NBC Report: The Secret Life of Geisha

10/31/2007 @ 4:00 pm

By Edward, Stored in: Beauty, Entertainment, Gaijin in Japan, Japan, Japanese Abroad, Revealed, TV

4 Responses to “NBC Report: The Secret Life of Geisha”

edojin Said:

You can’t imagine how upset I can get when my Canadian friends talk about geisha. Those who didn’t saw the movie believes geisha are prostitutes. Those who saw the movie or read the book mentioned in the video above only got rumors “affirmed” to them.

Someone even told me a geisha with a hairstyle ressembling a vagina is a virgin. When I tried explaining to that person that the only remote identication if a person is still single — nothing about virginity — is if a lady’s kimono has long sleeves, that person ignored my claims, saying that the vagina hairstyle story was right. That person knows only where Japan is — I studied the Japanese culture and language as a hobby for about 10 years.

It’s odd, though. Even when I didn’t know anything about Japan, I never assumed geisha were prostitutes…

I really hate “Memoirs of a Geisha” for all its false rumours of the geisha world. I don’t care how long it was a bestseller. Furthermore, in the movie, all Japanese being able to speak English before WWII is totally credible. (Sarcasm.)

October 31st, 2007 at 9:09 pm

Papigiulio Said:

No offense to edojin but I really liked memoirs of a Geisha even though it isn’t potrayed correct. Oh and I do hated that they used a Chinese girl for a role as a Geisha :S

October 31st, 2007 at 9:30 pm

esotericlarity Said:

sensitive aren’t we edojin

November 1st, 2007 at 8:32 am

TofuUnion Said:

Today, the existence of Geisha is becoming almost the heritage of old Japanese culture. Only in the places like Kyoto and some areas where its culture is reserved, we could encounter Geisha or Maiko(young Geisha who is specifically training for the dance). In Tokyo, Kagurazaka should be the only place. Most people have never met real Geisha.

In old Japanese slang there is a word ” Onsen Geisha 温泉芸者 “, that means call girl or hostess at Hot Spring Spa. These women are actually NOT the genuine Geisha. Therefore even in Japan some people believe they could have relation with Geisha. In reality ordinary people never can ask genuine Geisha just for dancing, singing and hosting for some party.

The customers have to be granted for certain credit to that. Moreover the payment would be so high that normal middle class worker hardly can afford to it.

November 1st, 2007 at 4:02 pm