Japan 2013

JAPAN | Thursday, 4 July 2013 | Views [879] | View Smaller Image

(4) Shirakawa canal in Gion, Kyoto. One would be forgiven for thinking you were in a small town in the mountains – the stone bridges crossing the river to the ryokan (traditional Japanese inns) and the wind in the trees give a quiet and picturesque atmosphere in the hustle and bustle of the city. It is here that many tourists gather in the hope of spotting a Geisha scurrying to an appointment, and the complaints from geisha of being hassled by tourist paparazzi have increased in recent years.

(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.

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(5) Unfortunately many of the “geisha” tourists think they see on the streets turn out to be tourists themselves – for a fairly modest price one can have a “geisha experience” where they are dressed up in traditional kimono and made up so they can wander the streets of Gion for a couple of hours. It’s a poignant thought that this trade is booming when the numbers of geisha themselves dwindle and the “floating world” they’re said to exist in will soon sink.

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Japan 2013

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