Maiko vayama biography
Maiko
Apprentice geisha in Kyoto and Western Japan
For other uses, see Maiko (disambiguation).
A maiko (舞妓, MY-koh, Japanese:[maiko]) is an apprentice geisha in Kyoto.[1] Their jobs consist of performing songs, dances, and playing the shamisen or other traditional Japanese instruments for visitors during banquets and parties, known as ozashiki.
Maiko are usually aged 17 to 20, and graduate to geisha status after a period of training that includes traditional dance, the shamisen, kouta (lit.'short songs'), and, in Kyoto only, learning the Kyoto dialect. The apprenticeship ranges from a few months to a year or two years, although apprentices too old to dress as maiko may advance to geisha despite still training.
Apprentice geisha in other locations in Japan are known by other terms, such as hangyoku (半玉, lit.'half jewel', referring to a term for a geisha's wages, 'jewel money') for apprentices in Tokyo.
Maiko vayama biography wikipedia It's strictly forbidden to touch a maiko without permission. Here, you can transform into a maiko costume and enjoy having your picture taken by a professional photographer. Maiko are young apprentice geisha, while geisha are full-fledged performers. The sight of maiko in colorful kimonos coming and going amid the lit lanterns was incredibly magical.The traditions of apprentice geisha in these areas diverge from those in Kyoto, sometimes to a considerable degree, including an apprentice's appearance and the structure of her apprenticeship.
Work
In the morning, maiko take lessons in the traditional arts. At night, they dance, sing, play the shamisen, and serve visitors at exclusive ochaya (teahouses).
Origin
Maiko originated from women who served green tea and dango (Japanese dumpling made from rice flour) to visitors to the Kitano Tenman-gū or Yasaka Shrine in teahouses in Kyoto about years ago.[when?]
Appearance
Hair
Main article: Nihongami §Maiko
During their career, maiko will wear different kinds of nihongami (traditional Japanese hairstyles) depending on rank, formality and occasion.
These hairstyles are then decorated with seasonal and occasional kanzashi (traditional hair ornaments).
Most maiko, unlike geisha, use their own hair with the addition of extensions, though apprentices in different areas of Japan may also use wigs.
Maiko vayama biography pdf The only free time for maiko is from 6 PM until they go to the ozashiki, and such a hard schedule is the daily life of a maiko. I realized that becoming a maiko means dedicating one's life to tradition. Light meals are served, but the content is tourist-oriented, focusing on the maiko's performance rather than dining. Amid the waves of modernization, maiko continued to preserve their traditions while adapting to the new era.Maiko using their own hair have their hair restyled every week, requiring them to sleep on a special pillow known as a takamakura – a raised wooden block with a pillow – in order to maintain it.
Kimono and outfit
Hikizuri
Most maiko wear a style of kimono known as a hikizuri (引きずり, lit.'trailing skirt').
Hikizuri are typically anywhere from – centimetres (79–94in) long, and often feature a lightly padded hem to create weight allowing the skirt to trail along the floor. When walking outside, maiko hold their hikizuri up either with their hands, or by tying it in place with a small cord so that it does not drag along the ground.
Maiko vayama biography wife Pontocho is a hanamachi located along the Kamo River. First recital in Japan. Artistic training continues from morning to night, with hardly any time to rest. The Heian period was a time of flourishing culture and art, and historical figures such as Fujiwara no Michinaga and Murasaki Shikibu were active.The style of hikizuri worn by most maiko features long, furisode-style sleeves, and may feature tucks sewn horizontally into the sleeves and vertically along the shoulders; this is a holdover from before WWII, when maiko often began their training at a young age, and would remove the tucks as they grew.
For formal occasions, maiko wear a black kurotomesode-style hikizuri featuring 5 crests (kamon) to signify the okiya they belong to.
Darari obi
Maiko wearing hikizuri kimono typically wear it with an obi known as a darari obi (だらり帯, lit.'dangling obi').
The darari obi is 6–7 metres (20–23ft) long, is roughly 30 centimetres (12in) wide, and is worn exclusively by maiko.
Maiko vayama biography I couldn't help but feel the depth of this tradition in the attitude of the maiko. Watch traditional maiko dance in Kyoto. You can see many maiko especially during the festival season of Kitano Tenmangu Shrine. When meeting maiko, it's crucial to always remember courtesy and respect.Due to its length and weight, a male dresser (known as an otokoshi) is needed to tie it; otokoshi can dress a maiko in as little as five minutes, and may dress a number of maiko each night. The crest of a maiko's okiya is either dyed, embroidered or woven onto the end of the obi, below the kaikiri (end lines).
For formal occasions, gold brocade darari obi are worn.
Kimono
Some maiko outside of Kyoto, and in particular in Tokyo, wear furisode instead of hikizuri. These apprentices (sometimes known as hangyoku) may also wear a wig instead of having their own hair styled.
Obi
Maiko outside Kyoto may also wear a fukuro obi instead of a darari obi, which is easier to tie and wear, Apprentices in Tokyo typically tie their obi in the fukura suzume style.
In media
Gallery
Two Kyotomaiko walking
Minarai wearing shidare kanzashi, composed by long chains of silk flowers
Maiko with willow kanzashi
(video) A maiko dancing
References
- ^Bardsley, Jan ().
Maiko Masquerade: Crafting Geisha Girlhood in Japan. Oakland: University of California Press. ISBN.