Mineko Iwasaki (岩崎 峰子/岩崎 究香, Iwasaki Mineko, born Masako Tanaka (田中 政子), 2 November 1949) is a Japanese businesswoman, author and former geisha. Iwasaki was the most famous geisha in Japan until her sudden retirement at the age of 29.
When it comes to famous geisha of the 20th century, two names usually come to mind: Kiharu Nakamura and Mineko Iwasaki.
Till this day the most successful and famous geisha is Mineko Iwasaki. She is one of the most famous geisha in the world.
Sayuri, he says, is "wholly fictional." His novel is set mostly before World War II, when Gion was a different place than in the '60s and '70s, when Mineko earned her fame, Golden says. The plot and the circumstances of Sayuri did not resemble Mineko's life, he says.
Oiran (花魁) is a collective term for the highest-ranking courtesans in Japanese history, who were considered to be above common prostitutes (known as yūjo (遊女, lit. 'woman of pleasure')) for their more refined entertainment skills and training in the traditional arts.
The okiya is typically run by the "mother" (okā-san) of the house, who handles a geisha's engagements, the development of her skills, and funds her training through a particular teahouse.
Tsutakiyokomatsu Asaji, 102, believed to be Japan's oldest geisha. Born Haru Kato, Asaji spent nearly 90 years as a geisha, a word literally meaning “arts person.” She had continued performing the refined songs and dances of geisha tradition until April, when illness forced her to retire.
Sayuri's eyes symbolically relate to the old saying that “eyes are the windows to the soul.” Sayuri's translucent blue-grey eyes lead many characters to believe that she has a lot of water in her personality.
Mameha says that she knew Mother would adopt Sayuri, because yesterday the bidding ended with Dr. Crab agreeing to pay 11,500 yen for her mizuage – the highest amount ever paid for a mizuage in Gion.
No, it is not based on a true story. However, a real geisha, named Mineko Iwasaki, sued the author of the book because of defamation. Surprisingly, not the plot, but some characters in the book resembled some of the real characters in Mineko Iwasaki's life that she shared with the author in a private conversation.
Today there are only about 1,000 geisha in Japan. They can be found in several major cities including Tokyo, and Kanazawa but most of them work in Kyoto. They are often attending gatherings at tea houses and ryoutei —a kind of luxurious Japanese restaurant.
Geiko (geisha) receive a full compensation for their job engagements, however, the monthly income depends on the amount of hours they work. Just like theater performers, there is a huge variation in the income of the geisha based on the skills and popularity.
But in fact the original geisha were men.
In fact, the first female geisha didn't appear until several centuries later in 1751 but grew so quickly in popularity that they soon outnumbered the men. Today, there are 5 known male geisha in Japan: 4 in Tokyo and 1 in Kyoto.
In Japan, geisha are very highly respected because they spend years training to learn the traditional instruments and dances of Japan. Although some western media portray geisha as prostitutes, that's just a myth.
The most notable and famous ochaya is the Ichiriki Chaya in the Gion district of Kyoto, considered one of the most exclusive ochaya in Japan. The Ichiriki features as a major setting in Arthur Golden's fictional portrayal of a Gion geisha's life, Memoirs of a Geisha.
In ancient times, there was no electricity in Japan, and most facilities were only lit by candlelight. Since candlelight was not bright enough, Geishas painted their faces white to enhance their skin tones and to contour their faces, making their faces more visible and recognizable.
Some geisha would sleep with their customers, whereas others would not, leading to distinctions such as kuruwa geisha – a geisha who slept with customers as well as entertaining them through performing arts – yujō ("prostitute") and jorō ("whore") geisha, whose only entertainment for male customers was sex, and machi ...
Chiyo is taken to the Nitta okiya (geisha boarding house) in Gion, but her sister is taken to a brothel within Kyoto's pleasure district.
After taking Sayuri's virginity, which causes her to bleed, Dr. Crab saves a small amount of her blood in a little vial. Ick. And, to make it even worse, he doesn't even spell her name right on the vial.
A man in love with Sayuri, Nobu spends much of the novel trying to get Sayuri to become his personal geisha.
That's why I sing in so many different places. You're usually barefoot and in a poncho when you perform. What's the reason behind your style of dressing? Sanketsu-girl Sayuri: Because I'm directly in contact with the ground, obviously I get dirty, but I feel like I'm one with the land when I'm standing there.
Mameha's wealthy and aristocratic patron who bids against Dr. Crab for Sayuri's virginity. A drunk and an uncaring man, he forces Sayuri to undress in front of him so that he can pleasure himself while looking at her in the mirror.
There is no specific retirement age for geisha, so if they don't want to marry, they can continue being a geisha throughout their lives. Conversely, despite being unable to marry, it's still acceptable for geishas to have children – and it's relatively common.
The Three Levels of Geisha
Before becoming a fully-realized geisha, the stages are shikomi (preparation or training), minarai (learning by observation), and maiko. Shikomi is the first and lowest stage.
For this reason, a Geisha sleeps with her neck on a small wooden support or takamakura. This can cause crippling pain and sleep deprivation, and keeping the head balanced on the stand is a difficult skill to master.