One after another, they round the corner and shuffle into the room swiftly and quietly, only creating the slightest of sound as their tiny steps meet the tatami mat.
The moment they enter, the atmosphere changes; their presence raises hairs on arms, and everyone immediately goes quiet, in awe of the beauty that has just arrived. On this particular evening, we are honored with the presence of two geiko and one maiko.
The former must be older than 20 while the latter is between the ages of 15 and Some even go through the stage of shikomi for about six months to a year prior to ascending to maiko status, in which training begins only after completing junior high school.
These are home to what is currently estimated to be around 73 maiko , geiko , and ochaya teahouses used for entertainment by geisha , according to the Kyoto Traditional Musical Art Foundation. To clear the air before we dive in a little deeper, the misconception that geishas are the equivalent to prostitutes should be immediately thrown out. It was previously unheard of for foreigners to enter an ochaya unaccompanied, but due to economic difficulties some establishments have loosened their restrictions for the sake of keeping their business alive.
So imagine trying to break into the guarded, secret society of geiko. A mystery to even the Japanese, here, the ultimate form of currency is not how much you have, but rather who you know, and making the acquaintance of an ochaya patron is like hitting the jackpot.
