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Hanamachi
A is a district where geisha live and work in Japan. Each typically has its own name, crest, and distinct geisha population, with geisha not typically working outside of their own district. usually contain (geisha houses) and (teahouses where geisha entertain). Historically, could contain a high number of and , and would also contain a as well – a communal meeting place for geisha, typically containing a theater, rooms where classes in the traditional arts could be held, and a (registry office) who would process a geisha's pay, regulation of the profession, and other related matters. Gion, a geisha district in Kyoto, also has a vocational school, called . Many of the teachers there are designated as Living National Treasures. were preceded by the registered red-light districts of Japan, known as . Three were established in Japan in the early 1600s: Shimabara in Kyoto in 1640,Avery, Anne Louise. ''Flowers of the Floating World: Geisha and Courtesans in Japanese P ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Geisha
{{Culture of Japan, Traditions, Geisha {{nihongo, Geisha, 芸者 ({{IPAc-en, ˈ, ɡ, eɪ, ʃ, ə; {{IPA-ja, ɡeːɕa, lang), also known as {{nihongo, , 芸子, geiko (in Kyoto and Kanazawa) or {{nihongo, , 芸妓, geigi, are a class of female Japanese performing artists and entertainers trained in traditional Japanese performing arts styles, such as dance, music and singing, as well as being proficient conversationalists and hosts. Their distinct appearance is characterised by long, trailing kimono, traditional hairstyles and {{transliteration, ja, oshiroi make-up. Geisha entertain at parties known as {{transliteration, ja, ozashiki, often for the entertainment of wealthy clientele, as well as performing on stage and at festivals. Modern geisha are not prostitutes. This misconception originated due to the conflation of Japanese courtesans ({{transliteration, ja, oiran), {{transliteration, ja, oiran reenactors, the extant {{transliteration, ja, tayū, and prostitutes, who ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gion
is a district of Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Japan, originating as an entertainment district in the Sengoku period, in front of Yasaka Shrine (Gion Shrine). The district was built to accommodate the needs of travellers and visitors to the shrine. It eventually evolved to become one of the most exclusive and well-known geisha districts in all of Japan. Gion is the Japanese translation (via Chinese ''Qiyuan'') of the Buddhist term Jetavana. The geisha in Kyoto do not refer to themselves as geisha, instead using the local term . While the term geisha means "artist" or "person of the arts", the more direct term means essentially "a woman of art". Divisions Gion houses two , or geisha districts: and . The two were originally the same district, but split many years ago. Gion Kobu is larger, occupying most of the district including the famous street Hanamikoji, while Gion Higashi is smaller and occupies the northeast corner, centered on its rehearsal hall. Despite the considerable d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shimabara, Kyoto
(often simplified to , sometimes styled ) was the designated red light district () in Kyoto, and was later also a geisha district (). Established in 1640, Shimabara, following the outlawing of sex work in Japan became defunct as a red-light district in the 1950s; by the 1970s, no geisha were registered in Shimabara. , who never disappeared entirely from Shimabara, were allowed to register as a special type of geisha following the outlawing of prostitution, and continue to perform in the district to this day. Shimabara continues to operate as a tourist district, and operates one . History Before the establishment of Shimabara, earlier courtesan districts were established: first in in 1589, with the permission of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, which was moved to when the Edo period started, which was then moved to Shimabara in 1640/41. Shimabara was established in 1640 for a brothel owned by Hara Saburoemon and was closed (as a prostitution district) in 1958, when prostitution was ou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miyagawa-chō
is one of the or geisha districts in Kyoto. means "Shrine River", referring to the nickname of the Kamo River just south of Shijō. During the Gion Festival the (divine palanquin) of Yasaka Shrine used to be purified here in the waters of the river. Miyagawa-chō has three interconnected rings as its trademark, symbolizing the unity of the shrine/temples, the townspeople, and the teahouses. What is now Miyagawa-chō was a place where entertainers gathered. Kabuki was performed in many small theaters on the banks of the Kamo River. Some of the teahouses were even boats that operated in the river. As kabuki was just then developing into a mass entertainment spectacle as known today, the area was very popular and Miyagawa-chō quickly grew into a full town of teahouses. The association with kabuki has gone, but the Minami-za kabuki theatre of Kyoto still stands on its historical spot on the east bank of the Kamo River. Today, Miyagawa-chō has its own , or theater where geisha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oiran
is a collective term for the highest-ranking courtesans in Japanese history, who were considered to be above common prostitution, prostitutes (known as ) for their more refined entertainment skills and training in the traditional arts. Divided into a number of ranks within this category, the highest rank of were the , who were considered to be set apart from other due to their intensive training in the traditional arts. Though by definition also engaged in prostitution, higher-ranking had a degree of choice in which customers they took; , in contrast, did not engage in sex work at all. The term originated in Yoshiwara, the Yūkaku, red light district of Edo in the 1750s, and is applied to all ranks of high level courtesans in historical Japan. The services of were well known for being exclusive and expensive, with typically only entertaining the upper classes of society, gaining the nickname for their perceived ability to steal the hearts and match the wits of upper-cl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Okiya
An is the lodging house/drinking establishment to which a or geisha is affiliated with during her career as a geisha. The is typically run by the "mother" () of the house, who handles a geisha's engagements, the development of her skills, and funds her training through a particular teahouse. Though a geisha is legally required to be registered to an in order to work, and may live there as a trainee, it is not a legal requirement for geisha to live within their .Dalby 1983 p192 A geisha's engagements at parties, and her lessons in singing, traditional dance, musical instruments and tea ceremony are also booked through her . An and its attached teahouse typically has its own "branch" of art names linking its geisha and together, usually through the use of a shared prefix; for example, many of the geisha trained at the Dai-Ichi teahouse in Pontochō have names that begin with . Living arrangements Many geisha, particularly those working in more traditional geisha communitie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mon (emblem)
, also , , and , are Japanese emblems used to decorate and identify an individual, a family, or (more recently) an institution or business entity. While is an encompassing term that may refer to any such device, and refer specifically to emblems used to identify a family. An authoritative reference compiles Japan's 241 general categories of based on structural resemblance (a single may belong to multiple categories), with 5,116 distinct individual . However, it is well-acknowledged that there exist a number of lost or obscure . The devices are similar to the badges and coats of arms in European heraldic tradition, which likewise are used to identify individuals and families. are often referred to as crests in Western literature, the crest being a European heraldic device similar to the in function. History may have originated as fabric patterns to be used on clothes in order to distinguish individuals or signify membership of a specific clan or organization. By the 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kamishichiken
, pronounced locally as Kamihichiken, is a district of northwest Kyoto, Japan. It is the oldest hanamachi (geisha district) in Kyoto, and is located just east of the Kitano Tenman-gū Shrine. The name Kamishichiken literally means "Seven Upper Houses." These refer to the seven teahouses built from the equipment and material left over from the rebuilding of the Kitano Shrine in Muromachi era (1333–1573). Kamishichiken is located in Kyoto's Nishijin area, which is known for traditional hand-woven textiles. The quiet streets of Kamigyō-ku are made up of dark wooden buildings, mainly (teahouses) and (geisha houses). Unlike the other remaining districts, which are located close to the city center, Kamishichiken is further away, and accordingly significantly quieter and attracts fewer tourists. The geisha of this district are known for being subtle and demure, few in number but each highly accomplished dancers and musicians. There are approximately 25 (apprentice geisha) and geisha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shijō Street
runs in the center of Kyoto, Japan from east to west through the commercial center of the city. Shijō literally means ''Fourth Avenue'' of Heian-kyō, the ancient capital. History The section between Shinkyōgoku street and the vicinity of the east side of the Tenjingawa river corresponds to the Shijō Ōji Avenue（四条大路）of the Heian-kyō. After the road was widened in 1911, it developed as an important traffic artery. The Shijō school of art derives its name from this street, since many artists were located there. Along the street The eastern end of the street is Yasaka Shrine and the western end is Matsunoo Shrine. The street is particularly busy with pedestrians and traffic from the east end to Karasuma Street. The east end passes through the courtesan's district of Gion, with the historic street of Hanami Lane branching off to the south, with the famous Ichiriki Chaya at the corner. It then crosses the Kamo River at Shijō Bridge, and from there to Ka ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ponto-chō
is a district in Kyoto, Japan, known for its geisha and , and is home to many of the city's and traditional tea houses. Like Gion, Ponto-chō is famous for the preservation of forms of traditional architecture and entertainment. Etymology The name "Ponto-chō" is said to be a portmanteau of the Portuguese word (bridge) and the Japanese word , meaning town, block or street. District Ponto-chō as a district is for the most part constructed around a long, narrow alleyway, running from Shijō-dōri to Sanjō-dōri, one block west of the Kamo River. This location is also known as the traditional location for the beginning of kabuki as an art form, and a statue of kabuki's founder, Izumo no Okuni, stands on the opposite side of the river. The district's crest is a stylized water plover, or . Cultural features Geisha (known locally as ) and have existed in Ponto-chō since at least the 16th century, as have prostitution and other forms of entertainment. Today, the area, lit by ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Historical Kana Orthography
The , or , refers to the in general use until orthographic reforms after World War II; the current orthography was adopted by Cabinet order in 1946. By that point the historical orthography was no longer in accord with Japanese pronunciation. It differs from modern usage ('' Gendai kana-zukai'') in the number of characters and the way those characters are used. There was considerable opposition to the official adoption of the current orthography, on the grounds that the historical orthography conveys meanings better, and some writers continued to use it for many years after. The historical orthography is found in almost all Japanese dictionaries, such as ''Kōjien.'' In the current edition of the ''Kōjien,'' if the historical orthography is different from the modern spelling, the old spelling is printed in tiny ''katakana'' between the modern ''kana'' and ''kanji'' transcriptions of the word. Ellipses are used to save space when the historical and modern spellings are ident ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Japanese Traditional Dance
Japanese traditional dance describes a number of Japanese dance styles with a long history and prescribed method of performance. Some of the oldest forms of traditional Japanese dance may be among those transmitted through the tradition, or folk dances relating to food producing activities such as planting rice () and fishing, including rain dances. There are large number of these traditional dances, which are often subfixed , , and , and may be specific to a region or village. and are the two main groups of Japanese dances, and the term was coined in modern times as a general term for dance, by combining (which can also be pronounced ) and (which can also be pronounced ). is a more reserved genre of dance that often has circling movements, and dances of the Noh theatre are of this tradition. A variation of the style of Japanese dance is the or Kyoto-style dance. developed in the 17th century Tokugawa cultural period. It is heavily influenced by the elegance and sophis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
