page_title: Geisha
section_title: Arts
hierarchical_section_title: Geisha / Arts
caption_attribution_description: Geishas Komomo and Mameyoshi playing shamisen
context_page_description: Geisha, geiko, or geigi are female Japanese entertainers who perform traditional Japanese artforms, such as traditional dance and singing. They are characterised by their distinct appearance of long, trailing kimono, traditional hairstyles and the oshiroi makeup they wear.
  Contrary to popular belief, geisha are not sex workers - a misconception in the West originating from foreigners confusing geisha with oiran and other sex workers, all of whom historically wore kimono, despite the differences in their styles of dress and appearance.
context_section_description: Geisha entertain their guests with a combination of both their hostessing and conversational skills, and their skills in traditional Japanese art forms of dance, music and singing. Before deciding to begin a career as a geisha, new recruits are generally expected to have an interest in the arts, as well as some experience; however, as geisha numbers have fallen throughout the decades, this is no longer a strict prerequisite. Some okiya will take on recruits with no previous experience, with some young geisha, despite having existing experience, expected to begin their lessons from the beginning.
  The style of dance practiced by geisha today evolved from dance styles used in both nōh and kabuki theatre. Over time, the more exaggerated theatrical styles evolved into the subtle and more stylised form of dancing used today; despite the difference, elements of traditional Japanese dance, such as the use of gestures to tell a story and the symbolism used to represent this, run throughout both as a common feature.
  These dances are accompanied by traditional Japanese music. The primary instrument used by geisha to accompany dance is the shamisen, a banjo-like three-stringed instrument played with a plectrum. Originating in China as the sanxian, it was introduced to Japan through firstly Korea, and then the Ryukyu Islands in the 1560s, obtaining its current form within a century. The shamisen soon became the mainstay instrument of geisha entertainment in the 1750s. It is described as having a distinct and melancholic sound, with traditional shamisen music using only minor thirds and sixths in its composition.
  All geisha must learn to play the shamisen, alongside additional instruments that often accompany the shamisen, such as the ko-tsuzumi (small shoulder drum) and fue (flute), during their apprenticeship, as well as learning traditional Japanese dance; however, after graduation to geisha status, geisha are free to choose which art form they wish to pursue primarily. Geisha who pursue musicianship are known as jikata geisha (地方, lit., "ground [seated, when playing instruments and singing] person"), whereas geisha who pursue dance are known as tachikata geisha (立方, lit., "standing person"). Some geisha not only dance and play music, but also write poems, paint pictures, or compose music.
caption: Geisha Komomo and Mameyoshi from Gion Kobu playing shamisen
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