G E I K O : Kamishichiken

G E I K O : Kamishichiken, originally uploaded by mboogiedown.

"Umeha and Naohiro, geiko of Kamishichiken, attend to guests during Baikasai, the annual plum blossom fesitval of Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kyoto."

K I K U T S U R U : Teahouse

K I K U T S U R U : Teahouse, originally uploaded by mboogiedown.

"On her first day as a full-fledged geiko, Kikutsuru visits each of the tea houses with which she has a relationship, introduces herself to the mistress as a geiko and begs for her favor in the future.

Here Kikutsuru of Miyagawa-cho steps out of the sliding wooden door of a teahouse (ochaya)."

K A T S U R Y U: Matcha

K A T S U R Y U: Matcha, originally uploaded by mboogiedown.

"Katsuryu, a young maiko who recently made her debut in Kamishichiken, prepares to serve match, whisked, powdered green tea, to guests at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, in Kyoto."

Perfect B E A U T Y: Umeha

Perfect B E A U T Y: Umeha, originally uploaded by mboogiedown.

"Umeha, a breath-takingly beautiful geiko of Kamishichiken. "

Naozome and Ichiteru

Naozome and Ichiteru, originally uploaded by mboogiedown.

"Maiko of Kamishichiken, Kyoto's oldest hanamachi (geiko entertainment district) surrounded by the plum blossoms of Kitano Tenmangu Shrine."

U M E S H I Z U

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

"Yasunari Kawabata, the first Japanese to win the nobel prize (1968) once wrote "If for no other reason than to preserve traditional hairstyles, the geisha's existance is vital. I wonder how and when these hairstyles developed."

"Japanese men, as a rule, feel about a woman's neck and throat about the same way as men in the west feel about a woman's legs. This is why geisha wear the collars of their kimono so low in the back...I suppose that its like a woman in Paris wearing a short skirt." Sayuri, in 'Memoirs of a Geisha' by Aurthur Golden.

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 The large, flashy hair ornaments have been replaced by small, subtle hairpins and combs.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."

U M E S H I Z U: ohikae

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

"Delivering tea to the guests among the plum blossoms of Kitano Tenmangu shrine, Kyoto.

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."

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."

S M I L E : Katsuya

S M I L E : Katsuya, originally uploaded by mboogiedown.

"Katsuya is another young geiko who only recently "turned her collar" to become a full-fledged geisha. "Turning the Collar" refers to the ceremony in which a maiko, or apprentice geisha, is able to entertain guests on her own, without her big sister. She becomes a true geisha, trading her elaboratey embroidered collar for one of plain white silk, and finally being able to stop her painful weekly hair appointments and wear a special wig called a katsura."

U M E S H I Z U: Kamishichiken

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

"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."

N A O K A Z U: Kamishichiken

N A O K A Z U: Kamishichiken, originally uploaded by mboogiedown.

"Naokazu is a young maiko in her second year of training in the Kamishichiken district. Katsuryu, behind her, debuted only last month (Feb. 2007)"

G E I K O: Kamishichiken

G E I K O: Kamishichiken, originally uploaded by mboogiedown.

"A beautiful geiko of Kamishichiken, Kyoto's oldest hanamachi ("flower town", where geiko live and entertain). "