Geishas Were Prostitutes
Contrary to popular belief, geishas were not prostitutes or courtesans. The word “geisha” literally means “person of the arts.” These women entertained guests at banquets called ozashiki in the homes of noble lords, where they served as musicians, dancers, comedians, poured drinks, and engaged in sophisticated conversation.
Additionally, geishas organized various parlor games like tosenkyo (a fan-throwing game) or Japanese versions of “rock, paper, scissors,” and served sake to the losers. They provided musical accompaniment at banquets, playing instruments like the shamisen (similar to a Japanese balalaika), ko-tsuzumi (a shoulder-held Japanese drum), and the fue (flute). If guests wanted to compete in composing haikus, painting, or dancing, geishas would participate as well.
It is more accurate to compare geishas to hosts, singers, dancers, entertainers, and hostesses (all rolled into one) rather than to prostitutes.
If a geisha wanted to offer sexual services, she would risk punishment, as it was legally forbidden for her to engage in prostitution or even to be seen near yūjo—the term for actual prostitutes in Japan. While it is unlikely that this rule was never broken, the prohibition still existed.
The misconception that yūjo and geishas were the same likely arose due to American soldiers after World War II. Many prostitutes then pretended to be geishas to earn more money, even though they weren’t entitled to that title. The Americans, unfamiliar with the distinction, began conflating the two.
Geisha Is an Exclusively Female Profession
When we hear the word “geisha,” we immediately imagine a Japanese woman with an unusual hairstyle and a face covered in white powder. The fact is, being a geisha wasn’t necessarily a female profession.
The first geishas were men—they were called taikomochi, which translates as “drum carrier,” or hōkan, meaning “jester.” They were comedians, musicians, actors, and tea ceremony experts. They told jokes and entertained guests in noble households or drew patrons into taverns and brothels with bawdy anecdotes.
This profession began in the 12th century, and at that time hōkan were called doboshu—“companions,” as they not only entertained the hosts but also served as advisors, conversation partners, and companions. Later, with the end of the Sengoku period in the early 17th century, female jesters began to appear. The first was named Kasen—she was initially a prostitute but managed to pay off her contract and, having gained her freedom, became the first female geisha.
Today, there are about five taikomochi left in the world. They organize celebrations, contests, and act as hosts. You can even find their performances on YouTube, which might amuse those who know Japanese.
Additionally, men known as hosuto—Japanese men who, for a fee, can take you on a date, shower you with compliments, and drink with you—could be considered male geishas.
Geishas Always Wear Makeup
Geishas are often imagined wearing traditional o-shiroi makeup (literally “white” in Japanese), which is based on wax. Their lips were painted red using safflower lipstick called beni.
However, contrary to belief, geishas did not always wear makeup. It was mainly the maiko, apprentice geishas, and beginner geishas who applied white makeup, while experienced geishas only did so for especially important ceremonies. At a certain age, makeup was not worn at all, as it was believed that the beauty of an older woman did not require cosmetic enhancement.
Similarly, with hair: complex hairstyles with numerous decorations were worn by inexperienced maiko, while older, trained women opted for simpler shimadas. Elderly geishas merely tied their hair into a “shell” shape.
All Geishas Were Young and Beautiful
From an old Japanese perspective, geishas were indeed considered a decoration for any celebration, but their standards of beauty differed from ours.
In ancient times, due to their profession, geishas often suffered from skin issues. The makeup they used contained lead-based white pigment, leading to lead poisoning in women up until the 20th century. The makeup was also rather peculiar: for instance, a cosmetic product called uguisu-no-fun was made from nightingale droppings.
The word uguisu-no-fun translates to “nightingale excrement.” In Japan, it was considered prestigious and fashionable to apply this substance to the face, which supposedly gave the skin smoothness and whiteness. Modern researchers, however, doubt that the urea and guanine in bird droppings are beneficial for the skin, although the high pH of uguisu-no-fun was used for whitening bed sheets.
Due to the tight hairstyles, geishas often experienced hair loss, but they even managed to take pride in their bald spots.
These bald spots were considered a sign that a geisha had spent enough time as an apprentice, meaning she was well-trained. Bald patches were concealed with wigs.
With age, geishas often abandoned such self-inflicted harm and adopted a more natural appearance. Many of them continued to work well into old age. Moreover, older geishas were more valued in Japanese culture, as it was believed that a woman’s beauty fully blossoms with age.
The oldest known geisha, Yuko Asakusa, lived to 96. Born in 1923, she began her career at 16 and continued until her death in 2019.
So if you invited a geisha, it’s not guaranteed that a young beauty with a clear voice would greet you. It might instead be an older lady, skillfully serving tea and telling captivating stories.
A Geisha’s Smile is Enough to Enchant a Man
Another detail that adds allure to the image of a geisha is her smile. However, it was not as captivating as we might think.
Geishas followed the Japanese custom of blackening their teeth—ohaguro. As a dye, they used juices from various herbs and fruits, as well as a liquid made from galls—parasitic growths on plant leaves caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, and arthropods. This was not a particularly pleasant procedure.
To prepare ohaguro, the dye was mixed with water and sake in a special container, into which heated rusty iron rods were placed. The mixture was left for a week and then poured into the mouth. Yes, the Japanese had some strange customs.
You probably wouldn’t want to kiss a geisha, as the teeth treated with ohaguro had an unpleasant odor. In 1870, ohaguro was banned for all nobles, including members of the imperial family. Apparently, even the emperor was bothered by the bad breath.
Interestingly, yūjo (prostitutes) rarely blackened their teeth. As a result, ohaguro became associated with the integrity of married women, where the durability of the dye symbolized loyalty to their husbands.
Geishas Were Dressed to the Nines
In movies, geishas are often portrayed as women not only with unnatural makeup but also dressed in extravagantly bright clothing. But this isn’t quite true. Colorful attire was the domain of yūjo (prostitutes) and oiran (more expensive prostitutes).
Among geishas, only apprentices and novice geishas wore bright, ornate kimonos. More experienced women dressed more simply and modestly. Compare, for example, the attire and hairstyle of a geisha and an oiran in the image above: the former wears a plain kimono and simple hairstyle, while the latter has a vibrant outfit and hair adorned with ornaments.
Additionally, oiran and yūjo, for understandable reasons, tied their kimono belts in a way that made them easy to untie. Geishas, on the other hand, were dressed by a special dresser, otokoshi, and could not remove their belts without assistance.
All Geishas are Japanese
When Japan was an isolated and closed country with no entry for gaijins (foreigners), this was true. But starting in the 1970s, geishas from other countries began to appear. Naturally, they adopted Japanese pseudonyms, as is customary in this profession.
There have been geishas from the USA, China, Romania, Ukraine, Peru, and Australia. They trained in special okiya houses and, therefore, had the full right to be called geishas.
Geishas Were Sold into Slavery
Due to the movie Memoirs of a Geisha, based on the novel of the same name, many believe that young girls were literally sold into slavery by their impoverished parents. But this isn’t entirely accurate.
Many new girls entered the geisha houses (the so-called okiya) quite voluntarily to earn money and receive an education and a profession. Other maiko (apprentice geishas) were the daughters of adult geishas, inheriting the craft. However, it often happened that poor girls with no other way to pay off debts became geishas (which was clearly better than being a yūjo).
Incidentally, Mineko Iwasaki, who inspired the character in Memoirs of a Geisha, was outraged by how geishas were depicted in the book. She sued the novel’s author, Arthur Golden, and later wrote her own book, Geisha, A Life.
Today, girls become geishas by choice at the age of 15, and they are required to have a school diploma beforehand.
There Are No More Geishas Left
If you think that geishas have long since disappeared into history, you are quite mistaken: they still exist in Japan today! They host tea ceremonies, serve in traditional Japanese restaurants, and work as musicians, comedians, and masters of ceremonies.
However, real geishas today are rare, and their numbers are dwindling. So, if you find yourself in Japan, you are more likely to take a selfie with a painted female entertainer who has no knowledge of the ancient Eastern art.
