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- Geisha enjoyed the company of big spenders who had iki and who were not afraid to spend money. If a geisha was clever and lucky, she might be able to work herself out of her bondage situation and become independent by paying off all her debts. Geisha seldom married but they were always on the lookout for a wealthy patron (donna) who might take them as their recognized mistress and occasionally as legal wives. This would then allow her to stop working or her patron might even buy her a teahouse or restaurant so she would be able to support herself. A donna would pay off the geisha�s debts to her geisha house, which included the cost of her schooling, food, lodgings, jewellery, kimonos and other needs since she started as a geisha. In exchange the geisha would always be available to the donna as his mistress/companion. It has been suggested that some men acquired a geisha as a way of collecting art since the geisha herself with her beauty and talent was regarded as a living work of art. The geisha had to be financially aware because if the patron died and hadn�t made proper provisions for her future, she would be in quite a quandaiy. The geisha was the ultimate luxury item and she would continue to be expensive as her costly habit of buying kimono and accessories would still need to be supported.
There was also a harsh reality to life as a geisha with the inevitable fear and consequences associated with sexually transmitted diseases and botched abortions. As the geisha aged and her beauty faded, she was certain to face severe hardships if she had been unable to set herself up with a wealthy patron or become the head of a teahouse or restaurant. When she left the geisha world, she no longer fitted into ordinaiy society and found that it was difficult to find a husband.
Wife vs Geisha
Japanese men grew up with the notion that women were there to serve them. From earliest childhood the male�s mother and any sisters were there to respond to his every beck and call. In adulthood Japanese men continued to enjoy being babied by women, especially when they were drinking and socializing. This is where the geisha�s role flourished. Flirting and flattering the male ego were amongst the most important skills of the geisha. Japanese men found it difficult to converse with their wives, while the geisha were there to listen attentively, not pressure them with advice or opinions. If they did, the geisha would make the man think it was his clever idea.
The geisha had a pleasant and na�ve manner that made her guest comfortable and relaxed. Once entering the room of the restaurant or teahouse, the geisha would kneel and close the door behind her. She would greet her client with innumerable smiles and bows of the head and glide toward him with the sound of rustling silk and the gentle fluttering of the long wing-like sleeves of the kimono. She would position herself next to the client and smile, giggle, and urge him to eat little nibbles that were prepared as well as pour sake and encourage him to drink more. She would keep the conversation flowing as smoothly as possible and make her companion feel like they were on the brink of paradise. The geisha was a good and witty story-teller. She was often an enthusiastic fan of Kabuki theatre and knew all the latest gossip about the actors.
There was usually a mutual respect between the wives and the geishas as they usually knew each other�s existence. Each had their own role to play and, in many ways they
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