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This obi is SO gorgeous

What’s In an Obi? Part 4

On The Fifth Day of Fun I present… another new obi! I’ve been saving this one for a while as I know that people will really enjoy it ^^!

Image courtesy of Tamayura.  Owned By: Tanmika (丹美賀) in Pontocho Motif: Fishing Fires (Hikago) This rare and stunning use of kyo yuzen is such a head turner, but is not well understood outside of Japan. The blazing fire in a basket is used in Ukai (鵜飼), traditional cormorant fishing. A popular tourist sight during cherry blossom season, ukai fishermen light blazing fires in metal baskets called Hikago (火籠) to light the way both for the boats and the birds. The birds are outfitted with rings around their necks so that they don’t swallow the fish. When recalled the birds bring back necks full of fish that are then dumped into a basket and prepared for those who have gone on the fishing expedition (the birds get a share as well). The light from the hikago creates a dazzling effect among the cherry blossoms for those watching from the banks of the river and is a popular tourist attraction ^^

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Triglav National Park, Slovenia (by Ales Krivec)

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Drawing I did of #geiko #mamefuji

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Stunning pine Bonsai in cascade style, photo by 日本瑞祥愛好会.

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Bonsai Tree House by takanori aiba

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Predjama Castle, Slovenia (by Andy Muir)

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it's always a good day to complain about English speakers

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Drawing instructions from Katsushika Hokusai himself (1760-1849), from his woodblock-printed guidebook ‘Hayashi Minami’. Geometric shapes are used for basic forms and to create perspective.

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November 16th, 2020: Congratulations to Kyoto’s two newest debuts! From Gion Kobu we have jikata geiko Masune (ます音)! She is from Nakagishi (中支志) and her onesan is Masuho (ます穂)! From Miyagawa Cho we have maiko Kikusora (菊そら)! She is from Minatoya (湊家) and her onesan is Kikuyae (菊弥江)! Both girls have onesan from different okiya, which isn’t uncommon in such tight knit communities ^^ おめでとうさんどすます音さんと菊そらちゃん ^o^! Images are courtesy of Momoyamaya and My Kyoto Photo [1] [2].

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The Tayuu And Their Art

We have come to know the image of the legendary Shimabara Tayuu relatively well over the last decades. Many mysterious traditions have been uncovered and a lot of information has been collected on modern Tayuu, the few ones that keep this unique legacy alive, and the historic Tayuu, the iconic artists that have left a deep impression on the flower and willow world.

This image is that of a stoic and regal lady, clad in precious robes, usually without a hint of emotion, everything she does is celebrated in solemn and royal silence and the slowest motions.

They are this archaic species, like looking at an ancient artefact, their whole existence makes a mockery of day to day life. And this image is one created not only by the people so affected by the Tayuu of yesteryear, we still have some photographs and postcards mirroring the last of the historic Tayuu, beacons of a different age.

At the dawn of photography in Japan, many Tayuu became popular models for this new medium. Rightly so with their outlandish and awe inspiring appearance and their rare status, they were considered a perfect choice to represent the exotic mysticism of the land of the rising sun, specially so to the potographers documenting the unknown and seclusive culture of Nippon to the courtly audience in Europe.

But early photography also had its limits, specially in translation of tradition. Models needed to hold still for long periods of time to create a crisp image and here too the composed and self controlled Tayuu made for excellent motifs and great models but it also reduced them to lifeless dolls, like the ningyo that became popular as part of the Japanoiserie movement of the time and again and again with progression of history outside of its native land.

Most pictures depict the Tayuu in full regalia with their entourage, standing around somewhere looking indifferent, unaffected and sometimes bored. Never would one imagine these girls to be the prophets of asobi entertainment and the muses for authors and painters, men of great stature.

But exactly this is what we have come to know of the historic Tayuu: They were considered great beauties, inside and out. Hand picked to be educated by other legendary Tayuu to become the ideal companions for the movers and shakers of their time. Since the procedure of scouting and grooming of Tayuu have been topic on this blog before, we will not be going too deep this time, but we do need to look into their artistic training to answer the question raised this time:

Did the Tayuu create Art?

They did. If classical dance is considered art, and professional singing is considered art, and musical accomplishment is considered art, then Tayuu can safely be considered artists.

But we don’t have records of this art because this was part of the fleeting beauty of the Karyukai in the days before modern acoustic and moving visual recording. But even if there were a way to examine the art of the Tayuu in retrospect, we would find ourselves empty handed. Instead of creating long lasting artefacts, the greatest Tayuu were the luminaries of creating stellar moments of pleasure and joy. They designed the settings for art to be created, they were the muses, the inspiration for many intelligent minds to produce art around the Tayuu.

Many accounts, including my own, describe the Tayuu actual work as offering her services as a one of a kind walking and breathing work of art instead of being the artist themselves. This because there is quite the evidence that Tayuu didn’t actually do anything at ozashiki or during their outings with a patron. So many Ukiyo-e depict the highest ranking Courtesans simply sitting around, looking ornamental, maybe, if ever, reading or writing a letter but never so with actual patrons present. When we see prints and paintings of ozashiki and parties, there are many people involved, seldom is the Tayuu the actual source of entertainment, rather she contributed by selecting and curating her favorite Bando Shinzo, her associated Taikomochi, her Kamuro and many other performances to enhance the gathering. In this sense one could compare the Tayuu to a curator of an Art museum or a Fashion editor: She defined the style and preference in entertainment for her patrons who trusted her sense of aesthetic and her intelligent input.

“Sakura Viewing Banquet” By Utagawa Toyohiro

There is hardly any art that depicts the Tayuu in a creative process exceptions being her playing the Koto, writing or reading and during the tea ceremony (which goes more into the practice of Zen to further her knowledge and wisdom). One notable artistic endeavor absolutely fitting for a great Tayuu and well documented is the art of Ikebana. Quite a few illustrations and even some old photos show the Courtesan before a flower arrangement, the later always paling in comparison with the outstanding beauty of the Tayuu, of course. The Flowers are meant to enhance the fragile beauty of the girl at hand specially since her lifespan was extremely limited being a part of the flower and willow world.

And even in performative artforms like Kabuki and their stories, the Tayuu are most oftentimes invited guests of a party or they themselves host gatherings like moon viewing sessions in their favorite ageya for their patrons. But they don’t pour sake, they don’t play instruments and they don’t sing or dance. Maybe this image is not as black and white as we make it out to be, maybe some of them would perform for the guests, but why would they with specialized entertainers present and handsomely payed for? I find it revealing that there are hardly any visual media depicting a great Tayuu actually performing arts compared to the many Ukiyo-e, paintings and drawings showing Geisha with Shamisen, a trait that became their hallmark.

And let’s talk about the Tayuu as a motif for art for a moment.

For anyone asking why these extraordinary women, past and present, made for great motifs, well the explanation can be reduced to some key words: Exotic, mystic, exclusive. Their appearance was, as is, something only a life of intense luxury could conceive. Ultimately it was their exclusive nature that made them interesting topics for art, the hero needed a worthy counterpart for his infatuations and a peasant oftentimes did not do. Since a simple girl from modest background usually had nothing or close to nothing to loose by running away with her lover, essentially defying all odds for love, for a queenly Tayuu much more was at stake: If a popular girl of the pleasure quarters wasn’t working, no matter her rank, she was effectively losing money by the minute. So needless to say this friction and the high stakes made for excellent drama. Something the Edo people longed for as part of the trends of the time.

So now we have established some key data on the Tayuu’s influence on the arts: She did not create art but curated it. One important Tayuu, with her connections, her knowledge and the wealth of her patrons could make or break the artists around her, the poets, the painters and designers in the pleasure quarters, all dependent on her approval to keep afloat in an industry of Edo pleasure and luxury. But a Tayuu could only influence the tastes of those around her by being the most prolific in the arts, by being the most knowledgeable, by being the most talented and beautiful. No daimyo would have taken the advice of a lowly girl with no training in her field so the Tayuu, trained from early childhood and having developed a keen eye for the indulgences of her regal patrons, knew exactly how to deal with these unique men.

In the end this all bubbles down to the one of a kind dynamic in a rare bubble in time: The wealth of men created these alien beings for their entertainment, these creations catalyzed a whole plane of aesthetic and artistic sesibility which in turn kept a whole industry oiled up and going for the profit of men, who essentially ran things. 

Did Tayuu create art? Maybe not in the literal sense but they needed to be the best in their field, like a maestro of an orchestra needs to understand every instrument to create a perfect symphony, the Tayuu understood every aspect of the Karyukai to create perfect ozashiki for art to be created. In this sense, yes they created art and were the most influential of all artist.

Sources: Noel43 On Flickr / Noel43 On Flickr / Noel43 On Flickr / Noel43 On Flickr / 

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October 19th, 2020: Congratulations to Kyoto’s two newest geiko on the occasion of their erikae! From Gion Kobu there’s Mitsuki (美月) of Tsurui (つる居) and in Pontocho there’s Ichiyū (市結) of Katsumi (勝見)! Mitsuki is currently the #1 overall highest earning geimaiko in her district and is the imōto of the famous Satsuki. Ichiyū has also been incredibly successful and is the imōto of the well respected and highly esteemed Ichiraku. Both women have extremely bright futures ahead of them in the karyukai as geiko ^^! おめでとうさんどす美月さんと市結さん ^o^! Images are courtesy of My Kyoto Photo [1] [2].

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Hello. So a random Reddit back and forth has piqued my interest in Geishas. I followed it up with a little research of my own and discovered that there are many contradictions, misinformation or misconceptions within their documentation. Would you be kind enough to lead me through a proper itinerary in understanding them better. Thank you.

Sure! Let’s go over some of the basic misconceptions that follow geisha around: 1: Geisha Were/Are Prostitutes The short answer here is “no.” That’s it, full stop. The longer answer is that traditionally geisha worked alongside prostitutes, and that was because all entertainment was sectioned off into specific areas of cities during the Edo Period (1603-1868). Imagine if all night clubs, bars, arenas, casinos, and any other place you go to for entertainment nowadays was all lumped into one section of the city and you’d end up with what came to be known as the “pleasure districts.” Prostitution used to be legal in Japan until 1958, so it was a part of these pleasure districts along with kabuki, rakugo (comic storytelling), bunraku (puppet shows), and geisha. When the geisha profession came to be recognized and licensed by the government their job descriptions stipulated that they could not partake in any sexual acts with their clients as that would be infringing on the jobs of prostitutes. However, some people get the two confused because in smaller towns and resorts there were women who were allowed to be double registered as both geisha and prostitutes, so this notion that geisha were prostitutes has persisted and tarnished the reputation of the profession to this day, long after prostitution has ceased to exist. 2: Obi Tied In The Back Means No Sex This is a “yes” and “no” statement that requires further history to understand completely. For hundreds of years the obi was always tied in the front (it was also skinnier), so when geisha hit the scene in the 17th century they decided to tie their obi in the back as a way of separating themselves visually from prostitutes. However, it wasn’t just prostitutes who tied their obi in the front, but everyone, including house wives, did so as well. When the geisha started becoming the pioneers of Edo Period fashion their stylistic changes went with them, and all women, minus prostitutes who kept to their old ways, decided to follow their lead and tie their obi in the back. This trend has continued to this day and gets confusing because people used to think that prostitutes tied their obi in the front for ease of untying while it was just a fashion trend rather than anything sexual in nature (although I suppose untying things from the front does make some things a bit easier).  3: Geisha Sold Their Virginity This is probably the biggest misconception of them all, and that’s because there’s so many confusing statements from the women themselves over time. Traditionally it was a virgin prostitute who was deflowered in the mizuage ceremony that marked the beginning of her career, not geisha. However, in double registered areas it was common for geisha to practice this sort of thing too. In the bigger cities where the geisha profession was more prestigious and/or held to higher standards by the government this type of mizuage wasn’t supposed to happen. Why it gets confusing is because some women, prior to World War II, have claimed that they supposedly had a mizuage ceremony (I say “supposedly” because of the very few sources that claim this there’s always the issue with translation and tone, plus these women are now deceased so we can’t go back and ask them for clarification). Either way, all mizuage of the sexual kind has been banned since the outlawing of prostitution. But, mizuage has more than one meaning in the pleasure districts. Besides this deflowering, it also refers to the sum that a geisha makes in a single year, and those with the highest mizuage are honored each year during Shigyōshiki. Mizuage can also refer to the change of a maiko from a junior to a senior, where she changes the wareshinobu hairstyle for the ofuku hairstyle around age 18. There’s been some rumors going around that a maiko changed the color of her ofuku tegara once she had her “sexual” mizuage, but those rumors have no basis in reality and are only perpetuated by a certain book that’s full of misconceptions about geisha.  If there’s anything else then please feel free to let me know ^^  

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“Hanai Oume Killing Minekichi” (1887), Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892)

From the series “Personalities of Recent Times”

Minekichi was for a time the lover of the geisha Hanai Oume. However, after they ended their affair, the man turned out to be a stalker and the situation escalated quickly, culminating in Hanai Oume murdering him.

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This is the best Kabuki play I've ever layed my eyes on. A great exame of dance and Nagauta.

Here you can see Bando Tamasaburo as Sagi Musume https://youtu.be/FqKiwP3YTZI

This truly shows why Bando is considered the best onnagata of our time. He showcases a miriad of emotions, not only of a teenage town girl, but also of a heron, being a 76 year old man.

I also love the way the story references Buddhist concepts of life, death and reincarnation, something I'm not used to, since I majorly watch western plays.

The on-stage costume changes, one of kabuki's trademarks, are also a gift to the eyes, and this play has plenty of them.

Sadanobu III (1881 - 1963)  The Heron Maiden

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Bando Tamasburo, male Kabuki legend.  Photography Kishen Shinoyama.  Image via Pinterest

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Isn't she wonderful?

Yes, she is wonderful

Geiko Umehina visiting stores and tea houses

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In this account we STAN Umehina

Geiko Umehina’s erikae

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