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halfmanhalfbook 's review for:
Geisha, a Life
by Mineko Iwasaki
From the age of five Mineko Iwasaki was trained as a geisha, or as she refers throughout the book, a geiko, a term used around the Kyoto are of Japan. She started in the 1960's and begun to learn her trade. At the age of seven she was adopted by the owner of the oriya and lived there full time.
All through her training she was an enthusiastic student, but also had an independent streak, which occasionally meant that she caused herself more trouble. But she successfully learnt the dances and the other ritual elements of her profession, before her debut at the age of fifteen as a maiko.
She had a strong work ethic, and took to working extremely hard, with barely a day off and only three hours of sleep a night with the intention of becoming the best geiko of her time. And she achieved that, with her name and face becoming very well know.
But she was also forward thinking. In her position she tried to push for change as she felt that the rules, and lifestyle was not moving with the times, and at the age of 29 she announced her retirement from the profession.
It is a fascinating book, and details a culture that seems almost alien at times. The rules and protocols that they have to follow, from the different kimonos, the hair styles and the dances and ceremonies that have to perform. The writing is a little bit stilted, but then that may be something to do with the formal personality, and the translation, but I think it was worth reading.
All through her training she was an enthusiastic student, but also had an independent streak, which occasionally meant that she caused herself more trouble. But she successfully learnt the dances and the other ritual elements of her profession, before her debut at the age of fifteen as a maiko.
She had a strong work ethic, and took to working extremely hard, with barely a day off and only three hours of sleep a night with the intention of becoming the best geiko of her time. And she achieved that, with her name and face becoming very well know.
But she was also forward thinking. In her position she tried to push for change as she felt that the rules, and lifestyle was not moving with the times, and at the age of 29 she announced her retirement from the profession.
It is a fascinating book, and details a culture that seems almost alien at times. The rules and protocols that they have to follow, from the different kimonos, the hair styles and the dances and ceremonies that have to perform. The writing is a little bit stilted, but then that may be something to do with the formal personality, and the translation, but I think it was worth reading.