Performances & Training of Geisha

Geishas perform at parties or banquets if the host invites them for entertainment, in particular, the hosts were almost the high-ranked officials and nobles in ancient time. Up to now, such an activity has been popularized for common people, and geishas often perform for oversea visitors at an ochaya (tea houses for entertainments with geishas) or theater. They sing songs, dance, play music, chat with the guests, and even serve the dishes.

A Maiko Performing the Tea Ceremony ( 23 )

Performances of Geisha – Traditional Dancing & Music

Traditional dances, singing and musical instruments are the main performing forms of geishas. They sort the performers and performances into two types – tachikata & jikata. Sometimes, a geisha perform independently; but some performances require multiple geishas, as the leading geisha dances in the center, while others play the music and sing behind.

Referring to tachikata (立方), the geishas stand and dance usually. Jikata (地方) indicates that the geishas are seated or sit on their heels on the tatami floor when singing Japanese songs and playing the musical instruments like Shamisen and taiko drum. For simpler tachikata, junior geishas or maiko (geisha trainees) could handle it; but jikata requires higher difficulty and prolonged training, thus senior geishas who are competent often take the task.

Performance by a Maiko

Traditional Dancing

In addition to traditional singing and dancing, chanoyu (Japanese tea ceremony), ikebana (flower arrangement) and more traditional art shows are also performed.

Ozashiki Asobi – Party Games

Ozashiki (お座敷) is the tatami room to treat guests of geisha, and Ozashiki Asobi (お座敷遊) means the games for enjoyment at the party/banquet there with a geisha/geishas. In different regions/ochaya, they have different rules for gameplay probably.

Konpirafunefune is a popular Ozashiki Asobi at parties around Japan. That is, two person sitting opposite each other takes turns patting on a small wooden or bamboo ware between them, to the rhythm of the ballad “Konpirafunefune”. You have to splay the fingers when patting on the object, occasionally you may catch the ware in your hand and return it the next time. If the other take the ware away, you have to make your hand a hollow fist as palm facing down when reaching out the hand, and then withdraw your arm quickly. The tempo, of both the music and the game, will be faster and faster until anyone make a mistake, punished to drink a cup of sake/wine.

Music chairs with futon (Japanese cushions), Jan-ken punch (rock paper scissors) with various playful tricks, playing drum freely when the geisha play her Shamisen, etc. are all common Ozashiki Asobi games.

How to Become a Geisha – Training of Geishas

At present days, it’s stipulated that girls who want to be a geisha have to graduate from the middle school. That’s to say, they can begin their training since they are 14-16 years old. What you can’t imagine is, the girls underwent the tough training under 10 years old in the past.

A Cultural Experience of Tea Ceremony with Maiko

  Training content: traditional culture, arts, etiquette like bowing, speaking, makeup, poetry, songs and dances, musical Instruments, etc.
There are great many strict requirements on every action, gesture and behavior of them, to make them elegant, sober, and look like a noble.

They devote themselves to the training throughout the year, with little leisure time. At present, they need 5-6 years to finish their training and become the official geisha step by step.

Where to Enjoy a Geisha Performance?

Gion Corner Theater

For oversea visitors, there are often some cultural experience activities with geishas, held by ochaya. As is known to all, Kyoto is the reputed city in Japan for most geishas. You can discover quite a few ochaya especially in the Gion district, where is the largest geisha locality even all over the nation.

Apart from ochaya, the Gion Corner Theater provides regular performances by geishas every evening. Kyomai dance in traditional Kyoto style is given by geishas and maiko, together with koto music and other art shows. Besides, Minamiza Theater launches special dance revue of geiko & maiko sometimes; you can pay attention to the performance news if interested.

It’s also possible to find geishas in other more cities in Japan, such as Tokyo.

  No matter which city you travel to in Japan, it's considered to be impolite to take photos or videos of geisha without a permission. Furthermore, it's often available to take pictures at the cultural experience activities or the theater performances.

Read More: