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- Geisha
Introduction
Westerners often misunderstand the concept of Geisha and think of them as something immoral, tawdry or even medieval. In Japan however, the occupation of geisha has a long and honourable history. Geisha were high class, well-educated hostess-courtesans, who entertained wealthy, sophisticated and powerful Japanese gentlemen who wished elegance, culture and brilliant conversation in an exotic atmosphere of decadent refinement. The geisha created a wonderful romantic mood for the enjoyment of men who were pampered and fussed over like kings. Association with geisha was desired not necessarily for sexual purposes but for their charming and gentile company. They were status symbols for the wealthy and provided an air of respectability. The geishas aspired to provide an exclusive dream world of luxury and romance. Their great attention to their personal appearance and their incredible devotion to perfection in the classical arts and in conversation has made them highly respected guardians of Japan�s traditions. Since their early beginnings, geishas have entertained and were trusted by men of intellect like actors, poets and artists, and men of power like samurai, wartime generals, captains of industry, entrepreneurs, cabinet ministers, aristocrats, and even men of the imperial household. In their presence, some of the nation�s most important business took place with ideas being freely discussed - deals were made, wars planned and plots hatched. These men knew they could trust the geisha�s code of silence not to divulge what they overheard. The geisha�s livelihood heavily depended upon discretion and confidentially and part of the erotic appeal of these women was to do with this secrecy and mystery.
The geisha profession has lasted so long in Japanese society because it was infinitely more than just sex, it was an admired art form. In 1956 when the government abolished legal prostitution in Japan, those cultivated ladies, the geisha, were left exempt, implying to a large extent that they should not be linked to the oldest profession but more to that of exotic entertainer who sells her art rather than her body.
Early History
During the Edo period (1615-1868), Kabuki theatre provided entertainment for the townspeople and many teahouses were set up nearby for food and drink. The actors and theatre-goers, who frequented the teahouses often enlivened their parties by requesting the services of independent performers who could sing, dance and play music. These performers came to be called geisha some time in the 17th century. The earliest geisha were male entertainers, jesters and musicians, but by about 1780 female geishas outnumbered male geisha and soon came to totally dominate the trade. Some of the younger courtesans in the pleasure quarters turned to the role of entertainers or geisha. The pleasure quarters, found in the major cities of Edo (Tokyo), Osaka and Kyoto, were separated from the rest of the city by walls and by 1779 were licensed by the government and given a code of professional conduct with disciplinary rules and regulations.
The word geisha is made up of two characters, gei means �art� or �accomplished� and
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