#yakko shimada

[miyajimacho-imvu]

Maiko Mitsuyo wearing the yakko shimada before the sakkou stage, in preparation for her upcoming erikae!

[stardust-swan]

can you go more in depth on beauty secrets by geishas? i’ve always found them so interesting.

Geisha are very secretive about their inner lives, so it's hard to know for sure things like exactly what they would have done during their skincare routine or what kind of perfume they used, but we do know about their makeup, hair, and clothing. A lot of this information comes from the most successful geiko of Kyoto, Mineko Iwasaki's memoir Geisha, A Life (also known as Geisha of Gion), which was controversial among her peers as she revealed a lot of behind the scenes info on what life as a geisha is like. It's a very interesting read if you're interested in the inner lives of geisha. It can be downloaded on Libgen.

The Geisha Ideal

Mineko Iwasaki described how a geisha is meant to look:

She has the classic looks of a Heian princess, as though she might have stepped out of an eleventh-century scroll painting. Her face is a perfect oval. Her skin is white and flawless, her hair black as a raven’s wing. Her brows are half moons, her mouth a delicate rosebud. Her neck is long and sensuous, her figure gently rounded.

Makeup

Geisha wear highly stylised makeup derived from the kabuki tradition.

Foundation: Bintsuke oil paste is applied to the face, neck, and upper back as a base.

White Makeup: White face powder, made of rice powder, is mixed with water to form a paste. The face, neck, and upper chest are painted. Three stripes on the back of the neck are left unpainted in order to emphasize its slenderness, as in Japan the nape of the neck is considered beautiful. If wearing ordinary kimonos instead of formal outfit, only two lines will be left unpainted.

Eyebrows and eyes: As their eyebrows have been covered up by the white makeup, they are redrawn in pencil or charcoal. Black eyeliner is worn on the top lash line. Maiko (trainee geisha) use distinctive red eye makeup, whereas as geisha wear black eye makeup or may use subtle red makeup at the start of their brows. A crescent moon eyebrow shape is preferred.

Blush: Maiko wear pink blush on their cheeks, whereas geishas faces are completely white.

Lips: Maiko only paint one of their lips, while geisha paint both lips. They use a bold red lipstick which is derived from the red safflower, mixing it with water (and some also add sugar). They use a brush to paint a shape a bit smaller than their natural lip shape, as small lips are considered delicate. Tatcha has a lipstick called Kyoto Red which is in the same shade of red that geishas use.

Older geisha typically only wear a full face of makeup for performances and special occasions.

In the past, geisha would paint their teeth black, but today it is very uncommon, although some Kyoto geisha still practice it.

Hair

There are different hairstyles for different stages of a geisha's career.

Junior maiko wear the wareshinobu (split peach) style.

Senior maiko wear the ofuku style

Yakko is worn for formal events

Katsuyama is worn for one month before and one month after the Gion Festival in July

The sakko is worn in the final month of a maiko's training. On their very last day as a maiko, the tie holding their topknot is ritually cut off.

After becoming geisha, they wear the shimada hairstyle, an elaborate high chignon.

Mineko Iwasaki's description of the wareshinobu style:

The hair is swept up and sculpted into a mass on the top of the head that is secured by red silk bands (kanoko) front and back and decorated with kanzashi, the stick pin ornaments so distinctive of the karyukai look. It is said that this simple, elegant style showcases the curve of the young girl’s neck and the freshness of her features to their best advantage.

To preserve their elaborate hairstyles, geisha would sleep on a rectangular lacquered wooden pillow topped with a narrow cushion. If a girl found it difficult to sleep on these pillows, the maids would sprinkle rice bran around the pillow, so that if the girl removed the pillow, bits of bran would stick to the pomade in her hair, forcing her to have to go to the hairdressers again. Geisha would visit the hairdressers every five days.

These days geisha just wear wigs, which as well as being more convenient, also prevent bald spots from forming, a common problem geisha in the past dealt with due to constant stress on the roots of their hair. Maiko are still required to use their real hair.

Geisha also got their faces shaved when they went to the hairdresser.

As well as wearing their hair in elaborate styles, geisha also decorate them with ornaments. This description is of the first set of hair ornaments Mineko Iwasaki wore:

I wore two hairpins tipped with silk plum blossoms (because it was February) on the sides of the back of the bun, a pair of silver flutters (bira) on the sides in front, an orange blossom pin (tachibana) on top, and a long pin tipped with balls of red coral (akadama) and jade, inserted horizontally through the base.

Maiko wear colourful hair ornaments with flower motifs that change every month.

Full-fledged geisha don't wear as many hair ornaments, just a simple comb and hairpins, and their hairpins aren't as elaborate as the ones worn by maikos.

The hair ornaments serve purposes other than just decoration. The pointed ends of the pins are used to protect geisha from attacks, and the coral ornaments worn in colder months are used to test whether sake has been poisoned as coral breaks in the presence of poison.

Fashion

Maiko wear more elaborate outfits than geisha do in order to compensate for their lack of expertise and knowledge. Mineko Iwasaki described one of her maiko outfits this way:

My kimono was made out of figured satin in variegated turquoise. The heavy hem of the train was dyed in shades of burnt orange, against which floated a drift of pine needles, maple leaves, cherry blossoms and chrysanthemum petals. My obi was made of black damask decorated with swallowtail butterflies. I wore a matching obi clasp of a swallowtail butterfly fashioned out of silver.

I carried the traditional handbag called a kago, which has a basketweave base topped by a drawstring pouch of colorful tie dyed silk, shibori, which is made by tying silk into a myriad of minute knots with thread before it is dyed. The result is a stunning dappled effect. Kyoto is famous for this technique. It is the one that was practiced by my mother.

The shibori of my handbag was pale peach and sported a design of cabbage butterflies. It held my dancing fan (decorated with the three red diamonds of the Konoe family [close advisers to the emperor] painted on a gold background), a red-and-white hand towel decorated in a matching pattern, a boxwood comb, and various other accessories. All of these were encased in covers made from the same silk as the bag, and all of them were monogrammed.

Maiko wear a collar called eri, which is hand-sewn onto the nagajuban (a robe worn under the kimono) for each wearing. These red collars tell a story in and of themselves. They are made from silk that has been finely embroidered with white, silver, and gold thread. The younger one is the less dense the embroidery and the more visible the red of the silk. As one matures, the appliqué becomes heavier until little red (a symbol of childhood) can be seen. The progression continues until the day one “turns one’s collar” from maiko to geiko and begins to wear a white collar instead of a red one.

Under their clothes, geisha wear two rectangular undergarments made of cotton, one wrapped tight around the chest and the other wrapped tight around the hips. This helps flattens and smoothes the lines of the kimono. Next comes a long cotton hip wrap, like a half-slip, then a pair of long bloomers to preserve modesty should the front fold of the kimono open.

Next comes the hadajuban, a loose blouselike garment that follows the lines of the kimono. A maiko’s hadajuban has a red collar. Over this, a full length under robe is worn called a nagajuban. Mineko Iwasaki described hers as being "made from tie-died silk figured with a fan-shaped pattern and embroidered with an assortment of flowers."

After their undergarments are on, the kimono and obi (sash) are put on. Their kimono and obi have different designs for each season. For example, in summer, a kimono with hydrangeas might be worn and in Autumn a kimono with maple leaves might be worn. Kimonos for the winter months are made from thicker silk than kimonos for the warm months.

Geisha wear kimonos with more subdued colours and shorter obis than maiko do. A maiko's long obi will sometimes have the crest of the okiya she lives in on it. The clothes worn by geisha and maiko alike are made of expensive silk and are tailor made.

Geisha aren't dressed by themselves, but rather they have professional dressers who dress them every day. The dressers must ensure perfection, and they are the ones who bear the blame if anything is missing, out of place, or seasonally inappropriate.

Mineko describes a maiko's shoes as thus:

Kimono are always worn with either wooden or leather sandals. Okobo, 6-inch-high clog-like wooden sandals, are a distinctive part of a maiko’s outfit. The height of the sandal is a counterbalance to the dangling ends of the maiko’s long obi. Okobo are difficult to walk in, but the mincing gait they ensure is thought to add to the maiko’s allure.

Maiko and geiko always wear white tabi socks. The big toe of the tabi is separated, like a mitten, so that the toes can grip the sandal easily. We wear socks one size smaller than our shoe size, which leads a neat and dainty appearance to the foot.

First year maiko's shoes have little bells dangling from them that makes a sound when they move. Geisha wear flat zori or geta rather than okobo.

The finishing touches to a geisha's outfit are a kimono bag and a fan.

Skincare

We don't know what geisha did when they were sat in front of their mirrors after removing makeup, but we can speculate based on the kind of skincare Japanese women used in times past.

Translucent, white skin was a Japanese ideal of feminine beauty, so they might have used whitening face creams. Camellia oil is commonly used as a cleanser, moisturiser, and to remove makeup in Japan. Rice bran is also used as a cleanser (it's good for dissolving binsuke) and ground azuki beans are used as an exfoliater. Cooled green tea, full of antioxidants, is used as a toner. Squalane and seaweed are used as moisturizers. Parasols are used to protect the skin from the sun.

Mineko Iwasaki describes a bath she took after a long day:

I lowered myself gingerly into the steaming water and soaked until my skin was supple. Then I got out of the tub and, with a bucket and hot water from a spigot in the wall, washed thoroughly with soap and water. Next I rubbed myself all over with a net pouch filled with rice bran. Rice bran contains a significant amount of Vitamin B and is great for the skin. Then I got back in the tub for a final soak.

Geisha also bathe in onsens.

Perfume

We do know geisha wear perfume, but specific fragrances are hard to pin down.

Guerlain made a perfume called "Yakko," inspired by the geisha Sadayakko, who was the first geisha to travel Europe, inspired Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly, and licensed her name to a range of beauty products. It's hard to find any information on the Yakko perfume or what notes it contained, but Guerlain's famous Mitsouko perfume came out in 1919. Inspired by Japan, it contains bergamot, peach, jasmine, rose, and spices.

In the early 20th century, perfumes by French designers like Guerlain, Coty, Chanel and Patou became fashionable among upper class Japanese women, so it's possible geisha used fragrances from these houses to further enhance their allure.

Mineko Iwasaki described one of the first geisha she knew as wearing strong perfume, which caused a cloud of scent to waft into the room every time she fluttered her fan, so perhaps in times past geisha wore perfumes with loud projection that helped them be noticed. In modern Japan, strong perfume is unpopular, as it can bother people on public transport and interfere with the smell and taste of food in restaurants. Geisha, being the perfect hostesses, may not choose a heavy perfume in the modern era so as to follow etiquette and not disturb their clients while they're enjoying a nice meal. Brands known for their light perfumes like Maison Margiela and Diptyque are top-sellers in Japan.

Until the mid 19th century in Japan, it was common for women to scent their kimonos by leaving them on top of an incense burner in a small cage.

Geisha and oiran (courtesans) would carry pieces of scented wood in their sleeves, and would rub scented powder into their hands and necks.

Misc

Mineko Iwasaki described carrying a handbag which contained her fan, a hand towel, lipstick, comb, and a small cushion. Every item had its own carrying case made from Eriman red silk and monogrammed in white with the characters for Mineko.

Shiseido, a brand which is still going strong today, was founded in Japan in 1872. Among their most popular early cosmetics were scented hair tonics and floral perfumes, which were considered to contribute to the brand's luxurious image, helping to make it popular with Japan's upper class. Geisha were at the forefront of beauty and sophistication, so while there's no documentation of it, it's likely that some of their products found their way into the toilettes of geisha due to its prominence in early 20th century Japan and sophisticated image.

A big part of the geisha's appeal isn't just her looks, but her demeanor, the way she moves, and her conversational skills. Geisha train in dance and traditional Japanese arts and are experts at having sophisticated conversations. Not going to go into too much detail as it's its own topic, but it's good to remember that a big part of their mystique comes from their talent, grace and etiquette, not just their physical beauty. They're the full package, not just part of it.

[missmyloko]

for how long maiko wear yakko shimada after Hassaku? Also, Why was hassaku celebrated during Agust first and not the 8th? Just curious. Thanks

They wear yakko shimada for just the one day. Hassaku is celebrated on August first as it is literally the name for the first day of August. Hassaku is considered the half way point of summer (ie: the apex), so it's when the geimaiko do their rounds to show their dedication to their craft ^^

[umeno-okiya]

Shinnen Aisatsu mawari with Maiko Umehina

(SOURCE)

[taisakuraokiya-blog]

สิงหาคม 2561: ไมโกะ Koeri (โอกิยะ Hiroshimaya) จากเขต Gion Kobu ในวัน Hassaku

Source: @yasuhiroimamiya on Twitter

[geimei]

January 2019: Maiko Kohana (Masuume Okiya) of Gion Kobu on her way to the Kabutenjo Theater during Shigyoushiki.

Kohana is the model for this year's Miyako Odori Poster! Only the most popular, talented and beautiful Maiko get chosen for this role. You can view it here.

Source: Adachi on Instagram

[maigeiko]

Maiko Yachiyo from Ôsaka in 1900. Src There’s a kikkô (tortoise shell) motif on her obi and her hairdo resembles Tsubushi Shimada (today, it’s a hairstyle for Geiko but who knows how it was in the past?).

[geisha-kai]

January 2017: maiko Ichinana and a cat by  marusu_jpn on Instagram

[koikishu]

Source: http://nihongami.blogspot.com/2019/12/blog-post_8.html

Nihongami: Hairstyles of the Karyukai - Geisha & Maiko

Historical Time Period: Mid-Edo Period - 2nd Half (1753-1789)

Hairstyle Name: Chuu-Taka-Shimada (中高島田) lit. "Middle-High Rice Paddy Island”

   This is a Shimada topknot with a middle-to-high base for the knot. The form of this hairstyle is nearly identical in the Bunkin-Taka-Shimada, Hariuchichi, Yakko-Shimada, and Geiko-Shimada styles. It seems to have occurred in various forms since the mid-Edo period. Its elegance and dignity of form makes it one of the favorite styles of the upper classes, especially the samurai class, by the late Edo period.

   This is now widely used by traditional brides during the wedding ceremony as well as by the maiko and geiko of Gion Kobu during the performances of Miyako Odori. It is used only for the final common dance when all the performers dance together. Today, it’s unlikely to see any geisha on the street wearing this hairstyle. The floral decoration for this hairstyle changes every year because it is designed annually for each Miyako Odori performance.

[tanghanwa]

"The wealthy daimyo himegimi. The gorgeous uchikake of Hundred Flowers Rebellion, the solid red furisode, the yakko-shimada braided motoyui, and the silver hanakanzashi luxury.”

Source: https://twitter.com/nadeshicorin/status/1184726910816776192

[the-art-of-geisha]

Maiko – Apprentice Geisha

Maiko are apprentice geisha (geiko). They are only found in Kyoto and are often used as the ultimate symbol of Japan. Maiko are a rare breed now, only several at any one time and confined primarily to the Gion and Pontocho districts.

Maiko are easily recognised by their attire. In the Japanese way, as young girls before they become women, the dress of the Maiko is more outlandish than that of the mature Geisha. The Obi and Kimono of a Maiko is brightly coloured and ornately decorated, the Kimono is of the Furisode style (more specifically of the oburisode type kimono) with long flapping sleeves that fall to the floor. The collar of the under-kimono worn by the Maiko is usually of a red and white patterned material, and shows vividly against the white neck of the Maiko.

Maiko move through several stages of maturity as their apprenticeship continues. Numerous highly ritual costume changes are made to identify these passages of time. Maiko have several different hair styles, makeup complexity changes and the pattern of the collar moves from  colourful to demure and white. These changes are physical indicators of the maturity of the girl moving from flighty and girlish to demure and womanly.

A first-year maiko continues to only paint her bottom lip, and she wears long, dangling shidare kanzashi. Her collar is predominantly red with small patches of white embroidery, and her hikizuri kimono usually has a busy pattern. Once she finishes her 1st year of apprenticeship she will begin painting her upper lip, and stop wearing shidare kanzashi. Tomitae of Gion Higashi as junior maiko.

A maiko becomes a senior when her okaasan thinks she has earned it through her dancing and musical accomplishments, usually around the 3rd year of apprenticeship. At this point her eri will be completely embroidered so it is white, and her hairstyle changes to ofuku. Over the next year or two the colour of the tegarafolded cloth in her hairstyle will change to show her seniority. Tomitae of Gion Higashi as senior maiko.

The Obi of a Maiko is longer than any other traditional kimono obi and tied in an ornate style rather than the box knots common in the Obi of both Geisha and other Japanese women. The Obi is tied very high on a Maiko, coming high into the arm pit, with the knot reaching almost to the collar and the ends falling to the floor. Maiko also wear distinctive Okobo, large platformed wooden shoes, which taper to a smaller point on the sole, these are often lacquered and ornate. Okobo usually force a young Maiko to take very small steps, which is considered attractive by Japanese tradition.

Maiko use their own hair for their elaborate traditional hair styles rather than the wigs that contemporary Geisha wear. Traditionally it is a sign of a productive and hard apprenticeships to have a small bald patch from the ornate hair styles but as apprenticeships grow shorter and wigs more common this is a fading sign of a retired Geisha. The hair ornaments for a Maiko are plentiful and extravagant and are matched to the current season, usually displaying a fall of seasonal flowers constructed from beads.

Two to three months before her erikae (graduation), a maiko will begin tying her obiage and tucking it behind her obi. A month before her erikae she will wear a special hairstyle dependent on which district she is from; In Gion Kobu she would wear yakko shimada, but in Pontocho she could wear any of around 5 different hairstyles. Tomitae of Gion Higashi with yakko shimada

Two weeks before erikae a maiko will wear sakkou hairstyle, with its accompanying outfit and ohaguro (blackened teeth) if she chooses. The outfit worn depends on which kagai she is from:

In Gion Kobu maiko wear kuromontsuki hikizuri, white eri, gold obi, and a special sakkou kanzashi.

In Gion Higashi maiko wear busily-patterned hikizuri, a gold-flecked red eri, a gold obi, and special sakkou kanzashi.

In Miyagawacho maiko wear kuromontsuki hikizuri, a gold-flecked red eri, gold obi, and a special sakkou kanzashi. Sometimes, instead of wearing kuromontsuki hikizuri, a maiko will wear an iromontsuki hikizuri of deep blue, brown or light blue.

In Pontocho maiko wear iromontsuki hikizuri of bla bold colour like blue or brown, with a gold-flecked red eri, gold obi, and a special sakkou kanzashi.

In Kamishichiken maiko wear iromontsuki hikizuri of brown, blue or pale pink, with a gold-flecked red eri, gold obi, and a special sakkou kanzashi. Sometimes, instead of wearing iromontsuki hikizuri, she will wear kuromontsuki hikizuri.

Erikae, “collar-turning”, is the graduation of apprentice to geiko, professional artisan. At this time the colour of her collar will change to a more demure white as in married women. Her elaborate sakkou hairstyle is undone and the top piece cut off so she can wear her custom-made katsura wig. She dresses in tomesode hikizuri kimono with shorter sleeves indicating her growing maturity.

While beautiful to look at Maiko are still young girls, so the social mastery they are expected to attain as accomplished Geisha is still not fully formed and Maiko are usually expected to dance, and be seen, and though performing tasks such as filling drinks they are not intended to entertain guests to the same degree as a Geisha. Young girls may become Maiko at 16, under current Japanese law, as all adolescents must attend high school to this age. A Maiko’s apprenticeship is usually 5 years, and so at 21 she may become a fully fledged Geisha.

Though not attending conventional school after becoming Maiko, they must nonetheless attend classes every morning in dance, Shamisen, singing and other art. Maiko as well as learning artistic pursuits must learn the social graces and old style Kyoto dialect before becoming a Geisha.

As such an identifiable icon of Japanese traditional culture the Maiko are often in demand, especially for photography. A popular tourist activity in Kyoto is to catch a photograph of a Maiko hurrying to an appointment.

[geimaikospottingsl]

Amazing news! Rumors have been true! by Geiko Kikumaru Via Flickr: Yes, the rumors have been true and we finally can confirm that Maiko Kikune of Hanafusa okiya, imouto of Geiko Kikutsuru, will soon become Geiko. She has officially started styling her hair in yakko shimada on Saturday 9th of October 2021. This initiates her Pre sakkou stage and it is expected that within the start of this Winter, whole Kyoto Kagai sim and Hanafusa okiya and will celebrate her transition from maiko to geiko. We welcome everyone to witness the final months of Maiko Kikune as Maiko during the ozashiki and public performances that will take place this month. Please feel free to come with friends and family to witness the birth of a newest Geiko of Second life :)

[missmyloko]

Hi, would you mind listing Koaki's white kimono motifs? I'm referring to the one she's wearing now, paired with yakko shimada. Thanks!

Besides the plovers on her sleeves, the main motif on her kimono is Izumo No Okuni, the inventor of kabuki! It's very appropriate for Miyagawa Cho as that district has strong ties to kabuki ^^

[umeno-okiya]

Maiko Umehina wearing yakko shimada hairstyle for new year

(SOURCE)

[taisakuraokiya-blog]

มกราคม 2561: ไมโกะ Mamekinu, ไมโกะ Mameaki, ไมโกะ Mameharu, ไมโกะ Mameryuu, และเกโกะ Mamesuzu (โอกิยะ Tama) จากเขต Gion Kobu ในวัน Hatsuyori

วัน Hatsuyori (初寄り) ในทุกๆ วันที่ 13 เดือนมกราคมของทุกปี เหล่าไมโกะและเกโกะจะแต่งตัวด้วยกิโมโนที่มีสีสันสดใสในวันนี้ และเดินทางไปขอบคุณอาจารย์และผู้เชี่ยวชาญด้านการร่ายรำประจำเขต

Source: zakohbou0480 on Instagram

[geimei]

January 2019: Maiko Ichiyū (Katsumi Okiya) of Pontocho on her way to the Shigyoushiki opening ceremony.

Source: Patosan on Instagram