Remembering Katsukiyo 勝喜代
Senior geiko Katsukiyo passed away January 26th, 2016 at the age of 88. Katsukiyo began studying traditional dance and music as a child, and dance classes were her favorite. She followed her mother into the geisha profession, becoming a geiko at age 16. The date of her misedashi and erikae are unknown, but she was a geiko by 1952. She retired briefly in the 1980s, returning to Kamishichiken in the early 1990s under the unique geimyo “Sukekatsuki” (輔克喜).
In 2004 Katsukiyo received an award from the Ookini Zaidan for geiko over 70 who have worked in the karyukai for more than 30 years, and in 2015 she received another commendation for senior geiko wanting to pass down their knowledge of the traditional arts. She served as the head of the Kamishichiken geisha union for many years.
Katsukiyo was an official onesan to geiko Katsuya and retired geikos Katsufuku and Katsue. She was also grand onesan to maiko Katsuna, geiko Katsune, retired geiko Katsuru and retired maiko Katsuho.
Katsukiyo enjoyed playing comic roles in the odori, especially easy-going characters who loved drinking sake. She was an incredibly skilled dancer and performed all over Japan. Katsukiyo was known for her superb conversational skills, sense of humor, and vast repertoire of jokes, games, and even magic tricks.
She was an inspiration to Kyoto geiko and maiko and will be missed.
Photo sources: 1.2.3.4.5.6.7
