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  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • THE FAMILY ALBUM
  • ONCE UPON A TIME IN ROMANIA
    • ▸Bucharest, 1989: The days of Revolution
    • ▸I’ve also lived under communism
    • ▸Portraits of transition
    • ▸”Cabernet cu pepsi”
    • ▸Romania, 1990: Beyond the headlines
    • ▸“Mineriada” – My story
    • ▸Memorial of pain
  • WORK IN PROGRESS
    • ▸Barbershop
    • ▸Melancholic Identities
    • ▸Faces
    • ▸Fragmentary world
    • ▸Two
    • ▸Buddhist monks
    • ▸About windows and walls
    • ▸Mediterraneo
  • STORIES
    • ▸Alone, together
    • ▸Life and death in Varanasi
    • ▸Trans-Siberian – An experience of becoming
    • ▸Boxing in Havana
    • ▸Moving out of Escobar shadow
    • ▸One night at Htee Thein monastery
    • ▸Easter in Sicily – I misteri
    • ▸Easter in Sicily – La pasquetta
    • ▸Stalin’s Museum in Gori
    • ▸Havana: Between magic and decay
    • ▸Muay Thai for a day
    • ▸Cuban billboards
    • ▸Seeking a geisha
    • ▸Belfast’s murals: Behind and beyond
    • ▸Riding the Yangon’s ring train
    • ▸Bazar-Barakholka-Vernisazh
    • ▸An unexpected trip to Dhobi Ghat
    • ▸A different way to look at death
    • ▸Cannes under siege
    • ▸Inside the Guru’s kitchen
    • ▸Tibetan refugees
    • ▸The Golden Triangle: A Mecca of tribal diversity
    • ▸Bullfighting: Barbaric or art ?
    • ▸Crafts and traditions in Morroco
    • ▸Glastonbury with God
  • TRAVEL
    • Cuba
      • ▸The show must go on (part 1)
      • ▸The show must go on (part 2)
      • ▸The show must go on (part 3)
      • ▸The show must go on (part 4)
    • France
      • ▸Paris
      • ▸Paris. Again
    • Greece
      • ▸Mount Athos
      • ▸Postcards from Santorini
      • ▸Athens
      • ▸Mykonos – The picture-perfect Island
    • Germany
      • ▸Berlin
    • Vietnam
      • ▸Four days in Hanoi
      • ▸Cruising through the misty Halong Bay
    • India
      • ▸Portraits of Kashmir
      • ▸Rishikesh – Spiritual marketplace
      • ▸Life on the Sidewalk
    • Ireland
      • ▸The capital of pubs
      • ▸Ireland in ten days
    • Israel
      • ▸Israel in black & white
    • Colombia
      • ▸Colombia
      • ▸Paisas, coffee and much more
      • ▸Streets of Bogota – From Dystopia to Hope
      • ▸Life along the magical Magdalena River
      • ▸A non-touristy guide to Cartagena’s Caribbean paradise
    • Myanmar
      • ▸Min-ga-la-ba Myanmar
      • ▸Up and down on the hills of Shan State
    • Japan
      • ▸Tokyo
      • ▸Springtime in Kyoto
    • Portugal
      • ▸Life at the edge of Europe
    • Russian Federation
      • ▸The unexpected Moscow
      • ▸White Nights in St. Petersburg
    • Italy
      • ▸Rome
      • ▸Random Sicily
      • ▸Vedi Napoli e poi mori
      • ▸Venice
      • ▸Vanishing Venice
    • Morocco
      • ▸Sunset, camel rides and tea in Erg Chebi
      • ▸Medinas: Morocco’s hidden cities
      • ▸Morocco outskirts
      • ▸Djemaa El Fna encounters
      • ▸Surf and hippies
      • ▸The road of the One thousand kasbahs
      • ▸Amazigh – Berber – Free men
    • Georgia
      • ▸Postcards from Georgia
      • ▸The Many Faces of Tbilisi
    • Nepal
      • ▸Kathmandu Valley
    • Romania
      • ▸Romania to go
      • ▸Maramures
      • ▸Tara Motilor
    • Jordan
      • ▸Bedouin Trails
    • Turkey
      • ▸From Turkey with love
      • ▸Ballooning Cappadocia
      • ▸Where East meets West
      • ▸Street life, Istanbul-style
    • Mexico
      • ▸Finding Mexico City
    • Malaysia
      • ▸Transit KL
    • UK
      • ▸London
      • ▸Grab your kilt and bring your pipes
    • Sweden
      • ▸Stockholm
    • Spain
      • ▸Off-season Andalusia
    • Thailand
      • ▸Bangkok, year 2555
      • ▸Life in Pai
      • ▸Thailand
    • Laos
      • ▸Luang Prabang – The City of ultimate Zen
    • Poland
      • ▸Why I love Poland
    • Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania
      • ▸Neighbors, but not relatives
      • ▸Patarei – A little slice of Hell
    • Findland
      • ▸A sunny day in Helsinki
    • Denmark
      • ▸Copenhagen
  • SINGLES
  • CONTACT
  • MY BOOKS
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Seeking a geisha

 

Geisha (or geiko in Kyoto dialect) entertain clients in “ochaya” (tea-houses). Gion is the last remaining authentic geisha district in all of Japan. There were 800,000 Geishas back in 1920s Japan but now there are only 200 – 250 of which are registered in Kyoto. Modern geishas are still trained in the arts, playing traditional instruments, dancing and tea ceremony, flower arrangement, wearing kimono, calligraphy, conversation, alcohol serving manners and more. Spending an evening in a geisha’s company is strictly by invitation only.

Seeing “geiko” is not guaranteed and if you are successful with a sighting, it will most likely be that of a “maiko” (apprentice of geisha). The real geishas are quite elusive and even when they are being seen walking through the streets, they have a determined walk with no time to pose or chit-chat.  Most of the geikos and maikos are being seen walking down the street in Kyoto are actually fellow tourists – “geisha for a day” – they have paid to be dressed as geishas.

The best time to see them is after 6 PM when they begin going out wherever it is they are going to entertain for the evening. There are no guarantees that you will see any. I had many attempts in different moments, wandering for manny hours with no spectacular result. Typically, it happened when we were not paying attention, and it happens so quickly, as if you have seen a ghost. Despite walking with small and dainty steps, they are quick and will disappear into a building or taxi before you’ve had the chance to adjust your camera settings!

At least I had the inspiration to go to a cultural show named Miyako Odori (held only in April) featuring dance performances by maikos.

Eventually I have no idea if these mysterious appearances, which I tried to capture, were real geishas or not. What really mattered to me was something else. Seeing a glimpse of geisha’s real-life as insight of mystifying culture and Japanese tradition really made my day in Kyoto. Not only was it a dream come true, but the electric atmosphere the geisha’s presence created will stay with me always.

 

 

 

Seeking a geisha

 

Geisha (or geiko in Kyoto dialect) entertain clients in “ochaya” (tea-houses). Gion is the last remaining authentic geisha district in all of Japan. There were 800,000 Geishas back in 1920s Japan but now there are only 200 – 250 of which are registered in Kyoto. Modern geishas are still trained in the arts, playing traditional instruments, dancing and tea ceremony, flower arrangement, wearing kimono, calligraphy, conversation, alcohol serving manners and more. Spending an evening in a geisha’s company is strictly by invitation only.

Seeing “geiko” is not guaranteed and if you are successful with a sighting, it will most likely be that of a “maiko” (apprentice of geisha). The real geishas are quite elusive and even when they are being seen walking through the streets, they have a determined walk with no time to pose or chit-chat.  Most of the geikos and maikos are being seen walking down the street in Kyoto are actually fellow tourists – “geisha for a day” – they have paid to be dressed as geishas.

The best time to see them is after 6 PM when they begin going out wherever it is they are going to entertain for the evening. There are no guarantees that you will see any. I had many attempts in different moments, wandering for manny hours with no spectacular result. Typically, it happened when we were not paying attention, and it happens so quickly, as if you have seen a ghost. Despite walking with small and dainty steps, they are quick and will disappear into a building or taxi before you’ve had the chance to adjust your camera settings!

At least I had the inspiration to go to a cultural show named Miyako Odori (held only in April) featuring dance performances by maikos.

Eventually I have no idea if these mysterious appearances, which I tried to capture, were real geishas or not. What really mattered to me was something else. Seeing a glimpse of geisha’s real-life as insight of mystifying culture and Japanese tradition really made my day in Kyoto. Not only was it a dream come true, but the electric atmosphere the geisha’s presence created will stay with me always.

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