I know that only a few, select people will be interested in reading my
story. Maybe your interest was captured by the word geisha, and you wished
to find out what one was. Maybe you thought you knew what a geisha is, and
were after a lascivious story! Or maybe you know geisha, and wanted to
find out about my life. After all, geisha must have much more interesting
lives than normal people!
I used to be called Yamada Sakyou, but now I am Mameo. Let me start from
my childhood, from my life as Sakyou.
I was born and grew up in Osaka. I went to school and lived my childhood
as a normal Japanese girl, normal except for the fact that my parents
divorced. I don't remember much about it, other than a few half-remembered
images of my father. I was teased in school by the other students - I was
the only child who's parents had split up.
A withdrawn child, I found more interest in Japanese culture - music, the
arts - than modern, westernised entertainment. It was a way of getting
away from the other students - most of them couldn't care less about
Japanese dance and theatre or the tea ceremony. The few students who were
in the club were my only friends... but we were never very close.
I was a late developer, and rather shy... I also hated exams and feared
the thought of going to university. I somehow managed to get into one of
the local high schools (with a lot of help and encouragement from my
mother, who was the only person I was ever close to), but I didn't like it
at all.
When I heard about maiko (apprentice geisha) in the Gion, I decided to
pack it in and become one, too. High school and a normal job just didn't
seem right for me. (I was never normal, I don't think.) But to become a
geisha! I was in love with the idea. I had fantasies about seeing myself,
beautiful in silk kimono, my hair up, being seen as elegant and clever! To
have people looking at me in awe! To be talented with music and dancing,
to have everything I could ever want in life! Ah!
My mother, though, was still supportive of my choice. She did try to
change my mind - I'm not sure that her image of her daughter's future was
the same as mine - but she did her best for me.
Still young, I left home and went to live in the okiya with mama-san (the
owner of our little okiya), and Mameko, her only geiko (In the Gion,
geisha are known as geiko).
My horoscope was checked, and the name Mameo was found auspicious. The
'mame' sound came from Mameko's name, but the ending was for me. From now
on, I was no longer Sakyou, I was Mameo. I was maiko, not just an ordinary
girl.
It took a long while to get used to this life - I didn't realised how free
I'd been before. I had to be up early hours, and to bed so late every
night! I had school to do - to learn to sing, to dance, to play the
shamisen and more - every day, and chores to do around the okiya when I
returned. I had to help Mameko dress and help her with makeup... I had so
much to learn before I could even put on makeup of my own, or to do up my
hair in the traditional maiko style! All of the training and beautiful
outfits slowly helped me overcome the shyness my classmates has instilled
in me. I was like a butterfly, coming out of a cocoon as my time at the
okiya went on!
Eventually mama-san decided that I was ready, and (though still young), I
was able to wear the okiya's maiko outfits, to have my makeup and hair
done... and to go with Mameko to her various engagements, and to be
introduced to her clients!
My life went on like this, until one day.... my letters and phone calls to
my mother had slowed, but there was a time that I could no longer get in
contact with her. I didn't worry, really. She had been sick for a while,
but the doctors had said that there was nothing to worry about (or so
mother said in her letters). The next message I received was one telling
me that my mother had died... I read and reread the letter, alone in my
room, not believing it. But I found that I could hardly read the letter,
through the tears.
I realised that I could no longer stay at the okiya - my life was too
filled with pain. I just wanted to escape - to leave my Osaka, to leave
anywhere that might remind me of my mother.
I informed mama-san, and told her that my whole world had been turned
upside down. That I must leave and sort out my affairs - I was my mother's
only child. Somehow I was let out of the okiya, and I found myself back
home. But I had a debt to pay mama-san and Mameko.
I sold the house... with this money I went back and paid mama-san what I
owed her for the cost of training me, for some kimono. I organised for a
small apartment near the okiya while awaiting the funeral, but I still
continued to train with Mameko. What else could I do? I did not want to be
left alone to think. The forced gaiety of the parties seemed to soothe my
heart, just for a little while. I needed that.
Being on my own was difficult to manage. I still needed them for my
beautiful outfits and for help and advice. I still had to help out at the
okiya - Mameko and mama-san could not do everything themselves - but,
somewhere along the line, I managed to get my own independence, my own
life. It was very unusual for a maiko to live on her own - usually only
some geiko can manage this, if they were successful! But I was ...
different. I always had been.
Though life was a struggle - paying my own bills, trying to figure out
where I could go, going to school every day and parties every night with
(and without, when I learned enough) Mamako - eventually mama-san decided
that I was skilled enough...
I was to become a fully fledged geiko!
The usual ceremonies were performed, with most of Gion there watching,
congratulating me. It was wonderful! No longer did I have to wear the red
in my hair and around my neck! I could put on the more grown up white, the
more mature kimono of a geiko. I did miss the vibrant colours, especially
the reds... but I was now a young geiko.
By now, it was rather difficult trying to keep hiding from the people of
Gion, to control my feelings (I always saw a cherry tree we used to sit
under at the Cherry Blossom festival, or a temple at New Year, or even a
shop we bought our food).
It was time to leave.
I spoke with mama-san, and together we came to arrangement - she would
talk with another mama-san in Tokyo, and see if I could go there to live.
I knew many people in Gion - the rich and powerful men who could afford to
hire myself and Mameko - but they were clients. I did not have a danna (a
man to be my sponsor). Maybe, if I had one, he could have helped me move
to Tokyo... but I relied on mama-san. I do not think that even the most
friendly of the clients would be willing to help a new geiko leave Gion
for Tokyo, where they will never see her again!
Anyway, my horoscope said that the direction of Tokyo was right for me,
and that my future will be bright if I move!) We geiko are a superstitious
lot.) So out of all of Japan, Tokyo was the place for me! Somewhere
vibrant and new, filled with energy and vitality! Somewhere that wouldn't
remind me of my mother.
Despite the fact that Gion geiko and Tokyo geisha were very different,
mama-san was sure that I'd be a hit in Tokyo. She really didn't understand
why I had to leave - I was like a daughter to her, she said - but she and
Mameko wished me the best.
And so off I went to Tokyo, to live my life... maybe I will even be
popular in Tokyo?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
This story came into being for a character that I am using for a Role
Playing Game. I find that geisha are very interesting - they are not at
all about sex (if they do have sex, that is the geisha's business - they
are not prostitutes!), as many people believe. They are traditional
artists (geisha means 'art person'), appreciated by those who are
interested in Japanese culture. Unfortunately there are less and less
people interested in Japanese culture (even in Japan), and there are less
and less geisha. A whole tradition is dying out, due to apathy (and lack
of cash, I guess), and I find that sad. But geisha pander to the tourist
trade, these days. You can go and dress up as a maiko or geisha at some
places, and have your photo taken. There are possibly even tea houses that
you can visit to see geisha. Business men will take foreigners to see
geisha to entertain them... But it's still sad.
If you're interested in role playing a geisha, hopefully this will help
with your own background... or if you're just interested in general
information on geisha, I hope you found this useful, despite it's
story-form. (Sometimes a story is better than just plain, dry
information!) And if you're reading it as a story, I hope it was a good
read!
Thanks for reading - I hope that you enjoyed the story. ^_^
This can also be found at http://www.themestream.com/articles/267613.html
if you want to link to this story.
Thanks for reading, all C&C welcome (as long as it's constructive)!
Kun-chan...
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