#onsen geisha

[maigeiko]

Late news from Yamanaka Onsen: on 4. October 2024, two new Geigi debuted. The first new additions since Kiyono (きよ乃) in 2015. Their names are Suzune (すず音) on the left, and Fumika (文華) on the right. Fumika is 29 years old and from Osaka. She previously worked as Furisode-san in Tokyo for around two years and debuted as Geigi after four months of training. Suzune is 20 years old and from Kaga (Yamanaka Onsen is part of this city). She has joined the Yamanaka Geigi right after completing high school and has been in training for the previous two years. Congratulations to both! Photo by Geisha Japan Other infos by Chunichi

[maigeiko]

Three of the four new Geigi who debuted this October in Ureshino Onsen: Ayano あやの, Kimika きみか and Hazuki はづき

[maigeiko]

Geigi from Hakone, 2019

[maigeiko]

Geigi from Kamiyamada Togura Onsen (戸倉上山田温泉), 26. November 2023. If I identified them correctly, they are Harukoma 春駒 on Shamisen and Tamako 真珠子 dancing. Currently, around 20 Geigi work in Kamiyamada Togura.

[maigeiko]

Geigi from Iiyama Onsen, June 2017

[maigeiko]

Geiko from Yugawara Onsen 湯河原温泉 (Kanagawa prefecture), January 2019. Check out the amazing Shibori Kimono of the Geiko in the middle! Clothes with a full Shibori pattern are usually worn in winter, between December and February.

[maigeiko]

How did onsen town hanamachi work after ww2 ( like in the late 40s and 50s ) ? Did onsen maiko and geisha live in an okiya like they do in Kyoto ? Did geisha and Maiko in some onsen town entertain at tea houses ( ochaya) ?

Yes, Geiko and Maiko all over Japan lived in Okiya before WW2 and moving into own appartements only gradually became a thing after. I can imagine that in the early postwar years all apprentices lived in Okiya and only independent Geisha lived in appartements resp. in their own Okiya. I know for example (as of 2023) in Higashiyama Onsen (Aizuwakamatsu), apprentices have the option to live in Okiya, if the Okiya has room for it, so I think it was a lot more common 60-70 years ago.

Where they entertained depended on what businesses were available in their respective hometown. Gero Onsen, Kamisuwa and Aizuwakamatsu for example have/had Ryotei with rooms for Ozashiki, Dogo Onsen Geisha are operating an Ochaya since 2022, but apparently in the days before the big decline of Hanamachi culture, there were Ryotei rather than Ochaya in the city.

[maigeiko]

On 4th August 2023, a new Hangyoku debuted in Aizuwakamatsu. Her name is Iori (伊おり). She has joined her okiya in mid-May. According to her okiya senior Mai, Iori is the first "live in apprentice" in Higashiyama Onsen since around 20 years. Congratulations to your debut, Iori!