In Japan, their profession is treated as a creative activity. Geisha called the most mysterious phenomenon of the Land of the Rising Sun - and the last keepers of the traditional national culture.
Each of them lives in a special world of knowledge of the science of love and has the ability to be a real woman, in whose society men achieve harmony and spiritual enlightenment. Who are these women and what is their secret?
Two kimonos are more patriotic than three
The very word "geisha" is translated from Japanese as "man of art". Once upon a time, in the era of the early Middle Ages, only men could be such people. The rich invited them to family holidays, where they played the role of a modern toastmaster - they were the hosts of joint games, danced, told funny stories, played musical instruments (one of the nicknames of such people was "a man with a drum").
The first mention of female geisha dates back to the middle of the 18th century. They were valued, first of all, for the ability to entertain men with fascinating conversations on any topic. The very fact of a conversation with a woman was unusual for that time - after all, earlier the representatives of the weaker sex in Japanese society were assigned the role of silent creatures who could not and did not dare to take part in the conversations of men.
In order not to be confused with yujo (prostitutes), the geisha stopped all communication with them and deliberately tried to settle away from brothels. In addition, they developed their own special style of behavior, invented a kind of make-up, hairstyle, clothes.
In the 19th century, Japanese geisha became very popular, many famous poets and artists were looking for friendship with them. This time is considered the heyday of their art, it was then that the main traditions of the life and skill of these women were laid, which have hardly changed to this day.
Loads - like sumo wrestlers
The historical places of residence of the geishas were Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo. The areas where their houses are located are called "flower streets" (hanamachi).
In Kyoto, there is the Gion quarter, where geisha have been living for over 200 years. Every year in May, those who want to see maiko dances come here - this is the name of the students who outwardly look like adult geisha, and differ only in that the ends of their belts are loose.
In geisha schools, girls are taught to play traditional musical instruments, sing, dance, lead the tea ceremony, ikebana, as well as arts such as poetry and painting. In addition, future geisha must follow world news without fail - after all, you must be able to talk with clients on any topic.
Training lasts for several years - depending on the traditions of the school. After passing the exams, the applicants become novice geisha (maiko) and in a solemn atmosphere receive a pseudonym for further work.
Lessons at school take at least 12 hours a day, while the student has one day off in two weeks. Experts say that such loads are equal in intensity to the regular training of sumo wrestlers.
The students get up at eight in the morning. After classes, in the late afternoon, students and young geishas get ready for work: put on makeup and change into a festive kimono, and then go to banquets. Geisha work until late at night.
Minister's Wife
The place where apprentices and young geishas live is called an okiya. Upon admission, the girl enters into a five- or seven-year contract, after which she can leave or continue working under a new agreement.
From the age of 18, a geisha has the right to connect her life with a danna (patron), with whom she can have a love relationship, including the birth of common children. The duties of the patron include paying for the girl's current expenses, as well as organizing events that will promote her career.
If a geisha marries, she must leave the place of common residence. In the history of Japan, there are many cases when representatives of the elite - ministers, businessmen and prominent politicians - married geishas. This gives such men weight in society.
Nightingale droppings cream
Each geisha carefully monitors her appearance. It can take girls up to five hours to do makeup, hair and put on a kimono. By the way, the cost of a kimono intended for especially solemn occasions reaches several hundred thousand dollars, and the knot of the belt on it, tied at the back according to ancient rules, can be untied only by being a specialist in this field.
Geisha wear elaborate hairstyles that force them to sleep not on a pillow, but with a wooden roll under their necks. But they themselves consider such a dream to be healthy: due to the correct position of the neck and head, the girls always remain in shape.
Here it is impossible not to make a small digression. Geisha decorate their high hair with traditional kanzashi hairpins, each of which is a real work of art in itself. However, it's not just about beauty.
It turns out that there were cases when geisha were in the service of the legendary Japanese mafia yakuza. With the help of a hairpin, taken out of her hair with lightning speed, a woman bribed by bandits could destroy her guest, objectionable to bandits... However, it must be said that kanzashi have not been used as a weapon for a long time, remaining a completely peaceful accessory...
Before applying cosmetics to the face, a geisha lubricates it with a special cream (until the middle of the 20th century, its ingredients included nightingale droppings), then rubs wax into the skin and applies a white paste with a brush, against which the lips look brighter. Such makeup makes the faces of all geishas the same - and hides any skin imperfections.
In addition, makeup in the form of a white mask symbolizes one of the main postulates of Eastern culture - the containment of emotions. A man in the company of such a woman should not feel any problems, they all remain outside the door of the tea house.
Do not be jealous
The cost of communication with a geisha can cost her client in the amount of three to ten thousand dollars for one evening. According to statistics, 80% of the Japanese have never met such women, because it is too expensive for them. Rest in a tea house is affordable only for truly rich people.
An amazing fact is that most Japanese wives have a positive attitude towards geishas. They do not feel jealous that their husbands associate with such women, and are even proud of it. After all, a man who visits a tea house is envied by others, this is an indicator of his solid reputation and high social status.
The secrets of being a woman
What is the secret? Why are these girls so attractive to men?
From an early age, geisha learn the language of facial expressions that convey feelings. By facial expressions, looks or lip movements of the client, they understand what he wants. At the same time, a geisha never tries to manipulate a man - on the contrary, she is always ready to change the situation in such a way as to give him the opportunity to feel like a master of the situation.
The geisha is extremely polite. She will definitely show the man who comes, albeit a stranger, how glad she is to see him, and does not get tired of apologizing for any reason.
Geisha have a special gait - with a straight back and a raised head. It is specially developed during training, when girls carry a heavy book on their heads while moving. In addition, as already mentioned, geisha during sleep do not use pillows that harm posture.
These women lead a healthy lifestyle. They can drink quite a bit with a client, but they never smoke, considering this habit not only unhealthy, but generally an occupation that does not paint a woman.
The Japanese geisha with all its appearance resembles a fragile doll, next to which a man will definitely feel confident and strong.
Despite the closed outfit, these women are very attractive sexually. Inaccessibility plays the main role here - after all, the provision of intimate services is not part of their duties and depends only on personal sympathies.
They do not sell their body - but they can voluntarily give love. If a geisha makes love contact with a client, she starts it with a long traditional massage - and then she is ready to respond to any partner's fantasies. Geisha training includes lovemaking.
In an effort to please a man, geishas are helped by a special technique, which consists in completely copying the facial expressions and gestures of the client. Such communication helps to establish a strong connection between a woman and her guest on a subconscious level.
Now in Japan, the number of geishas is decreasing: if in the 1920s there were more than ten thousand of them, then at the present time there are about a thousand. But they continue to live in okiya and receive guests in tea houses. After all, any man so wants to feel at least for a while that there is a smart, beautiful woman who is ready to fulfill his desires nearby.
Nikolai MIKHAILOV
A charming girl with slanted eyes and a whitened face, pouring tea and entertaining the guest with refined conversation. Such is the stereotypical image of a geisha in the mind of a European. In general, everything is correct, except for one. Initially, the role of a friendly person with a whitened forehead and cheeks was played by ... a man. Female geisha appeared much later.
The very history of geisha as a profession, or, more precisely, as an art form, dates back to around the end of the 16th century. There are two main versions of the appearance of geishas. According to one of them, samurai, tired of official business, wanted not just to drink tea or good sake, but to relax, so to speak, with their soul - to talk with an intelligent person.
But since a woman in Japan of those times was considered a being much less intelligent than a man, the samurai preferred communication with their equals. Therefore, in place of charmers with whitened faces, men in kimonos initially flaunted. They possessed all the qualities inherent in the stereotypical geisha from films and books about Japan: they were educated, played several musical instruments, mastered the art of versification and calligraphy, and skillfully knew how to keep up the conversation.
There is also a version that the "primary geisha" men had a prototype. They became Sorori Shinzaemon, adviser to the then Japanese emperor. At the end of the 16th century, the Land of the Rising Sun was ruled by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He was a significant figure in the history of the country, having managed to unite it after feudal fragmentation. Despite this, Toyotomi could not write and could hardly read ancient books copied by hand. But the content of scientific works and annals still interested him.
To retell books, the monarch got himself a special position "otogishyu" - an interlocutor and adviser. The closest of them was just Sorori Shinzaemon. History has not preserved information about the origin of this worthy husband - apparently, Sorori was born in a rather poor family, but as a child he was given up for education in a monastery and received a decent education. In addition, he was an expert in the tea ceremony, mastered the art of calligraphy and had a rather sharp tongue.
Shinzaemon read aloud to the emperor, was his adviser on various issues, and simply entertained the ruler when he was in a bad mood. And Hideyoshi was famous for his tough temper. At the European royal court, Shinzaemon would probably be called a jester. The court jester of the Japanese emperor even compiled one of the first books of short humorous stories, with which he sometimes regaled his master. Some of these stories, apparently, were composed by himself, and some were a transcription of more ancient stories that he had heard earlier.
Thanks to Sorori Shinzaemon and his ruler, jesters, entertaining the owners with conversation and anecdotes, have become fashionable not only among samurai, but also among wealthy citizens. In these circles, the jester no longer became the property of a nobleman, but something like a free artist. Such a profession was called "taikomochi" - artists often carried taiko drums with them, with the help of which they accompanied their speeches and attracted attention.
Most often, taikomochi were part of the retinue of rich high-ranking courtesans, tayu, and were supposed to entertain their clients. If the tayu kurtisnaka herself usually emphasized her sophistication and good manners, then the task of the taikomochi was to contrast with her, while at the same time igniting the passion of the client.
The jester portrayed funny scenes from life, sang obscene songs and told obscene anecdotes. At the same time, the education of taikomochi remained at the level: they had to, albeit joking, keep up the conversation on any topic, amuse the guest by playing musical instruments and be aware of all the latest news. They were still masters of the tea ceremony, calligraphy and drawing. Therefore, taikomochi were also called "geinin" or "geisha" - both of which are translated as "man of art."
According to various sources, there were about 500-800 male geisha in Japan during the Edo period. But gradually women began to appear in the profession - dancers and singers, who attracted the attention of spectators, valiant samurai and wealthy citizens. Still, you can't fool nature. Female geisha pretty quickly pushed the male taikomochi out of the arena.
During this period, male geisha left their acting profession, and their role became increasingly reduced to organizing parties. Now we would call them organizers or event managers. By the way, the code of the taikomochi profession forbade having any relationship with female geisha girls. And so it remains to this day.
A long time ago, when I first learned that the word "geisha" is translated from Japanese as "man of art", I was surprised - why not "woman of art", but precisely a man? Did male geishas also exist?! It turns out that yes: male geisha existed, moreover, initially the profession of a geisha was specifically male.
Nowadays, male geisha are commonly referred to as taikomochi (太鼓持, Jap. taikomochi) or, more formally, hokan (幇間, Jap. ho:kan).
1. History of taikomochi
How did this profession come about?
By the beginning of the 12th century. The political system of Japan has changed: the old tribal aristocracy has lost its influence, and its place in the government of the country has been taken by the strengthened military estate - the samurai. This led to the emergence of new Buddhist movements, which were closely associated with the samurai society. One of them was founded by the monk Ippen Shonin (1239-1289) the Ji school of Buddhist doctrine of the Pure Land, which had a strong influence on the subsequent development of the culture and art of Japan. One of the famous Japanese popularizers of the Pure Land teachings was the monk Kuya, who invented the "dance prayer" to the Buddha. In the 13th century many advisers to daimyo (large feudal lords) came from this school. They were called dobosyu- "comrades", because they both gave advice and entertained their master, were experts in the tea ceremony, performed dances and played musical instruments.
By the end of the 15th century in Japan, the Sengoku period (1500 - 1575) began - "Warring States": the military leaders of the provinces fought each other for power. Doboshu have adapted to the changed realities of life and have become strategists and specialists in military stratagems. They still remained something between a wise adviser and an interesting companion, with whom it was not boring to spend time. By the 16th century they were called otogisyu or hanashishu- "storytellers", as their duties included telling stories, funny tales, maintaining a conversation. They were still versed in military strategy and fought side by side with their master in battle.
The Sengoku period ended with the victory of General Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616) in 1603 and the founding of the Tokugawa Shogunate, with its capital in the city of Edo (today's Tokyo). The establishment of peace and stability in the country (largely the result of the extermination or weakening of former regional leaders) led to the fact that most of the otogishu advisers were left without a master and without work. Many of them found a new home in kuruva- high-class quarters of brothels, where artistic courtesans served merchants and other wealthy clients. The former otogishu now entertained courtesans' guests at banquets with amusing or erotic stories, and on occasion gave advice on making deals and doing business. Now they were called geisha (芸者, Jap. geysia）- i.e. "man of art", "artist", hokan - "intermediary", or taikomochi.
The word "hokan" (幇間, Jap. ho:kan) consists of the characters 幇 ho:- "help", and 間 can- "between, among people." That is, this word can be translated as "helper in relations between people", mediator". Accordingly, the task of the hokan / taikomochi is to entertain guests at banquets together with the geishas, acting as a link between guests and an intermediary between guests and geishas, and maintain the atmosphere casual fun.
Courtesan and guests (illustration for a kabuki play)
On the left - a geisha and a hokan, in the center - a courtesan laughing at them, on the right - a young samurai.
Kunisada (1786 - 1864)
"Taikomochi" (太鼓持, Japanese) taikomochi) is a more informal name for this profession, and literally means "one who carries / holds the drum." This does not mean that taikomochi are drummers: once the expression "carry the drum" meant "to flatter". (See below for more on the origin of this word.)
All three of these names began to be used from the 17th century.
In 1751 the first onna-taikomochi(a female taikomochi) appeared at a party in one of the brothels of Shimabara (the pleasure district in Kyoto) and thus made a lot of noise. She was nicknamed "geiko" (芸子, Jap. geiko, i.e. "artist girl"). In Kyoto, the word "geiko" is used to refer to the profession of a geisha to this day.
Initially, women who performed the functions of taikomochi were called onna-geisha- a female geisha. They quickly gained popularity and by 1780 overtook the number of geisha men, so by 1800 the name "geisha" was finally fixed only for women: in the book "Geisha: The Secret History of a Vanishing World" Lesley Downer (Lesley Downer) cites the following statistics for Tokyo's Yoshiwara pleasure quarter: in 1770 there were 16 female geisha and 31 male geisha, in 1775 - 33 women and 31 men, in 1800 - 142 women and 45 men. If before "geisha" always meant a man, and women of this profession were called onna-geisha (female geisha), now it was necessary to clarify if a man was meant: the term " otoko-geisha"(male geisha).
Taikomochi and the Geisha, 1861 (illustration for a kabuki play)
The duties of geisha - both men and women - included attending parties, keeping guests company in drinking and talking, entertaining them with dancing, singing and music. Female geisha have become even more popular than courtesans due to their artistic talents, modern looks and sophistication.
While female geisha usually entertain guests with graceful performances - dancing, singing, music, the task of male geisha is to tell stories and anecdotes, often of an erotic content, as well as playing small funny scenes, organizing games, in a word, everything which helps to make the atmosphere fun and relaxed. (It is worth recalling that the provision of sexual services has never been part of the geisha profession - neither women nor men.)
And one more clarification: otoko-geisha / hokan / taikomochi are by no means Japanese transvestites. Do not confuse them with young kagem prostitutes, who often dressed in women's clothes: taikomochi did the usual male hairstyle and wore quite a standard male costume of that time.
Three dancing hokans and a geisha (illustration for a kabuki play)
Utagawa Yoshiiki, 1864
In the middle of the 19th century at the height of the taikomochi's popularity, there were about 500 to 600 of them. In the 1920s geisha began to lose popularity, losing to more modern and Europeanized jokyu: ("cafe girls") - the forerunners of today's hostesses. This, in turn, led to a decrease in the number of taikomochi. After Japan's defeat in World War II, and due to the social and political changes that followed, the number of taikomochi continued to decline steadily. Although there are still geisha communities in Kyoto and Tokyo, in 2003 there were only five taikomochi left in Japan: four in Tokyo and one - Taikomochi Arai - in Kyoto. Unfortunately, very few girls choose the profession of a geisha for themselves, and a very small number of young people show interest in the profession of taikomochi.
Taikomochi should not be confused with another geisha-related profession, "kimono dressers", otokoshi (男氏, Jap. otokoshi). Otokoshi help geisha put on kimono and tie obi, and also accompany geisha and maiko on certain occasions, such as during misedashi (maiko's first appearance in public), or on the day of erikae (lit. "collar change") - debut as a geisha. Otokoshi never take part in banquets or entertain guests.
2. The origin of the word "taikomochi"
Why are male geisha called "taikomochi" - i.e. literally "one who holds the drum" even though they don't play drums? There are four versions of the answer to this question.
The first version is associated with the commander Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536 -1598). In 1585 he was appointed kanpaku - regent for the emperor or chief imperial adviser. He passed this title to his adopted son Hidetsugi in 1591, and he himself received the honorary title of taiko (this word is pronounced the same as the word "drum"). Approximate Hideyoshi, who tried to flatter him ("flatter" in Japanese - mochi ageru, i.e. Literally "raise"), he was constantly referred to as "taiko". As a result taiko And mochi ageru merged into one word taikomochi, i.e. flatterer.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
The second version goes back to the story of a skilled drummer named Jige Yazaemon, who trusted only his favorite and most talented student to hold his taiko drum while playing. Envious people called this student "drum holder" ( taiko-mochi), hinting that he is only good for dragging the drum behind his teacher.
Taiko drum
A third version can be found in Shikido Okagami (1697), a guide to the brothel districts of the Edo period. In this book, the word taikomochi is mentioned for the first time, and in the context of a pun. The author calls the carefree parties in the pleasure districts don-chan-savagi, where savagi- fun, Don- the sound of a taiko drum, and chan- ringing a bell (pronounced the same as the word "money"). The meaning of the joke is that two sides are involved in the fun: one is rich, throwing away money without measure, and the second is without money, but with a drum that is beaten to entertain the rich and lure them out of money.
Samurai with ladies and taikomochi
Torii Kiyonaga
The fourth version is associated with traditional dengaku music (lit. "music of rice fields"), which originated in the Heian era (794 - 1185). Planting rice sprouts in the field was the most important event for the peasants and was accompanied by a ritual during which men sang, danced and beat drums. Therefore, people associated with dancing, singing and fun began to be called taikomochi.
Dengaku Matsuri
Perhaps all of these versions are equally true, and they all equally led to the fact that the profession of hokan began to be called taikomochi.
Now the word "taikomochi" is rarely used in Japanese speech and has almost lost its original meaning. People who are not familiar with the history of this profession (and there are many such in modern Japan) usually understand it as a musician-drummer.
3. Performances and repertoire of taikomochi
Taikomochi - the forerunners of geishas - entertain guests so that each of them can get away from everyday worries and indulge in fun. The traditional repertoire of taikomochi is based on a number of cultural characteristics of Japan, which have come a long way in development and turned into an art of entertainment.
Leslie Downer characterizes taikomochi as party stewards whose duty it is to entertain every guest: telling jokes and erotic anecdotes, acting out skits and skits, playing games and serving sake. Such parties, like parties with geishas, can be very expensive. The book Geisha: The Secret History of a Vanishing World features an interview with Taikomochi Shichiko from Tokyo. In it he jokes that " taikomochi agete sudeno taikomochi": Men who spend all their time and money on taikomochi end up being kicked out of the house by their wives and have no choice but to go to work as taikomochi themselves. This is apparently how many became taikomochi in the past.
This drawing depicts the classic ozashiki asobi (お座敷遊び, Jap. ozashiki-asobi), a party with geisha in ochaya (お茶屋, Jap. otaya) - the tea house of Kyoto. According to the rules of ozashiki asobi, one guest is entertained by seven geishas: a geiko dancer (tachikata), three geiko who are jikata (i.e. accompanying geiko dances by playing traditional Japanese instruments and singing), two maiko and one taikomochi.
These photos depict one of Taikomochi Arai's performances: here he alternately depicts three old women meeting at a temple and discussing the pain they experienced long ago at the loss of their virginity. The youngest, 77, describes the pain as unbearable, the 88-year-old says it felt like itching, and the oldest, 99, can't help remembering any pain at all.
Hokan from Yoshiwara performing ashi-odori (lit. "foot dance")
Leslie Downer tells how she was surprised by a parody sketch from the repertoire of Taikomochi Shichiko - one of the classic erotic sketches. Taikomochi talking to a dummy given(guest) who supposedly wants to make love to him. Taikomochi starts explaining that he is not a homosexual and that his profession is a geisha, but the fake danna shows persistence and impatience. The taikomochi then gives up and agrees to satisfy the client. They retire behind the screen, and, partly hidden from the audience by it, they act out a sexual act - with groans, groans and eye rolls. The taikomochi is then allegedly "wiped" with a napkin. During this performance, the audience rolls with laughter: everyone present knows that this is a joke, and understand that it ridicules the always willingness of geishas and taikomochi to please customers. Of course, geisha and taikomochi don't go that far, but that's why this classic erotic scene amuses the Japanese so much.
Taikomochi Yugentei entertains guests at a banquet
Why do taikomochi focus on erotic humor in their performances?
Japan, except in recent years, has always been an agrarian country, where rice was the equivalent of money, and the harvest was the main concern - because if you can not stock up for the winter, people will be doomed to starvation. The harvest arises from the irrigation of the earth with rain, the flowering and pollination of plants, which, more generally, is an act of love between the male and female principles. As a result of the copulation of natural forces, the earth bears fruit, food appears, which means an opportunity to make reserves, get a source of food for future years and pass it on to new generations, thereby ensuring their prosperity and prosperity. Therefore, in the old days, the Japanese considered sexual activity a wonderful and important thing. Unlike Western culture, this area of human life did not have negative connotations due to religion or morality. Erotica, sex had an almost sacred status and were associated with well-being and happiness.
Kimono design sometimes worn by Yugentei taikomochi
In ancient Japan, the work of the peasant community was harsh and difficult, so from time to time the peasants held holidays to "let off steam" and mark the cessation of certain seasonal work. On such days, people left their usual seriousness and had fun from the heart: they drank, ate delicious food, gained strength for new working days. The art of telling erotic stories and acting out small performances, which originated during such festivities, was passed down from generation to generation and eventually became part of the taikomochi profession.
The idea that a geisha is an ordinary prostitute, only Japanese, appeared immediately after the Second World War, when the country was flooded with occupying troops. The brave American soldiers, going on leave, constantly hunted for booze and sexual pleasures. Not very educated, not knowing the language and not used to immersing themselves in a foreign culture, but young and full of testosterone, they quickly turned the word "geisha" into a synonym for a call girl. Local pimps, of course, did not object to them.
In fact, everything is not quite right. Or, more accurately, not at all. The first mention of geisha dates back to the XIV-XV centuries. In Japanese, "gei" means "art" and "Xia" means "person." Thus, geisha literally means "artist". So called people who entertained guests at banquets. Initially, these were men from humble samurai families.
After the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu united the country at the very beginning of the 17th century and moved the capital from Kyoto to Edo (today's Tokyo), he began to build roads - wide and convenient tracts for movement. The first and most important connected the two main cities, more than 500 kilometers apart. Stations were equipped on it every thirty kilometers, where one could rest and spend the night. Tea houses sprang up very quickly there. To increase the popularity of their establishments, the owners began to hire beautiful and smart girls. Peasant women were not suitable for this, but at that time there were many representatives of samurai families on the market. Before Tokugawa pacified the rebellious clans, a huge number of samurai died in civil strife. No one was going to support their wives, sisters and daughters. In order to survive, women willingly settled in establishments on the highways.
Noble girls, trained in good manners, able to keep up the conversation, able to dance and play musical instruments, quickly gained popularity. Now they are called geishas. Other ladies could really glorify their institution. Japanese guidebooks of the 17th-19th centuries even indicated which tea houses you should definitely look into for pleasant leisure. It wasn't about sex, though. Geisha sold their art. For prostitutes, of whom there were also many, another term was assigned. They were called girls who impose rice.
The best geisha, reputedly, worked at the very last station in Kyoto. It was there that the famous Gion tea district grew up, where a closed geisha class still exists.
Under Tokugawa and his descendants, peace reigned in the country for 250 years. The military class ceased to decline, and as a result, the influx of samurai women into tea houses stopped. In order to survive, the corporation of geishas, for whom the demand was still huge, developed strict rules for internal reproduction.
An experienced old geisha became a mother-san, and in her subordination were several older and younger "sisters", whom she taught the profession. Beautiful and promising girls aged 5 to 9 years old were now bought from peasants and fishermen. For all involved in the process, this proved to be the ideal solution. In peasant families, it was not customary to protect themselves, many children were born, but not everyone had enough food. Therefore, until the Meiji era in Japan, there was a custom of "thinning", when extra mouths, especially girls, were purposefully disposed of.
For a commoner, becoming a geisha meant pulling out a lucky ticket. But life in the tea houses was quite harsh - the strictest discipline, grueling training, lack of personal freedom. All the "sisters" were fully supported by mom-san. She fed them, dressed them (by the way, the kimono cost fabulous money) and taught them everything. If the girl did not live up to expectations, she was driven away, and her further fate was unenviable. If she did not die of hunger under the fence, then she inevitably became a prostitute. She could no longer return to her family.
For several decades, each "sister" had to work off everything that mother-san spent on her. But the demand for geisha services was huge, and they paid well for it. Only rich and noble feudal lords could afford to invite them to dinner, who, while having a good time, solved their business and political issues. It was then that a very important rule for the corporate culture of geishas was formed - under no circumstances should you tell what happened at the banquet. This principle is sacredly observed to this day. Almost…
When the younger "sister" was 13 years old, mom-san could sell her virginity to a wealthy philanthropist. Again, it was not about one-time sex. The patron paid a hefty sum to the owner of the tea house to cover her expenses, and subsequently took the geisha to full support. The same was true for adult "sisters". The redeemed geisha acquired the status of a mistress, received a good house and a solid content, and was well received in the circles of the political and military elite.
Today, girls aged 15-16 become geishas. They come to the tea house, having previously received consent from their parents. The rules of life in a corporation are no longer so strict, but you can’t call them easy either. Girls follow a strict regimen, rehearse daily, learn manners, master musical instruments, learn traditional dances, the performance of which requires incredible endurance. They are forbidden to use computers, and until the age of 25 they cannot even have a mobile phone. Once a week, girls do intricate hairstyles. In order not to disturb the laying, they sleep reclining with their heads resting on a special wooden stand. That's still a pleasure. But the game is definitely worth the candle.
You can’t get into the tea house from the outside, no matter how much money you offer. Entry is possible only on the recommendation of someone who is already accepted there. The Japanese value older geishas above all, foreigners value those who are younger, even if they have not reached the heights of skill.
Since the tea house is practically inaccessible to tourists, geishas are invited to the restaurant by prior arrangement. Usually three craftswomen are invited at once - a very experienced older "sister", her younger ward and a musician girl. A special lunch will cost about $ 150 per person, and you pay for alcohol separately. A foreigner will inevitably need an interpreter, because the "sisters" hardly speak English, but they can express themselves in the Kyoto dialect. Feel free to add another hundred and fifty for translation and the same amount for food, because otherwise the translator does not work. Finally, for a two-hour chat with a geisha, regardless of her age and experience, you will have to pay another 600 dollars. In total, a very impressive amount runs into the circle. At the same time, no sex, only pleasant conversation, music and dancing. In one evening, each geisha attends several banquets. This is really hard work, but she earns from 5 to 10 thousand dollars a month.
Today there are geisha in Kyoto, Tokyo, Kanazawa and some other cities. The largest corporation, with about 200 craftswomen and about 80 more apprentices, is located in Kyoto. In Tokyo there are about 250 of them, and in Kanazawa there are only 40-odd. In other places, even less - from 4 to 12 people. But some hundred years ago, there were more than 80 thousand of them throughout the country. By the way, there are no tea houses in Tokyo, all the girls live in their apartments and just come for dinner. Provided that you are lucky to contact them, you will be able to agree (for this you still need to find the right intermediary!), And there is an open window in their busy schedule.
Note: In different parts of Japan, there are so-called geisha associations at thermal springs popular with tourists. But this should not be misleading. In fact, we are talking about the most ordinary hostesses in kimonos, who are not averse to providing intimate services for an additional fee.
By the age of forty, the “sister” usually recoups the money invested in her and, in principle, can leave the tea house to open her own business. Other craftswomen manage to make a brilliant career and earn up to 100 thousand dollars a month. But, of course, not all. The practice of buying a geisha from mother-san also persists. Therefore, as in ancient times, other influential people can afford to have such exceptional mistresses. Finally, a geisha is not forbidden to marry, but then she loses the right to a profession. Therefore, modern geisha prefer not to fetter themselves by marriage.
The golden rule of silence is also preserved. In recent history, it has been violated only once, but it has seriously damaged the reputation of the entire industry. The offender turned out to be ... an American geisha, who mentioned in an interview about how she worked out a banquet for a very famous Japanese corporation. In the last decades of the last century, foreigners began to work in tea houses. But after the scandal that broke out, this practice was immediately put an end to.
Geisha are an essential element of modern Japanese culture, which, despite a century and a half of Westernization, is still committed to tradition. But looking at all this from the outside, it is difficult to get rid of the feeling that you are dealing with sublimation. In a traditional society, which in addition has an island specificity, sexual life has historically been subject to strict regulation. But in a striking way, sexual barriers exist in modern Japan, although their nature is different.
Over the past decades, many Japanese women choose not a family, as before, but a career. They have achieved financial independence, traveled, married late, had children late, if at all.
Japanese men, who have always dominated society, found themselves in an unusual position for themselves, confused. The gender pendulum has swung the other way. Now women decide who to meet, how often to do it, and whether to do it at all. After the first date, they can easily give the boyfriend a turn. And for a man, this becomes a severe psychological trauma. He acutely feels that he is no longer a leader and, in addition, "loses face."
Inwardly fearing this, many avoid dating, preferring to spend time at work in the office or spend it with same-sex friends, or even alone. According to statistics, up to 20 percent of men under the age of 24 remain virgins. Many have forgotten how to get acquainted. Despite the fact that the value of the family in Japan is not only not disputed, but remains of high importance.
Someone is looking for a way out in visiting the so-called dating parties, where people come with a specific desire to find a partner. If not for marriage, then at least for a long-term relationship. The demand for such services is so great that it is simply impossible to get there. First you need to join the club by submitting a bunch of applications and paying an impressive fee ranging from 700 to 2200 dollars. Added to this is a monthly fee of $100 to $300. Participants pay separately for visiting each party. While the result is not guaranteed. Well, if everything ends well and the members of the club find their soul mate, the club receives about another $ 2,000 in commission. It would seem much easier, faster and cheaper to go to some bar, where there are always a lot of free girls. An no.
But what about sex? Yes, yes, the same one - impressive and without obligations? For this they go to another place, but again, only those lucky ones who have money. Prostitution in Japan has been officially banned since 1947, but local priestesses of love and their patrons have found an opportunity to practice their craft without breaking the law. The fact is that paid sex with penetration is considered prostitution in the Land of the Rising Sun. The authorities turn a blind eye to everything else.
This has given rise to a huge number of massage ("pink") salons, the facades of which are decorated with very unambiguous pictures. And the girls at the entrance will clearly explain what's what. There is also the so-called "home delivery of health" - everything is the same, only they come to you.
Massage is done in all possible ways and parts of the body, often in a soapy bath, bringing the client to orgasm as many times as he has enough strength within a couple of hours. The issue price is from 60 to 150 dollars per session. There are plenty of such establishments in every major city. In Tokyo, they are concentrated in the Kabukichō quarter in eastern Shinjuku, right next to the huge railway hub through which 4 million people pass daily. However, it should be remembered that many local establishments hold yakuza. Therefore, it is not safe for a careless foreigner there. For unordered beer, they can easily roll out a bill of 500 bucks, and for refusing to pay, they can get pretty beat up.
But the limit of the desires of single Japanese men are the so-called "soapy lands", where a session will cost 300 bucks, and for foreigners three times more expensive. These establishments are somewhat reminiscent of Turkish baths, only with girls. The apotheosis of the visit is the "struggle" on an inflatable mattress generously smeared with oil. It is almost impossible to stay on it, so you have to take extra efforts. In private conversations with a Lenta.ru correspondent, eyewitnesses have repeatedly admitted that during such a “fight” they experienced the strongest sexual shock in their lives. "Soaplands" - the most real brothels. But they pay taxes, and of course they have bathtubs, so they don't check them...
When you hear the word "geisha" you always imagine a beautiful Japanese woman dressed in a kimono with traditional makeup. They are a symbol of Japanese culture, just like the Honshu volcano, Hello Kitty and Nissan cars. But now imagine that you went to this country of the Rising Sun, went into a club, and a man appeared in front of you in the form of a geisha. But behind the make-up and exquisite hairstyle is not a woman, but a man.
Changed roles
Geishas are always adorable. They show performances, surrounding the attention of their customers. If earlier geishas were always women, today you can meet beautiful men who have taken on this difficult role.
Japan keeps up with the times, and often sets trends itself. Therefore, conditions have changed in some establishments: now it is not women who serve men, as it was before.
Clubs in the Kabukicho area (Tokyo) have changed the rules: now men meet the needs of women. Roland, the so-called emperor of industry in Japan, is considered the best here.
Like their female counterparts, the men live in clubs in the red light district and try to entertain customers by encouraging them to spend as much money as possible. This is the essence of their income. Some clubs display photos of their male favorites who made the most money in the previous month outside.
Many customers spend money on alcohol, treating the owner to it. But Roland prefers not to drink, but still manages to earn incredible amounts.
History of success
Roland began his life as a perfectly normal child. After high school, he entered the prestigious University of Tokyo, but dropped out after a week. He simply did not see himself working in a corporation for a salary of 200,000 yen (approximately 120,000 rubles), until he finally took the documents from the university. He wanted something more, so he just dropped out of university and became a male geisha.
Playing football most of his life, he acquired the athletic body needed to attract women and make them pay more and more. Like all newcomers, he had to start small, in a small club in Kabukicho.
Roland claims that at the very beginning it was very difficult for him. The main problem of all newcomers is to do everything possible so that customers begin to pay. It took Roland a year to gain valuable experience. Then he worked at the Zebra club. But the guy didn't give up. Instead of weakness, he allowed himself to adapt to the industry. Today, Roland runs one of the most popular male geisha clubs in all of Kabukicho. So far, none of his colleagues have been able to earn as much as Roland.
How much did he earn?
Birthdays are one of the biggest holidays, but not for the client, but for the owner of the club. Women spend a lot of money on champagne and brandy, which are served in huge glass decanters. Amounts spent on such a day can reach several million yen, but Roland is the only one who could earn 10 million yen per shift. This amount is equivalent to 23 million rubles (approximate amount).
According to Roland, he was able to earn such an amount in just three hours. It is worthy of respect.
Since becoming the club's manager, Roland has doubled his income from 21 million yen to 42 million. Since reputation and success are measured by the amount he brings in, it's no surprise that the guy is considered the emperor of this business. There is no one like him and he knows it. Not at all embarrassed, Roland says:
"There are two types of men in the world: me and the rest!"
Roland is an expert in the field of seduction. Having an attractive appearance and being a good listener, he is attentive to his interlocutors. Every day he spends long hours in the gym to keep his body in perfect shape. He also spends a lot of money on beauty treatments every month.
Well, this successful young man working as a geisha can afford it!
