Tayu, Oiran and Geisha - women for entertainment / Cultural heritage / Babies. Dolls photo. Clothes for dolls

Category of high-ranking courtesans in Japanese history

Oiran

() was a special category of high-ranking courtesans in Japanese history.
Divided into several ranks within this category, oiran were considered - both from a social point of view and in terms of the entertainment they provided - above the common prostitute, known as yujo
(遊女) (lit. "woman of pleasure").[1 ] Although the Oiran were by definition also prostitutes, they were distinguished by their skills in the traditional arts, with the highest ranking Oiran having a degree of choice in the clients they attracted.[2] The term originated in Yoshiwara, the red light district of Edo in the 1750s, and applied to all ranks of high-level courtesans in historical Japan.[3]

Oiran services were known to be exclusive and expensive, and oiran usually only entertained the upper classes, earning the nickname 'keisei' (lit., "castle destroyer") for their supposed ability to steal hearts and match the wits of upper-class people. Many oiran became celebrities both inside and outside the entertainment district, and were commonly depicted in ukiyo-e woodblock prints and kabuki theatrical productions. Oiran were expected to be well versed in the traditional arts of singing, classical dance and music, including the ability to play the kokyu and koto, and were also expected to speak to clients at a high level and in formalized language.

Although considered a trendsetter and fashionista at the historical peak of her profession, this reputation was later usurped in the late 18th and 19th centuries. geisha, who became popular among the merchant classes for their simplified clothing, ability to play short modern songs known as kouta na shamisen, and their more fashionable expressions of modern femininity and friendships with men,[4] which reflected the tastes of the lower class but extremely wealthy classes merchants who made up the bulk of their patronage.

The popularity and number of oiran continued to decline steadily throughout the 19th century, before prostitution was outlawed in Japan in 1957. However, oiran remaining in the Kyoto Shimabara District were allowed to continue to practice the cultural and performing arts traditions of oiran, and were declared a "special variety" of geisha .[5] Currently, a handful of oiran reenactors who do not engage in prostitution as part of their role in reenactment continue to perform in Kyoto, along with a number of reenactors in other parts of Japan who perform reenactments of courtesan parades known as oiran douchu.[6][7]

Content

1 Etymology
2 Traditions 2.1 Traditional art
2.2 Names
2.3 Appearance
2.4 Ranks

3 History

3.1 Rise to fame

3.2 Reject

3.3 Competition with a geisha

3.4 Later years (1850-1957)

4 Modern oiran

4.1 Courtesan parade

5 See also

6 Notes

7 Recommendations

8 further reading

9 external link

Traditions

Traditional art

Compared to the yujo, whose main attraction was the sexual services they offered, the oiran were primarily entertainers. To become an oiran, a woman first had to be taught a number of skills from a relatively early age, including chado (Japanese tea ceremony), ikebana (flower arranging) and calligraphy. Oiran also learned to play the koto, shakuhachi, tsuzumi (hand drum), shamisen and kokyu.[9] Oiran clients are expected to be a good reader, able to speak and write with wit and elegance, and to be able to match their intelligence in conversation.[10][3]

Names

In the pleasure quarters, oiran prestige was based on her beauty, character, education, and artistic ability,[11] which was reflected in the number of ranks falling into the "oiran" category. An oiran, unlike geisha or common prostitutes, the brothel owner could promote or demote them and usually inherited the generation name ( "myōseki"

(名跡)) when promoted to a higher rank; these names, belonging exclusively to the owner of the brothel, usually carried the prestige of the person who previously owned it, and the owners of the brothels usually chose to inherit only those who had a similar appearance and reputation. Myōseki were written in kanji, and were typically more complex than the average woman's name of the time, having meanings drawn from poetry, literary history, and nature; Myōseki rarely transferred from one oiran directly to their student.[12]

an oiran is not considered high-ranking or qualified enough to have an inherited name, but will instead use a professional name that is considered elegant enough to be the name of a courtesan; these were usually aliases used either to protect identity or to promote a brothel image, and were probably slightly more complex than the average woman's name. These names, along with the names of both Kamuro and Shinzo (the courtesan's tutor and student respectively), were written in hiragana.[3][13]

Appearance

The appearance of the oiran was markedly different from both the geisha and the average woman, reflecting the tastes and expectations of their upper-class clients; the heyday of their profession in the early Edo period, oiran wore over eight large kanzashi (hairpins), usually made of tortoiseshell, silver, gold and precious stones, in their large, elaborate and heavily waxed hairstyles; these hairstyles, all with different names and meanings, were used to represent different ranks, seasons and occasions.

An oiran outfit consisted of several multi-layered kimonos; the outermost kimono was usually a richly decorated satin silk or silk brocade garment known as an uchikake, which would have a padded hem. It could be worn without a belt over the lower kimono, which was patterned only along the hem, and was fastened with a belted belt. The obi is tied at the front. During the Edo period, this obi became wider and stiffer, adding weight and discomfort.

When in parade or other marching gear, the oiran wore the Koma geta, a three-pronged paulownia wooden clog 20 cm (7.9 in) high. Although they are lightweight for their size, they will not allow oiran from anything other than small, slow steps when walking; oiran will thus enter Koma geta with a sliding, figure 8 ("suri-ashi") step with two servants (known as "wakaimono") assisting her. Oiran did not wear tabi socks at all; the bare foot was considered an element of eroticism in her outfit. In general, the formal dress attire worn by the oiran could weigh over 20 kg (44 lb), often reaching 30 kg (66 lb), [note 1] and would require a lot of help to put on.

Ranks

The highest rank of a courtesan was thai

(太夫) followed by
koshi
(格子).[15][16] Unlike courtesans of lower status, the tayu had enough authority to refuse clients.[17] Their high status also made tayu services very expensive - and the tayu payment for one evening was between ryo and one ryo hours, three bu, which significantly exceeds the monthly salary of a worker and is comparable to the annual salary of a salesperson.[18]

Although many courtesans may have been registered in one area, very few achieved this state of affairs; a guidebook published in 1688 listed the modern number of high-ranking courtesans compared to all courtesans listed in one area:[19]

13 taiyu were registered in Shimabara out of 329 registered courtesans
7 taiyu were registered in Shinmachi out of 983 registered courtesans
3 taiyu were registered in Osaka and Yoshiwara out of 2,790 registered courtesans

And Yoshiwara's guidebook published in 1792 listed six surviving ranks of oiran, including taya and koshi, which had been dormant, without courtesans in these roles, for 30 years at the time of the guidebook's publication:[3]

I melt
Mow
Yobidashi Tsukemawarashi
Sancha
Tsukemawarashi
Zashikimochi

In 1761, the last tayu of Yoshiwara retired, marking the end of tayu and koshi's place in this pleasure quarter, although both tayu and koshi continued to work in Kyoto and Osaka.[3] The word "oiran" therefore appeared in Yoshiwara as a polite address for any remaining female courtesan.[20]

Traditions of sexuality: geisha, yujo, oiran, tayu

The sexual attractiveness of a woman has always found the opportunity to be expressed in the cultural traditions and art of any nation, but, perhaps, it was in Japan that this combination was realized most harmoniously and in some very special way.

Since ancient times, very special women have appeared in the Land of the Rising Sun in terms of their occupations and social status.
A geisha (芸者 geisha, meaning “expert”) is an educated woman who entertains her client-guests by dancing, singing, leading a tea ceremony, talking on any topic, dressed in a kimono, wearing traditional makeup and hairstyle, who does not sleep with clients for money. But there are also yujo - the so-called “women for pleasure”. Let's find out how they differ from geishas.

Geisha is a symbol of Japanese cultural traditions.

Yujo (遊女, literally "pleasure woman") is the collective name for Japanese prostitutes and courtesans (not geishas) who existed throughout Japanese history. Yujos not only sold their bodies, but also entertained clients with traditional arts.

Oiran (花魁, short for "my older sister") is a type of prostitute in Japan. Oiran were one of the yujo - “women of pleasure.” However, oiran were distinct from yujo in that they not only performed sexual functions, but also entertained clients in more subtle ways. Many Oirans were stars of their time, famous far beyond the gay neighborhoods. They became trendsetters, their art of dancing and playing musical instruments was described in legends. Therefore, the Oiran culture is preserved today.

Tayu (太夫, literally “dafu”, official in China) is the highest rank of expensive Japanese prostitutes (close to them are oiran). Tayu received rank only if strict criteria of fame were met. It meant that the owner had extraordinary talents and an excellent education. Only Tayu had the right to refuse sex to a client if he did not suit her.

How to distinguish taya and oiran from geisha?

There were many strictly observed differences in the clothing and hairstyle of geisha and Japanese high-class courtesans, Tayu and Oiran. Let's figure out how not to confuse a geisha with a courtesan.

CLOTHING The difference in costume between tayu and geisha is a reflection of two initially opposing traditions: aristocratic and merchant. Since the merchant did not create anything, in Japanese society, whose ideology was Shintoism, merchants, no matter how rich they were, stood below the artisan and significantly below the peasant. And although merchants overcame the bans on silk kimonos and decorating them with gold, the original merchant tradition of decorating kimonos with painting survived into the twentieth century. At the same time, aristocratic clothes were covered with woven patterns.

This point should be especially emphasized: plain fabrics with or without a pattern are still a sign of very high status, and a kimono covered with painting was initially the lot not of the poor, but of people of low rank, regardless of material wealth. In this regard, geisha kimonos, no matter how high their profession is in status, will always be covered with painting. Highly artistic, with gold trim, but only painted!

The same applies to oirans. But modern tayu robes can be embroidered or woven, since they are associated with the aristocratic tradition.

Tayu differ from geisha in that they tie a gold-embroidered belt in front, and not in the back, like geisha.

The geisha belt knot is tied at the back with a complex knot, and without outside help it is impossible to untie it, much less tie it. The tayu has a belt in the front, not because, as some suggest, it is easier to untie it, but because married women dressed this way, and yujo was a “one-night stand.”

The tayu belt is tied more compactly and is not decorated with anything on top. Among the Oirans, the belt most often hangs with a long “tongue” and is often hung with silk ropes on top.

Another difference between tayu and geisha is their richer clothing (an embroidered uchikake cape is worn on top of the kimono). Immediately under the utikake of the tayu, a monotonous (usually scarlet, but also other colors) kimono with an embroidered collar is clearly visible. Among the Oirans, the kimono is painted and embroidered with any colors (this does not apply to the lower kimono - juban, which is bright scarlet for all of them).

HAIRSTYLE Tayu's hairstyles correspond to the hairstyles of maikos, but in Tayu they are more decorated. In particular, eight kanzashi pins are inserted into the front bun of the hairstyle. I have three combs in my hair, but geishas have only one. Oiran hairstyles have more tortoiseshell pins that stick out on all sides, especially a lot in the back and placed vertically. In Tayu, the lion's share of the composition on the head is occupied by a wide comb with flowers and the so-called “bira-kanzashi” - hairpins with long pendants.

MAKEUP Tay, like geishas, whitens her face and also blackens her teeth. On the back of the neck, the thaya traditionally has three unpainted stripes in whitewash. Oirans have either two such stripes, or they are monotonously smeared right under the hairline. This, by the way, is a clear indicator that the status of the Tayu is higher than that of the Oiran. Interestingly, geishas have three stripes when they are wearing festive makeup, but usually these are two short stripes.

FOOTWEAR Tayu and oiran shoes are very tall wooden geta sandals with three “legs” called sambonasi. They are worn on bare feet. Geisha wear tabi with socks.

They explain why I wear barefoot shoes this way: “In this way we show respect for the client. Tayu is a very high rank and clients, especially beginners, get confused when they see a tayu.

Therefore, no matter how magnificent the costume is, I always melt barefoot, in order to put myself a little lower in front of the client.”

It is impossible not to notice how the culture of Japanese courtesans, emerging from such a base area as corrupt sex, rose to true aesthetics and created such a refined and refined aspect of Japanese tradition as the world of the geisha, and the even more refined culture of Tayu.

Story

Picture of Oiran in 1917

Rise to Fame

The oiran profession arose in the early Edo period (1600–1868), following the introduction of laws limiting brothels to limited entertainment districts known as Yukaku

(遊廓 / 遊郭, lit., "playground") around 1600, sometimes limiting brothels to literally walled-in neighborhoods.[4]:59 These neighborhoods were often located some distance from the center of the annexed town or city, and the legal status and the location of these areas changed several times during the following centuries; sometimes some of them were closed and their residents were sent to live or work in another, larger red light district.

The three areas most famous historically were Shimabara in Kyoto (where geisha also lived until the 1970s),[21] Shinmachi in Osaka, and Yoshiwara in Edo (today Tokyo). Over time, these areas quickly grew into large and self-contained areas containing many different forms of entertainment other than prostitution, including performances and festivals. Geisha, whose profession originated in the late 18th century, also sometimes worked in these areas, as decrees were issued at various times prohibiting them from working outside of officially designated red light areas.

Reject

Because of their isolation and inability to leave the pleasure districts[4]:59, the Oiran became increasingly traditional, outdated, and ritualized, moving further and further away from popular society and limited by their own strict rules of etiquette, behavior, and speech. This, coupled with their relative financial inaccessibility to most people, created an entertainment vacuum for the rising merchant classes, whose relatively high wealth and relatively low social status prevented them from hiring oiran,[2]:18 this led to the decision to patronize the much more accessible and less expensive geishas.

Over time, the Oiran also lost their celebrity status in society and came to be seen in part less as highly cultured courtesans, reflecting formal, high-class standards of speech and appearance, and more as caged women, unable to leave the entertainment districts and chained to debts they owed to their brothel.[22] The preservation of the oiran's appearance also did not reflect changes in fashion - as the geisha profession developed and became increasingly popular, authorities sought to suppress the rich and opulent tastes of merchants, leading to a series of decrees that changed the popular aesthetic and led to the emergence of a restrained and cultural aesthetics such as iki, which the Oiran categorically did not reflect or resemble.

Likewise, the entertainment that the oiran offered remained largely unchanged from previous generations of courtesans. Although the oiran played the shamisen, they did not play the popular and modern tunes written for it, but instead stuck to longer ballads such as the nagauta, which had refined but restrained lyrical content.[4]:59,259 This was in contrast to the kouta (lit. . "short songs") were favorite songs of geishas, the lyrical content of which was often sincere and heartfelt.[23]

Competition with a geisha

During those years when oiran fell into decline, the geisha profession was born and became increasingly powerful, contributing partly, if not most, to this decline.

Officially, geisha were considered the entertainment of a relatively lower class, and as such did not enjoy the patronage of the upper classes, which were officially expected to patronize them. oiran instead; However, during the Edo period, geisha came to embody the tastes of the merchant class, whose low social status and high financial freedom freed them from the social obligations of maintaining the samurai family status to which upper-class men were usually obligated. .

As the merchant classes grew in wealth and extravagance throughout the Edo period, they became the main source of income for geisha, who represented social and financial inclusion in a way that the oiran did not. Geishas were cheap to patronize, could be spoken to informally, required several introductions before entertaining a client, and played and sang the most popular songs of the day. Through various dress edicts aimed at controlling the merchant classes and thus preserving the appearance and social status of the upper classes, extravagant or obvious displays of wealth were outlawed and driven underground, resulting in aesthetics such as iki in a popularity that geisha came to both represent and defend.

Although geisha also worked in the entertainment districts, oiran did—at times it was forbidden to work outside them—as the profession developed, laws were passed to separate the two professions. Over time, this ironically led to an exaggeration and exacerbation of the differences between geisha and oiran, increasing the popularity of the former and leading to the eventual destruction of the latter. Geisha were forbidden to dress in the elegant oiran manner, and they were not allowed to sleep with their clients. Geishas were registered in a separate registry office, and if an oiran accused a geisha of stealing a client, she would be fully investigated, and if found guilty, she could be banned from working.[4]:59

Although geisha and oiran were at least partially associated with their homes, geisha were not considered the same physical property that oiran were considered by their employers. Although the oiran could not leave their entertainment quarters and could, if not at the highest level, be forced to entertain those clients required of her by the head of her brothel, the geisha was allowed both to leave her homes and to choose which visitors she wanted To entertain, to the emergence of proverbs comparing Oiran loyalty to square eggs, the point is that nothing existed.[4] Although many geisha fell into debt or had at least some debt to their okiya, few found themselves in the same situation of financial dominance and ownership that the oiran were almost completely bound by.[4]:68

Later years (1850-1957)

Towards the end of the Edo Oiran period, the popularity of geisha continued to decline as the number and attractiveness of geisha increased. Back to the Beginning The Meiji Period Official attitudes toward legalized prostitution in Japan changed due to the country's increasing international presence. By the end of the 19th century, geisha replaced the oiran as entertainment and companion for the wealthiest in Japanese society, with the central appeal of the oiran increasingly removed from everyday life.

The Oiran continued to see clients in the old pleasure quarters, but were no longer at the forefront of fashion, and during the years of World War II, when any display of luxury was severely persecuted, the culture surrounding the Oiran suffered even more, receiving a final blow in 1957 . on the prevention of prostitution

— after some time, the profession of a courtesan, as before, sex services and all that, became illegal.

What is the difference between taiyu, geisha, oiran and yujo?~♡

遊女 yu:jo or asobime "woman of pleasure", in other words a prostitute.

Let's look at history to understand how this profession appeared.

The first brothel in Japan was established in 1193 in order to prevent desertion among soldiers. Basically, such activities were carried out in tea houses and baths.

During the Tokugawa dynasty, Shoji Jin'emon proposed separating the intimate life of the Japanese and placing it in a special quarter. This idea was implemented in 1617, when the first “fun quarter” of Yoshiwara was opened. This name took root so deeply that it later became a household word (the word was associated with all the “fun neighborhoods” in Japan). The quarter was well defended and surrounded by a moat and a high wall with a gate, making it almost impossible to escape. Girls could leave the block, but only with the escort of a police officer.

Modern Oiran

An oiran on parade wearing distinctive high-platform shoes
Tai continues to entertain in the same way as the geisha, but no longer offers sex as part of that entertainment. There are fewer than five tayu - compared to the three hundred geisha - remaining in modern Kyoto. The last remaining tayu house is located in Shimabara, which lost official Hanamachi status in the late 20th century.[24] However, some still recognize Shimabara as a "flower city", with the number and activities of Tayu slowly growing. The few remaining women who still practice the non-sexual art do so as a preservation of cultural heritage rather than as a profession or way of life.[25]

Courtesan Parade

The Bunsui Sakura Matsuri Oiran Dochu is an annual event held every April in Bunsui, Niigata Prefecture (now part of Tsubame City). The parade, which takes place in the spring, historically reenacts the walk that top courtesans take through their neighborhood in honor of their guests. The modern parade features three oiran in full traditional garb with approximately 70 attendants. The oiran, whose names are Shinano, Sakura, and Bunsui, walk with a characteristic slow gait wearing Koma geta. Due to the popularity of the event in Japan, organizers are often inundated with applications to participate in the parade as one of the three. oiran or as a servant. Dochu is a shortened form of oiran-dochu and is also known as Echigo no yume-dochu.

The Ōsu Street Performer Festival is an event held around Osu Kannon Shrine in Nagoya every year around the beginning of October. The highlight of this two-day festival is the slow procession of oirans through the Osu Kannon shopping arcade. Thousands of spectators these days throng the shopping streets to get close enough to photograph the oiran and their retinue of male bodyguards and retinue of disciples (young women in a distinctive red kimono, with white face paint and flowing long black hair, reminiscent of Shinto priestesses ).

An Oiran Dochu parade takes place in the Minamishinagawa district near Aomono-Yokocho, Shinagawa every September.[26]

WORLD OF JAPAN. Geisha. Flower Woman.

Geisha is a very difficult topic. Europeans, without really understanding what and how, throw everything together, confuse geisha, thaya, oiran, joro, and write all sorts of fables about geisha - either beautiful fairy tales, or, conversely, all sorts of horrors. As Rudyard Kipling wrote: “West is West and East is East, and they will never meet.” (With)
Former geisha Mineko Iwasaki, the highest paid geisha of all time, trashed Arthur Golden's bestseller Memoirs of a Geisha, believing that it completely distorted reality. She is outraged that Golden wrote that “Iwasaki sold her virginity for $720,000 as part of her mizuage.” PS. what is mizuage - a little further. there is such a ritual. In 2002, Mineko Isawaki published her own book, Geisha, A Life., in which she writes that geisha "are among the most financially successful and powerful women in Japan, and traditionally this has always been the case!", so they have no need to sell themselves . Interview with Mineko Iwasaki in English. language
Here
“A wife is for the home, a prostitute is for sex, a geisha is for the soul” (Japanese proverb)

The word geisha consists of two syllables: “gei” - art, “xia” - person, literally “a person of art”, “a person with skill”. The correct pronunciation is "geisha". Most Europeans do not understand that a geisha is not intended for sensual pleasures, but for the man next to her to feel his exclusivity. Europeans not only distorted the name of the profession, pronouncing it like a geisha, but also distorted the meaning, using it as a prostitute. This happened back during World War II, when some Japanese women gave themselves up to American soldiers, calling themselves geishas in order to attract interest and get more money. So both sides are to blame.

Europeans often confuse geisha with tayu and oiran. Tayu (in Kyoto) and oiran (in Tokyo) are the highest class prostitutes. They are as educated and skilled in craftsmanship as geishas, and in some types of arts they even surpass them. Like geishas, they studied with the best teachers of calligraphy, music and dance. But unlike geishas, they provided sexual services at the highest level, reserving the right to choose men themselves. The highest-ranking ones did not show their favor immediately, but only after several meetings.

To emphasize their inaccessibility and high price, the Tayu and Oiran created complex hairstyles, with dozens of hairpins and expensive jewelry, and put uchikake* on the kimono (a ceremonial cape, a mantle, for the richest, most noble and wealthy ladies, something like status outerwear. Edges sleeves reach almost to the floor or well below the knees. Currently used as a bride's wedding dress). Rank could be distinguished by the manner in which the belt was tied. Geisha's belt is tied at the back. For lower-ranking prostitutes, the belt is tied in front with a simple knot. Tayu and oiran have a complex heart-shaped knot in the front. There is a misconception that the Tayu and Oiran tied the belt in the front to make it easier to untie. This is wrong. They belong to the upper class, sometimes much higher than geishas, and the belt tied in front emphasizes that they are not supposed to do any work. The collar of a Tayu kimono is always slightly turned back on the right, showing an exciting red underside. Like geishas, they whiten their faces and blacken their teeth according to an ancient Japanese tradition. Tayu is distinguished by the abundance of yoshicho (forked flat hairpins) and the obligatory presence of gold in the uchikake cape. In their hair, they wear a coral pendant on four sides, with a coin or gold jewelry attached to each of them. Shoes - high black sandals with three sambonnasi heels, forcing you to walk in very small steps. PS Many tayu and oiran had a status much higher than geisha. Some managed to make a dizzying career. But! In 1957, prostitution was officially banned in Japan! Tayu switched to the art of geiko. The Oiran disappeared forever. Only the geisha remained.

This ancient sheet contains photographs of the most famous geishas of Tokyo at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries.

Kawakami Sadayakko (1871-1946) In the photo she is on the far right in the second row.

Geisha appeared in Japan as a unique cultural tradition, a phenomenon that has no analogues in the world. Geisha were intended to entertain high-ranking guests with interesting conversation, music and dance and were legally prohibited from providing sexual services for money. The fee received by a geisha was called “flower money”: the queen of tea ceremonies was entitled to money spent on the purchase of incense sticks burned during the guest’s stay in the tea house. At a time when Japanese women were given only two places in life - the home or the brothel, geisha paved the way to the wonderful “world of flowers and willows” and were able to take a high place on the social ladder. They not only gained the right to earn huge amounts of money, but also earned the honor, respect and admiration of the whole world in an attempt to equalize women and men in a country where yin and yang are equal only in the picture.

The main centers of development of geisha culture in the 17th century were Edo, Kyoto and Osaka. Initially, geisha were men , Kabuki actors and artists of the Yoshiwara quarter in Edo, they were called “hoken” - jesters. Samurai, who found communication with women unworthy, preferred to have an intellectual conversation over a cup of sake with representatives of the same sex. It was only in the 18th century that female geishas appeared, gradually replacing male geishas. The samurai liked to watch the smooth dances of snow-white moths performed by graceful beauties, and they began to be increasingly invited to tea ceremonies. The first female geisha descended from the geiko, who sang, played music, and posed for erotic prints. The 19th century saw the heyday of geishas. They began to be invited as hostesses of evenings to entertain men, have a casual conversation, and delight the ears with singing and music.

Photographs from the early 20th century.

Geishas were specially trained in the rules of behavior, the art of singing and playing musical instruments, the ability to choose and wear a kimono correctly, apply makeup, traditional dancing, calligraphy and painting, the art of conducting a tea ceremony and the art of ikebana. A comprehensive education allowed them to participate on equal terms in conversations with men. Particular attention was paid to the skill of conducting a casual conversation, natural address and the ability to flatter male pride, which women of other social classes could never afford due to traditions that made the Japanese woman squeezed and constrained.

It’s strange for a European man to hear himself compared “to a chrysanthemum on the slopes of Fuji,” but self-respecting rich Japanese really appreciate such treatment and are willing to pay for it. Traditions, ancient commandments and studied arts remain unchanged to this day. In Kyoto, there is a school where future geishas from the age of seven or eight are taught the techniques of traditional dances of the Noh and Kabuki theater, learn to play the shamisen - a three-stringed instrument with a long neck, a small tsutsumi drum and a Japanese flute, work on a special type of throat singing, and study the specifics of tea ceremony and Kyoto dialect. Aspiring geishas are called "maiko" (apprentice). During this period, girls spend 12 hours a day studying.

Photographs from the early 20th century. Maiko girls during classes and during rest.

To get herself in order, do her hair and put on a kimono, a geisha spends 4-5 hours every day. A real kimono is not cut or sewn. This is a single piece of fabric that is wrapped around the body and secured with several belts.

Photography from the early 20th century. Two geisha fold a kimono.

The cost of a kimono has no upper limit. An inexpensive kimono can be purchased for $100-200, an average one for $3000-5000, and a top-class kimono can cost $50-100 thousand. There is no upper limit! The price depends on the technique of dyeing the fabric, embroidery, quality of silk, new or vintage, mass-produced or made to order, for what purpose it is intended... And if you also take into account the cost of the belt, the outfit can cost a fortune.

Modern kimono. Handmade, embroidery and gold appliqués. Estimated cost: $50,000. Clickable in a larger size.

When the makeup and hairstyle are ready, all that remains is to wrap yourself in a kimono, tighten yourself with a long bright belt and put on wooden shoes with leather straps - okobo, on which geishas do not walk, but mince, because the center of gravity in okobo is located on the heels. If a geisha falls, she is unlikely to be able to get up on her own - her narrow and heavy kimono will not allow her. You should walk in a kimono with your arms slightly raised and bent at the elbows, otherwise the long sleeves will drag on the ground. Mincing under a lacquered umbrella, the geisha imagines herself as “a wave breaking on a sandy shore.”

A geisha covers her face with a white paste to make her lips look brighter. First, the face is smeared with cream, then a piece of wax, heated between the fingertips, is rubbed into the skin of the face, neck and chest, and then a chalky paste is applied with a brush, making the skin porcelain-white (in Shintoism, white means purity). At the beginning of the last century, geisha used “Chinese clay” powder prepared on the basis of lead. It was very difficult to wash my face; the skin quickly deteriorated and became covered with wrinkles. Now in Japan they make special cosmetics for geishas that do not harm the skin, but it is still difficult to wash off and apply. To finish, a bright blush matching the color of the kimono is placed on the cheeks, and the scarlet petals of a new mouth are placed on the mercilessly smeared lips. Geisha who have reached the age of thirty whiten their faces only for especially important ceremonies. Young geisha wear full makeup for the first few years.

Geisha wears a hairstyle that costs even an experienced master long hours of work. Previously, and now, geisha hair styling is trusted only to professionals. Once a week, it costs at least $300 to have your hair waxed and styled into an intricate updo with lots of pins and sticks sticking out of it. Geisha sleep with such a work of art, placing a hard cushion, takamakura, under their neck. For all these inconveniences, young geisha quietly hated their hairstyle. Modern geishas have abolished all this and wear wigs with a classic high hairstyle.

The geisha walks in small steps, silently sliding in her wooden sandals with graceful, smooth, slow movements. Petite and incredibly graceful, the geisha symbolizes feminine sensuality. Her naked body under a kimono that reveals only the upper part of the back, skillfully held by several belts, like a flower waiting for its connoisseur (the upper back, neck and wrists are the sexiest parts of the body for the Japanese). High hairstyle, white face, bright red lips, eyes drawn to the temples in black and red - either a doll, or a woman...

For a Japanese, being invited to an evening with a geisha is a great honor. Sometimes Japanese companies arrange a traditional dinner with geishas for foreigners. The girls show their guests thousands of attentions, but that’s all. You can't even touch them. In the middle of dinner, they sit on a miniature stage, where they play a national three-stringed musical instrument, dance, and read poetry. Towards the end of the evening, they sit down with the guests with bamboo sticks or pieces of paper, from which they make various figures - you need to guess their meaning. However, you need to be Japanese to appreciate the fact of being invited to geisha society. It's not the money that matters, it's the recommendations. A visit to a geisha is a kind of ticket to a closed, elite men's club.

Today, there are fewer and fewer real geishas. Geisha as a profession and as a way of life is gradually becoming obsolete. At the beginning of the last century there were about 80 thousand geishas, at the end - about 10 thousand, now there are no more than a thousand, a hundred of which live in Kyoto. This is explained by competition with pseudo geishas who entertain men in restaurants and bars. It is also expensive, and often the client receives an astronomical bill, but still not the same as for an evening with a geisha. The bill includes treating the girl to expensive food and drinks, while a real geisha would never allow herself to consume food or alcohol during a performance; this is considered bad form. In addition, if a geisha gets married, she can no longer be considered a geisha.

In these two photos, I can’t even imagine what they are doing...

The Japanese have a good understanding of what a geisha is, but 99% of Japanese have never met one. Too expensive. Dancing, singing, playing music and talking with a geisha now costs up to $15,000 per evening. A couple of hours in the company of a high-class geisha in an elegant teahouse setting that has remained unchanged for three centuries is about a quarter of the average employee's annual salary. The prestige of such a pastime is very high. Only rich and noble men, high-ranking officials and large businessmen can afford to date a geisha or openly support a geisha and become her danny (patron). And the personal goal of every self-respecting geisha is to find a richer man who will pay her for everything, from kimonos that cost a fortune to all sorts of precious trinkets for her hair. At the same time, this data has more responsibilities than privileges. If children happen, then boys are free to manage their lives as they want, and girls, according to tradition, must repeat the fate of their mother. Geisha sometimes change their identities. But this is bad. Super-expensive, elite geishas do not spoil their reputation by changing their data - the less, the better.

The main secret of geishas is harmony. Harmony of gestures, voice and space. A geisha is the ideal woman in the ideal environment, pliable, helpful, resourceful, unsurpassed in the art of elevating a man. With a prostitute a man feels like a male, with a geisha he feels like a samurai.

In 1989, Tokyo geisha Mitsuko Nakamishi told the press that Prime Minister So-suke Uno, her danna, treated her poorly and was stingy! As a result of the scandal, the venerable politician had to resign. Not because he had a geisha mistress. And because he paid her little and treated her poorly! Geisha are respected in Japan. _______________

Now about what Mizuage is.

Mizuage水揚げ is a coming-of-age ritual for a yujo (a yujo is anyone who professionally sells their bodies, literally “prostitute”), accompanied by putting their virginity up for sale. “Mizu” means “water”, “age” means “to rise”, literally “rising water”. The origin of the word comes from fishing slang for “the first catch of fish,” or as a metaphor in the anthology, where virgins were called “a boat that has not yet launched.” There are sources claiming that some geisha also lost their virginity through the mizuage ritual. Geishas did NOT sell their virginity, because they were legally prohibited from having contact with men for money. But perhaps there have been such cases... who knows... The law is sometimes broken. Not from a good life...

The Mizuage ritual took place at approximately 11-15 years of age. Virginity was sold to the wealthiest hanamachi clients for huge sums of money. Applicants were sent an ekubo rice cake with a small red depression in the center, and then a bargaining took place, like at an auction: whoever gives the most gets the virgin. The more a man paid to “pluck the flower of innocence,” the higher the maiko’s chances of becoming a sought-after and highly paid yujo. This was her starting capital for her career; part of the money was set aside for the erikae ceremony - the transition from maiko to adulthood. Before mizuage, the girl is given an erotic momovare “split peach” hairstyle. The bangs are combed back, the hair is tied at the top of the head in a knot. The knot is tied with a red silk ribbon and when the young beauty turns to the man with her “split peach” with a scarlet spot inside...

Maiko girls were carefully prepared for mizuaga, with a very poetic description of the sexual act: the men have a restless eel that spends its whole life trying to find a cave for itself. Having found a cave, he explores it for some time and marks the one he likes. Men especially like to visit caves that no one has ever been to before. Having passed the mizuage, the girl wore a new hairstyle with a silk ribbon pinned to the base of the bun at the back of her head, changed the red collar of her kimono to a white one and received the right not only to pour sake or tea, but also a new name, the obligation to always look appropriate and the right to be favored. PS In modern Japan, you can only become a maiko from the age of 18 and the mizuage procedure, of course, is not carried out. The coming of age ritual is marked only by a change of hairstyle and is similar to a coming of age ceremony.

And therefore... everything that Europeans write about the skill of geishas in sexual games has nothing to do with geishas. This all applies to Tai and Oiran. About them next time... Read in full: https://yablor.ru/blogs/geysha-jenschina-cvetok/1581674geniavegas

In the modern world, the services of a geisha are very popular and necessary. The presence of a beautiful, educated girl always brightens up any reception. Perhaps, following the example of Japanese geishas, there are now escort services that can even be ordered via the Internet. © imago “Every geisha is like a flower. She is beautiful in her own way and, like a willow, graceful, strong and flexible.” Arthur Golden. "Memoirs of a Geisha".

Notes

This link shows the Shochiku Costume Company and their modern reproduction costume for the role of Agemaki
, a courtesan in the play
Sukeroku
. Although kabuki costumes are exaggerated, the costumes used for courtesans are very similar to those used by the oiran at that time (Edo period), making the techniques, decorations, and fabrics used very similar, if not exactly, and reliable as a resource for what what the oiran actually wore.[14]

Recommendations

"Oiran." Kyoto project
. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
^ a b
Cimino, Rinko;
Ichikawa, Somegoro (2016). Kabuki Photographic Kaleidoscope
(1st ed.). Tokyo: Shogakukan. paragraph 18. ISBN 978-4-09-310843-0.
^ a b c d f
“On the names of Japanese courtesans.”
issendai.com
. Issendai. Archived from the original on July 12, 2021. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
^ a b c d f f gram
Dolby, Lisa (1983).
Geisha
(3rd ed.). London: Random House Vintage. n.. ISBN 0-09-928638-6.
Dolby, Lisa. “newgeisha melting.” lizadalby.com
. Lisa Dalby. Archived from the original November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
ShinoStore (February 22, 2015). "OIRAN 花魁 - Japanese lamp (020L)." Retrieved 2018-08-13.
ktodoma (11/20/2016). "Oiran 花魁 in New York." Retrieved 2018-08-13.
2006-1-27, 藤田真一, 京都・角屋の文化 - 学問の手伝えること - Archived 2011-03-21 on the Wayback Machine, Kansai University. Quote:に花魁なのです。ですら、江戸吉原用ののです。」
Sigle 1993, p. 123, 202.
Hickey 1998, para. 28.
Hickey 1998C. 26-27.
"Kamuro." issendai.com
. Issendai. Archived from the original on July 12, 2021. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
"Names of lower-ranking Japanese prostitutes." issendai.com
. Issendai. Archived from the original on July 12, 2021. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
"Kabuki KOOL" (YouTube video). youtube.com
. NHK World. Received January 9, 2021. (25:33)
Early Modern Japanese Literature: An Anthology, 1600-1900.
. Columbia University Press, 2008.
The life of an amorous woman
. Taylor and Francis. Comment “APPENDIX III. HIERARCHY OF THE COURTESANS” p. 286.
Sigle 1993, para. 87.
Ryu 2008, para. 69.
Guide to the Quarters of the Land
(Shokoku irozato annai), 1688
Swinton 1995, para. 37.
Dolby, Lisa. "The notes, references, and references listed here refer to the new introduction, 'Geisha in the 21st Century,' in the 25th Anniversary Edition of GEISHA." Lisa Dalby
. lizadalby.com. Retrieved January 9, 2021. Note 12
Eichmann, Sean. “Tongue in Cheek: Erotic Art of 19th Century Japan” (Online Museum Exhibition). honolulumuseum.org
. Honolulu Art Museum. Retrieved May 30, 2021. While the exact reasons for the [decline] of public perception of Yoshiwara [Edo's brothel district] in the 19th century can only be speculated upon, the decline was as precipitous as it was undeniable. By the early 20th century, the aura of dignity and spunk that courtesans once exuded had been largely lost, and these women, many of whom suffered from sexually transmitted diseases, looked more like sex slaves than celebrities. (p.102)
Dolby, Lisa (2000). Little Songs of a Geisha
(2nd ed.). Vermont: Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 0-8048-3250-1.
Dolby, Lisa. “Courtesans and geishas are tayo.” www.lizadalby.com Retrieved 3-11-2014.
Dalby 1995, para. 64.
Miura, Yoshiaki (November 30, 2014). "Shinagawa, gateway to old and new Tokyo." The Japan Times Online
. Retrieved September 23, 2021.

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