The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-12
GEIsHA GIRLS OF JAPAN.
Social status of Professional Enter
tanners.

tanners.
Japan and America
"Geisha," the professional girl entertain-
er OF Japan, is by no means TO be con-
founded with "Geinin." The word geisha
really means actor. gel meaning a play
or entertainment Of any sort; and ''sha'
means a person. For instance. i-sha means
physician, and so on. The word really
means what actor does in English. but
II has come TO mean only those girls in
Japan who are trained TO entertain by
dancing and singing TO the shamisen and
koto. the usual musical instruments for
light entertainments; and they are also
trained TO converse agreeably on topics OK
the day .sGeinin." on the other hand.
while IL really means the same tnlng as
geisha. has now come 10 be applied 10 art
lists in a higher sense
The name mus given TO a class OF women,
though IL seems a perfectly respectable
one, does, I'm fact, sound otnerwise 10 the
ears OF a japanese. IL Is not IN their occu-
patton, in legitimate sense, that CESSNA
are undesirable to have In well-disci-
plined home, but I'm a certain unpleasant
reputation that is naturally due TO the CIR
cumstance of their calling
The geisha are trained TO entertain men,
and not their own sex. They are the pro-
fessional entertainers Of the cities or the
empire and are well paid for their ser yl
The women OF Japan, unlike those or West,
ern countries, have little part IN soclat
functions. and the enjoyments OF the men
are not shared by their wives and dansh-
tiers. When man or party OF men WISH 10
arrange some social entertainment they ex-
pect the amusement OF the occasion TO be
furnished by pretty and altogether charm
Ing geisha.
Generally these affairs are held in tea
houses, and IL Is customary 10 engage GER
tain geisha, who are generally known by
what would be called in the Western world
their stage names. These are the names or
flowers, gems, seasons or indeed anything
OF great beauty and attractiveness, and
are generally known as Flower names.
Such names are o Kiku San, which means
the Honorable Miss Chrysanthemum, or
o Tama San, which Is the Honorable Miss
level or Q I Haru San. the aono .!sdI
orable" is used only before words OF one
or two syllables. Miss Camellia," for in
stance. would be Tsubaki San. merely.
charm and play havoc with the hearts or
the young men of Toxic and the other cit
les. Many of them marry distinguished
men. and the wives OF some OF the most
prominent men in Japan to-day were
geisha. They especially alluring 10 the
young college men OF japan. Some OF the
universities have found Ii necessary to
make very strict rules in regard TO the stu
dents consorting with the geisha, and some
forbid 1t entirely.
The geisha make a very pretty show in
| the gay life of the cities, they are
TRAINED to bear themselves well and be
| vivacious at all times, and they dress iuxu-
| riously and in exquisite style. They have
| the principal boxes at the theaters and at
all public places. But they have no social
rank. They do not form, as is too often sup
| posed by Westerners class OF demi-mon-
| dame, as that class is known I'm London.
| Paris and New York: but they are consfd-
cred a. entirely too free in their manners
to be admitted into good society.
1t is probable that the geisha will disap-
| pear before the Acknowledgement OF women
| in Japan. Formerly the japanese woman
/ was not permitted to take part i'm social en-
| tertainment, and this function fell TO the
professional entertainer. Men founf the
! geisha far more amusing than the women
of their own acquaintances In society, and
| this led TO the creation OF this peculiar
/ class. Now that education is accomplish
| ing for woman in Japan what IL has ac-
| complished for woman In France, England
| and America, IL is evident that the day or
| the geisha Is passing IL needs only an op-
portunity for development to show that the
musume. the Japanese girl. can be as en-
| PERTAINING and interesting as the most
| charming geisha OF Kyoto-which has at
| tanned the bad eminence OF producing the
most beautiful and entertaining geisha In
| the Japanese empire.