Soon, the geisha became so much more popular than the , that in 1761, the last of retired. Though continued to work in Kyoto and Osaka, as a whole were seen as outdated, too traditional and too expensive. could not leave the red-light districts because they had a lot of debt to the owner of the brothel they worked in, and were not thought of as celebrities or fashionable any more. Most people could not afford to hire them. In contrast, geisha were cheaper, more fashionable, and could leave the red-light districts whenever they wanted. They sang popular songs and did not need several expensive meetings before they would entertain a client. New geisha neighborhoods () were created in Kyoto and other cities.
In the 19th century, geisha were in better position than common women, but they also had problems in Japanese society. Sometimes, poor people sold their daughters to a geisha house, though this was not as common as some people think, with many geisha coming from families where their mother or another female relative had once been a geisha. Geisha could not marry, but they could have a patron to pay for their expenses, and some retired when they gained a rich patron. Other men paid a lot of money to take the new girls' virginity (), and if the owner of a geisha house was dishonest and greedy, a young geisha could have her virginity sold a number of times to different men.
However, the reputation and respect for the geisha grew in the Meiji Restoration, and even more after World War II. Important laws that protected them were created. Young girls could not be sold to the geisha houses anymore, and the virginity of young geisha could not be bought. Since then, women only become geisha by their free will.
Though people often talk about how there are not many geisha left in Japan, and that geisha might be about to die out, the geisha profession is very resilient. In history, sometimes the numbers of geisha fell, because of changes in the economy or because of war. However, the number of working geisha usually rose again not long after.
In the 1920s there were over 80,000 geisha in Japan. In 1944, all geisha districts were shut because of World War Two, and geisha, like everyone else, had to help out with the war; in Tokyo alone, close to 9,000 geisha were still entertaining guests before they were told they could not work as geisha anymore. After the war, geisha districts opened up again on 25 October 1945. By 1967, there were nearly 5,000 geisha in Tokyo again.
Today, there are far fewer geisha. The exact number of geisha working today is not known, but it is estimated to be around 1,000 to 2,000.
Geisha today live and work throughout Japan, in different geisha districts () that have their own traditions of arts, training and clothing. The most well known geisha live in Kyoto, where there are five geisha districts, and the most famous geisha district in Kyoto is , which is sometimes just called . There are also lots of geisha in Tokyo, and in towns with hot springs in them, like the town of . In some places in Japan, people have decided to bring back the geisha districts that had no geisha in them for decades.
Many geisha houses and districts now use social media to advertise their work, and geisha do not need to be born into a geisha district to work there. Some geisha districts put on events to attract tourists; in Kyoto, places like Corner put on dances performed by that anyone can go and watch.
People can also pay to dress up like geisha or for the day. Being dressed up as a geisha or is known as . Some dress-up services, like those in Kyoto, allow you to walk around the city for the day in dress-up. However, they will not dress someone completely accurately, so that real geisha and cannot be confused with people in costumes. If someone wearing wants to be dressed the exact same as a geisha or , they cannot walk around outside. Most, if not all, services will take photographs of someone in dress-up for them to keep. Real geisha do not have the time to take pictures with tourists, so most women dressed as geisha or who appear on the photos of tourists are in fact people in .
Young women who wish to become geisha now usually begin their training after finishing junior high school, or even high school or college. Many women begin their careers as adults. Geisha still study traditional musical instruments like the , the (bamboo flute), and drums, as well as traditional songs, Japanese traditional dance, tea ceremony, literature and poetry. By watching other geisha, apprentices also become skilled in the difficult traditions of dressing, make-up, and in dealing with clients.
Geisha are often hired to go to parties and gatherings, at tea houses or at traditional Japanese restaurants (). Their time is measured by the time it takes an incense stick to burn, and is called ('incense stick fee') or ('jewel fee'). In Kyoto the terms and , meaning 'flower fees', are used instead. The clients hire the service of geisha through the geisha district's union or registery office, known as the , which takes care of the geisha's schedule, and will make appointments for her to entertain customers and train in the traditional arts.
Traditionally, geisha began their training at a very young age. Although some girls were sold to become geisha as children, this was not normal practice in hanamachi with good reputation. Daughters of geisha were often educated as geisha themselves.
The first part of training is called ""shikomi"". In the past, when girls first arrived at the okiya, they were put to work as maids, or do everything they were told. The work was difficult, to "make" and "break" the new girls. The most junior shikomi of the house had to wait late into the night for the senior geisha to return from work, sometimes as late as two or three in the morning. During this stage of training, the shikomi went to classes at the hanamachi's geisha school. In modern times, this stage still exists, but it is not as hard as it was in the past. Now, shikomi become used to the traditions and dress of the ""karyūkai"" (""flower and willow world"").
When the apprentice became skilled in the geisha arts, and passed a final and difficult dance test, she was promoted to the second stage of training: ""minarai"". Minarai did not do the housework anymore. This stage also exists today, but is much shorter than in the past (only a month). The minarai learn in the field. They go to banquets and dance with the geisha, but they do not participate: they just sit, watch and learn from their "onee-san" ("older sisters"). Their kimono are more elaborate than even a maiko's, to do the talking for them.
After a short time, the third (and most famous) stage of training begins, called ""maiko"". Maiko are apprentice geisha, and this stage can last for years. Maiko learn from their senior geisha and follow them around to every presentation she does. The ""onee-san/imoto-san"" (""older sister/younger sister"") relationship is very important. The onee-san teaches her maiko everything about working in the hanamachi. She will teach her the right ways of serving tea, playing the shamisen, and dancing, and everything about the art of "Iki" (see below). Maiko have to wear heavy white make-up, elaborate hairstyle, and have her lips painted almost all the time. Their kimono and obi have more vibrant colors and richer embroidery than those of full geisha. Like the minarai, maiko do not charge as much money to go to parties or gatherings as a full geisha.
After a period of only six months (in Tokyo) or five years (in Kyoto), the maiko is promoted to a full geisha and charges full price for her time. Geisha use kimono of fewer colors and only use make-up for work or dance, because she is more mature than a maiko, and the simpler style shows her own natural beauty. Geisha remain as such until they retire.