“Remember, Chiyo, geisha are not courtesans. And we are not wives.

We sell our

skills, not our bodies. We create another secret world, a place only of beauty. The very

word "geisha" means artist and to be a geisha is to be judged as a moving work of art.”

(Mamehan, Memoirs of A Geisha)

These are some of the lines narrated by Mamehan in the book “Memoirs of A

Geisha”. Intriguing, is it not? This book is one of the best selling books in the twenty-

first century. It depicts the life of a geisha in the country of Japan during the World War II

era. It shows of how a heroine works her way to a geisha house as a slave and becomes

one of the successful women in her place. She is a dancer, a musician, and a woman who

is most deprived of choices she has to make. This is a story of hardship, exploitation and

success of a geisha. The book may be a product of a figment of one’s imagination but the

geisha it talks about is clearly a product of one of the Japanese ancestry. It is real. They

are real. So, what is really the truth about Geishas? In this, we will about to examine how

Geishas fit as flowers and willows in history of Japan.

If one fails to examine the word about geisha, he may think that geishas are just

merely women who perform her skills on bed. People often falsely connect geisha into a

profession of a prostitute. Misconceptions have been spun because of how people

undermine or remain ignorant of the work of a geisha. They are not prostitutes, they do

not prepare food, they do not have one night stands, and they are not wives. In short, they

are often misunderstood.

 Fact is, Geishas already exist way back during the 17th century. This system had

its beginning during the Tokugawa period where in Japan is in a state of peace, has

isolated itself from the outside world and it is when samurais and merchants have more

than enough time and wealth to indulge themselves in the pleasures of the floating world.

Geisha, and the sound of it conjures images of the long time past; a time wherein gentle

laughter, interesting stories and soft music can be heard from tea houses suspended into

the night air. Technically speaking, Geisha comes from two separate words, gei and sha.

Gei means art and sha means doer. As the words imply, it means performing artists.

"Geisha," the word itself is probably mispronounced as often as are the women it

identifies, misunderstood. Pronounced "gay-sha," the word translates as "art person" or

"person of the arts" and that is simply what geisha are, practitioners of arts that reach

back in time more than three centuries (http://d21c.com/zenegata/geisha15.html, accessed

on 02 March 2009). Geisha plays a significant part in the Japanese culture, she is a

beautiful woman who has the capabilities to show her many artistic talents for those

society who belong at the upper class at the side of many celebrations for centuries. Until

now, the art of Geisha still exists in the Japanese culture. These women who have

destined to be Geishas have endured and trained for many years just to master their

intricate and never-ending varieties of talents which include dancing, calligraphy and

conversation. Traditionally, they began their training at a very young age. It is only after

years that Geishas can perfectly perform the common and required talents for their future

clients. It is their role to practice a vast range of artistic talents. These women know a lot

of social skills and grace. Therefore, it is right that geishas undergo hardships, endurance

and patience. They are trained to be fine women after all for their wealthy audience.
They are women, who with years of training become professional hostesses who entertain

their guests with their flawless talents and refined charm. Based from their years of

experiences, they can be considered as masters of the art.