Ikigai

Maiko, Geiko, East Asian Culture + True Beauty in all it's forms.

[philosophybits]

“Don’t let us forget that the causes of human actions are usually immeasurably more complex and varied than our subsequent explanations of them.”

— Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Idiot

[ask-the-fishdick-deactivated201]

REBLOG IF IT IS OKAY TO COME INTO YOUR INBOX AND SAY THE RANDOMEST SHIT I CAN THINK OF BECAUSE I REALLY WANT TO INTERACT WITH YOU.

[thatsonemorbidcorvid]

“All feminists are "socialization failures." If the patriarchy functioned perfectly, we would not exist with our current consciousness. Somehow, some of us have managed to slip through the cracks and avoid the attempts of the patriarchy to brainwash us completely. Consequently, we have the ability to imagine a different (world) and to struggle to create it. We must continue to question our assumptions and, through feminist analysis, to detoxify ourselves from a culture that hates women. Through these experiences we are formulating new ways of living and being.”

- Wendy Stock, Toward a Feminist Praxis of Sexuality

[missmyloko]

February 29th, 2024: As one chapter comes to a close, another shall soon start. Fujichiyo (ふじ千代) of Fuji (ふじ) in Kamishichiken is wearing her sakkō ensemble ahead of her quickly approaching erikae. She will be the first erikae for the newly opened Fuji okiya and the first for Kamishichiken in nearly two years. Per Kamishichiken's tradition, she is wearing a lovely powder blue iromontsuki with a kai awase (shell matching game) pattern and pine with a black interlocking tortoiseshell pattern obi. Since this is a formal outfit she does not wear an obijime and a pocchiri. Her kanzashi features a simple motif of silver and gold pine, which will be passed down to other maiko in her okiya in the future. Her erikae will take place on March 4th ^^ Image is courtesy of Atelier Hanae.

[djburgerempress]

Why is your header Ikigai when that term has nothing to do with Maiko or Geiko, or Japan in general?

Because I do what I want

[onna-musha]

“The wife of Takeda Katsuyori”(1897), Adachi Ginko (active c.1870-1908)

Print from the series : “Mirror of renowned women from ancient and modern times”

The wife of Sengoku period daimyo Takeda Katsuyori (1546-1582) is depicted carrying a naginata during an attack. Her husband was defeated by Oda Nobunaga and had to flee, his wife going with him. However, Katsuyori was resigned to die and prompted her to leave. She refused and committed suicide with her husband.

[missmyloko]

February 26th, 2024: A new maiko has made her debut! Satosuzu (さと鈴) of Nakasato (中里) in Kamishichiken is celebrating her misedashi! She is the first debut for her district this year, but is debuting without an onesan. She is also the fourth misedashi so far for the gokagai this year, a positive sign of recovery from the pandemic. Her outfit features waves and lucky treasures while her obi has a beautiful karabana in lattice motif ^^ おめでとうさんどすさと鈴ちゃん ^o^! Image is courtesy of the Kamishichiken Kabukai.

[freakkisser]

“is it okay if—“ yes. yes its okay. you can literally do whatever you want forever. how you experience your f/o and your relationship or who you f/o or anything else is entirely up to you and there is literally no reason to ask if its okay because the answer is always yes.

[s-ousha-deactivated20180526]

by  ツェルマッターF

[greykolla-art]

Circus devil and a taxidermy deer start a podcast together!

Or: my Hazbin hotel dreamcore au.😂

[moonlet-from-space]

Tech-savvy

[consulships]

i do think theres something sad about how largely only the literature that's considered especially good or important is intentionally preserved. i want to read stuff that ancient people thought sucked enormous balls

[sarahseeandersen]

[maigeiko]

The look of... VIII: Shimizu 清水

Historical context The first official date in the history of Shimizu Geigi is 1872, when "Machi Geisha" (まち芸者), who were distinct from "Kaku Geisha" (廓芸者), appeared. A Kenban (registry office) was established in 1877. At that time, Machi Geisha and Kaku Geisha combined were around twenty people. Only ten years later, in 1887, their number had increased to 100. The number of Geigi continued to grow.

In 1938, the number of Geigi was around 260, and they were highly regarded nationwide for their skills in art and behaviour. In 1951, a "Shimizu Geigi school" (清水芸妓学校) was opened, around 150 Geigi attending the event.

In the 1970's, Japan's period of economic growth started tapering off, interest in traditional arts dwindeled, which resulted in less work opportunities for Geigi and the number of Ryotei decreasing. In response to this, local business leaders and Shimizu Geigi started an organisation to help fostering new Geigi (Seibikai 清美会).

By 1985, their number had decreased to thirteen and the Kenban closed. In 1991, local businessmen and Geigi formed a different company (Seibi Co. 清美(株)), which worked as employer for Geigi. Due to a bad economic environment, Shimizu Odori (清水をどり) was last held in 1998, Seibi Co. was dissolved in 2004, and Haru no mai (春の舞) was discontinued in 2009. As a result of this, some of Seibi's employees became independent Geigi.

Allegedly, the number of Geigi hit rock bottom in 2011 with only two remaining. However, in 2012, around eleven Geigi worked in Shimizu. Since then, the city had a steady stream of Geigi coming and going again. At the end of this year, 2023, there are ten Geigi working in the city.

The look of Shimizu Geiko Local Term: Geigi 芸妓 ※ Hairstyle: Taka shimada, Tsubushi shimada ※ Kanzashi: Kushi, Maezashi, bekko kogai, ear of rice in the new year period ※ Kimono: Homongi, Kuromontsuki Hikizuri ※ Haneri: white ※ Obi: Taiko musubi ※ Obiage: green, pink, white, red ※ Obijime: flat, 1 knot ※ Footwear: Zori

Casual look ※ Hairstyle: Yohatsu ※ Kanzashi: none ※ Kimono: Homongi, rarely Komon ※ Haneri: white ※ Obi: Taiko musubi ※ Obiage: white, pink ※ Footwear: Zori

The look of Shimizu Maiko Local term: Shinjin Geigi 新人芸妓 ※ Hairstyle: Momoware Katsura, sometimes real hair styled (shin nihongami) ※ Kanzashi: seasonal and non-seasonal Hanakanzashi, Katsuyama, maezashi, Shidare in all age groups ※ Kimono: Furisode with shoulder tucks or no tucks at all ※ Eri: white with white embroidery, plain white, white with multicolour embroidery, other colours possible especially during summer months ※ Obi: Koken musubi ※ Obiage: flat, mostly red/silver, red/white shibori, other colours also possible (green/beige/light blue) ※ Obijime: flat or round with 1-4 knots. No obidome ※ Footwear: Zôri

Notes Shimizu was merged with Shizuoka in 2003. Shimizu Geigi and other traditional arts performers are backed by 静岡伝統芸能振興 Shizuoka dentô geinô Shinkô-kai/Shizuoka traditional performing arts promotion association, which is the successor to Seibikai. You might notice I didn't start this post with a historical b/w photo. There are some old photos on the Shizuoka Dentogeino homepage, but they are the size of a postal stamp. And that's it. I feel let down. No chance to explore the historical style of Shimizu. Anyways. "The look of Shimizu/Shizuoka" was requested by @geimaiko. The layout of this post is based on geimaiko's own. Also... geimaiko originally started these series. If you liked this post, you should go and thank her, because without her, there would be no "the look of..." ;)

Sources https://www.shizuoka-dentogeino.jp/geigi/shizuoka_history/, https://www.shizuoka-dentogeino.jp/geigi/shimizu_history/, http://www.shimizu-port.jp/geigi.html, https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNZO41971500Z20C12A5L61000/ (headline and preview only), https://www.youtube.com/@shizuokadentogeino/videos

Pictures: Komachi May 17, Makoto May 17, Komachi+Makoto Oct 17 (sources nowhere to be found), Sakurako+Fukutaro Apr 22, Kikuno+Umeka Nov 14, Iroha Jun 20, Iroha Oct 20, Fukutaro Oct 20, Ichiryo+Komachi+Makoto ~2016, Komachi+Sakurako Apr 18, Fukutaro+Sakurako Oct 18, Iroha+Fukutaro+Sakurako Oct 20

[maigeiko]

Umewaka 梅若 from Kokura, Fukuoka prefecture. 1920's. Quick sloppy paint job by me, @maigeiko Source

[maigeiko]

Congratulations to Kotsuta 小つた from Mukojima, who debuted as a Hangyoku around 13. December 2023. She is the second Hangyoku to debut in Mukojima this year.

[maigeiko]

Koume (小梅) from Asamushi onsen (浅虫温泉), February 2013 The last Geisha active in Asamushi onsen, born 1924/25, still active in 2018 (no info on her afterwards).