What's a geisha?

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crysisaddict

Geisha (芸者, Geisha?) or Geigi (芸妓, Geigi?) are traditional, female Japanese entertainers, whose skills include performing various Japanese arts, such as classical music and dance.

"Geisha," pronounced /ˈgeɪ ʃә/, is a proper noun. Like all Japanese nouns, there are no distinct singular or plural variants of the term. The word consists of two kanji, 芸 (gei) meaning "art" and 者 (sha) meaning "person" or "doer". The most direct translation of geisha into English would be "artist" or "performing artist".

Another term used in Japan is geiko, a word from the kyoto dialect. Full-fledged geisha in Kyoto are called geiko. This term is also commonly used in the region to distinguish geisha practiced in traditional arts from prostitutes who have co-opted the name and attire of geisha (see below). Prostitutes wear the bow of their sash, or obi, in front of their kimono, but geisha wear their obi at the back. True geisha, who do not engage in sexual activity, usually had the luxury of a professional aide to help them in the difficult process of dressing; their clothing is made up of several layers of kimono and undergarments, and an obi is more than a simple band of cloth. Dressing could take over an hour, even with professional help. Prostitutes, however, had to take off their obi several times a day, so theirs were far less complex, and tied at the front for ease of removal and replacement.

Apprentice geisha are called maiko. This word is made of the kanji 舞 (mai) meaning "dancing" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". It is the maiko, with her white make-up and elaborate kimono and hairstyle, that has become the stereotype of a "geisha" to westerners, rather than the true geisha.

Tokyo geisha generally do not follow the ritualized Kyoto maiko apprentice process. The training period can be six months to a year - notably shorter than a Kyoto maiko - before she debuts as a full geisha. The trainee is referred to as a han'gyoku (半玉) or "half-jewel", or by the more generic term o-shaku (御酌), lit. "one who pours (alcohol)". On average, Tokyo geisha tend to be older than their Kyoto counterparts, many holding formal degrees from university.

TokyoE

A geisha is a traditional female Japanese performer/entertainer.

Contrary to some belief they ARE NOT/ REPEAT ARE NOT prostitutes.

Them being prostitutes is very incorrect almost racism to say, actually it is often mis portrayed as that in Western media. This is not the case. Geishas are usually well respected.
They perform traditional arts/music/dance etc:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geisha

Do yourself a favor and close this thread now because you'll get a lot of incorrect information about them being prostitutes which if you study they are not.

Read the wikipedia article to understand them more.

Colleen N

A female Japanese entertainer.

ryn

a geisha isn't a prostitute!!!she's a japanese entertainer.theres is a fine line between a geisha n a prostitute.pls don't confuse them.u shud read the book "the geisha" to actually understand.

Mariah M

a woman entertainer

♥some♥wanna♥know♥

It was/is a female entertainer.
A lot of people think she is always a prostitute, but that is not how they started.
They were dignified, respected.

This site tells you all about them.

PoppingBubbles<3

One of a class of professional women in Japan trained from girlhood in conversation, dancing, and singing in order to entertain professional or social gatherings of men.

Lucilla

A female entertainer in Japanese teahouses. She also serves the tea.

Steph

a Japanese female entertainer.

they preform dancers and traditional stuff.

there supposted to be very beautiful.

♦BodyElectric♦

It was a female entertainer in ancient Japan. NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH A PROSITUTE. In the movie Memoirs of A Geisha i believe that it shows they were prositutes or something but they werent. they were just entertainers that were skilled in poerty, board games, conversation etc. they were hired whenever the samurai came down to the capital to visit the shogun at the time. (samurai were required to visit the shogun so he could show his power of Japan).

jerrry.

A lady entertainer.

cait

In Japanese, geisha means “person of the arts,” or a person skilled in traditional arts such as music, dance, singing and tea ceremony. Men were geisha at first, serving a purpose much like the traveling minstrels of medieval Europe. As the numbers of men taking up the arts declined, women took over. Some were probably former courtesans, but most were not.

The tradition of geisha as women became entrenched, along with a strict code of conduct and hierarchy. Most geisha lived in a house called an okiya, owned by a woman who was usually a former geisha herself. Most okiyas had their prime geisha, apprentices and maids, often young girls training to become apprentices. Some girls were sold to okiyas, and the house mostly owned the girl until she paid off her purchase price as a popular geisha — a system not unlike that in some brothels.

Geisha trained at local schools and had teachers who specialized in every area of training: shamisen, dance, flute, drum and tea ceremony. As the young girls approached the age of becoming apprentices, the okiya would negotiate for a mature geisha to become an apprentice’s mentor, or “older sister.” The older sister helped promote the apprentice and taught her the art of entertaining at parties, from how to make witty conversation right down to how to pour sake. The older sister received a portion of her younger sister’s fees as her fee for training the apprentice.

A popular view of the geisha is that they were prostitutes. Some prostitutes posed as geisha in order to attract men, but a true geisha rarely engaged in sexual relations with her customers. In fact, geisha were, first and foremost, entertainers. They went to parties, where they kept things lively, played drinking games with the men and danced or sang. A geisha’s presence was considered essential to the success of a private party. Several geisha present meant the host was a man of wealth and status.

Geisha made their money through the fees they charged at teahouses or parties where they entertained. Years ago, a geisha was registered through what amounted to a union office. The registry office kept track of what teahouses she visited, how long she stayed and what her fees were. The office then paid either the geisha or her okiya.

A geisha may well have had a personal patron or danna. This relationship was usually sexual, but outside of the geisha’s normal work environment. The danna was generally a wealthy man who could afford to pay the geisha’s expenses for school, lessons, private recitals and even clothing. With a wealthy danna, a geisha could often afford to break with an okiya and live independently, if she wished.

Geisha take their skills in the arts seriously, even today. Their numbers are declining, but there are still women who want to take up entertaining and learning the traditional arts. The most popular geisha districts are in Kyoto, and tourists can still see young girls in the elaborate, ornate kimono of the apprentice geisha.

BOOM SHAKALAKALAKA

Geisha's are traditional, female Japanese entertainers, whose skills include performing various Japanese arts, such as classical music and dance. People may think them as prostitutes but there was a difference. Geisha's were for formal entertainment purposes only.

Brad K

A female companion that is paid to socialize with men.

StopPanda

Special women highly trained to serve and entertain well connected important Japanese men. There are conflicting ideas as to what type of serving is being done, however they are highly respected.

samurai_dave

Only thickminded ignorant idiots would just pass off with a sneer the entire geisha profession as merely prostitutes.

Geisha are not prostitutes. There are plenty of such women of that nature if that was what Japanese clientele were after. There would no attention cultural details of playing traditional Japanese instruments and learning traditional dances.

The Tradition of Geisha started in the late 16th to early 17th century. They were entertainers and often men. Later women became the dominant geisha. Their job was to entertain not have sex with their clientele through a variety of ways. A night with a geisha had nothing to do with sex.

Starting from the mid-19th century geisha began putting on public performances of their dances in spring and fall.

Kamogawa Odori of Pontocho:
http://samuraidave.wordpress.com/2006/07/23/kamogawa-odori-geisha-dance-2006/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te3rCI_7dPc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtC3tJLzVTw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGgzHFMC2tk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdPQ93nN3zw

Their job is to entertain and create an illusion of being in a fantasy (not sexual) of an imaginary world.

~Christine~

Traditionally, a female entertainer. They would be hired to dance and play classical instruments for men as well as to engage in social conversation.

Many people believe they are just prostitutes, but this is far from the truth.

Wikipedia describes it best:

There remains some confusion, even within Japan, about the nature of the geisha profession. Geisha are frequently depicted as expensive prostitutes in Western popular culture. Geisha are entertainers, their purpose being to entertain their customer, be it by reciting verse, playing musical instruments, or engaging in light conversation. Geisha engagements may include flirting with men and playful innuendos; however, clients know that nothing more can be expected. In a social style that is uniquely Japanese, men are amused by the illusion of that which is never to be. Geisha do not engage in paid sex with clients.

Geisha have sometimes been confused with the traditional high-class courtesans called oiran. Like geisha, oiran wear elaborate hairstyles and white makeup. A simple way to distinguish between the two is that oiran, as prostitutes, tie their obi in the front. Geisha tie their obi in the back in the usual manner.

ケチャッパー

girl in Kimono learning arts

tamme

It is a traditional training for females in the early 1600's.

§uper ®ose

They are dignified women trained to entertain. They would perform dances, play music, sing, perform tea ceremonies or just plainly be a companion. Geisha means "artist". Occasionally they did develop a sexual relationship with A man but in no way were they prostitutes....there were specifics/rules/negotiations to the whole situation.

Rob

Usually a woman in Asia, or of Oriental descent who is paid or compensated to be a pleasant companion to a man in addition to being somewhat subservient, and extremely pleasant..

buppa

a geisha is a very well trained woman who imparts stress relief of different types to japanese gentlemen and warriors. they are trained in music, makeup (that very white makeup seen in many painting and wood prints from japan, and a movie in the u.s. recently), conversation, current events, history, listening, etc. they are highly regarded.

Marlon C

Geisha (芸者, Geisha?) or Geigi (芸妓, Geigi?) are traditional, female Japanese entertainers, whose skills include performing various Japanese arts, such as classical music and dance.

solstice_baby

A prostitute. A "specialist", who makes the act of pleasing men into an art form.

It has always seemed like a huge waste of resources to me, really, when you look at the fact that most men are SUCH slobs, and would be happy with a quick orgasm under any circumstances...

I dont know really
but
i saw this movie called the memoirs of geisha
it was of chinese girls who wear white makeup
and dance for men..

kim t

my cats name

jamiroquai fanatic

it was a type of prostitute in feudal japan, that used to do shows for her cutomers before even being hired, so it was a very beautiful woman that could dance, sing, and that after showing off her skill would be bought by customers watching her

bonita

it is a japanese call girl

Ashley M

A Japanese call girl (hooker)

The Wizard.

A Japanese Hooker.

megan

a lady who gets dressed up in beautiful kimonos (japanese robe but better) and gets a lot of make up on. pretty much gets paid for letting males or people do whatever they want to her. its usually sex.

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