The Exotic Geisha of Japan

The Geisha artists of Japan are known as performers of the "willow and flower world."  These women are quite feminine, but they are also very strong people.  In a literal way, the costume of a Geisha artist can weight 40 lbs.  Therefore, a Geisha has be physically strong to carry herself with the grace and art expected.  Geisha are entertainers, but they belong mostly to the world which existed before television.  In those days, people thrived on interpersonal games and good conversation.  If one was rich enough, he could pay large sums of money for a Geisha to stop by a party for five mintues to an hour (depending on how much money he could spend).  The Geisha artist was involved constantly in enhancing good conversation, dancing, and playing musical instruments.  They mainly used what is called "shamisen."

In the Western world, these Geisha artists are very interesting to us.  It has been noted that they are a "world apart."  Geishas reflect an order of sexual relationships that has never been directly addressed in the West.  The two books that are mainly known (and are available sources of the Geisha lifestyle to Western culture) are "Memoirs of a Geisha" by Arthur Golden and "Geisha, A Life" by someone who is protected for cultural considerations.  The two accounts are somewhat at odds with each other because of differences of interpretation regarding the meaning of the Geisha experience.  Golden seems to portray the Geisha as being under the control of men.  Iwasaki's memoir sees the Geisha as a fully independent woman with no need or use for sex as a method of obtaining income.  The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

The Geisha were certainly hard-working women who understood the unique culture and traditions of Japan.  In my opinion, they could not be "weak" in order to do what was required of them.  It is likely that there was interdependence between the two sexes at the height of the Geisha era.  The exotic mystery continues to fascinate us though.  They remain an essential part of authentic Japanese home decor!

Harlan Urwiler

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