya lodging house becomes your older sister. But if no one is available to take on this role, the okiya will ask a geiko in their close circle to be your mentor.

Once your older sister has been decided, the next step is to find an appropriate name for you. The proprietress of the okiya lodging house considers various elements, such as choosing a character from your older sister’s name, or choosing a name that has been passed down in the okiya. Each okiya lodging house has a different method for giving names, such as checking to see if a name has already been taken, or going to a shrine to seek an auspicious name.

There are also lineages of names that have been passed down through the generations. Your older sister’s name may include a character that she inherited, or the okiya lodging house may have a specific kanji character that they always give. However, the family name you receive will be the okiya‘s family name, meaning that, as long as you are a maiko, you are the okiya’s daughter.

On the day of your debut as a maiko, you will be accompanied by otokoshi (male kimono dressers) to make courtesy calls around the Kagai district. Their cheerful voices echo throughout the Kagai district as they introduce you as the younger sister of your older sister, and announce your maiko name.

In the Kagai district, where geiko and maiko live and work, family crests are treated with great care. From maiko and geiko to jikata performers, crests are treated differently depending on customs, and kimono with different crests are reserved for certain occasions.

In general, a maiko wears a long darari-no-obi sash, with the family crest of her okiya lodging house woven onto the bottom part of this obi. Anyone involved in the Kagai district of Gion can tell which okiya lodging house a maiko belongs to by her crest. All maiko belong to an okiya lodging house, which provides the kimono they wear.

The family crest of the okiya lodging house is shown on black crested kimono, which is the formal attire, as well as on color crested kimono. When a maiko completes her apprenticeship, she graduates and becomes a geiko. She no longer belongs to the okiya lodging house, and becomes independent and self-employed. Because she is no longer part of the okiya lodging house, she has a black crested kimono and a new color crested kimono tailor-made with her own family crest. When a geiko becomes independent, she may receive a kimono with the okiya’s crest from her okiya. Because crested kimono are formal attire, they are seldomly worn in ozashiki banquets. Yet, they are a necessity in the Kagai district.

In the Gion quarter, the Inoue School is the only school of mai dance. Once a maiko goes through the erikae ritual of changing the color of her kimono collar and becomes a geiko, she applies herself even more to her mai dance lessons, and eventually becomes a natori accredited master. As a natori master, she is permitted to use the Inoue School crest. But not everyone will be accredited as a natori master. This title is reserved for geiko with extensive experience who have acquired the necessary skills. The black crested kimono with the Inoue School crest is the formal attire of a natori master, who is a symbolic figure in the Gion quarter.

For celebratory occasions, a performance called Teuchi takes place. A dozen geiko, all wearing black crested kimono, appear on stage with wooden clapboards, give speeches and walk in an oneri (*1) procession, carrying themselves with a unique demeanor. A geiko may wear different crests on different occasions. Sometimes, she will wear her own family crest, while on other occasions, she will wear the crest of her okiya lodging house. Recently, geiko and maiko also wear kimono with the emblem of the Yasaka Nyokoba Gakuen School, an educational institution where they train in the performing arts.

While a maiko belongs to an okiya lodging house, she wears the crest of the okiya, and when she becomes independent as a geiko, she wears her own crest. This distinction helps geiko and maiko heighten their awareness to a level appropriate for their development stage. In the Kagai district, the custom of wearing different crests for different occasions has been handed down unchanged from generation to generation. The emblem of the Gion Kobu quarter symbolizes sweet rice dumplings tied together in a circular shape. This important emblem represents Gion, and is respected by everyone as such.

1. Oneri: walking in line in slow procession.

Working as a geiko or maiko is not as easy as it seems. You may think that all they do is attend ozashiki banquets, perform mai dances and serve alcohol. But behind their flamboyant image, geiko and maiko must adhere to a curriculum packed with an unfathomable number of lessons, which begin early in the morning and fill their entire day.

In addition to performing mai dances, geiko and maiko take lessons at a school where they are trained in a variety of traditional performing arts, including nohgaku (classical drama), nagauta (classical music), kiyomoto (narrative music), jiuta (traditional music played on a three-stringed shamisen lute), tokiwazu (narrative music), kouta (ballads accompanied by a shamisen lute), flute, narimono (*1), shamisen, tea ceremonies, flower arranging, painting, calligraphy, and so on and so forth.

It goes without saying that each of these lessons is useful training for geiko and maiko. These lessons also are intimately connected to their lives, but don’t leave much time for a private life. As professional entertainers, geiko and maiko receive thorough training to acquire the fundamentals required to lead a traditional Japanese lifestyle.

In the Kagai district, where geiko and maiko live and work, it is important to master the Kagai language, which is not taught at the school where they learn the traditional Japanese arts. Geiko and maiko learn the elegant Kyoto intonation, which has the power to turn a simple greeting into an affectionate welcome. This unique intonation becomes the language of their day-to-day life and helps them blend into the Kagai community.

Instructors teaching the traditional arts are called “Oshisho-san.” From the age of 15 or 16, maiko live in an okiya lodging house, which arranges for them to attend lessons and train under their respective Oshisho-san. But first, maiko need to learn some basic Kagai language, otherwise they won’t understand what their Oshisho-san is saying. No matter what region they come from, maiko first learn this language and gradually familiarize themselves with the Kagai culture.

The elegance of traditional Japanese culture, once valued as training for brides-to-be in the form of the mai dance, singing, narimono (percussion instruments), tea ceremonies and flower arranging, is still a cornerstone in the Kagai culture of geiko and maiko today. By the time an apprentice dons a stunning maiko costume and walks through the Kagai district, she will be able to perform a mai dance or two for an ozashiki banquet. However, she must continue training to improve her skills in the performing arts.

If she writes a letter to one of her patrons, she does so with masterful handwriting. If she is asked to serve tea, she does so with exquisite artistry. Geiko and maiko entertain customers with their preferred instrument, such as the flute, taiko drum, hand drum or the three-stringed shamisen lute. At the level of a jikata performer, they know how to liven up the ozashiki banquet or make customers feel at home with their shamisen lute, and fascinate their audiences by selecting the perfect program for the season or event. In the world of performing arts, there is no such thing as graduation. Whether they are a tachikata performer who dances traditional mai dances or a jikata performer who plays the three-stringed shamisen lute, geiko and maiko never miss their daily lessons.

Thanks to the hard work that young maiko pour into their countless lessons, the Kagai culture continues to thrive today, captivating people all over the world with the traditional performing arts of Japan.

1. Narimono: percussion instruments such as kozutsumi (small hand drums), ozutsumi (large hand drums), and taiko drums. Also refers to music performed with these instruments.

To become a maiko in Gion, you begin by joining an okiya, a home that takes care of all aspects of your life.

Although the customs may vary slightly depending on the okiya lodging house, you begin living there as if were your own home.

At first, you become a junior apprentice and follow the maiko and geiko who are your older sisters. In addition, while doing household chores, you attend mai dance lessons, learn how to apply white powder and wear kimono, and gradually accustom yourself to the Kagai culture of geiko and maiko.

After approximately one year as a junior apprentice, you are allowed to wear a costume and attend ozashiki banquets at an ochaya tea house as an apprentice. Once you complete your apprenticeship, the day finally comes when you make your debut as a maiko.

On the day of your debut, you dress in formal attire in a black crested kimono. You then exchange sake cups and have a drink with your older sisters, who are your mentors, as a sign of gratitude for their support. There is an indescribable sense of both tension and auspiciousness in the air.

Hand-painted congratulatory posters called mokuroku sent by ochaya tea houses and patrons decorate the entrance of the house, adding splendor to your special day.

You begin your first day by making a courtesy call to the Head of Inoue School, the official dance school of the Gion Kobu district. Next, you visit the ochaya tea houses where you apprenticed to express your gratitude for their support, and run around the Kagai district in your lovely attire.

Your mastery of manners, combined with the nervousness of your first day, create an innocent yet dignified atmosphere.

A party begins when customers arrive at an ochaya tea house, where geiko and maiko entertain, and enter the ozashiki banquet room. The maiko enter first, sit in the formal seiza style, and bow respectfully. Next, the geiko enter, followed by the jikata performers. The order in which they enter the ozashiki banquet room and greet customers is pre-established and follows a clear hierarchy.

When a geiko or maiko encounters a customer in the Gion quarter, she will always stop and greet the customer by name. If the customer had recently requested her presence at an ozashiki banquet, she would say, ”Thank you very much for the other day,” illustrating how greetings are of utmost importance.

It’s not surprising that geiko and maiko greet customers and patrons in a respectful manner, but they apply this courtesy across the board, including to those who work in restaurants, neighbors and others involved in the Kagai community of geiko and maiko. Restaurant owners are called “Father,” while their sons and male staff are called “Older Brother.” Proprietresses of ochaya tea houses are called “Mother” and elder proprietresses are called “Elder Mother,” while her sisters and waitresses are called “Older Sister.” Geiko and maiko greet others by saying, “Thank you, Mother,” or “Thank you, Father,” as if they were their actual parents. The entire Kagai community is like one big family, and somehow manages to maintain a mysterious balance that feels comfortable to everyone.

Greetings among the geiko, maiko and jikata performers are also very thorough. Hierarchy is determined by the order of their debut in the Kagai community. If a geiko, maiko or jikata performer who is senior to you has entered the ozashiki banquet room before you, immediately after greeting the customers, you greet your older sisters one by one, saying, “Welcome, Older Sister.” For some reason, although you’ve entered the ozashiki banquet room after your older sisters, you say, “Welcome.” This is a unique aspect of the geiko and maiko world.

When leaving the ozashiki banquet room, you greet your older sisters in a similar fashion, again in order of seniority, saying, “Excuse me for leaving before you, Older Sister,” before you leave the room. Also, if you are to be seated in a higher position than one of your older sisters in the ozashiki banquet room, you must first excuse yourself for sitting in a higher position (closer to the seat of honor) before taking your seat.

Unique customs and a clear hierarchy lead to the appropriate greeting in any given situation. A wonderful aspect of the Kagai culture is that these customary greetings have been systematically passed down for everyone, from teenage maiko to their older sisters.

Watching a maiko walk gracefully through the streets of the Kagai district, where geiko and maiko live and work, you’re likely to notice her unusually long obi sash dangling down her back. This special obi sash is called a darari-no-obi, which is so long that it reaches the backs of her knees. The traditional maiko style includes okobo platform sandals, this long darari-no-obi sash, and a kimono with long sleeves that have been shortened.

When an apprentice enters an ozashiki banquet room, she is not allowed to wear a long darari-no-obi sash. While she is an apprentice, she must wear a han-dara, an obi sash that is half the length of a full darari-no-obi sash, with her short-sleeved kimono. On the day of her debut as a maiko, she is finally allowed to wear a long-sleeved kimono with a long darari-no-obi sash for the first time.

For the first three days after becoming a maiko, she wears the formal attire of a black crested kimono, and is taken aback by the strange feeling of wearing such a long obi sash. From the fourth day, she wears a color crested kimono. And from the seventh day, she wears a kimono that matches the season. Regardless of the kimono she wears, she must always wear a long darari-no-obi sash as long as she is a maiko.

There are many types of obi sashes. Whether they are covered with symbols of fortune, carry designs relating to the Oriental zodiac, or are lavishly woven with gold and silver thread, obi sashes are works of art. Another characteristic of long darari-no-obi sashes is the family crest of the maiko’s okiya lodging house inscribed at the end. This family crest helps proprietresses of ochaya tea houses, where geiko and maiko entertain, identify which okiya lodging house a maiko belongs to.

A maiko’s okiya lodging house prepares all her obi sashes and kimono. Some okiya use obi sashes inherited from generation to generation, while others prepare a new obi sash for a maiko’s debut. For her debut, the maiko wears a long darari-no-obi sash with flashy colors and pattern. After two or three years, the colors and patterns of her obi sash gradually become quieter to match the maturity of the maiko.

The combined weight of a maiko’s kimono and obi sash is so heavy that she cannot dress herself, so otokoshi (male kimono dressers) come every day to help the maiko don her kimono in time for her ozashiki banquet.

The majority of those who decided to be a maiko in their teens say their admiration of the maiko’s beautiful appearance was their motivation. After applying themselves to their training, they are granted permission to become a maiko. On the morning of their debut, when they are finally granted the opportunity to wear a long darari-no-obi sash, they shed tears of joy. As they take their first step to fulfill their duties as a maiko, their admiration turns into joy.

Although very few people have heard of sakko, it takes place several times a year in the Kagai district, where geiko and maiko live and work. Originally, sakko (*1) was the name of a particular style of traditional coiffure.

In the Kagai district, the milestone of a maiko becoming a geiko is called erikae, when she changes the color of her kimono collar. For the two-week period before her erikae ritual, the maiko coifs her hair in a traditional style called sakko to make courtesy calls. Nowadays, the name sakko is also used to refer to this two-week period. During this period, the maiko dons a black crested kimono and goes from ozashiki banquet to ozashiki banquet, bidding farewell to her patrons as a maiko.

During her sakko period, the maiko performs a mai dance called Kurokami (“Black Hair”). There is a hint of sadness as she performs this dance, reflecting how she feels about her days as a maiko coming to an end. The atmosphere of the ozashiki banquet is different than usual, perhaps symbolic of the maiko’s own story over the past few years.

As a maiko, she was adorable with her long darari-no-obi sash and okobo platform sandals. Now, in a black crested kimono with her hair coiffed in the sakko style, she appears much more mature, reflecting her years of hard practice.

Originally, sakko was the name of the coiffure for newly married women. For this reason, for just a few days, the maiko paints her teeth with black ohaguro dye – a sign of a married woman in past days. During the sakko period, she bids farewell to her days as a maiko and resolves to join the ranks of the mature geiko.

1. The Kanji character for ko (in sakko) refers to a decorative tool used to comb hair upwards to form a chignon.

In general, different kimono are worn for different seasons and occasions. In the Kagai culture of geiko and maiko, there are additional rules concerning kimono, which are very specific.

Geiko and maiko choose the appropriate kimono for the occasion – from kimono for regular ozashiki banquets and kimono for mai dance performances and productions, to yukata (cotton kimono) for summer and kimono for lessons. Everyone knows what a maiko‘s flamboyant kimono looks like, but clients rarely have the opportunity to see the formal attire known as the black crested kimono.

Black crested kimono are only worn on a handful of occasions. In winter, they are worn for the first three days of the New Year, the opening ceremony of the New Year on January 7, and the Little New Year Festival on January 15. In summer, they are only worn for Hassaku (when geiko and maiko visit their master and ochaya tea houses to express their gratitude), celebrated on August 1 of the lunar calendar. The first time a maiko wears a black crested kimono is for her debut. For the next two years, she wears kimono that are lavishly decorated with pretty designs on the shoulders and sleeves. From the third year onwards, she wears a more mature black crested kimono with no designs on the shoulders.

Usually, a maiko ties a decorative string called obi-jime around her long darari-no-obi sash, and attaches a flamboyant obi-dome ornament called pocchiri to the darari-no-obi sash. But while she is a maiko, she doesn’t use an obi-jime string when she dons a black crested kimono. The kimono is skillfully donned so that its shape is maintained and doesn’t fall apart, even if an obi-jime string isn’t used. Black crested kimono are formal attire and carry the family crest of the maiko’s okiya lodging house.

At the opening ceremony of the New Year, it’s an impressive sight to see the maiko and her older geiko sisters gathered together, all dressed in their black crested kimono. Although geiko and maiko wear their black crested kimono on special occasions such as celebrations for patrons or official events, it’s rare to see all of them gathered together, each wearing their black crested kimono. During the celebratory production unique to the Gion quarter known as Teuchi, all of the performers, from geiko to jikata performers (who sing or play the three-stringed shamisen lute), wear a black crested kimono, which is a rare sight.

Black crested kimono are also worn for serving tea at tea parties, which are offered in formal attire, and for serving tea at the Miyako Odori tea ceremony. The okiya lodging house orders a black crested kimono to be tailor-made for each maiko. Geiko and maiko never forget how moved they are when they don a black crested kimono for the first time.

A geiko must first train as a maiko before becoming a geiko. During sakko, the two-week period before a maiko becomes a geiko, and for the first three days after she becomes a geiko, she will wear a black crested kimono.

The black crested kimono is very different in appearance from the flamboyant color crested kimono. The black kimono provides a stark contrast to the white makeup, creating an indescribably elegant look.

In the Kagai district of the Gion area, the traditional lifestyle from long ago still remains. Designated as a preservation district for groups of historic buildings, the Gion townscape still retains its original appearance.

The stars of Gion are all women, the geiko and maiko being the most prominent. When they are in their teens, they are referred to as maiko. Once they reach the age of 20 and are recognized by the Head of the Kyomai Dance School, they become geiko – the “big sister” figures of the area. Being a maiko serves as the training period to become a geiko. After cumulating experience in mai dancing and other skills, the maiko finally becomes a geiko.

What exactly do geiko and maiko do? They perform the Inoue style of traditional dance known as Kyomai. The Inoue School of Kyomai Dance is the only school authorized to perform mai dances in the Gion Kobu quarter. For geiko and maiko, everything is about performing the mai dance. There is even a saying that goes, “Everything begins and ends with the mai dance.”

In addition to mai dancing, one of the roles of geiko and maiko is to master the Japanese culture through traditional music, tea ceremony, kadō flower arrangement and shodō calligraphy. On most days, geiko and maiko participate in lessons, beginning in the morning. Aside from the little free time they are alloted, they spend the entire day in lessons.

Coiffing their hair in a traditional Japanese style and applying white makeup also require practice until they become accustomed. Even when they are on their way to an ochaya tea house to perform a mai dance, they wear a costume with a long darari-no-obi sash. Their work as a maiko or geiko begins with preparing their appearance.

Geiko who perform mai dances are called tachikata performers, while those who sing and play the shamisen lute are called jikata performers. As they continue their work as a geiko, some may switch from a tachikata performer to a jikata performer.

Geiko and maiko are in high demand. Not only do they perform mai dances in ozashiki banquets, they also perform on stage in the Gion area in the spring Miyako Odori Dance Performance and the autumn Onshukai public dance performance, and add a touch of flamboyance to events and celebratory parties. They are also active ambassadors of the Japanese culture, traveling both domestically and overseas.

By performing mai dances, they share the traditional Japanese dance with the world. And by wearing traditional costumes, they carry on the legacy of a culture that has continued for centuries. These are the roles of geiko and maiko. Their splendor is expressed in their gestures and can even be witnessed on their fingertips. And their perfectly coordinated movements in group dances attest to the culmination of their daily training.

Noh flute – Shorter flute

The Noh flute is a transverse flute used primarily in the musical accompaniment of Noh and Kyogen (comedy) plays, as well as in the background music of nagauta (classical music) and other Kabuki performances. During the musical accompaniment for hongyomono (plays influenced by Noh), there are moments when only one Noh flutist and one percussionist are playing, offering the flutist the opportunity to demonstrate the fruit of their rigorous training. The Noh flute has a unique structure that differs from Western and other Japanese flutes, with a small bamboo tube inserted on the inside near the mouthpiece. This bamboo tube makes the pitch irregular and forms the unique musical scale of the Noh flute, producing a deep tone that lingers within a dense space.

Shinobue (traverse bamboo flute) – Longer flute

The Shinobue flute is often used in the background music of nagauta (classical music) and other Kabuki performances. When played in an ensemble, the Shinobue flute needs to be tuned to the shamisen lute, so flutes of different lengths and tones are prepared, from which the most appropriate flute for each performance is selected. In the ozashiki banquet room, the Shinobue flute is used to accompany mai dancing, and is sometimes played on its own without any dancing. Its tone is soft and clear, lyrical yet flexible and powerful.

Yanagawa shamisen lute – Frontmost

The Yanagawa shamisen lute is also known as Kyoshamisen, or Kyoto shamisen. Jiuta, ballads from the Gion Kobu quarter played on shamisen, are usually performed on medium-necked shamisen. However, in the Gion Kobu quarter, these ballads are performed on the Yanagawa shamisen, which is an ancient form of shamisen. The Yanagawa shamisen has an even thinner neck than the thin-necked shamisen and is used with a unique pick called a Kyobachi, or “Kyoto pick.” Its tone is low and heavy, with each note resonating richly in the ozashiki banquet room, making it distinct from any other shamisen. With the establishment of the Inoue School of Kyomai (Kyoto mai dance) in the Gion Kobu quarter, the transmission of Yanagawa shamisen performances have continued without interruption in this area. The Yanagawa shamisen is played during the Kurokami (“Black Hair”) performance, a piece performed in the erikae ritual when a maiko changes the color of her collar to become a geiko, the Onshukai public dance performance, and in the winter scene of the Miyako Odori Dance Performance.

Thin-necked shamisen lute – 2^nd & 4^th from front

The shamisen lute is a Japanese string instrument with three strings. The thin-necked shamisen has the thinnest neck of the three types of shamisen, which are classified according to the thickness of the neck. Compared to the thick- and medium-necked shamisen, the thin-necked shamisen is lighter and thinner, which may make it somewhat difficult to handle. It is used for nagauta (classical music) and kouta (ballads accompanied by a shamisen). Each year, a new nagauta piece is written for the Miyako Odori Dance Performance, and the shamisen used on stage are made of the same material as those used in practice. The three strings are made of silk and are dyed yellow with turmeric. The thin-necked shamisen is also used to play kamigata songs (which originated in Kyoto), which are part of the Inoue School of Kyomai (Kyoto mai dance) repertoire, making it the most commonly played shamisen in the Gion Kobu quarter.

Medium-necked shamisen lute – 3^rd from front

The medium-necked shamisen lute has a neck with intermediate thickness of the three types of shamisen, which are classified according to the thickness of the neck. They are used widely in the tokiwazu and kiyomoto styles of narrative music, both of which are types of joruri (narrated music accompanied by shamisen) which originated from bungo ballad dramas and developed into dancing music for Kabuki. In the tokiwazu style of narrative music, the rhythm and tempo do not change drastically, making it suitable for accompanying dance, with a good balance between the narration and singing parts within a song. On the other hand, the kiyomoto style of narrative music emphasizes the voice, and is characterized by a high-pitched voice and skillful narration. As there are few tokiwazu and kiyomoto pieces in the Inoue School of Kyomai (Kyoto mai dance) repertoire, they are seldomly performed in the Gion Kobu quarter. Nevertheless, they are practiced on a daily basis at the Yasaka Nyokoba Gakuen School.

Each year, when people eagerly await the end of the rainy season, the geiko and maiko of the Gion quarter have uchiwa fans made with their names printed in large characters. They deliver these uchiwa fans to the ochaya tea houses, restaurants, bars and other establishments which patronize them. These chic uchiwa fans, sporting the names of geiko and maiko in red letters, are indispensable symbols of the summer, and line the entrances of ochaya tea houses in the Kagai district, where geiko and maiko live and work.

Prominent ochaya tea houses and restaurants receive uchiwa fans from every geiko and maiko in the Gion quarter. In July, the sight of these fans covering the walls of the ochaya tea houses and restaurants is truly captivating. This spectacular sight is also the first sign of summer.

There are two types of uchiwa fans: those on which maiko have hand-written the name of their okiya lodging house along with their own name, and those on which geiko have hand-written their first and last name.

Uchiwa fans are cherished by the ochaya tea houses and restaurants, each devising unique and sophisticated ways of displaying them. Some display the uchiwa fans in slits cut into bamboo cylinders, while others display them in hand-made wooden frames.

The uchiwa fans are displayed in a specific order, beginning with senior geiko and ending with maiko who recently debuted. In the Gion quarter, as many as 80 uchiwa fans may be displayed.

Of course, geiko and maiko must also deliver their uchiwa fans to their patrons. However, they are strictly prohibited from delivering the uchiwa fans themselves, so the ochaya tea houses deliver the fans to their patrons on their behalf.

The patrons look forward to these lovely summer gifts from the Kagai district, wondering how many they will receive this year. The sight of a gentleman walking in the Kagai district in the summer twilight, with an uchiwa fan tucked into the back of his yukata (cotton kimono for summer), is a picture of elegance and sophistication.

Just how many kimono do geiko and maiko own? All the kimono worn by a maiko are prepared by her okiya lodging house. Before becoming a maiko, you must first be a junior apprentice, then an apprentice. As either, you cannot attend lessons in Western clothes, and are given special attire for lessons. When you finally become an apprentice and attend an ozashiki banquet, you are dressed in proper maiko attire.

Because kimono are uniforms for maiko, their okiya lodging house always manages their kimono through constant communication with the kimono shop to ensure that their maiko don’t experience any inconveniences with their kimono. The proprietress of an okiya lodging house carefully considers all levels of detail concerning the kimono, from the patterns and colors to the quality of the fabric, and always prepare clean, new kimono for their maiko. As for the types of kimono, it goes without saying that hand painted Yuzen (*1) from Kyoto is the mainstream.

However, when a maiko becomes a geiko and becomes independent, her kimono situation changes drastically. She no longer has access to kimono prepared for her by her okiya lodging house, and must prepare her own kimono. Unlike before, she can have kimono made to her liking, which is part of the enjoyment, but there are many, many kimono she must prepare. From the formal attire worn with a kazura wig and color crested kimono, to kimono worn with a Western coiffure, not only does she need a kimono for each season, she also needs a kimono for specific months. She also needs to have kimono with different colors and patterns, which means that she requires dozens of kimono.

The first kimono a geiko orders is often custom-made, based on her aspirations and sentiments. As the years go by, ordering a new kimono becomes a source of encouragement for the geiko, and she looks forward to wearing her favorite kimono at ozashiki banquets. Kimono that bring back memories, such as ones that were made for a particular mai dance performance, are stored with great care.

Kimono are expendable items. As such, it is natural to have the desire to order one kimono after another. There is no end to the enjoyment of having kimono made with your favorite colors and patterns. After a number of years, a geiko dedicates an entire room in her home to kimono, where she stores dozens or even hundreds of kimono. This love of finery is unique to this glamorous world.

1. Hand painted Yuzen, a traditional Kyoto craft, is a dyeing method that takes an extraordinarily long time. Patterns are drawn by brush onto white fabric, as if it were a painting.

When you look carefully at a maiko’s kimono, you’ll notice that the fabric has been hemmed and sewn around the shoulder areas and at the ends of the sleeves. Normally, the pattern of the kimono in these areas would be continuous, but the pattern is interrupted because the kimono has been shortened to make the overall size smaller.

Where and how much a kimono is shortened usually depends on the individual’s body shape, but a maiko’s kimono is always shortened. In addition, kimono sleeves are normally 114 centimeters long, but the sleeves of a maiko’s kimono are shortened to about 95 centimeters.

These shortened kimono remind us of the yukata (cotton kimono for summer) that we wore as children. Yukata summer kimono are made to be slightly larger, which allows them to be adjusted as the child grows taller. The shortened sleeves and bottom hem are let out so that the child can wear the same yukata again the following year.

Most maiko debut when they are 16, so it is expected that they will still grow. There are different kimono for each season, and all of them are shortened for the maiko. As she grows, her kimono are adjusted. The okiya lodging house prepares all of her kimono, and the okiya’s kimono shop shortens them for each maiko.

All kimono worn by a maiko – from the formal black crested kimono and the color crested kimono for celebrations, to the usual kimono for ozashiki banquets where the maiko entertains, kimono for her daily mai dance lessons, and her cotton yukata for summer – are shortened to suit her size. Wearing shortened kimono is the symbol of a maiko, and an indication that she is still in her teens. This is a custom remaining from the days when maiko were girls in their early teens. Bold, flamboyant kimono that maiko are known to wear have pretty patterns. Shortening sleeves sometimes cuts off the pattern of the kimono fabric, but that is considered to add to the maiko’s charm.

With their traditional coiffure, long darari-no-obi sash, okobo platform sandals and elaborate hana kanzashi hair ornaments swaying as they walk, maiko blend into the cityscape of the Gion quarter. The beauty of maiko transcends time, their larger-than-life presence a crucial part of the culture.

Although the Kagai culture of geiko and maiko and its ancient customs are very particular, every rule and custom, no matter how seemingly trivial, has significant meaning and teaches us the virtue of unchanging traditions. The shortening of kimono is a testament to a maiko’s growth.

Kimono for maiko
Bamboo fence with morning glory

This costume was worn in Act IV Kamogawa Toronagashi (“Floating Lanterns on Kamogawa River”) of the program Hana-ni-Kiku Miyako-no-Rekishi (“Visiting Historical Sites of Kyoto During Cherry Blossom Season”) in the 138^th Miyako Odori Dance Performance in 2010.

This costume is perfect for summer and features an impressive design of large, colorful morning glories in bloom entwined on a bamboo fence.

Obi sash for maiko
Long vermilion obi sash made with woven silk gauze, Waves with Genji carriage wheels

This costume was worn in Act IV Gojo Atari Yugao Dana (“Gourd Trellis in Gojo Area”) of the program Miyako-wa-Ima Genji-no-Omokage (“Retrospective of the Tale of Genji in Kyoto”) in the 136^th Miyako Odori Dance Performance in 2008.

Genji carriage wheels are stylized depictions of the wheels on court carriages and are often used in designs for costumes and furnishings.

The long darari-no-obi sash, one of the most eye-catching aspects of a maiko‘s costume, changes between dyed and woven obi sashes depending on the season. Obi sashes made with silk gauze are worn in the summer and have a translucent texture which has a visually cooling effect.

Kimono for maiko
Bamboo hedge with clematis and morning glory

This costume was worn in Act IV Gion Shirakawa-no-Ryofu (“A Cool Breeze Over the Shirakawa River in Gion”) of the program Mizu-ni-Haeru Sakura-no-Hanaemaki (“Likening the Reflection of Cherry Blossoms on Flowing Water to a Picture Scroll”) in the 137^th Miyako Odori Dance Performance in 2009.

This costume depicts the pattern of the diagonal lattices of the bamboo fence at Koetsuji Temple against a landscape of morning glories and clematises, both of which begin to bloom in early summer.

Kimono for maiko
Glaze drips with round windows of flowers

This costume was worn in Act IV Kamogawa Toronagashi (“Floating Lanterns on Kamogawa River”) of the program Hana-ni-Kiku Miyako-no-Rekishi (“Visiting Historical Sites of Kyoto During Cherry Blossom Season”) in the 138^th Miyako Odori Dance Performance in 2010.

This costume features round windows filled with patterns, for which each color was painted with the Yuzen stencil-dyeing technique (rather than the standard tie-dyeing technique) among a stylized depiction of glaze dripping on ceramic pots.

Obi sash for maiko
Long purple obi sash made with woven silk gauze, Paper cranes

This costume was worn in Act IV Otasawa-no-Kakitsubata (“Irises in the Stream at Ota Shrine”) of the program Haru-no-Hanamiyako Meisho Zukushi (“Springtime in Kyoto, A Tour of Esteemed Shrines and Temples”) in the 139^th Miyako Odori Festival in 2011.

This design features cranes folded with origami paper. Since ancient times, cranes have been considered to be mystical birds. Along with turtles, they are symbols of longevity and good fortune.

The long darari-no-obi sash, one of the most eye-catching aspects of a maiko‘s costume, changes between dyed and woven obi sashes depending on the season. Obi sashes made with silk gauze are worn in the summer and have a translucent texture which has a visually cool effect.

Kimono for maiko
Irises

This costume was worn in Act IV Otasawa-no-Kakitsubata (“Irises in the Stream at Ota Shrine”) of the program Haru-no-Hanamiyako Meisho Zukushi (“Springtime in Kyoto, A Tour of Esteemed Shrines and Temples”) in the 139^th Miyako Odori Dance Performance in 2011.

Ota Shrine, the setting for Act IV, is renown for its irises. This costume features a resplendent design with multi-colored irises whose colors were dyed separately.

Kimono for maiko
Rising steam with Momoyama flowers

This costume was worn in Act VII Hiunkaku Hatsuyuki Yuen (“Festivities at Hiunkaku to Celebrate the First Snow”) of the program Shinkesho Kabu-no-Sugatae (“The Portrayal of a Reinvigorated Performance”) at the 123^rd Miyako Odori Dance Performance in 1995.

The rising steam pattern is a traditional motif with a repetition of vertical curves that swell in the middle and narrow at the front and back, with clouds, wisteria and chrysanthemums depicted inside the swelling of the curves. The floral motifs of chrysanthemums and paulownia flowers featured in this costume allude to Hideyoshi Toyotomi, the feudal lord of the Momoyama period.

Obi sash for maiko
Long black woven obi sash, Weeping cherry blossom tree with butterflies

Kimono and obi sashes are changed each season. Woven obi sashes are worn during the cold winter months, while silk obi sashes are worn during the hot summer months.

This is a woven obi sash for maiko known as a long darari-no-obi sash depicting a tall weeping cherry blossom tree with large fluttering butterflies. The gold and silver butterflies and double-flowered cherry blossoms offer grace with a sense of spring, and the weight of the woven obi sash engenders a unique sense of presence.

Kimono for Geiko
Brightly Colored Floating Boats

This costume was worn in Act VII Ukifune Shinobu Kyo-no-Yukiyoi (“Reminiscing Ukifune in Snowfallen Kyoto”) of the program Miyako-wa-Ima Genji-no-Omokage (“Retrospective of the Tale of Genji in Kyoto”) in the 136^th Miyako Odori Dance Performance in 2008.

The title of the Ukifune volume comes from a waka (Japanese poem): “The color of the mandarin orange trees on the small island may never change, yet I know not where this floating boat will take me.”

This costume features a flower and boat motif, with the winter flowers of plum and camellia, and boats floating on the water. Plums and camellias are considered auspicious flowers that represent nobility and patience because they survive the harsh winter and bloom before spring. The layout of this costume is distinctive with separate colors used to represent the joined boats, symbolizing the intertwined feelings between Kaoru, Nio-no-miya and Ukifune.

Kimono for Geiko
Elegant Flowers

This costume was worn in Act IV Gion Shirakawa-no-Ryofu (“A Cool Breeze Over the Shirakawa River in Gion”) of the program Mizu-ni-Haeru Sakura-no-Hanaemaki (“Likening the Reflection of Cherry Blossoms on Flowing Water to a Picture Scroll”) in the 137^th Miyako Odori Dance Performance in 2009.

This pattern depicts delicate flowers blooming at the water’s edge, with the flowers flowing with the water from the background to the foreground. The use of vibrantly colored flowers that bloom from summer to autumn, such as balloon flowers, pink-fringed nadeshiko flowers, arrowheads, hollyhocks and scarlet rose mallows, gives a sense of the season, emphasized by the bold movement of the flowing water.

Kimono for Geiko
Uji Landscape

This costume was worn in Act VII Ukifune Shinobu Kyo-no-Yukiyoi (“Reminiscing Ukifune in Snowfallen Kyoto”) of the program Miyako-wa-Ima Genji-no-Omokage (“Retrospective of the Tale of Genji in Kyoto”) from the 136^th Miyako Odori Dance Performance in 2008.

The Ten Quires of Uji, ten volumes from Chapter 45 to Chapter 54 of The Tale of Genji, is set in Uji. In Chapter 51 Ukifune, Ukifune is a woman whose heart is torn between Kaoru and Nio-no-miya, and she secretly meets Nio-no-miya by the Uji River. This costume depicts the landscape of Uji Bridge spanning a calm river with Byodoin Temple across the mist, its elegant pale purple color accented with brightly colored pine, bamboo and plum.

Kimono for maiko
Waves with shells

This costume was worn in Act IV Ide-no-Tamagawa Kanimanji (“The Tamagawa River of Ide and the Kanimanji Temple”) of the program Haru-no-Utage Shiki Meguru Monogatari (“Tales of Cycling Through the Seasons Through the Spring Performance”) in the 141^st Miyako Odori Dance Performance in 2013.

This costume depicts shell matching, a game popular among aristocrats during the Heian period, and features sailboats on dynamic waves, which give this costume a summery feel.

Kimono for maiko
Imperial court motif

This costume was worn in Act IV Otasawa-no-Kakitsubata (“Irises in the Stream at Ota Shrine”) of the program Haru-no-Hanamiyako Meisho Zukushi (“Springtime in Kyoto, A Tour of Esteemed Shrines and Temples”) in the 139^th Miyako Odori Dance Performance in 2011.

This imperial court motif depicts seasonal flowers and landscapes. Its deep purple base blurring with the pink background creates a sense of depth.

Obi sash for maiko
Long black obi sash made with woven silk gauze, Small bamboo

This costume was worn in Act IV Gojo Atari Yugao Dana (“Gourd Trellis in Gojo Area”) of the program Miyako-wa-Ima Genji-no-Omokage (“Retrospective of the Tale of Genji in Kyoto”) in the 136^th Miyako Odori Dance Performance in 2008.

This design features stylized small bamboo with slender bamboo growing behind. When worn as a long darari-no-obi sash, the freely-growing bamboo becomes prominent.

The long darari-no-obi sash, one of the most eye-catching aspects of a maiko‘s costume, changes between dyed and woven obi sashes depending on the season. Obi sashes made with silk gauze are worn in the summer and have a translucent texture which has a visually cooling effect.

Kimono for maiko
Poem on Tanzaku paper strips

This costume was worn in Act IV Gojo Atari Yugao Dana (“Gourd Trellis in Gojo Area”) of the program Miyako-wa-Ima Genji-no-Omokage (“Retrospective of the Tale of Genji in Kyoto”) in the 136^th Miyako Odori Dance Performance in 2008.

Tanzaku paper strips tied to the branches of a willow tree bear the poem Underleaves of Wisteria composed by Yugiri in the Tale of Genji which reads, “After spending countless springs in tears, the moment has arrived for my wish to come true.”

Kimono for maiko
Checkered pattern with flowers

This costume was worn in Act IV Otasawa-no-Kakitsubata (“Irises in the Stream at Ota Shrine”) of the program Haru-no-Hanamiyako Meisho Zukushi (“Springtime in Kyoto, A Tour of Esteemed Shrines and Temples”) in the 139^th Miyako Odori Dance Performance in 2011.

This resplendent costume combines a bold checkered pattern with seasonal flowers such as peonies, balloon flowers and chrysanthemums.

Obi sash for maiko
Long black obi sash made with woven silk gauze, Waves

Kimono and obi sashes are changed each season. Woven obi sashes are worn during the cold winter months, while silk obi sashes are worn during the hot summer months.

This is a silk obi sash for maiko known as a long darari-no-obi sash. This thin silk fabric with a translucent weave is called ro, which is cherished during the summer months for its visually cooling and light effect. The large wave motifs are geometric depictions of waves on the surface of the ocean. This is considered to be an auspicious pattern and is often used for kimono and obi sashes.

Kimono for maiko
Court carriages

This costume was worn in Act IV Gojo Atari Yugao Dana (“Gourd Trellis in Gojo Area”) of the program Miyako-wa-Ima Genji-no-Omokage (“Retrospective of the Tale of Genji in Kyoto”) in the 136^th Miyako Odori Dance Performance in 2008. 

Inspired by the story of Yugao in the Tale of Genji, this elegant costume features a cascade of autumn flowers and court carriages which were mainly used by aristocra

Kimono for maiko
Scattered clouds with flowers

This costume was worn in Act IV Otasawa-no-Kakitsubata (“Irises in the Stream at Ota Shrine”) of the program Haru-no-Hanamiyako Meisho Zukushi (“Springtime in Kyoto, A Tour of Esteemed Shrines and Temples”) in the 139^th Miyako Odori Dance Performance in 2011.

This design features seasonal flowers such as pink-fringed nadeshiko flowers, hydrangeas and morning glories against a deep navy blue background with scattered clouds. Its large pattern accentuates the maiko’s charm.

Obi sash for maiko
Long vermilion obi sash made with woven silk gauze, Paulownia flowers inside tortoise shells

This costume was worn in Act IV Otasawa-no-Kakitsubata (“Irises in the Stream at Ota Shrine”) of the program Haru-no-Hanamiyako Meisho Zukushi (“Springtime in Kyoto, A Tour of Esteemed Shrines and Temples”) in the 139^th Miyako Odori Festival in 2011.

The tortoise shell pattern is a series of hexagons stacked vertically and horizontally, with paulownia flowers and leaves arranged within them.

The long darari-no-obi sash, one of the most eye-catching aspects of a maiko‘s costume, changes between dyed and woven obi sashes depending on the season. Obi sashes made with silk gauze are worn in the summer and have a translucent texture which has a visually cooling effect.

Kimono for maiko
Waves, clouds and autumn flowers

This costume was worn in Act IV Otasawa-no-Kakitsubata (“Irises in the Stream at Ota Shrine”) of the program Haru-no-Hanamiyako Meisho Zukushi (“Springtime in Kyoto, A Tour of Esteemed Shrines and Temples”) in the 139^th Miyako Odori Dance Performance in 2011.

This costume features a charming and somewhat unusual design with balloon flowers and pink-fringed nadeshiko flowers peeking out from clouds overlapping with waves.

Kimino for maiko
Cranes, waves and a bounty of treasures

This costume was worn in Act VII Nijojo Ohiroma-no-Yukimi (“Winterscape From the Great Hall of Nijojo Castle”) in the program Haru-no-Utage Kyo-no-Uta Miyako-no-Hanashi (“The Annual Spring Banquet – Entertainment and Tales from the Heian Period”) in the 132^nd Miyako Odori Dance Performance in 2004.

This costume features a winter scene with auspicious motifs of flying cranes, waves and a bounty of treasures.

Obi sash for maiko
Long yellow woven obi sash, Flowing water with flowers

Kimono and obi sashes are changed each season. Woven obi sashes are worn during the cold winter months, while silk obi sashes are worn during the hot summer months.

This is a woven obi sash for maiko known as a long darari-no-obi sash. Plum blossoms, chrysanthemums, bamboo grass and gentian flowers are elegantly depicted on gracefully flowing water. The vibrantly colored flowers, which can be enjoyed year-round, accentuate the maiko’s lovely appearance.

As spring approaches, there is more bustle than usual in the Kagai district, where geiko and maiko live and work. On most mornings, rehearsals take place in preparation for the Miyako Odori Dance Performance, which is held in April. As usual, geiko and maiko continue to entertain customers at ozashiki banquets. At the same time, the program, lyrics and music are being prepared months in advance, while rehearsals begin in February for jikata performers (who sing or play the three-stringed shamisen lute) and the traditional ohayashi orchestra, and in March for tachikata performers (who dance or play the flute or percussion). All mai dances in the Gion Kobu quarter are performed in the Inoue style. As such, the entire production of the Miyako Odori is supervised by the Head of the School, Yachiyo Inoue.

The Miyako Odori has been performed every year since 1872, with the exception of 6 years during wartime and 2 years during the COVID-19 pandemic, and its 150^th performance was held in 2024. It is a grueling event in that a different program is presented each year, and hour-long performances are held three times a day for 30 consecutive days. Each year, this event is becoming more and more popular, with tickets mostly selling out every year.

With the invigorating cheer of “Miyako Odori wa yo-i-yasa-!” geiko and maiko in dance costumes begin their group performance, followed by classic performances and depictions of the beauty of each season. On a stage covered in cherry blossoms, imbuing us with a sense of spring, the finale, performed by all geiko and maiko, is simply breathtaking.

Hanami-Koji Street, which leads to the Gion Kobu Kaburenjo Theater, is magnificently decorated for the month of the Miyako Odori, transforming the atmosphere of the Kagai district. Posters announcing the annual Miyako Odori which depict a maiko is equally captivating.

Everyone, from adorable, recently debuted teenage maiko, to their older geiko sisters, appears on stage and performs this dance. It is truly impressive to watch this performance, with each and every one of them concealing their individuality and staying true to the traditional style. Their roles may vary depending on the day. A maiko may be a tachikata performer one day and perform a mai dance, then be a traditional ohayashi orchestra performer on another day, and play her practiced instrument such as the flute, taiko drum, hand drum or hand bell. Everyone plays several roles throughout the Miyako Odori period, embodying the depth of this unique performing art.

Customers and patrons of ochaya tea houses come in droves to see the Miyako Odori. Because the geiko and maiko are divided into several groups, and the program has different cast members depending on the performance, patrons must come to several performances to see their favorite geiko and maiko on stage. After the performance, patrons rush backstage to greet their favorite geiko or maiko, and hand them a congratulatory gift. They wish them a smooth completion of all performances, and to be able to celebrate the wrap-up of this unique spring tradition.

It’s easy to imagine a maiko in a colorful kimono with a long darari-no-obi sash, okobo platform sandals, and her hair tied in a traditional coiffure.

But what about a geiko?

When a maiko reaches her early twenties, she graduates from being a maiko and her title changes to geiko. There are also a differences in her appearance. She now wears a kazura wig instead of coiffing her own hair, and she no longer wears the long darari-no-obi sash.

So, what is her role? What exactly does a geiko do?

After completing her apprenticeship at the okiya lodging house where she was groomed into a maiko, she officially becomes independent. Her life then changes drastically. Instead of living at the okiya, she lives on her own and does everything herself. When a geiko becomes independent, she becomes self-employed.

A geiko mainly works at ozashiki banquets entertaining customers who became her patrons when she was a maiko. An ochaya tea house, where geiko and maiko entertain, or an okiya lodging house becomes her manager, and manages her schedule and appointments. In other words, the ochaya tea house or okiya lodging house performs secretarial services for the geiko.

A geiko’s principle role is to perform mai dances. In one evening, a geiko will go from one ozashiki banquet to the next, performing mai dances. Of course, her role involves serving alcohol at the ozashiki banquet. She also animates the party and entertains the participants. But her first and foremost role is to perform mai dances.

There are two types of roles as a geisha. Tachikata performers dance the traditional mai dance or play the flute and percussion such as taiko drums, while jikata performers sing or play the three-stringed shamisen lute. While both are essential to an ozashiki banquet, tachikata performers who dance the traditional mai dance, and jikata performers who play the shamisen lute are indispensable to a party. Although the proprietress of the ochaya tea house usually determines the mai dance program according to the purpose of the party, geiko and jikata performers may also select the performance for an ozashiki banquet, such as a seasonal dance or a celebratory dance for an auspicious occasion.

Such knowledge cannot be attained overnight and requires many years of training as a maiko. Even after graduating from being a maiko, a geiko continues to attend daily lessons, just as she did when she was a maiko. This shows the depth of the traditional performing arts.

After becoming a geiko, it takes time before you are a recognized as a full-fledged geiko. The next challenge for a geiko is to devote herself to her training to become a natori accredited master.

Geiko perform traditional mai dances in a glamorous and enchanting manner. At times, they take command of the party, and serve and entertain customers as professionals. And night after night, they captivate the Kagai world of geiko and maiko.

Nagauta is a form of classical music played by the three-stringed shamisen lute which developed alongside the Kabuki theater during the Edo period (1603–1867). From the beginning of the 18th century, Kabuki programs listed a musician’s place of origin as his title. For example, if a musician from Edo (now Tokyo) was performing a nagauta song, the musician’s title would be “Edo Nagauta.” During the Kyōhō period (1716-1736), musicians living in Edo began to perform nagauta songs, which became known simply as nagauta.

Nagauta became popular in the early Edo period and became increasingly diverse in style by incorporating interplay between the tokiwazu and kiyomoto styles, which originated from the bungō style, as well as the ōsatsuma style, eventually giving rise to the nagauta style performed in ozashiki banquets for entertaining customers outside the theater. Nagauta features both flamboyant, rhythmic sections suited to theatrical music, as well as mellow singing sections expressing visual scenes and emotional landscapes.

A thin-necked shamisen lute is used to perform nagauta songs in day-to-day ozashiki banquets, making it compulsory for a maiko planning to debut as a jikata performer (who sings and plays the shamisen lute) in the Gion Kobu quarter to learn nagauta. In recent years, there are more candidates with a variety of backgrounds aspiring to debut as a jikata performer in the Gion area, including those who entered the workforce after graduating from university with no prior shamisen experience, and those with experience playing the shamisen.

In the nagauta style, the singer and the shamisen lute player are usually separate roles. However, because jikata performers in the Gion Kobu quarter both sing and play the shamisen lute in ozashiki banquets, even those with shamisen experience initially struggle to sing while playing the shamisen lute.

In addition, songs considered by the Inoue School of Kyomai Dance to be kamigata (songs from the Kyoto-Osaka region) are also passed down by jikata performers. Even commonly known songs with the same title have lyrics and melodies that are unique to the Gion area. Those aspiring to debut as a jikata performer are required to take a variety of lessons. In addition to nagauta, they must take lessons in the tokiwazu and kiyomoto styles of narrative music, as well as lessons in jiuta and kouta ballads (which are accompanied by a shamisen lute), which is no easy feat.

The subayashi style of nagauta is performed at the Onshukai public dance performance held every autumn, where the dance is excluded and only singing, the shamisen lute and percussion (taiko drums, large ozutsumi hand drums, small kozutsumi hand drums and flutes) are performed, allowing the audience to concentrate on the singing and the shamisen lute. But unlike in Western music, there is no conductor, so the stage is filled with a tension that is unique to Japanese music.

Kouta ballads are songs played by the shamisen lute which are relatively short in duration.

In Edo (now Tokyo) during the late Edo period (1603–1867), songs from Osaka and Kyoto, as well as folk songs from other regions, were all referred to as hauta (※1). Most hauta composers were unknown, but two new styles, called utazawa (※2), which are hauta songs that are sung elegantly and slowly, and kouta, which are hauta songs performed at a fast tempo that became popular somewhat later than utazawa.

The founder of the kouta ballad, Oyō Kiyomoto (1840-1901), performed Chiruru-wa-Uki for the first time in 1855, which became popular and subsequently defined the foundation of the kouta style. Oyō Kiyomoto was the daughter of the second Kiyomoto master, Dayu Enju, and wife of the fourth Kiyomoto master, Dayu Enju (each generation took on the same name).

The technique of incorporating the hauta style into the bungo style of jōruri narrative music (which includes the tokiwazu, tomimoto and kiyomoto styles) was used to enhance the emotional tone. As the kiyomoto style developed closer ties with Kabuki theater, kiyomoto composers began to set the tunes to a light melody, which naturally resulted in a hauta style with a kiyomoto flavor, which in turn led to the development of the modern kouta ballad.

In the Meiji period (1868-1912), the number of kouta ballad enthusiasts also increased in the Kagai district, and from the end of the Taisho period (1912-1926), Sōshian Yoshida (1875-1946), who also went by the name Kikunosuke Kiyomoto, devoted himself to composing kouta ballads and wrote theatrical kouta plays which were kouta adaptations of famous Kabuki plays.

Kouta ballads also spread to the world of traditional dance as choreography was created for kouta ballads. In the early Showa period (1926–1989), geiko all over Japan began releasing records one after another, garnering national fame. And with the establishment of commercial television and radio stations, its popularity became such that it was called a kouta boom.

The distinct feature of kouta ballads is that both the singing and the shamisen lute evade upbeat sounds and instead carry subdued tones with a quick, light tempo. Usually, fingernails are used to play the shamisen lute, but when played as accompaniment for a dance at a banquet, a plectrum is used.

At the Yasaka Nyokoba Gakuen School, students practice kouta ballads in the kasuga style, which was founded in 1928 by Toyo Kasuga (1881-1962), who later became the kouta instructor at the Yasaka Nyokoba Gakuen School.

The kouta repertoire of the Inoue School of Kyomai Dance includes songs composed by Toyo Kasuga, such as Umegawa, Osono, Osome and Umeichirin. In particular, Kasuga Sanbasō is performed on celebratory occasions.

1. Short shamisen songs that originated in Kyoto and Osaka and were popular in Edo (now Tokyo) during the late Edo period.
2. Slow songs played on the shamisen lute. A style that was developed in Edo at the end of the Edo period.

Jiuta ballads were first established at the end of the 16th century as music played by the shamisen lute. Since then, these ballads have been composed and passed down by visually challenged musicians such as kengyo (highest-ranking, visually challenged court officials) and kōtō (visually challenged officials) in the Osaka-Kyoto region, particularly in Kyoto.

Jiuta ballads are mainly performed in ozashiki banquets, with the musician singing while she plays the shamisen lute. Unlike in nagauta classical music and the jōruri style of narrative music accompanied by the shamisen lute, which developed as theater music, the singing and shamisen lute are performed by one person in jiuta ballads. Sometimes instruments such as the koto harp, kokyū fiddle or shakuhachi bamboo flute are also played. However, it is rare to hear the shakuhachi bamboo flute in the Gion area; instead, the flute is usually paired with the shamisen lute.

At the Jiuta Ballad Department of the Yasaka Nyokoba Gakuen School, lessons are also offered for the koto harp and kokyu fiddle, and students practice every day to improve their skills. A wide range of students take koto harp lessons, including maiko who play the koto harp for the first time, geiko interested in learning the instrument, and those already acquainted with jiuta ballads before coming to the Gion area who wish to further their studies. And not only jikata performers (who sing and play the shamisen lute) take koto harp lessons; tachikata performers who mainly dance also attend these lessons.

The most prominent feature of jiuta music in the Gion Kobu quarter is that it is performed on a yanagawa shamisen lute instead of the commonly used jiuta shamisen lute (shamisen lute with a medium-sized neck). The yanagawa shamisen lute, also known as the kyoshamisen (Kyoto shamisen) lute, retains the oldest form of the instrument, with a neck that is even thinner than the thin-necked shamisen lute used in nagauta classical music, along with the most ancient type of plectrum called a kyobachi. Its tone is low and deep, with each note resonating richly throughout the ozashiki banquet. Offering a musical flavor that is unimaginable from its delicate appearance, the yanagawa shamisen lute is unlike any other shamisen lute.

Because the Inoue School of Kyomai Dance took root in the Gion Kobu quarter, the yanagawa shamisen lute was also passed down among the jikata performers. Among the jiuta ballads are songs such as Kurokami, performed by a maiko at her erikae ritual when she becomes a geiko, and Yamatobumi, performed at the opening ceremony of the Yasaka Nyokoba Gakuen School. There are also jiuta ballads composed by extraordinary masters for Kyomai dances performed by maiko and geiko in the Gion Kobu quarter, such as Gio Gijo by Seikin Tomiyama and Momotose by Seigin Hagiwara. Toribeyama and other jiuta ballads that nearly disappeared from the repertoire of ordinary jiuta performers have been preserved in the Gion Kobu quarter.

Jikata performers in the Gion Kobu quarter continue to transmit these unrivalled jiuta ballads using ancient instruments, as well as mai dances that accompany jiuta ballads, which are rare even within the Inoue School of Kyomai Dance. Both are deeply intertwined and have been passed down to the current generation.

Tokiwazu is one of the bungo styles of jōruri narrative music derived from the bungo style (※1) following its popularity during the early Edo period (1603–1867). Many jōruri (*2) narrative songs, including the kiyomoto style, were derived from the bungo style.

 The popularity of the bungo style took Edo (now Tokyo) by storm. The songs were so melancholic and incendiary that the bungo style was banned in 1731 for inciting double suicides among lovers and corrupting public morals. Following the ban, Bungo-no-Jō Miyakoji (?-1740) returned to Kyoto, but his adopted son Mojitayu Miyakoji (1709-1781), who remained in Edo, added his own flavor to the bungo style and established his own style of music in 1747 under the name Mojitayu Tokiwazu. Although tokiwazu was a type of jōruri that developed in Edo, its founder, Mojitayu Tokiwazu I, was born in Kyoto. Hence, this style of music is closely linked to Kyoto.

In the beginning, the influence of the bungo style remained strong, and most songs depicted contemporary life in Edo, such as couples eloping. But gradually, they evolved into dynamic, large-scale songs that were perfect as accompaniment for Kabuki theater plays. The tunes inherit the merits of the bungo style, graphically and meticulously expressing the emotional landscape of lovers with beautiful voices, while keeping the rhythm and tempo relatively constant to suit the movements used in Kabuki dance dramas. Solemn tunes were written to accompany historic pieces about the samurai class and court nobles, while emotionally rich tunes were written for stories about contemporary life in Edo.

The tokiwazu style of narrative music is suited as an accompaniment to traditional dance because it conveys the characters’ lines and emotions in a natural way, and there is a good balance between the singing and the narrative parts within a song.

When performing the tokiwazu style of narrative music, the roles are divided between the tayu who performs the jōruri narration and the shamisen lute player. As the vocalization by the tayu performing the jōruri narration is not very technical, it can be done effortlessly. In contrast, the shamisen lute player produces a solemn tone. There are songs that depict a scene from a play, songs that developed as an accompaniment to traditional dance, and songs for celebratory occasions.

At the Yasaka Nyokoba Gakuen School, students practice the tokiwazu style of narrative music.

Although they are rarely performed at ozashiki banquets in the Gion Kobu quarter, tokiwazu songs are performed at the Onshukai public dance performance held every autumn.

In the Inoue School of Kyomai Dance, Genta Ebira and Modori Kago were passed down as Edo songs. Today, these songs are performed in the tokiwazu style, but there are several differences from the songs that are commonly known. These valuable songs are passed down by jikata performers who sing tokiwazu songs while playing the shamisen lute.

1. The jōruri style of narrative music was born from the lineage of musical master Bungo-no-Jō Miyakōji. Today, the tokiwazu, tomimoto, shinnai, miyazono and kiyomoto styles remain.
2. A type of narrative music originating from heikyoku songs (in which the singer delivers a narrative text) and Noh songs. Named after the play, The Story of Jōruri, which became popular at the end of the Muromachi period (1394–1569).

The tomimoto style was derived from the tokiwazu style of music. The second generation master of the tomimoto style, Itsukidayu, parted from the tomimoto style and established his own style of music in 1814, which he called the kiyomoto style, becoming its first master under the new name Enjudayu Kiyomoto (1777-1825).

Among the various types of the bungo style of jōruri narrative music (※1) that arose from the bungo style popularized during the early Edo period (1603–1867), kiyomoto was born in the late Edo period and is the newest style of jōruri narrative music (※2). It features many decorative techniques in vocalization and intonation, offering variety and splendor to the music. Like the tokiwazu style, a shamisen lute with a medium-sized neck is used in the kiyomoto style, producing a rich sound that is charming and soft. But because the emphasis is on the narrative aspect of the music, the shamisen lute is somewhat subdued. The tone of the songs features a broad range of expression with varying tempo and volume, and the songs are characterized by their witty, stylish tunes that are both flashy and sensual.

With tempos fluctuating within a song and the melody offers decorative variations, kiyomoto is considered to be the most stylish and technical of all the bungo styles of jōruri narrative music. Compared to the tokiwazu style which developed as music for the Kabuki theater, the majority of kiyomoto songs were originally intended to be performed without dancing. Today, they have been choreographed and are performed by many traditional dance schools.

When kiyomoto songs are performed, the roles are divided between the tayu who performs the jōruri narration, and the shamisen lute player who accompanies the jōruri narration. The shamisen lute naturally accentuates the high-pitched, sustained notes and narration of the jōruri, while producing a delicate sound with exquisite timing to draw out the expression of the inner landscape.

At the Yasaka Nyokoba Gakuen School, students practice the kiyomoto style of narrative music.

Although kiyomoto songs are rarely performed at ozashiki banquets in the Gion Kobu quarter, they are performed at the Onshukai public dance performance which is held every autumn.

1. The jōruri style of narrative music was born from the lineage of musical master Bungo-no-Jō Miyakoji. Today, the tokiwazu, tomimoto, shinnai, miyazono and kiyomoto styles remain.
2. A type of narrative music originating from heikyoku songs (in which the singer delivers a narrative text) and Noh songs. Named after the play, The Story of Jōruri, which became popular at the end of the Muromachi period (1394–1569).

In the Gion Kobu quarter, performers are divided into two groups: tachikata performers who dance, and jikata performers who sing and play the shamisen lute. Although maiko and geiko who are tachikata performers do not sing or play the shamisen lute in ozashiki banquets, shamisen lute lessons are mandatory for maiko once they have made their debut in the Gion Kobu quarter.

 To deepen their understanding of the mai dance, they learn to play the shamisen lute, which provides the accompanying music for their dance. As a maiko, great emphasis is placed on mai dancing, so they begin taking mai dancing lessons before their debut as a maiko. And after their debut, they take a variety of other lessons at the Yasaka Nyokoba Gakuen School.

 The shamisen lute is an instrument that is played by plucking its three strings with a plectrum. When a student is not accustomed to the weight of the shamisen lute, she gradually lowers the tenjin (※1), making it difficult to maintain good posture while holding the shamisen lute. And when attempting to play one string, her plectrum may hit the other strings. Hence, much effort is required to be able to produce the desired sound. Students especially struggle to master the positions on the fingerboard.

 At the summer yukata party, students demonstrate the results of their training. In preparation for the summer yukata party, they memorize the shamisen score in between their daily lessons. Memorizing the score is very difficult. The harder the student tries to memorize it, the more anxious she becomes. And when she attempts to memorize the next segment, she loses confidence because she is afraid that she has forgotten the first segment. This is the most excruciating task. Students never perform alone, only with their peers or older sisters. As such, they may have to perform for the first time with anxiety and nervousness about making a mistake. By experiencing the summer yukata party and recitals numerous times, students practice repeatedly and gradually progress to more difficult songs, which help them build their confidence and carry them into the following year.

1. The top section of the shamisen lute.

The Inoue School of Kyomai Dance teaches kamigata mai (※1), a dance style that developed in the Kyoto-Osaka region.

As part of their training, junior apprentices aspiring to become maikos live in okiya lodging houses. After a while, they are allowed to take mai dance lessons. To debut as a maiko in the Gion Kobu quarter, it is essential for them to take lessons in kyomai (Kyoto style of mai dancing).

In their first lesson, they learn how to bow, then begin learning the Kadomatsu dance which is performed in celebration of the New Year. They learn the most fundamental elements of the Inoue School of Kyomai Dance, including basic movements such as lowering their oido (Kyoto accent for “buttocks”), stepping a foot forward and retracting it, opening and pointing an ōgi folding fan, how to hande an ōgi and keeping rhythm.

Everything they do, they experience for the first time: their first kimono, their first lesson…As they continue their lessons and become more familiar with everything, they learn songs such as Matsuzukushi, Na-no-Ha, Shichi Fukujin, Yanagi Yanagi, Yottsu-no-Sode and Kurokami. As the day of their maiko debut approaches, they progress to songs that are performed in ozashiki banquets, such as Gion Kouta and Kyoto-no-Shiki.

At the Miyako Odori Dance Performance in the spring, they wear matching costumes and experience dancing with all the maiko and geiko in the Gion Kobu quarter, learning how to synchronize their breath with their older sisters. They also learn classical songs from the Inoue School of Kyomai Dance, which they perform at the Onshukai public dance performance in the autumn.

As the years go by, there are more opportunities to perform, including Matsuzukushi at the Yasaka Shrine Spring Festival, the Suzume Odori performed after the Gion Festival Hanagasa Procession in dedication to the deities, and the Miyako-no-Nigiwai, a joint performance by the five Kagai districts in Kyoto.

Outside of the lessons for the Miyako Odori Dance Performance and Onshukai public dance performance, maiko mainly practice seasonal songs performed in ozashiki banquets. Once they become a geiko, their repertoire changes to suit their individual level of proficiency.

Eventually, with permission from the Head of the Inoue School of Kyomai Dance, she becomes a natori master and is allowed to take the Inoue surname. As a geiko with the title of natori master, she devotes herself to the endless path of the arts.

1. A dance that originated in the Kamigata region of Kyoto and Osaka.

In the Flute Department of the Yasaka Nyokoba Gakuen School, students practice the shinobue and nohkan bamboo flutes.

Because Japanese flutes do not have a simple structure, they do not produce a sound if you simply blow into it. Hence, students first learn to play the shinobue flute. The first difficulty students encounter is learning to produce a sound. Although a big breath is required to produce a sound, simply blowing with force does not produce a sound. With continued practice, students gradually learn how to produce a sound. They eventually learn to play the instrument freely, but must put in a lot of effort to attain such a level.

Nohkan is a transverse bamboo flute primarily used in Noh theater. Characterized by a high-pitched heeee sound called hishigi, which is particularly difficult to produce, the nohkan bamboo flute is one of the more difficult instruments to master among those played by geiko and maiko. Because of its unique structure, it is not possible to play the Western do re mi scale. Instead, it has a special scale, which creates a unique sense of tension. Although flute lessons can sometimes seem strict, there is a certain richness in the high-level of tension found in the sound of the flute.

In the Gion Kobu quarter, the repertoire of the Inoue School of Kyomai Dance is mainly influenced by nohgaku classical drama. As such, the nohkan bamboo flute is often used as the accompaniment for hongyōmono (plays influenced by Noh theater). And occasionally, it is performed in the form of icchō ikkan (plays performed only with an instrument such as a small kozutsumi hand drum and a flute).

While the nohkan bamboo flute does not require changing instruments, the shinobue bamboo flute must match the pitch of the shamisen lute. As such, shinobue bamboo flutes of different lengths and tones are prepared, and a different flute is used for each performance. The tone of the shinobue bamboo flute is soft and clear, lyrical yet flexible and powerful.

In ozashiki banquets, the shinobue bamboo flute is sometimes performed as the oyahashi beat for mai dancing. At other times, it is performed as subayashi, when music is played with any dancing. The shinobue bamboo flute is always performed at the Miyako Odori Dance Performance held every spring.

With a history spanning more than 600 years, nohgaku is the oldest form of dance and music theater in Japan, an art perfected by the father-son duo Kan’ami (1333-1384) and Zeami (1363-1443) during the Muromachi period (1394–1569).

In the Nohgaku Classical Drama Department, students practice the kanze style of shimai, in which a single scene from a song in a Noh theater play featuring a certain movement, such as kuse (*1) or kiri (*2), is performed. The Inoue School of Kyomai Dance in the Gion Kobu quarter has deep ties with nohgaku classical drama, with many of the plays being influenced by the Noh theater and incorporate its movements.

In the Nohgaku Classical Drama Department, students practice shimai, where they learn basic stances, forms and footwork from the Noh theater, such as the kamae stance (standing while tensing the lower half of the body and tucking in the chin) and the hakobi movement (moving by sliding the soles of the feet along the floor without raising the heels). The first song they learn is Yuya, which incorporates basic forms and is suitable for beginners. Although at first glance, Noh movements may appear slow and monotonous, each form has meaning and expresses a unique worldview by combining movements.

Mai dances performed by geiko and maiko in ozashiki banquets are often memorized by reciting the shamisen melody. However, in nohgaku classical drama, emphasis is placed on komi – a moment of silence, a breath or a pause – to concentrate before transitioning to the next movement. In shimai lessons, students learn to count invisible intervals and practice so they can perform mai dances in ozashiki banquets with a heightened awareness of the singing and the shamisen lute played by the jikata performer.

At the Yasaka Nyokoba Gakuen School, lessons are offered in nohgaku classical drama. If a chimpanzee or dragon god character appears in the Miyako Odori Dance Performance held every spring, they wear Noh costumes, and the choreography is based on the unique movements of nohgaku, demonstrating the results of the students’ training.

1. The name of a module in a Noh play.
2. The final segment of a Noh play.

In geza music, which accompanies Kabuki theater performances, narimono refers to percussion instruments used to play the ohayashi beat.

 In the Gion Kobu quarter, geiko and maiko are categorized into tachikata performers, who dance traditional mai dances, and jikata performers who sing and play the shamisen lute. Although tachikata performers rarely have the opportunity to sing or play the shamisen lute at ozashiki banquets, they play the narimono percussion instruments. At the Miyako Odori Dance Performance held every April, an impressive number of geiko and maiko line the left passage that leads to the stage, playing the ohayashi beat with flutes, small kozutsumi hand drums, large ozutsumi hand drums, taiko drums and handbells that make a memorable kon-kon-chiki-chin, kon-chiki-chin sound.

 In the Narimono Percussion Department of the Yasaka Nyokoba Gakuen School, students practice playing small kozutsumi hand drums, large ozutsumi hand drums and taiko drums. Although they struggle at first, learning to play a musical instrument for the first time since their debut as a maiko, they choose their instrument based on their aptitude and preference, and continue practicing.

 The small kozutsumi hand drum is characterized by a soft pon sound. The leather is moistened to the appropriate level by breathing on its surface. The pitch and resonance can be changed by adjusting the hemp string using a technique called shirabe, and the tone changes depending on the striking position. The leather on the large ozutsumi hand drum is first dried with heat, then tightened using the shirabe technique, giving this instrument its characteristic high-pitched kan sound. Striking the taiko drum with two sticks produces a highly resonant ten sound. Striking its surface with the same strength to produce a consistent sound is difficult and requires mastery.

During ozashiki banquets, the subayashi and icchō ikkan styles are occasionally performed.

Subayashi refers to a style in which only music played by shamisen lute or the ohayashi beat is performed with no mai dancing. Although the simple subayashi style is rarely performed in an ozashiki banquet, it is always performed at the Onshukai public dance performance in the fall. The audience listens carefully to the shamisen lute and the ohayashi beat and enjoys focusing on the song and melody.

 Icchō ikkan refers to a style in which only the flute is played to the sound of a small kozutsumi hand drum, large ozutsumi hand drum or taiko drum. When performed in an ozashiki banquet, the narimono percussion is played one-on-one with the flute, creating a unique sense of tension and an opportunity to fully appreciate the mastery culivated by each performer.

In the Kadō Flower Arrangement Department, students take lessons in the ohara style of flower arrangement.

Ohara is one of the three main schools of flower arrangement in Japan, which was founded by Unshin Ohara (1861-1916). As the Western lifestyle became increasingly popular between the end of the Meiji period (1868-1912) and the beginning of the Taisho period (1912-1926), Ohara was quick to embrace the vividly colored Western flowers and incorporate them in flower arrangements. He conceived a unique style of arranging flowers at low height in a shallow bowl by using a kenzan needle-point holder, creating daring and powerfully realistic artwork as expressions of natural landscapes.

Prior to Ohara, flower arrangement was generally done in the rikka style, an ancient Japanese style used to arrange flowers for Buddhist ancestral altars. The ohara style of arranging flowers in a shallow container suited the increasingly Westernized lifestyle in Japan, with easily arranged flowers adding a splash of color to the interior decoration, and quickly became a common sight in homes.

In addition, whereas instructors had traditionally been male, the second generation master Kōun Ohara (1880-1938) was a visionary and actively trained female instructors, paving the path to modern flower arrangement. Following the third generation master Hōun Ohara and fourth generation master Natsuki Ohara, the fifth generation master Hiroki Ohara currently heads the Ohara School.

The Kadō Flower Arrangement Department in the Gion Kobu quarter was established in 1962. Ko Yoshii (1904-1995), wife of Isamu Yoshii (1886-1960), a poet who supported the Miyako Odori Dance Performance in the post-war years, served as the instructor, and her legacy lives on today during the ohara style lessons.

At the Yasaka Nyokoba Gakuen School, lessons are offered in kadō flower arrangement. Students with a wide range of experience participate in lessons, from maiko interested in flower arrangement to geiko who have been training for years, all striving to learn this art while enjoying each encounter with the flowers. The students’ artwork is exhibited during the Miyako Odori Dance Performance and the Onshukai public dance performance, adding bright hues to the venue.

Once a maiko marks her debut in the Gion Kobu quarter, tea ceremony lessons become mandatory.

In the Tea Ceremony Department, lessons are held in the Urasenke style, which was founded by Sen-no-Rikyu (1522-1591), a master who perfected the art of wabicha (*1). Ryūreishiki, a style of tea ceremony using chairs and tables, was invented at the end of the Edo period (1603–1867) by the 11th master of the Urasenke School, Gengensai (1810-1877), to host distinguished overseas guests who had difficulty sitting in the formal seiza style on tatami mats.

At the annual Miyako Odori Dance Performance in the spring, tea ceremonies are offered in the ryūreishiki style before the performance. Each day, a different geiko performs the tea ceremony, dressed in the formal attire of a black crested kimono with the lining of her collar turned down and her hair coiffed in the Kyoto Shimada style, while a maiko serves the tea bowls to guests. Although being on tea ceremony duty for the first time in front of many guests can be a stressful experience, the maiko carries each bowl with care, and the geiko performing the tea ceremony serves each bowl with all her heart. In their daily lessons, maiko and geiko practice with the tea ceremony at the Miyako Odori Dance Performance in mind. There are also rare occasions to perform tea ceremonies at the request of a client.

In the first lesson, they learn procedures such as folding and unfolding the fukusa silk wrap, purifying the natsume tea caddy and the chashaku teaspoon, and handling the hishaku ladle. They also acquire the proper mannerisms for every step of the tea cermony, gaining confidence as they learn each and every movement. As they gain experience in this art, their daily movements become increasingly graceful, their movements more deliberate and refined.

If they have older sisters or senior classmates, they will be served tea during the lesson while waiting for their turn to practice. During the tea ceremony, a traditional confection is eaten before drinking the tea. A different type of confection is served every day, so students look forward to attending the lesson.

1. In contrast to the more extravagant cha-no-yu tea ceremony, wabicha is a quiet, rustic style emphasizing the spirit of wabi simplicity.

In the Shodō Calligraphy Department, students practice writing characters carefully by copying an example, using a pen or calligraphy pen.

Despite the progress of digitalization, geiko and maiko still have ample opportunity to handwrite letters, such as thank-you letters, seasonal greetings and messages to accompany gifts to clients and proprietresses of ochaya tea houses where they entertain. In particular, as the annual spring Miyako Odori and autumn Onshukai public dance performance draw near, they wrap each program in rice paper and hand it to their patrons and ochaya proprietresses, with their name and the name of the addressee written by hand. Characters written with emotion convey feelings. Geiko and maiko express their gratitude by carefully writing each character, helping to deepen their connection. They equally enjoy choosing the perfect writing paper with seasonal designs or illustrations.

The shodō calligraphy teacher comes from Yasaka Shrine. The instructor learned calligraphy after he began working in the Gion area. Today, he leverages his experience to teach geiko and maiko the shodō calligraphy techniques he acquired.

In shodō calligraphy lessons, mindset is an important element. Students learn the importance of being mindful when deciding how they will draw a single line. What kind of line do they want to draw? How much pressure do they need to apply? How will they release the pressure of the brush? They learn that they cannot write beautiful characters unless they can calm their mind, regulate their breathing, maintain good posture and hold the brush correctly.

Looking back through their lesson notes, they know that they are improving each day, leading to the enjoyment of continuing their practice.