Geisha...those Japanese ladies with "too much" makeup

Watched a documentary about Geishas and I learned quite a bit of new and interesting facts. 

Only virgin girls are allowed to be Geishas. Kyoto is still the cultural center of the Geisha tradition. Formal Geisha training as a Maiko can last up to 5 years and cost $500,000 in modern times. Geisha means “Arts person”. They must practice and perfect traditional Japanese arts (dancing and tea ceremony) and music. During the feudal Japanese period, the Geishas were not allowed to prostitute so as not to clash with the courtesans’ business. Geishas also wore their hair pieces simple and their Obi’s were tied behind as compared to the courtesans who wore colourful hair pieces and their Obi’s in front. In modern times, older and more experienced Geishas do not wear full makeup, wear inner white collars (instead of red inner collars), bright Kimonos and simple hair pieces. They can move out of Geisha houses and take on appointments as they seem fit. An interviewed Japanese wife remarked, "In traditional Japanese families, wives do not necessarily interact with their husbands. Their social role is to run the household. Their husbands would rather talk to and interact with Geishas . It is not “appropriate” to compare wives with Geisha." Now that boggles my mind quite a bit. 

The first Geisha, Okichi, to fall in love with the American consul, was abandoned and was ridiculed by the largely xenophobic Japanese and so she fell into alcoholism and finally, suicide.

The Geishas were increasingly sought after as wives by the ruling Japanese class as they were trained in how to take care of and serve men well and also kept secrets.

Coffee girls became a serious threat to Geishas during the 1920s. Geishas sought to remain as curators of Japanese culture as opposed to being leaders of women fashion in the past.

Emperor Hirohito then brought on the age of Imperial Japan and Geisha recruitment numbers swelled as they were upheld to be one of the bastions of Japanese culture. Poor families thus started selling their daughters to Geisha houses because of high demand. There they worked as slaves. They would be bought by and provided for by a patron. When the girls hit a certain age, their virginities would be sold off and the deflowering would be conducted in a very ritualistic manner. Patrons still exist today but sex is highly frowned upon in proper society and is no longer a practice. Geishas cannot marry but can have children of their patrons. Daughters of Geisha are expected to follow the tradition but there is no role of the sons of Geishas.

Olden Geisha face paint used to contain lead and would poison the Geisha’s face yellow! Kimonos are extremely precious to Geishas and their choices of Kimono are dictated by the calendar. Different colored Kimonos are symbolic for the different seasons. Hair pieces need to be attached to Geisha’s heads as the constant pulling and weight often cause premature balding. The Geishas then need to sleep on wooden boxes and not wash their hair for a week so as to upset their hair arrangements.