Yellow Flowers and Silver Butterflies

Yellow Flowers and Silver Butterflies, originally uploaded by Erika Snyder.

The Red Street

The Red Street, originally uploaded by Erika Snyder.

Kyoto Streets

Kyoto Streets, originally uploaded by Erika Snyder.

Maiko

Maiko, originally uploaded by Erika Snyder.

Beauty of Fall 秋の美

Beauty of Fall　秋の美, originally uploaded by mboogiedown.

"Geiko of Gion Kobu perform a dance inspired by the colors of fall in Kyoto."

Life of a Geisha

Life of a Giesha, originally uploaded by mboogiedown.

"Geiko (or geisha, front and left) and maiko (apprentice geiko, right) perform in Kyoto's Pontocho district."

Girls of Gion 祇園

Girls of Gion　　祇園, originally uploaded by mboogiedown.

"Geiko and Maiko gather outside the Ichirikiya, Japan's most famous and exclusive teahouse, at dusk, to cheer on the men of Gion as they carry omikoshi, or portable shrines, during Kyoto's Gion Matsuri."

Child of the Court 大宮の子

Child of the Court　大宮の子, originally uploaded by mboogiedown.

"A young girl dressed in Heian period court costume sitting with Geiko and Maiko during Kyoto's Festival of the Ages."

Chinese Influence 中国の影響

Chinese Influence　中国の影響, originally uploaded by mboogiedown.

"Two geisha in the court dress of a period of heavy Chinese influence in ancient Japan. (The Festival of Ages, Kyoto, Japan)."

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 O T O H A : Miyako Odori

K O T O H A : Miyako Odori, originally uploaded by mboogiedown.

"Kotoha, one of my favorite maiko, performs during the grand finale of Miyako Odori, the annual spring dance of Gion (Kyoto's most famous geisha district)."

M A S A Y O

M A S A Y O, originally uploaded by mboogiedown.

"The geiko Masayo of Gion Higashi dressed in a special costume to offer a dance to Yasaka shrine's deities as part of Gion Matsuri's festivities."

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."