JAPAN | Thursday, 4 July 2013 | Views [758] | View Smaller Image
(3) In a nearby temple I encountered a group of schoolkids saying “ohayoo” (good morning) to the koi fish, and wondered if in 10 years time any of them would become geisha. In the 1800s many girls would be trained as “Maiko” from as young as 9, and would be taught elegant dances, how to play traditional Japanese instruments and “the art of conversation”. Nowadays, those who do choose to become a geisha start after they leave high school, with some even entering the profession as adults.
