U M E S H I Z U: Tea

U M E S H I Z U: Tea, originally uploaded by mboogiedown.

"Even amongst the Japanese, geisha are mysterious and exotic. Here, Umeshizu is admired by an older Japanese woman as she begins to prepare matcha, powdered green tea, in a tea ceremony.

Umeshizu has only recently become a full-fledged geisha in the Kamishichiken district of Kyoto. As a geiko, she no longer styles her own hair, but has the privledge of wearing a special wig called a katsura. The large, flashy hair ornaments have been replaced by small, subtle hairpins and combs. Her collar is pure white. As a geiko advances in skill and experience, she relies less on her clothing, accessories and make-up to make her appear beautiful. Her beauty is in her skills as an artist."