芸者 (げいしゃ) - Geisha

芸者 have become a bit of a "thing" for people over the past few years, abruptly going from a shorthand symbol of Japanese culture to a talking point in book clubs and living rooms all over the world. As ubiquitous as they are in paintings and cute little pop culture references, the reality is that 芸者 are an endangered species and comparatively few people - Japanese or otherwise - ever get to see one in the flesh. As you might expect then, misunderstandings and half-truths abound. They're commonly thought of as hostesses, courtesans and concubines and while none of these are completely wrong in a historical sense, the devil is in the detail.

In short, the literal meaning of the word "芸者" is the best way to describe them. It means "artist" or "performer", reflecting the primary role of a 芸者 which is to sing, dance and play music. In the traditional sense, 芸者 are highly skilled entertainers from 温泉 (おんせん - onsen - hot spring) towns. They were thought to have sprung up some time during the 13th and 14th centuries as professional dancers for rich merchants. Their relationship with their clients was always strictly business but unfortunately, costumed impersonators and "lower class" 芸者 started to blur the lines over time, particularly after the Second World War. The law is now very clear in Japan and modern 芸者 are as hands-off and professional as ever but it's not hard to understand why the confusion persists.

While 芸者 remain out of reach for most people, in recent times several events have given the public a look in, particularly in 京都 (きょうと - Kyoto) - two examples are 春の踊り (はるのおどり - haru no odori - Spring Dance) and the 梅花際 (ばいかさい - baikasai - Plum Blossom Festival) 野点 (のだて - nodate - open-air tea ceremony). 芸者 are known as 芸子 (げいこ - geiko) in 京都 and their apprentices as 舞子 (まいこ - maiko - literally "dance children"); public events give both a chance to practice and show off their skills in front of a crowd. 野点 are a particularly good opportunity to see 芸子 and 舞子 up close as they serve お茶 (おちゃ - ocha - green tea) and 和菓子 (わがし　- wagashi - Japanese sweets) to enthralled onlookers. In fact, attending similar events are probably the only chance you'll have to see the real thing - most other "sightings" in public tend to be tourists dressed up for themed tours of the area.

Both 芸子 and 舞子 use traditional cosmetics based around three colours - white, for their powdered foundation; red, for their lips and and eyeliner; and black, for their eyebrows and eyeshadow. Their hair is worn in increasingly complicated styles depending on their seniority, but it's invariably pinned up, drawing the eye to the nape of the neck. This is the only part left bare; an enticing glimpse of skin on a 芸子 or 舞子 otherwise covered from collarbone to ankle. Their 着物 (きもの - kimono) are made from gorgeously decorated fabrics and I'm told they can cost between five hundred thousand and one million yen ($6000-$12000).

Despite all the similarities, 舞子 do differ slightly in appearance from their seniors. Their 帯 (おび - obi - belts) are only half tied and dangle down behind them for example, which is known as だらりの帯 (darari no obi - "hanging belt"). They also wear very tall clogs known as こっぽり (koppori) instead of regular sandals. Finally, they wear intricate hair ornaments that match the season - 桜 (さくら - sakura - cherry blossoms) in 春 (はる - haru - Spring) and 紅葉 (もみじ - momiji - maple leaves) in 秋 (あき - aki - Autumn).

If all this sounds like your cup of tea, the good news is that the requirements for becoming a 舞子 aren't too strict - for many young girls it's a matter of finishing Junior High School (at 16) and applying through 置屋 (おきや - okiya - 芸者 boarding houses). If accepted, this marks the start of their new lives, being well paid to wear beautiful clothes and eat at some of the finest restaurants in the country. It's not all glamour, of course - if a 舞子 hopes to reach the level of skill required to become a 芸子, she has to be prepared for endless hours of hard work and practice at the 置屋 during the day. 芸者 are expected to have mastered the 三味線 (しゃみせん - shamisen - Japanese guitar) and 太鼓 (たいこ - taiko drum) and to be accomplished at traditional dances that show off their artistic talent, conversation and hosting duties. All the training is done in-house and the 置屋 themselves are run completely by women, headed by a matriarchal figure who manages the business and dispatches the 芸子 and 舞子 to 旅館 (りょかん - ryokan - Japanese inns) and お茶屋 (おちゃや - ochaya - tea houses) as requested. Having said all that, the lifestyle isn't quite as disruptive as it used to be - 芸者 are allowed to marry and some have families to go back to after they finish work each day. This is perhaps a necessary compromise to attract more people into the profession and stop the numbers dwindling so much.

For the most part, 芸者 in their natural habitat are firmly out of reach of the average person - an evening hosted by one will run you several thousand dollars by some estimates. Even that might not be enough - several お茶屋 in 京都 have signs forbidding 一見さん (ichigensan - "one time visitors"), meaning that you need to know and be known by the right people as well. So while some might think of 芸者 as little more than a status symbol for the mega-rich, I think most people would respect the amount of hard work and discipline that got them there. From their artistic talent to their elegant beauty and style, 芸者 stand as a living legacy of "old Japan" - a cultural asset in a 着物.