Comments on: Sayuki of Asakusa — the first gai-geisha of Japan

By: HeartburnedHomey Remedy

HeartburnedHomey Remedy — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 12:31:08 +0000

I can tell that this is not the 1st time at all that you have written about this topic. Why have you decided to write about it again?

By: A.wilco

A.wilco — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 21:26:03 +0000

A period (.) is frequently used in place of a comma (,) particularly in Europe (and isn’t Sayuki Oxford educated?). So roughly $120 USD… unless the American dollar continues to drop.

By: Taro

Taro — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 01:21:01 +0000

According to Debito's and Sayuki's blogs, she is now going down-market for the Wapanese freakazoid type of tourist clientele.

Dear All, Following my debut as the first white geisha in Japan, many people have asked me if I can set up an evening at a teahouse where their members can meet geisha. I have been able to negotiate with one teahouse the following arrangement for groups of first-time foreigners to introduce you to the flower and willow world: ...< snip >... Ten or more: 12.300 yen [sic] per person ...< snip >... *Does not include alcohol but you can order alcohol and pay separately ...< snip >... I am looking forward to lots of gaijin support! Thanks, SAYUKI http://www.sayuki.net

Note: 12.300yen per person equals about 11 cents ($0.114456 USD), hee, hee.

By: Shae

Shae — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 04:47:55 +0000

I’m sure you’re no beauty queen yourself, so before you insult someone on their looks, look in the mirror.

Oh, and another thing, if you’re going to write an article, you’d save yourself some face by taking an English Class. Run ons and awkward sentences galore and it’s only a short article.

By: Badsha

Badsha — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 07:17:49 +0000

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By: I'm a geisha

I'm a geisha — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 11:58:24 +0000

By the way, any geisha who is older than hangyoku age spends around 6 months to a year before they debut. Sayuki’s training period was normal length.

By: Taro

Taro — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 11:26:27 +0000

yeinjee.com commented: "...Sayuki is not the first Western Geisha, that is should be Liza Dalby (in 1970s) instead. Thing is, Liza didn’t go through formal apprenticeship..."

The problem is that Sayuki enjoyed an "Ginza Geisha" apprenticeship which can last only six months (rather than five or six years as is traditionally required in Kyoto). Neither Sayuki nor Liza studied a full range of the geisha arts that required during a formal apprenticeship (for example, neither lady attempted Japanese dance).

By: Marvin the Martian

Marvin the Martian — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 02:53:43 +0000

The term you are looking for is “maiko henshin”–a Geisha Makeover for a few hours.
In a similar vein, Liza Dalby attended parties in the geisha get-up and was just a novelty item.

Dress up, have fan, and have your photo taken. Over 100 choices of kimono available. GEISHA PLAN: 12,000 yen including tax (makeup, dressing, two 5 X 7 inch portrait photos). MAIKO PLAN: 10,000 yen with tax (makeup, dressing, two 5 X 7 inch portrait photos)….
http://www.maiko-henshin.com

By: Taro

Taro — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 13:40:15 +0000

Yeah, Liza Dalby was just "allowed" to pretend she was a geisha, as many sources have mentioned (including LizaDalby.com).

debito.org ... Anthropologist Lisa Dalby (author of GEISHA) got close to the ranks, but never became a geisha herself....

LizaDalby.com
... the geisha themselves developed a stake in her gaining an understanding of their world. Thus the suggestion that she borrow appropriate kimono and take her shamisen to the teahouses of Pontochô came from the geisha. The rationale was unassailable and Liza made her debut as Ichigiku, younger sister of Ichiume. When she eventually wrote her book Geisha , her experiences as a novice geisha proved invaluable in presenting the insider's view...

Wikipedia.org/wiki/Liza_Dalby...She never went through the formal processes of becoming a geiko herself, nor was she formally associated with any of the okiya or ochaya in Kyoto. She was often requested by customers, but note that clients were not billed for her attendance, since she had no formal association...more...

By: Wackjob

Wackjob — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 13:36:32 +0000

In recent years, becoming a “geisha” has not required a lifetime of work. However, Liza Dalby never did a formal geisha apprenticeship. She was just allowed to pretend to be a geishi to do her participant-observer anthropological study.