Japanese geisha culture fading into history

KYOTO, Japan -- As the dusk falls, teahouses light paper lanterns on front porches, casting a dim yellow light on narrow stone-paved alleys. They open the doors to the flower and willow world of geisha. This has been the routine for hundreds of years. \nIt is a place where enchanting geishas lithely walk wearing colorful silk kimonos. It is a Shangri-La where men can put everything stressful aside and be captivated by delicious repast and graceful dances by geishas. \nIn the Gion district where geishas thrive, the form of Japanese culture is slowly dying. \nThe term "geisha" might remind many Americans of expensive courtesans in heavy, snow-white make-up and gorgeous kimonos. But geishas are artisans, entertaining guests with music, dance and witty conversation. \nKanomi and Kanosome are 17-year-old maikos, apprentice geishas, working for a house called Kano-ya. \nBoth of them had already chosen this profession when they were younger. Kanosome said she adored beautifully dressed geishas she saw on television and decided to become one. Kanomi has a different reason for choosing this profession.\n"I love to dance," Kanomi said. "I have learned dance from my grandmother since I was small. And, I wanted to be a professional dancer."\nBut living in the hierarchical world of the geisha imposes numerous hardships. Kanosome said the most difficult aspect is showing proper respect to the elders. Kanomi said tenacity is most important.\n"Gion is the small world," Kanomi said. "If you make a single mistake, the bad rumors spread in the twinkling of an eye. You must have a lot of guts to endure the bad reputation and try to do it better next time."\nGeisha origins and impact\nThe Gion district was formed about 300 years ago, Genichiro Ohara said in his book "Gion." \nThe peaceful period during the Tokugawa regime promoted the proliferation of townspeople's culture in major cities, he said. As the standard of living improved, people began to seek ways to entertain themselves. Teahouses began to serve sake -- Japanese rice wine -- instead of tea and hired more and more geishas to attract clients. Ohara estimated about 3,000 geishas were working for 700 teahouses in Gion during the 18th century.\nGoing out of business\nThe geisha business in Gion has experienced a serious decline in recent years. The long-lasting economic recession has forced businessmen to choose relatively cheap bars or clubs for amusement. Spending time with geishas costs as much as $1,000 per hour, making the joke -- "If you would like to come to Gion, make up your mind to put two or three of your companies into bankruptcy" -- sound true. \nThe increasing employment opportunities for women is another contributing factor for the reduction in the number of women who enter the geisha world. Only 91 geishas are left today, according to the Gion Teahouse Association.\nKanomi and Kanosome are working under five-year contracts. Most of the maiko's income is given to the "mother" of her geisha house who provides accommodation, meals, tuition for dance school and expensive kimonos. Kanosome said she receives about $300 of allowance from the mother.\n"Usually, a maiko can have about $100,000 of savings after the five-year contract," Kanosome said.\nPersistently preserving culture\nDespite its decline, Gion has aggressively preserved the fading Japanese traditions of valuing courtesy. For example, in an event called Hassaku, Aug. 1, all maikos walk around the neighboring houses and express gratitude for their everyday assistance. Okotosan, Dec. 31, is another event in which maikos call on their teachers and proprietress of teahouses on Dec. 31 to thank and ask for their continuous support.\nKanomi said it preserves interesting incantations geishas of the past practiced.\n"If we have an unfavorable guest, we put a broom upside down at the entrance or lightly toast a sole of his shoe with fire, making a wish that he goes home soon," she said. \n"Mugon-mairi, visiting a shrine every night without speaking to anyone you pass by on the street, is another charm to make a wish come true-in the old times," she said. "It was usually to be tied up with her real lover."\nChanging Times\nKanomi and Kanosome live in a different world today where geishas enjoy more freedoms. "The number of phone calls we can make is limited. And, although we have a right to make a boyfriend, it is very unfavorable," Kanosome said. "Although we want to make a boyfriend, it's virtually impossible because we barely have days off."\nBut in some ways, they are just ordinary 17-year-old girls who are sometimes dreaming and sometimes distressed.\n"I want to get married by 25," Kanomi said. "But, I really don't know if I should be a geiko after the five-year contract and do something in return for 'mother's' kindness. I really can't make up my mind yet"