geikotaku

[geikotaku]

I did not go to Kyoto for Shigyoshiki last year, I was planning on going this year instead. Little did I know at the time that it would be cancelled, like so many events around the world. Hopefully everything will be back to normal in 2022, meanwhile, here are some pictures taken at the start of the year in 2019.

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The dancing fans of Geiko and Maiko of Kamishichiken are made with a similar design, with 2 colored bands made of 3 lines each, over a gold background. However, where the Maiko’s dancing fans have red lines, the Geiko’s dancing fans have green lines.

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Because they wear their daikan on their left side, Maiko would wear their maezashi on the right side (for example Ichiaya’s butterfly below), while Geiko wear it on the left side.

So, I saw this picture by Balbo42 on Instagram and Umehina is wearing a maneki kanzashi. I thought only maiko could wear kanzashi, can geiko wear too? This also lead me to another question, just how strict are the karyukai dressing rules?

Geiko across the gokagai can wear maezashi (only Gion Kobu stops wearing maezashi once they become jimae), so this isn’t an issue at all.  As to dressing rules, they’re still very strict ^^

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This is a maezashi, both Maiko and Geiko can wear those. Not to be mistaken with the daikan, the front kanzashi worn only by Maiko. To illustrate the difference, here is another picture of Umehina, but this time when she was Maiko and wearing a maneki kanzashi as daikan. I took this picture very early in December, so the maneki were still blank at the time. I hope this helps clarify.

So, I saw this picture by Balbo42 on Instagram and Umehina is wearing a maneki kanzashi. I thought only maiko could wear kanzashi, can geiko wear too? This also lead me to another question, just how strict are the karyukai dressing rules?

Geiko across the gokagai can wear maezashi (only Gion Kobu stops wearing maezashi once they become jimae), so this isn’t an issue at all.  As to dressing rules, they’re still very strict ^^

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Shadows

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A night in Miyagawacho

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Umechie had a special place in the heart of many people ❤️

Something personal

I really miss Umechie.

She was the reason I got interested in the world of Maiko and Geiko. And since she’s gone, it’s hard for me to keep up…

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Chikaharu-san of the Komaya Okiya, from Maiko to Geiko

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The 2 latest Maiko of Miyagawacho, Fumitsuru of Toshikimi and Toshimasa of Komaya. In Miyagawacho, Maiko wear Kuromontsuki for 3 days from the day of their Misedashi, then they switch to Iromontsuki for another 3 days.

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Maiko Chikaharu of Miyagawacho in her sakkou ensemble

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Geisha Seiko of Asakusa in Tokyo.

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Geisha Chifumi of Asakusa in Tokyo

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Geisha Chihana of Asakusa

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Geisha Seiko of Asakusa dancing while Shisa is playing the shamisen and singing

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Geisha Chihana of Asakusa

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According to trusted source @missmyloko, both Ichigiku and Ichiume of the Ichi Okiya have left the profession. I have not gone back to Kyoto since Umehina’s erikae. I wonder how many Maikos are still active in Kamishichiken now 😞

More Retirements

Another batch of retirements have now been confirmed. although two of the names should come as no surprise. Ichiume (市梅) of Ichi (市) in Kamishichiken Ichigiku (市ぎく) of Ichi (市) in Kamishichiken Tomihoshi (富豊志) of Tomikiku (富菊) in Gion Higashi Rumors surrounding the Ichi girls have been going around for a few months now, but it’s been confirmed by reputable sources that they are indeed gone. Shocking though is Tomihoshi as she was a maiko for only a year. 

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A presentation of the Geishas of Matsuyama

(note: the video is in French).