How to Become a Geisha

The geisha is a symbol of traditional Japanese culture. The word means "art person" and refers to the extensive training that the woman has completed in the art of entertainment. Here is how a young girl transforms herself into a geisha today.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Find an ochaya, or geisha house, that matches your personality. Geisha do not work independently or live alone. Other geisha and maikos are their "family"; and they are quite close to each other.

2. Pass an interview with the okamisan, or geisha mother. Although the number of girls applying to become geisha is declining, ochayas will not take anyone who comes through the door. The investment of money in a geisha's training and outfitting is substantial, and they want to be sure you will fit in with them.

3. Begin a rigorous training program that usually lasts about 5 years. During this time, you will be trained in how to play the shamisen (a five-stringed instrument), the bamboo flute, drums and how to perform traditional Japanese dance. You will also be expected to help with the chores and learn social skills.

4. Accompany the geisha on appointments as a maiko (or "dancing girl"). You will wear a kimono similar to the geisha, but your hairstyle and makeup will be a little more elaborate. While the geisha work you will be expected to assist them in entertaining gentlemen customers. You will also be getting on-the-job training in social skills and conversation.

5. Change your kimono collar from red to white to symbolize that you are officially a geisha when you are about 20 years old. Your kimono, makeup and hairstyle will become more subdued, and you now can accept a patron. A patron becomes the geisha's life partner and helps her to pay the bills that she cannot cover by entertainment fees alone.

Tips & Warnings

• The traditional way to become a geisha was to either be the daughter of a geisha or to be sold to a geisha house by your impoverished relatives. Most geisha now are daughters of a geisha or have expressed a desire to become geisha while in their early teens.
• Geisha cannot marry but they can have children with their patrons. Female children usually grow up to become geisha, but male children have no real role in Japanese society even today.
• If a geisha should leave an ochaya to marry, she will have to repay the entire cost of her training and the cost of her outfits which could be over $500,000.
• Even though a lot has been said about "American Geisha" Liza Dalby, the chances of a non-Japanese woman becoming a geisha are virtually zero percent. The geisha made an exception in her case because of her intensive study of Japanese culture.
• Geisha are not prostitutes and are extremely offended if you insinuate that they are. This perception came about because of confused American servicemen after World War II who didn't understand their traditional role. The fact that a maiko's virginity used to be sold to the highest bidder (who usually became her patron as a geisha afterwards) also played a role in this perception.

Resources

• Don't want to be a geisha, but want to dress like one? Check out this site.
• Have a question about geisha? Ask it here.

[smwoods03]

on 6/16/2009 Mineko Iwasaki said, in her book, that she never took a little sister because she didn't like the way the Kabukai was and she spent much of her time as a geiko trying to change it.

[Iwasakinamesake]

on 8/14/2008 (FROM AB0VE) MINEKO IWASAKI who was known so very well throught Kyoto in the Gion disric, and throughtout Nippon. I am very proud to be in the Iwasaki family, and I thank so many people who helped me. Sadly I see Maiko and Geish numbers dwindling away, and this saddens my heart. It is no different than losing the Samuri. I pray that many will realize what an honor it is to be a Maiko and Geisha. Soon I will have my own book out in mid Spring of 2009. For mor info, write to me at [e-mail]. Thank you for your time and interest. Setsuko

[Iwasakinamesake]

on 8/14/2008 (FROM AB0VE) MINEKO IWASAKI who was known so very well throught Kyoto in the Gion disric, and throughtout Nippon. I am very proud to be in the Iwasaki family, and I thank so many people who helped me. Sadly I see Maiko and Geish numbers dwindling away, and this saddens my heart. It is no different than losing the Samuri. I pray that many will realize what an honor it is to be a Maiko and Geisha. Soon I will have my own book out in mid Spring of 2009. For mor info, write to me at [e-mail]. Thank you for your time and interest. Setsuko

[Iwasakinamesake]

on 8/14/2008 My friend Liza Dalby became a Geisha because she knew the customs, ways and language, not to mention learning the Shamisen. She actually was more of an observer than a working Geisha though, as she was working on her degree at that time. There is a new Gaijin Geisha named Sayuki, and she too, is working on her Doctoral thesis in Social Anthropology. Your degree in this means you must assume the daily tasks of a Geisha to write about it. I learned all the same cultural teachings, but in a different sense. I was in the Military in Japan from 1971-1974, and on my off duty time, I was trained, worked as a Maiko, and eventually became a full Geisha. We changed my looks to look more
Nihonjon so as not to attract attention. I lived off base in the Okiya and worked at the ajoining Ochaya. My Nihonjin namae is Setsuko Iwasaki. My onesan was Nineko Iwasaki, and her Onesan was the famous Minek