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Rating:  -
In 1997, Arthur Golden's best-selling _Memoirs of a Geisha_ caused a minor boom in interest about the "world of flowers and willows." Gallagher is a professional translator living in Tokyo and his obvious knowledge both of Japanese political and social history and of the geisha tradition itself make him an excellent go-between in explaining it all to western readers. He goes to considerable lengths to disabuse the ignorant of the assumption that geisha are courtesans, or that there is any serious comparison between the entertainments of bar hostesses and of geisha. (The former, he says, are like renting a cheap compact car to take a weekend jaunt to an amusement park; the latter are like journeying in a hand-gilded coach with footmen to a grand banquet.) What tourists used to see, until very recently, was laid on specially for them, since the network of geisha houses, teahouses, fabric-sellers, kimono-makers, and other associated craftsmen and service-providers that make up the hanamachi district in any city -- and every town and city has one, or did have -- is basically closed to outsiders. "No new faces" is the rule. The geisha themselves and their clients are two halves of the same culture, and very few modern Japanese have any knowledge or even any interest in the old ways. So the geisha tradition is dying. In the mid-1950s, some 40,000 geisha were active in Japan; by the mid-1970s, that was down to about 17,000. At the turn of the new century, there are fewer than 5,000 in the whole country, and fewer than 200 in Kyoto itself, where the whole thing began. It's a shame to think the whole geisha world will probably, inevitably, soon be extinct. This is a beautiful as well as very informative volume, with detailed color photos depicting the differences between the gorgeously colorful maiko (trainees) and the more sedate senior geisha, and with numerous historical paintings and engravings showing the development of geisha costume and relating geisha to a number of key events in the past several centuries of Japanese history. Anyone with an interest in Japanese life and culture definitely should find a copy.
Rating: -
History of male Taikomochi and female Geisha artists, Kabuki actors of the Japanese Pleasure Quarters or Flower and Willow World explain why Geisha speak, dress, live a 16th century existence in Hanamachi districts , their secretive sheltered world financially sustained for 3 centuries by Danna patron Buddhist monks, Yakusa gangsters, politicians and expense account businessmen.
Geisha Minedo Iwasaki's life informed the popular fiction Memoirs of a Geisha which debuts as a movie December 2005 but Gallagher's book Geisha provides colorful (though inaccurate) photos and paintings to augment a historical perspective of these living works of art.
An excellent literary companion to Gallagher is the 18 month journal also named Geisha by anthropologist, writer and first American Geisha Liza Dalby (consultant on the movie Memoirs of Geisha).
Young Maiko historically began training at 6 years 6 months and 6 days to be avid readers of current events, politics, business as intellectually stimulating conversationalists with charisma as intelligent well informed listeners who never repeat what they hear.
Gei means art, sha means person, geisha arts are lifelong studies: dance, singing, 3 stringed shamisen, conversation which provides the patron with relaxation and laughter. The goal is harmony consistency in dress, makeup, performance and comportment which can only be sustained by constant practice.
Geisha entertainment is costly, commensurate with the effort required to maintain the art. Very few aficionados, like ballet or opera devotees, have the education, wit and artistic bent to appreciate geisha allure. Geisha numbers are declining, and these icons may not survive into the next century. Geisha require support of traditional occupations such as tea ceremony servers, kimono silk painters, wig makers, otokosu (dressers), ikebana flower arranging, dance, singing, shamisen professions which also may disappear if the geisha cease to exist.
Fascinating look at what may be extinct cultural artifacts within a few decades. Highly recommended along with Liza Dalby's Geisha.
Rating:  -
A Unique World Of Tradition, Elegance and Art
by John Gallagher
Book review
Photo Caption Mistakes
1. Intro 11
Photo of plain clothed Maiko described as just normal Japanese women
2. Intro 19
"Finely dressed Maiko" is wrong! Just a tourist dressed as a Maiko.
3. Transparent pictures of maiko dressing procedure section
Fully dressed page: There is no dangling floral ornament on the crown of her head and the under color is not embroiled red and white.
Next page: There is no separate embroidered color put on above the Naga-Jyuban.
Third page: Usually the Hada-Jyuban top is red and white, not plain white.
4. Page 59
Not picture of Geisha Amusement Restaurant (This restaurant is called `Yagenbori' and it is mentioned many times through out the book as being a tea house. However, it is just a tourist restaurant.
5. Page 61
It is Not a picture of Onnagata as stated.
6. Page 63
This is not a Noh theater, but geisha performing at their annual dance.
7. Page 69
It is two Geiko, one is playing a male role and the other is playing a female role. Not a `Geiko and younger Maiko'.
8. Transparent geisha dressing images
Page 1: The Geisha's wig red ribbon should not be there and no dangling ornaments either. The collar is embroiled but should be plain white silk and the comment above going bald on the crown because of the wig. However sometimes Maiko develop a bold spot because of her hair style.
9. Page 83
`Maiko in Kyoto' is wrong. These are just tourists dressed up.
10. Page 93
`Geisha in garden' is not a geisha but a just a Japanese woman.
11. Page 136
A `Maiko' is just a tourist dressed up.
12. Page 137
"Maiko in Kyoto' is wrong. These are just tourists dressed up.
13. Page 139
`A Tayu of Shimabara' is wrong. This woman is dressed as `Oiran' from Yoshiwara. You can tell it because of the way of her Obi is tied.
14. Page 142
This not a Maiko. But she is ???who knows?
15. Page 145
Probably not the back back of Geisha.
16. Page 147
She is not a Maiko but just a tourist. And the word `Hikizuke' in the caption should be `Hikizuri'.
17. Page 149
`Caption Maiko in full regalia' is just a tourist dressed up: Look at the wig.
18. Photos on Page 152 & 153
These are not labeled Maiko or Geiko but we are led to believe that they are.
19. Transparent Picture after page 160
1st image: The geisha, when wearing her white make-up should be wearing Susohiki kimono with either the hem of Kimono down or tied up.
20. Page 172
`A Geisha' is really a Maiko.
21 Bottom Photo. Page 180
`Dignitaries' are just a regular visitors to the cherry blossom dance performance. Nakai" ÅeProfessional Hanamachi insiders?????"These are just young girls working part time.
22. Page 183
`A tea house in Gion' This is just a normal Japanese restaurant named `Yata', not a Tea house.
23. Transparent pictures after page 184
The kimono in the image Not right Kimono for three lines left unpainted (sanbon ashi) on the back of the neck
24. Page 197
`A tea house in Gion' This is Yagenbori. It is just a Japanese restaurant (see error #4).
25. Page 198
`Ochaya-Tea House' This too, is Yagenbori (see error #4 and #24)
26. Page 210
`Geisha' This is a Maiko
27. Page 212
`A Maiko in full attire' This is just a tourist dressed up. She is wearing a wig.
28. Page 213, Top photo
This is just a tourist dressed up, not a Maiko.
29. Page 216
`These Maiko' are just three women dressed up as Maiko, not a real Maiko.
30. Page 218
`Maiko' Just a tourist dressed as Maiko.
`Hikizure' should be `Hikizuri'
31. Page 221
`Geisha wearing a formal hair dress' This is just a tourist dressed up.
32. Page 222
`Maiko' Just a tourist dressed up.
33. Page 227
The reason the Maiko is wearing a Yukata is because she is being photographed. She is not intending to wear it out for an engagement.
34. Page 229
`Maiko taking a photo' This is not a Maiko, she is wearing a wig.
35. Page 234
`Two Maikos' The two are just tourists dressed as Maiko.
I think this book was a good effort to put out an abundance information about geisha and traditional Japanese culture.
I found the text quite informative and well researched. However, with 35 plus caption error, it shows us that the author was early researcher translating Japanese information into English and rewriting English information already out there in his easy to read and fluent writing style.
Unfortunately, because of the amount of the errors in the captions, we find out or must come to the conclusion that the author is either very careless or really wasn't writing from any personal experiences (probably the latter).
I almost forgot. This book is very inexpensive for a hardcover with so
many color photos and pages.
P.S. Sorry if their are mistakes in grammar and spelling in this review.
Peter MacIntosh
www.kyotosightsnadnights.com
www.PeterMacintosh.com
Rating:  -
Geishas are not prostitutes, thats why in this book that aspect of their feudal ancient life was dismissed, read liza dalby's geisha to learn more about this subject of prostitution and promiscuity from the edo period geishas.
Rating: -
This book is intelligent, with nuances that depict elements of culture in ways that are unique and graceful. However, the author neglects to investigate the effects that having sex with multiple men for money, the many risks involved, and the need to do so to have a place of status in that society (given the child's upbringing), has on the psychological and spiritual well-being of the geishas. Health consequences are not reported.
Overall, it appears that the author, although sensitive to global perceptions and multiple perspectives, has bought into cultural rules and underlying belief systems that MUST perceive geishas as gifted in order to feel ok about using them.
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