Megumi: the Elegance & Graceof the Japanese Geisha
By Mukesh Williams

Author Mukesh Williams

Geisha Megumi’s life is dedicated to spreading the pleasures of geisha omotenashi (hospitality) in Hachioji Nakacho, an area of Tokyo,
and revealing the world of karyukai (the geisha world — literally, “The Flower and Willow World”) in everyday life. Born in 1962, shejoined the profession in 1983 at the insistence of her mentor Taiko, who was the chairperson of the Hachioji Geigi Kumiai union of 19
geisha houses. Geisha Megumi initiated the reconstruction of the Hachioji karyukai in 2002 and since then has made it popular and lively.
During the last decade many geisha trained by her have become independent and opened their own okiya (a lodging house for geisha
owned by the woman paying for their training). In 2016, the NHK television program Hangyoku Tanjo (roughly, “The Birth of Geisha
Trainees”) highlighted Hachioji’s karyukai, drawing attention to the avant-garde work of Geisha Megumi. She embodies the finest
tradition of Japanese omotenashi. Today she is more of a teacher of hangyoku (geisha trainees) and an okami (hostess/owner) in thedelicate world of karyukai. She is now learning English to connect with the Anglophonic world in a new way.

The Geisha World
Reviving the geisha tradition in a postmodern world of digitalt e c h n o l o g y, p o p m u s i c , s o c i a l d i s b e l i e f a n d e c o n o m i ctransformation is rather difficult but not impossible. The avant-garde
and innovative ideas of Geisha Megumi represent a new wave ofgeisha tradition that may soon become one of the national brands ofJapan. The over 400-year-old geisha tradition begins in the Edo
Period (1603-1868) and is epitomized in important karyukai like
Kyoto’s Gion and Tokyo’s Asakusa districts, but Hachioji also onceboasted a robust geisha culture: in 1935 there were 200 okiya and 40
r yotei (Japanese-style
Photo: Author
luxury restaurants) in thea r e a . U p u n t i l 1955,
Hachioji Nakacho, with its
willow trees and black
walls, was a symbol ofkaryukai. Passersby would
often hear the music ofshamisen (three-stringedlute) and taiko (barrelshaped drum) comingfrom the okiya. But asGeisha Megumi has
pointed out, by 2016 there
were only 19 geisha andfour ryotei, while the lastmachiai (tea house) was
closed in 2015.

Reviving the almost dying tradition of the geisha as entertainers,
with okiya and ryotei, seems a stupendous task, but Geisha Megumi
is putting new life into it and reviving some of the vanishing glories
of comfortable conversation, koto and shamisen music, and social
greetings and gatherings, such as serving tea. Today the global
customer is eager to learn about and experience the daily life and theworld of shadows that karyukai traverses. Such a revival will require
generating a new interest among well-to-do male and female clientsin conversation, poetry, and dance, as well as inducting new female
talent into the profession. If a rediscovered interest in the professionof geisha emerges, new okiya and the sight of geisha and hangyoku
on the streets of Hachioji could create a fresh ambience for the
tradition in public life and revive the almost lost art of entertainmentand social engagement.

Connecting the World of Special Occasions& Daily Life
Geisha connected two different worlds and created an atmosphereof business and well-being. Sumi Asahara, author of Geishashu ni
Hanataba wo: Hachioji Karyukai, Fukkatsu (Fuuseisha, 2017),
believes that geisha inhabited an extraordinary world within themodalities of daily life. They lived in a world of art and entertainment,
respected by neighbors who did not cross the boundaries ofcourtesy or intimacy. They inhabited the space between a special
occasion and daily life — or hare to ke. Scholar and folklorist Kunio
Yanagita defined ke as ordinary day and hare as a special occasion
represented by the way one dressed, the way one behaved and thelanguage one spoke. The geisha brought the hare to those who

Geisha Megumi’s okiya Yukinoe in Hachioji

54 Japan SPOTLIGHT • September / October 2018https://www.jef.or.jp/journal/

geisha started to paint their faces so brightly. Through such
unconventional ways the Hachioji geisha are emerging as providersof comfort, representatives of the omotenashi spirit andambassadors of Japanese culture.
Today the young are attracted by the delicate modesty of thegeisha. Customers are also attracted by the “cleanliness andfreshness” of attitude of the modern geisha. Geisha Megumi is
working to create a new atmosphere in Hachioji where the young canparticipate in life creatively. Her okiya Yukinoe educates her young
trainees based on the philosophy of omotenashi and spreading joy.
She has trained about 20 geiko (students) under her okiya.

Silk Industry & Karyukai
There has long been a tight connection between the silk industry
and karyukai, and so when the silk industry declined around the1960s, geisha’s income also declined. Between 1890 and 1973
Hachioji was famous for silk textiles. The development of the geisha
world in Hachioji coincided with the growth and decay of the silk
trade. But after the oil shock in the 1970s people stopped going to
the geisha world. Textiles, shipbuilding and the steel industry went
into decline, while the service sector and IT rose to the top. With
these changes in business the importance of geisha entertainment
went down. After 1945 the number of geisha peaked in 1955 andthen began to decline slowly (Chart).
It is possible to see that both ryotei and okiya remained somewhat
stable but the number of geisha in Hachioji joining the trade declined
from 215 in 1916 to 100 in 1958. In 1985 there were still 40
CHART

Number of ryotei, okiya and geisha in
Hachioji 1907-2017
250
200
150
100
50
0
19
0
19 7
12
19
1
19 6
21
19
2
19 6
3
19 0
3
19 5
40
19
4
19 3
45
19
4
19 6
50
19
5
19 5
58
19
0
20 7
00
20
0
20 6
1
20 3
1
20 5
17

resided in the ke. Traditional society respected the boundary between
interaction and intimacy and interaction and business.
Once the geisha world represented the world of night, somethinggone by, but today the old geisha world is reimagining itself as oneof pleasure and omotenashi. In an interview with Cultural Studies
think tank researcher Atsushi Miura, Geisha Megumi pointed out thatkagai (geisha entertainment districts) had been “the world of night,
the world of old days that outsiders don’t understand”. It was a partof a closed world, a secretive attraction, but it also carried theconcept of omotenashi represented through the idea of cleanliness.
Geisha Megumi continued that “kagai is part of the composite artsthat combined architecture, ambience of rooms, the art of the tea
ceremony, kado (flower arranging) and one’s behavior in addition to
traditional singing and dance. It is wonderful that we have such a
town.”In the past geisha were at times sold by a family to pay off debts
and many had a shadowy life as a second or third wife. Traditionallythe geisha profession was considered as a career to entertain men atcertain places, such as at a work party or banquet. Even today theresidues of a dark world continue to haunt the image of geisha, but
Geisha Megumi is creating a cleaner and more professional one.
The geisha world condenses all aspects of Japanese culture. In thehands of Geisha Megumi it is becoming a process to selfdevelopment and learning. Geisha Megumi and her trainees areusing the geisha stage or kaburenjo (lesson studio for geisha) in
their interactions with local people, such as when they join aperformance at the hospital or conduct a history-sharing lecture at a
local elementary school. She says that although geisha is a
traditional culture, it needs to be represented in the modern world ina “creative manner”. Hachioji Digestive Disease Hospital, forexample, invites the best musicians who perform in a lobby concert
in Japan for patients and their families and Geisha Megumi together
with other Hachioji geisha started to participate in the lobby concerts
in 2002. Although there was initially some uncertainty about thepatients, especially females, liking the idea of inviting geisha, theconcert was successful and since then geisha have been invited for
the New Year lobby concert each year.
Apart from hospitals they are also open and willing to joincommunity events. One of Geisha Megumi’s trainees was called toperform and give a talk at Hachioji City Daisan Elementary School aspart of a lecture series by local professionals. There were pupils andparents in the gymnasium where she performed Japanese dances,sang traditional songs for children and played the shamisen. The
pupils asked why the geisha painted her face white, and she told
them that in olden times there was no electricity and people lived by
the light of candles, and customers could easily see the candle-lit
faces of the women and found them feminine. So that was why

Ryotei

Okiya

GeishaSource: Hachioji Shishi Joukan (Hachioji City History Volume Jou) accessed by Sumi Asahara
in her book Geishashu ni Hanataba wo (2017), pp. 68, 100-101, 155.

Japan SPOTLIGHT • September / October 201855

geisha but Geisha Megumi, at 30, was the youngest in Hachioji. Evenas the geisha population aged, Geisha Megumi continued to be theyoungest geisha in the area. It shows how decline in trade had adeep effect on the aspirations of the young to join the profession.

Interview with Geisha Megumi
Williams: What are the difficulties you face today working as ageisha? What is your strategy to overcome them?
Megumi: Today the first problem is to get social insurance. Working
as a geisha is an unstable business. Many young people are worried
about irregular income and insuring their future when they grow old.
When I started working as a geisha in 1985, if I was not called for ajob I did not get any money. Rather my income went into minus as
I had to pay for the kimono, make-up and other things. Now we havea system perhaps like a pension system through which we pay aregular basic salary to hangyoku. However, this system varies fromone okiya to another. Today we traverse two opposite worlds — theideal world of omotenashi which brings out the best traditions ofJapan and the practical world of finding insurance.
Williams: Explain briefly the dynamics of a training session? Howlong does it last? How do you select persons to undergo training?
What is your philosophy of training?
Megumi: Firstly we train them how to enter the room, how to bow
and how to pour tea in a cup. In order to train them how to dance,
they have to learn how to sing, and in order to sing they have to be
trained how to play the tsuzumi (a hand drum) to know how to beat arhythm. Everything is connected. We do a variety of genres of music
and song. We also conduct the tea ceremony, which is a generalized
art form. The tea ceremony is integrated with basic behavior andshowing respect for others. For the beginners, we train them first
Photo: Author

Geisha Megumi with shamisen

56 Japan SPOTLIGHT • September / October 2018

how to dance and then how to perform the tea ceremony. Today
I finished a training session with a teacher at midnight. A usual
training session is primarily preparation and review. We need time tolearn and acquire the skills. So every day we conduct a training
session. But it is fun to learn new things even at this age. Even what
I am teaching are basic and traditional skills, but there are always
new skills to learn. I enjoy learning new things. I would like to do
training sessions for my whole life. It is not like I have to do it, but
I want to.
Williams: How about sleeping and eating and other daily aspects ofthe tradition? When do you wake up and go to bed?
Megumi: I usually wake up at 6:30 a.m., and after finishing house
work by 9 a.m. I go to get my hair set. From 10 a.m. we have a
training session. After lunch, we have another training session, andother meetings and rehearsals. From 4:00 to 4:30 p.m. we change
yukata into kimono and go to work around 6 p.m., and continue until
11:30 p.m. or midnight. Then around 1:30 a.m. I go to bed.
Williams: What advice do you give to hangyoku who find thetraining hard or life difficult? How do you manage them?
Megumi: Usually young people don’t wake up early. There is not somuch variety in training sessions for them. I try to take them to alittle higher level than they can reach. I would like them to put morepressure on themselves rather than keep things as they are.
I sometimes know what they can do and how much they can do.
Young people should feel joy and happiness in practice, otherwise
practice becomes suffering. For young people, I want them to takeenough rest and value their private life. When they enjoy practicing
dances and songs and see improvement in their skills they find an
inner dynamic balance. When they make a mistake, they reflect upon
it by themselves and try to do their best next time. I too practicemore and more in order not to repeat the same mistake again. Somepeople feel that I do many training sessions, but these training
sessions connect to my sense of happiness and contribution to myprofession.
Then learning to be aware is also important. Even if somecustomers complain about our performance we should take it
positively and make it a source of energy to improve. I think, nexttime I should change in this way, or do the work differently. When
you are scolded by your teacher, you can take it positively bythinking “It is better to be scolded than to have nothing said.” Suchan attitude lets you notice something important in your training andhelps you do more.
Williams: How do you wish to open the geisha tradition toforeigners?
Megumi: I think foreigners can help us realize our tradition once
again. Most foreigners who visit us are interested in the geisha
tradition and study beforehand. They bring with them lots ofquestions. Last time, some students from China and Taiwan visitedthe okiya on a trip supported by the Hachioji Visitors and Convention
Association. They asked me lots of questions. International students
research and prepare many questions prior to visiting. Theirquestions make me realize that some things we thought were normal
were not and allow me to discover a new take on those things.
For example, in Japanese traditional dance, they use their neckmovements on count 1 and 2 to emphasize the movement on count
3. This has become something natural to do for the dancers as wellas Japanese people. In other words, it has become something that isdifficult to ask about. However, when foreigners ask about it frankly,
we are able to think about how to explain it in an understandable way
and realize the meanings behind each movement. This can clarify
skills and help others to understand such movements. People canenjoy dance even more when they understand the meaning behind it.
This was something I was able to realize because of my encounter
with people from foreign countries. I am taking English classes as
my dream is to spread the Japanese tradition to foreign people
because I love Japan.
Williams: Since we discussed once before that I would write a bookon your life in English, what do you wish me to focus on? What can
we achieve by such a book? What are the targets? I am also thinking
to publish a manga based on the book. Do you think it is a good
idea?
Megumi: That is interesting. Japanese tradition is sometimes
misunderstood as being uncool and old-fashioned, but actually there
are more attractive and beautiful things in it. As I experienced inkaryukai, I would like more people to have a positive opinion about
Japanese traditional culture. I would like you to write about beautiful
and new things in
Photo: Author
Japanese traditions rather
than how difficult andtroublesome it is tomaintain them. I’d likepeople to read the bookand realize the true andbeautiful parts ofJapanese culture.
Williams: Do you think it
a good idea to make amanga or a movie on yourlife based on the book?
Megumi: I don’t want thebook to be read like ahistory book or say how
difficult the profession is.
I want people who read it

to realize the true and beautiful part of Japanese culture. Afterreading the manga people should feel that the karyukai is not uncool
or old-fashioned. Manga are popular with young people today andusing manga would be an easy way to learn about a culture whichpeople usually don’t have a chance to know. Your idea to do a manga
based on the book is a good one.
Williams: What do you think about connecting the geisha tradition
with the liberal university tradition and creating a new interest
amongst the young?
Megumi: When you say it, it seems that it could come true.
Williams: Are you open to the idea of an online event with Japaneseand foreign universities discussing the geisha tradition and theconcept of omotenashi?
Megumi: Interaction with people always leads to a new start. A lot of
misunderstanding is there about us. People understand geisha aspart of the “world of shadows” and so on. But it is changing. I want
to clear up misunderstandings about geisha and want young people
to understand that there are people of the same age who are training
every day to become a geisha. It would be wonderful if I could
spread the true beauty of Japan and Japanese tradition to many
people.
Williams: The geisha is an expert in the use of omotenashi and has
wonderful communication skills to create and maintain a pleasantambiance amongst guests. How do you teach these skills?
Megumi: There is no manual to teach omotenashi. I want to spreadhappiness to those I meet. The actual skill of omotenashi is also
important but if there is no spirit of “making people happy” from
dancing or playing the shamisen, it doesn’t mean anything. The callof “Ganbatte ne” (Keep it up) from customers can be a source ofenergy for growth. The way of omotenashi differs from generation to
generation. But the spirit of appreciation and wanting customers tofeel happy is important.
Geisha Megumi is committed to leaving a legacy for future
generations by reviving the hangyoku tradition. Though the future is
uncertain, she is determined to work with “comrades to pursue theart, regardless of age” and use her lifelong experience as a seniorgeisha to preserve the tradition. Like many of her colleagues in other
cities, she wants to talk less about the problems and more about thejoy of the fine tradition of the geisha.

Mukesh Williams is a professor at Soka University, visiting faculty at Keio
University, consultant/news analyst for the BBC World Service, and St.
Stephen’s College Alumni Representative and Academic Exchange Programs
Coordinator in Japan.

Welcoming at the entrance of Yukinoe
Japan SPOTLIGHT • September / October 201857