How they live

A Geisha's work is never done. Most of their jobs take place at night, but they must spend their days working to improve, to become perfect.

The first step on the road to become a Geiko is to be accepted into an Okiya, or Geisha family and to move into a hanamachi in one of the 5 geisha districts in Kyoto: Kamishichiken, Miyagawa cho, Pontocho, Gion Kobu, and Gion Higashi-shinchi. Each okiya has a placard in the entryway with the names of the Geiko who live there inscribed on it. The ruling factor in a Geiko's life will be her new Okasan. Okasan means mother, and sometimes the term is literal. Some Maiko will be legally adopted by their Okasan and become an Attori, the legal heir to the business. Years ago, the Attori began her training when she turned 6 years, 6 months, and six days old. These days, however, girls are starting later and later, sometimes at the age of 16. But beggars can't be choosers, and applicants for new Maiko are dwindling.

A Maiko will go through several stages on her way to becoming a geiko. The first being a Shikomi. Shikomi normally do chores, go to classes, practice their lessons, and help the Maiko get dressed. Basically a step above the hired help. She will begin to wear a kimono everyday. This is also allows the Shikomi to become accustomed to the flowery dialect of the Kyoto Geisha, and correct her behavior to be that of a proper Maiko.

After several tests in various skills, the Shikomi will become a Minarai. As a Minarai, she will learn all her duties that there are no classes for, such as, conversation, pouring sake, and cleaning ashtrays. She will also get to wear the traditional outfit and makeup, though her darari obi wil be worn shorter in the back. Sometime soon she will hopefully be accepted by an oneesan.

A new Maiko's biggest asset is her older sister, or oneesan. To her older sister, an imoutosan (younger sister) is a protegee. She will teach her everything she needs to know. Most importantly, she will pass on her connections with tea houses and patrons. The oneesan and her imoutosan will be inseparable, and have a relationship based on respect an loyalty. There will even be a ritual to bind the two together forever called a Sansun-kudo, which resembles a marriage ceremony. The ceremony consists of the sharing of ritual sake: the oneesan drinks a cup of sake in three sips, after which the imoutosan does the same. They do this three times, with a bigger cup than the one before. Also, an imoutosan will be given a new name, that is loosely based on her older sisters. ex: oneesan - Haruka (spring flower) and Musume-bun - Harumi (spring beauty).

Eventually a Maiko will become a Geiko, if she chooses. This will be a big event and a Maiko's patrons and friends will send her congratulatory notes and she will make her rounds to all of the tea houses and such that helped her in the past to thank them and maybe give them a gift. And so she starts her life as a Geiko.

An older Geiko may live on her own and not in an okiya. A Geiko that has a danna is especially apt for this type of living arrangement, but on occasion the okiya will pay rent for it's star Geiko. The business portion of her job (booking and money issues) is still run through the okiya. It will act as an agency for her until she retires.

Maiko and Geiko will get up later than most, because they are up so late (sometimes until 3 or 4 in the morning), and have something to eat. A less elaborate kimono is what she wears when doing her daily business. Every day, a Geisha goes to her classes. Laziness is not tolerated in any of them. She must practice long and hard to perfect her moves in dance class, and learn to create harmony and balance in ikebana . A Geiko must know the proper way to perform a tea ceremony and takes classes on this, as well. She may also learn to play drums or the shamisen or maybe even to sing.

Sometimes she may have errands to run. She could have new Kimono to pick up or a wig at the cleaners. Also, a Geiko or Maiko may stop into the Kenban, the official offices for the industry, to see a schedule or check on various other things. The Kenban is in charge of booking Geiko for each ochaya, and also handles all of the billing. As well as errands, these are important social interactions, that help her to well known and develop strong bonds with those around her that like the Musume-bun/Onesan are based on mutual respect and loyalty. If she were to anger any of the people that support her, it might take especially long to make a kimono or reset a wig. Why should they support someone who doesn't appreciate them.

A Geiko can easily be suspended from her home teahouse, if the mama-san feels that she and or her Ochaya have been disgraced by a Geiko or Maiko. And no smart geisha would dare go to another teahouse. In reality, no other teahouse would have her, for fear of damaging ties within the community.

Her work starts in the evening. She prepares by putting on her makeup and having a dresser put her kimono on for her. When she leaves the okiya, she will have an engagement to attend. Typically there are 3 or more Geiko and Maiko at each party or banquet, which are held at teahouses called Ochaya. The most famous of all the teahouses is the Ichiriki which has been revered throughout history as quite prestigious and is know to be the setting of many stories of Samurai and the most famous geisha in the history of the flower and willow world.