had dreams of photographing Geisha, I researched where the likely places are to see them, the stoplight at temple crossing. I fretted over if I should bring my zoom lens or just a street shooter. I thought I’d see them walking around in all their white-faced, vivid Kimono splendor, small steps, wooden shoes, cherry blossoms blowing around them like rain.
The reality is different. At least from what I saw in my short stay. Not bad, just different, and a bit more fun if less authentic.
Cotton Geisha
Gion is the heart of Geisha culture and you’ll surely see plenty of Geisha or Maiko, but 99% of them will be travelers renting kimono for the day to walk around temples and sights. They rarely have full makeup, wig or painted faces, and the kimono more often than not are mass-produced the Obi a thin sash and you know it doesn’t matter as it makes for good fun and better pictures.
You can often (and I did) just walk up and say you look great and take a photo – most will smile and I got more than a few clear English ‘sure, why not?’ – sometimes they’re embarrassed, or if in a group they’ll giggle.
Geisha at sunset in Gion
Walking through the temple
Downcast
In the temple gates
Geisha getting a ride
Mother and daughter
Genuine Geisha
It turns out that Geisha (the real ones) don’t wear the white makeup and wigs, except for special occasions. Only the Maiko. In four days I only saw 3 Geisha on the street in Kyoto – they wore cream-colored simple Kimono and carried small (usually light-colored) clutch purses. They hurried down the street, their eyes fixed forward and were no-nonsense. The air of ‘bother me at your peril’ radiated off them like an invisible forcefield.
Once, shopping in a 7eleven a Geisha stopped for a snack, while she waited for it to be warmed up she turned away from the customers and stared out the window when her food was finished she vanished. In recent years there’s been an influx of more travelers (not just western but Japanese as well) and there have been whole groups of tourists chasing after Geisha and Maiko, walking into traffic or trying to take selfies with them without permission. At best this must be annoying to Geisha, at worst it could be frightening to be virtually chased down the street by a crowd like paparazzi.
“But remember, geisha and maiko are private citizens on their way to work. They are not Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck, and Kyoto is not Disneyland. While it’s understandable why people are excited to see them (heck, Japanese people who don’t live in Kyoto get excited to see them, too), running after them in the street or stopping in front of them to snap photos is dangerous and rude. “ – kotaku.com
Also, a Geishas billing starts running from the moment she leaves for her appointment if you waylay them it’s like taking money from their evenings’ sponsor. A bit like someone stopping your taxi in the street to chit chat take a selfie with your driver – only about 100x more expensive. It can cost hundreds to several thousands of dollars for an evening with Maiko or Geisha.
One of the few real Geisha I saw
Another one, this time in emerald green
One of the signs around Gion
Daytime Geisha are a good thing
I think with all the rental kimono for travelers both take some pressure off real Geisha and appeases travelers’ desire to photograph them. I was more than happy to photograph mostly these cotton Geisha or daytime Geisha as they while maybe not as authentic – were often more colorful and picturesque.
