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| On the Web: Geisha |
Dec. 9, 2005 |
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During the U.S. occupation of Japan, American soldiers became fascinated by the exotic painted faces and elaborate hairstyles of refined geisha. Many would even visit brothels asking for women posing as geisha. Far from being a prostitute, however, a true geisha is purely an artist, musician, and hostess for men who attend tea ceremonies and business banquets. She begins her comprehensive arts and etiquette training in her youth, learning traditional Japanese song and dance, musical instruments like the three-stringed shamisen, flower arranging, and the social graces of pouring tea. This weekend's film adaptation of the Arthur Golden novel, "Memoirs of a Geisha," illustrates this intensive training. While there has been some controversy over the film's international take on Japanese culture, for U.S. audiences, it may go a long way in clearing up some of the cultural misunderstandings that have beleaguered the geisha.
Suggested Sites:
- True Geisha - attempts to debunk the Westernized view of geisha by observing how the Japanese respect geisha as art themselves.
- Meet a Geisha - visit a traditional Japanese inn and delight in the entertainment provided by one of few remaining geisha in Japan.
- Geishas and Godzillas - Time Asia slideshow exploring how the Japanese have been stereotyped both in Hollywood and by their own films.
Categories:
Geisha,
Memoirs of a Geisha Movie,
Japanese Performing Arts
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