Imperial Valley press., 1936-10-18
Geisha Girls ExembEU
Charm and Beauty Of
Iabau's W0meu- They
Are "HHman" Saknru
By John Richard Finch

- EISHAi There is a rustic of silk in the
u word an amorous theness. To the imagi-
native mind it conjures up a vivid picture OF
poetry in waxen flesh. Oriental loneliness -
bright smiling, youthful faces with cherry bios
som cheeks; soft, slender hands, with fingers
like white tapers, coronets of glossy black hair,
flowing kimonos fashioned of brilliant brocades;
politely shy almond eyes behind waving silken
fans and delightful charm that captures ones
heart to the accompaniment of the twang of
the sdnaiser and the soft, dull beat of the tSus-
uni. Japan's geisha girls are like fragrant,
subtle incense that fingers in ones mind, leav-
ing an elusive pleasantness.
Geisha should not be confused with the
courtezan class of the far-famed Yoshiwara,
nor with the ordinary "tea-house" girl outside the
government licensed districts This is gigantic
nisconception of fact which unfortunately,
seems generally prevalent in Europe and
America A geisha girl is simply an entertainer
and nothing more. The mission of the geisha is
to make life merry. Her whole education is to
that end. She can dance, sing, and play on all
sorts of instruments; she knows the best stories
and the latest jokes she is quick and clever at
repartee her manners are exquisite; she hides
a charming sophistication behind a disarming
mask of naivete, and she is always beautiful
and very lovely to look upon, as this is the
primary requisite of her profession.
geisha house is simply house in which
the geisha live under the charge of the master
or mistress to whom they are bound by con-
tract or indenture
Elisha are booked entertainers through
u exchanges, and meet their patrons at
private homes hotels, restaurants or tea-houses.
When not on duty they are most respectable
private citizens It would be considered the
height of vulgarty for a man to call upon
geisha at the geisha house. however innocent
his purpose or call. Perhaps the real reason for
the generally prevalent erroneous idea as to the
exact status of a gesha, lies in the fact that
Western civilization has no equivalent class.
Geisha correspond more nearly to our night
club and cabaret entertainers than any other
class we have yet even here there is no parallel.
Japan's geisha girls products of many
wears of training with a cultural background
dating back hundreds of years Geisha have
existed as a national institution in Japan for
over seven centuries, and have preserved and
perpetuated the classic type of female beauty
They are recruited almost entirely from the
poorer classes Whenever and wherever
Japanese mother of humble means bears a
daughter her first thought is apt to be - is she
beautiful enough to be geisha when she grows
up? II she really is a beautiful child, great
hopes are entertained for her. However, the
beauty Of a girl when she reaches maturity
cannot be definitely predicted in Japan before
she is twelve years of age. Even then the ulti-
mate beauty of the girl is sometimes deceptive.
Generally speaking however, the promise of
twelve to the experienced eye of the keeper Of a
geisha house holds good If parents wish their
daughter to become geisha they must sign
hard and fast contract of apprenticeship that
Elrrenders absolutely, their own rights In their
daughter, and obIigates the keeper of the geisha
house 30 feed her. lodge her, clothe her, and