Mysterious . Elegant . Ephemeral

Photographing Geisha in Kyoto

Terry

24/8/2020

Mysterious, elegant and ephemeral – the words allude to an enthralling mystique: matt-white make-up, tiny ruby-red lips, long sweeps of raven-black hair framing the face. Nowhere else but in Japan and especially Kyoto, the ancient capital does this realm of beauty and womanhood exist. 

Geisha have long embodied the height of refinement and they are undoubtedly the custodians of Japanese culture and traditions. They dedicated their lives into mastering the Japanese traditional arts, from performing traditional tea ceremony, dances (including those that involve a fan or scarf), flower arrangement and playing of traditional instruments. They are highly respected throughout the whole Japan and It’s no surprises that people are willing to spend huge sums of money just to be entertained by them.

Photographing geisha aren’t easy. They can be gone in a second even if you manage to see one. I wrote this blog because I understand the pain of photographers who I’ve meet that travel all the way to Kyoto only to be disappointed by not having a single decent photograph of the geisha. While I cannot guarantee good photographs, but it will drastically improve the chances of seeing one. 

Dos and Don'ts

Over the years, there has been an increased number of cases on tourists causing problem for geisha, harassing and chasing them like paparazzi for photographs. Remember, Geisha are also humans and they’re working a normal job just like everyone else. Nobody’s like to be blocked or chased while rushing for an appointment. You have no idea how many times I’ve seen tourists causing troubles. I’ve once witness a situation whereby crowd of tourists are waiting outside an ochaya entrance, hoping to photograph a geisha while blocking her way from leaving. It’s people like this that give all tourists a bad reputation. 

Geisha themselves understand they are sort of a public figure in foreigners eye. If you are respectful, aren‘t intrusive and don’t get in their way, it’s okay to photograph of them. The best way to do that is to photograph them at a long distance while using a telephoto/zoom lens. Based on my experience, if you are friendly and respectful, on some occasion, they might even smile at the camera for you.  Alternatively, if you have money,  you can also visit an ochaya where you can hire a geisha just for yourself. There are some ochaya out there that cater to foreigners but be warned, they are not cheap. A full geisha dinner can be worth around 60,000 yen and this does not include dinner and interpreter.

  1. Photograph at a distance
  2. Photograph from the side or back, but leave their path open
  3. Don’t chase, follow, touch or block them
  4. Don’t try to take selfies with them
  5. Don’t take photo while they are walking with their client or guest
  6. Ask for permission if necessary .

Differences between Maiko and Geiko

First, you need to know what you are photographing. Only in Kyoto, Geisha are referred to as maiko and geiko. In other cities like Tokyo or Niigata, they have their own version of geisha but usually don’t undergo the strict training that defines Kyoto’s maiko and geiko.

Geiko are simply Geisha, just that they are called differently in Kyoto. Maiko are uniquely found only in Kyoto. They are apprentice of geiko, usually between 15 – 20 years old. A maiko needs to be trained for at least 5 to 6 years before she’s considered skilled and mature enough to become a full-fledged geiko. Maiko and geiko dresses very differently. You can easily differentiate between a maiko and geiko by the appearance. In general, maiko are dress cuter and flashier while geiko are dress more mature and elegant. Typically, you would see more maiko than geiko especially in kyoto.

Hair style

  • Geiko: Uses a wig
  • Maiko: Usually uses their own hair to make the typical hairstyle

Hair Ornament

  • Geiko: Plain, simple and smaller
  • Maiko: Brightly colored, decorative and large

Kimono

  • Geiko: Wears more refined kimono. Usually only one color with patterns near the bottom
  • Maiko: Wears brightly colored and flashy kimono with patterns from shoulder to bottom. Long sleeves and padded hems that trail along the floor

Belt (Obi)

  • Geiko: Narrower than maiko, with one bow tied as a box at the back and not hanging
  • Maiko: Brightly colored with patterns, hanging at the back almost reaching the calf

Makeup

  •  Geiko: Their lips will be fully colored with red lipstick 
  • Maiko: Noticeable amount of pink blush around their cheeks. Their lips are usually partially colored red, usually either at the bottom or top

MAIKO

GEIKO

1) Location

In Kyoto, there are 5 geisha districts known as “Hanamachi” (flower town) where geisha live and work. Every districts, usually along the main street have high number of wooden Okiya (where geisha lives) and Ochaya (traditional teahouses were geisha entertain customers). 

  1. Gion Kobu
  2. Ponto-Cho
  3. Miyagawa-Cho
  4. Gion Higashi
  5. Kamishichiken
For starter, avoid taking photograph in both Gion Kobu and Gion Higashi. They are by far the biggest and most famous Hanamachi district and is usually overcrowded with tourists, making it very difficult to get great shots. Today, taking photographs at certain areas of the two districts are strictly prohibited due to reports of travelers trespassing on private property, trying to get their ideal shot while harassing the geisha. Anyone caught taking photographs on private streets will be imposed a fine of 10,000 yen (US$92). 
 
I recommend to go either Miyagawa-Cho or Kamishichiken. Both districts are usually less crowded, allowing you to take photograph of the geisha at long distance and also having multiple nice spots for getting great composition. Personally, Miyagawa-Cho is my favorite district to go to.

                                      Taken in the streets of Miyagawa-cho

2) Time

Timing is everything. Geisha typically appears around early evening, between 5 to 6pm where they are rushing to their engagements. That is the best time to see both the maiko or geiko walking along the main street.  Any other time of the day, you usually don’t see them. The timing may also slightly differ depending on each season. Based on my experience, during that period of time, they will be moving around to different ochaya/okiya and by 6pm most would have already taken a taxi and drove off. If you lucky, you can also see them walking in groups. Personally, I wouldn’t bother if its’s not 5 to 6pm.

 You can also try your luck at night where they return from their evening engagement. However, it’s difficult to shoot during the night when there is little light and they are walking extremely fast.

3) Exposure and Composition

As I mentioned previously, geisha walks extremely fast. Based on my experience, a minimum shutter speed of 1/300sec is required to freeze their movement. Another advise would be to go earlier and plan for your shots. Scout around the area for nice composition. People tend to concentrate on the geisha and forgot about the background. Make use of those wooden architecture as your background and as difficult as it is, try to keep tourist out of your shots. For night shots, make use of the ochaya lanterns or street lamps to illuminate your subject whilst keeping your ISO down. 

Lastly, it comes down to luck. You have no idea how many times I wasted my time there only to come back empty handed. Don’t be discourage and try again the next day. The feeling of getting a good photograph of the geisha is very rewarding!