👘Want to Meet a Real Maiko? This is Shogo's most recommended activity, where anyone can meet an authentic Maiko and Geiko working in Kyoto: wabunka-lux.jp/experiences/en_exclusivekyoto-dinner/?ref=shogo 📱Instagram: instagram.com/lets_ask_shogo/ Please ask me questions through the DM here ⚔Learn Ancient Samurai Martial Arts from Anywhere Worldwide with Let’s ask Shogo ✅Sign up here (One Lesson FREE): www.patreon.com/lets_ask_sekisensei We provide the perfect online lessons for anyone worldwide who wishes to dive into the world of ancient samurai martial arts through the style I train in, Kobudo Asayama Ichiden Ryu. I, Shogo, will participate in every lesson and interpret everything in English. ❶ No previous martial arts experience is required; you can catch up anytime ❷ Every lesson will be RECORDED and will be available to rewatch anytime ❸ You can ask the Sensei questions about the techniques and samurai culture/history ❹ You can join even if you belong to another Ryuha style ❺ You can receive OFFICIAL DAN RANKS by taking exams online (and opening a DOJO in the future) 🗡The BEST Online Katana Shop for Budo Martial Arts (Iaido, Kenjutsu, Kendo, etc.): tozandoshop.com/letsaskshogo I buy everything for my Budo martial arts training at this shop. The first training katana I bought in 2016 is still in good shape. 🗡Shogo’s Most Recommended Activity in Kyoto, Japan | Samurai Training with Modern-day Musashi ★4.99 (700+) ✅Sign up here: www.airbnb.com/experiences/4577764?locale=en A 120-minute experience in Kyoto, Japan, where beginners can learn how to wield, draw, sheath, and swing the katana from the modern-day Musashi (A video of me visiting this experience: ua-cam.com/video/MqBCAC42zAM/v-deo.html). 🥷The recommended online katana shop for decorations and cosplay: minikatana.com/SHOGO Get 15% OFF all their products by purchasing through my affiliate link ⭐Who is Shogo? What is this channel about? ua-cam.com/users/shortskZbyd0OfdC4 ⭐MY DREAM “To make every Japan lovers’ dream come true, by making Japan a more secure, comfortable, and safer place for everyone to visit, study, and live in.” ua-cam.com/users/shortsWFF3AhN0LXE ♪Music♪ otowabi.com/category/material/japan ♪Sound effects♪ soundeffect-lab.info/ #letsaskshogo #japan #kyoto #maiko #geiko #geisha #kimono
Honestly this makes Demon Slayer's newest arc a lot more understandable. I was honestly wondering how he thought they were gonna get away with crossdressing three boys for that.
Also, there's one thing that Shogo didn't mention, but I think should be said: One thing you mustn't do is harass the Geishas for a selfie or take photos of them without their permission. Doing so is extremely rude and disrespectful and may make them upset or late. In fact, in Kyoto, you can even be fined for it.
im sorry but this is something you should not do with anyone - im not a geisha but if you harass me for a selfie or just take photos of me without permission you are pissing me off too ^^"
@@LyndaMarie929 Japanese tourists. I was in Kyoto a few years back and staying in Gion and I saw a few Geisha and/or Maki on the streets and it was the Japanese who stopped them for photos.
In all seriousness, I'm quite impressed with how organized things were in it's hayday and how the prostitutes managed to get such high social standing, specially in comparison to the rest of the world.
@password 12 court prostitutes in a sence. Or social company butterflies for nobles and high ranking people. Yes this could lead to horisontal wrestling but it was also a this lady will talk to you for the 3 hour ball kind of thing depending on lady and situation and yes they also had the ability to say no depending on situation. Like apllianariya said some had more power than smaller kingdoms kings thanks to their social connections. Last but not least with a culture so ingrained with premade marriages as european nobility was at the time courtisans was an out and allowing people to loosen up.
@password 12, Courtesans are prostitutes that serve the extremely wealthy and powerful. Royalty, aristocracy, business tycoons, prime ministers and other political figures. They were not hired as one-night stands, but were often kept as exclusive "companions" for months or years at a time. They sometimes became extremely wealthy in cash, jewels, lands, houses, and high-end horses. Courtesans knew the secrets of nations and were trusted confidantes. They often came from very humble beginnings but if they were wise with their business dealings, some could become dazzlingly wealthy and some were known to establish charities and endowments in their declining years. Many were not wise in their business dealings and died penniless and lonely when their beauty faded and no one wanted them anymore.
Thank goodness for people like Shogo who give us great historical information. I had one professor who used Memoirs of a Geisha as one of his core information for geisha culture but also for Japanese customs. Half of his class dropped his East Asian Studies class by the end of the semester. And he was madddd creepy toward Asian students - boys and girls.
@@sarahrowe9661 its was based in the life of a geisha and then she was very upset because as she said the author invented a lot of thinks. Then she wrote own book about her actual life as a geisha.
Also, a Geisha apprentice is called Maiko, they can be distinguished from the geishas by their style of kimono known as hikizuri and unique hairstyle with its kanzashi (traditional hair ornament).
It never crossed my mind that geisha were potentially prostitutes. Always thought they were a representation of proper beauty and status. Interesting...Shogo informs again!
@@kattodoggo3868 Especially when they had tea servers in their own fortresses/castles? And musicians? haha Like Shogo explained. Geishas were lower position than the yu-jyos, then they became part-time yu-jyoslater on, then they became the wholesome cultural icon they are now. Not a complicated idea; they WERE yu-jyos, they aren't now. Not sure why people like Spuds doesn't want to accept historical fact. It doesn't detract from how great geishas are now.
I like how in 19th century Japan the Oirans were in control and could decide with which customers they wanted to sleep with and that they could even dismiss those they didn’t like
@@aanyasrivastava9652 That's different, a concubine still has a level of authority in an imperial court. Concubines are more than just bed warmers. Most of the time, they are of noble descent and acts as a link for their noble house into the imperial family. They don't just sleep with anyone, lest they want their entire clan to be purged by the imperial court. Another pupose of a concubine ks to ensure that there are enough lineages for the empire. Prostitutes are service providers, unlike Concubines who are more of a political tool.
funny thing in ancient iran with had women who's job was dancing and entertaining the guest in wine houses, we call them in farsi "saghi" unfortunately no one knows about there culture due to government ban
Nope, I know that alot of girls before were sold to geisha house from black market, or poor family send their female children to become geisha for money
Sort of. They’re more like really traditional hostesses. An evening with a geisha is usually an hour or two. They’ll make conversation and pour drinks. Then they’ll perform a dance or two. Then it’s drinking games. Then it’s over.
Becoming a geisha is almost like a nun. They have to be a virgin with waist length hair and no younger or older than 17-21. The house owns you and you live there. You have to be devoted to the life. One of the things they do is sleep on wooden blocks to prevent messing up their hair. Their hair takes 3 hours to do and they get it redone every week. The process to become one and live like one is very strict. If you want to marry, that means you are retiring.
If you want to read the real book by a former Gion geiko (geisha), read Mineko Iwasaki's "Geisha: A Life" (or it might be titled something else depending on where your from). She gives the real story, not some bad fantasy version like MoaG.
@@Melki It's not accurate and the man who wrote it twisted the story to be more sexy and filled with his lack of understanding of a culture and profession. He interviewed a real geisha named Mineko Iwasaki, and turned her story to his narrative, and any details she did not provide, he made up with things he assumed were what geisha did.
@@kittyelgato4246 Almost no non-Japanese gives a historically correct explanation of Japanese history... even people in this comment section are still spreading incorrect facts, despite what Shogo, a Japanese person studying this stuff, explains.
Such an informative video. I remember from the "memoirs of a geisha" movie that their goal was to get a "danna". Could you develop more on that matter please? I enjoy your videos very much.
Danna is an old fashioned word for husband. A danna as far as a geisha is concerned is a wealthy patron who could pay for things like kimono, lesson fees, and the costs associated with putting on dance recitals. He might also pay for their living expenses.
Memoirs of a Geisha are from the ugly in-between times after the meiji Restauration and WW2 when many geishas were prostitutes to survive. Bjt still high class prostitution only with familiar guests
@@rocelderamos3013 I can’t really say. “Sugar daddy” to me implies that there’s a sexual relationship involved and I really don’t know if geisha had that kind of relationship with their danna. They’re very tight lipped about that kind of thing even when talking about the past.
Thank you so much for your video. I lives in Japan before and was used to see a Geisha time to time. Last time I saw 👀 Geisha was not in Japan but in an Arabic Country in Oman 🇴🇲 there was 3 Geishas two Japanese’s and one Western but also in full Geisha garments. They were walking in the Arabic market called Souq. Everyone stoped to take pictures with them. I was surprised to see them there in full Geisha garments. I think I made Pikachu faces looking at them meanwhile everyone was so delighted with their presence also they looked at me with Pikachu faces like hmmmm I guess this one is trying to understand what da heck we are doing g here in full geisha garments. Well I walked away because I was not surprised with their presence it’s been 3 years now and I’m still asking myself what da heck was 3 Geishas walking into a Arabic Souq ?! 😂 ❤️
This is knowledgeable for me since I'm watching Demon Slayer Intertainment District Arc to know what Did they all having segges and what costs for Warabihime Oiran
waaaa, arigatou, i had the false idea that they where prostitutes but their purpose sounds way more interesting and safe. i got kinda sad when i saw Robin (one piece) in that position. but now that it is cleared up the position do sound like Robin, keeping culture and entretaining. i also had the idea that kunoichis could use a geisha position to spy on the enemy. Could you please clarify?
Thank you so much for always leaving a comment! Yes, the "Yu-jyo (especially Oiran)" needed to be educated and trained in calligraphy, music, dance etc. in order to become one, so they were admired both from men and women in Japan!
That's a very interesting question... I haven't read any studies about the "Kunoichi" becoming a geisha, but it's something that could of happened! I'll keep on studying and will keep you updated!
The Geisha is an interesting topic tbh. I first know them from 'Memoirs of a Geisha' by Arthur Golden, its a very interesting book that illustrate the life of geisha in 1940'. One things that you dont say in your video but talked about in memoirs of geisha is of Geisha's Patrons where the geisha can have adult fun time with the patrons. I dont know if its true or not. Can you make a video reviewing 'Memoirs of a Geisha'? Because its a very interesting book regarding japanese culture and i want to hear your opinion about it.
The book is a fun piece of fiction but please do not use it as a construct to understand Japanese culture. Arthur Golden violated his confidentiality agreement with Mineko Iwasaki and was sued for plaigerizing her life story with defamatory inaccuracies. Please read her autobiography instead to learn more.
Thanks for the informative video. I was under the impression that pre-Meiji period Geisha's were something akin to a high-class escort or entertainer. This video helped to fill in some gaps in my knowledge.
Thank you for this content!!! I see the essence of traditional Japanese elements as the most beautiful and refined of any culture, ever!!! Even your presentation as a young Japanese man, with the essence of the traditional elements and the beautiful presentation of Japanese photo images, and your beautiful Japanese language makes the entire essence of your presentation a work of beautiful Japanese art.
Informative and entertaining video, thank-you. Your content is very high quality, you should reach 100K subscribers soon. I really like that you give us conclusions at the end.
On my trips to Kyoto I walked along length of "Bojo Dori" in Shimabara, at first, just because "Bojo" matched the screen named I've been using for decades. But it turns out there are many historical old buildings, history museums, and shrines and temples along this route.
It always staggers me how well the Japanese culture is preserved and given place in today's world ... I'm sure, just like every country, the problems are many and varied. But Japan seems to manage to retain so much more of their original self than any other modernised culture I've seen.
It helps that Japan was an island and probably one of last countries to connect to the Western world. With US occupying Japan after WW2, many of which was changed like the language, culture, religion, even adding in the culture to burn the corpse to dust.
Yu-jyos are really cool, then. It seemed like they were given proper respect and protection. Nowadays, "entertainers" are at risk for violence. I appreciate the system in place in the past for them.
They were enslaved and couldn’t leave the brothel if they wanted. The money they earned went to the brothel owner in order to pay of the prostitute‘s debt.
that yujyo youre talking about wasnt a real prostitute, she was more like a celebrity who could sleep with who ever she wanted to with and just earned money by sitting next to people, normal yujyos got worst treatment than they do now
@@evaweiss1160 This was true of the maikos and young geishas as well. They were sponsored by a geisha house. They have a lot of training in the arts, plus the kimonos are very expensive. People can contribute to geisha training thru patreon. Look up Fukagawa Geisha.
No not at all. This is why you should learn everything before actually stating your views or opinion. They were enslaved girls. Their family sold them off to prostitution because they had debt or financial problems. Girls worked everyday until they reached a certain age (maybe around late 20s or 30 or smth). They don’t get proper meals, so you can imagine doing the deeds for multiple times a day in condition like that. You may think “oh well they got paid really well!!” honey.......those money are used to pay their rent in the brothel, it also went to the owner’s pocket, to pay their parent’s debt, etc. Not to mention the risk of sexual diseases and unwanted pregnancy that would get them thrown out. Even if they’re “protected” by the rules, that wouldn’t stop the cocky and prideful high ranked men to do shitty things. Just because smth has the word “protect” in it, it doesn’t immediately refer to a peaceful condition.
No, yujo were victims of human trafficking and could not progress in rank unlike their more prestigious courtesan sisters. They regularly died of STDs and pregnancy complications, and could not leave the district without permission ever- unless they paid off their debts or were bought out by a customer. They were just licensed prostitutes of low rank. They sat in front of barred windows waiting to be picked out by a male client. geisha had more freedoms and could go were they pleased when they wanted and were not expected to sleep with customers and didn't rely on that to make a living. To separate the yujo from the geisha a new new neighborhood called hanamachi were created, which means flower town. geisha live and work in these areas exclusively even today.
WOW, now I see this video and your goal was of getting 10k subs by July 2021, now it's just January 5th 2022 and you have 606,000 subscribers, that's some massive growth! Keep up the quality content Shogo, wish the best!!
Wow, that really made me understand the geisha's profession more. I hope to attend an event or something where they have geisha's one day, i think that would be cool. :D
Hi Shogo! Thanks you for the interesting video - I have a question though! I've read before that geiko were originally men, and their role gradually transferred to women over time. Is this true, and if so could you enlighten us as to when this happened and why? Thanks again for a thoughtful and insightful video!
Thank you very much for this video! I am a big fan of Geisha Culture, and still have only so much information available about it in my country; this makes me happy to see. I do have a question though that I guess expands on Geisha and Yu-Kaku history. I read in a non-fiction novel about the Yu-Jyo ndustry that there were a precursor to the first Female Geisha called: “Taikomochi” or “Drum Bearers,” Male entertainers who were closer to Court Jesters in the West, telling jokes, making guests laugh, etc. but I’ve found little information on Taikomochi aside from that one book. Were they genuinely part of the industry before Geisha became popular?
This video has made my respect toward the Geishas increase significantly..and to continue your Movie review of The Last Samurai, how about a review on the Memoirs of a Geisha
Wao I being searching for Keisha kisha I knew I was close now your the only one to confirm is geisha! Thank you. Not even google was close I was wondering if this term was band now I got more that I was looking for!!!
There are a lot of documentaries in UA-cam that show the duties of a Geisha (the modern ones). They are very polite, and have a lot of abilities, just like our modern female artists (actresses, singers, painters, etc), but related to traditional Japanese culture.
4 soccer fields is pretty small though. I visited Yoshiwara today and was quite surprised how small it was. And to add to the video, the first geishas were men.
It's because almost no non-Japanese actually knows anything about Japanese history and it's just two groups of people with conflicting understandings saying incorrect things to each other. Because they don't want to accept that Japan has a very nuanced and complicated history.
@@darrelsteinberg4127 well, it's difficult to get to the correct informations on the internet. Especially about Japan there are plenty of missinformations flying around. For any outsider it's difficult to judge those with a critical eye when almost everything we know about Japan is highly romantised.
@@materla4102 It's really bad too, because there's misinformation from both ends romantizing it in opposite ways. Like, Japan has a complicated history but no one wants to accept that it did.
I’ve been doing a little bit of research on the topic of geishas and learned somewhere else that the popularity of oiran eventually dwindled because they were so expensive and everyone started going to geishas. And that was in part due to the oiran complaining to the government; I learned that’s why they made the prostitution prevention law. Is that true?
Your absolutely amazing and doing a great service to share the knowledge of Japanese Culture as well as everything surrounding it! I found you randomly 3 days ago and have started watching every episode you have put out to learn so much of what I love....Japanese Culture! So thank you!
A man walks into an Izakaya, thirsty... He goes to the bartender and says, Hello Bartender I'm thirsty.. Bartender who's missing a front tooth says " *Well you're in the right place.. What can I geisha?* " xD
A few years ago, there was a recent debate in Finland about whether it was OK or a harmful appropriation if the Finnish chocolate manufacturer Fazer used the name Geisha for one of its chocolate products (which is inspired by Japan) or whether the company should change this product's name. Also the supposed connection between Geisha and the prostitute was present in this discussion, although at the very beginning the attempt was made to correction that this connection was not entirely true. Shortly afterwards, some Japanese people finally ended up commenting on this Finnish debate because it claim that the word "geisha" would be controversial and offensive in Japan. And when this discussion was featured in the Finnish media, an attempt was finally made to say that the word Geisha is not controversial and offensive in Japan. However, it remained open what the Japanese really think about the Geisha chocolate made by Fazer. Is it OK or not. But what is this Geisha chocolate? This chocolate praline contains similar Japonais filling as the Japanese Japonica pastry and its purpose is to symbolize respect and love for Japan. Peter Fazer, the grandson of Karl Fazer, come across with the idea for this praline when he visited Japan during the Tokyo Olympic games in 1964.
Hey Shogo, been watching your videos for quite awhile now and thanks for all the content. I learned alot about your culture. Just thought, can you cover something from the anime Demon Slayer since it's somewhat corelated to samurais/swordsmen and their timeline is from classic japanese era? Not sure if you are into it but I love the anime and thought maybe you could do a reaction video or whatnot.
I presume their costs were so high so that only the top ranked people in the society could afford them? Speaking of, could samurai afford them and were Daimyos allowed to use their services even if they were married?
Oh yes of course. The wife was just the respectable woman hired longterm for heir-making. Everyone man in Asia knew where to get pleasure, & find a woman that could hold a conversation, as well as satisfy carnal needs. That was the pleasure quarters/ brothels.
I recommend the youtube channel Linfamy if you want to know more, they do Japanese history videos and have a couple about prostitution through history in japan
Dear Community, dear Shujo, is there any literature you can recommend on the topic of the work of geishas in the past? I get a lot misinformation from the people around me and would like to dig into this a lot deeper. Academic literature very welcome! Thank you in advance!
Geisha by Liza Dalby and Geisha of Gion by Mineko Iwasaki are excellent reads, they take place post-WWII and give a deep insight into the Geisha world today with many references to pre-WWII traditions and customs. There's also a book called The Gei of Geisha: Music, Identity and Meaning by Kelly M. Foreman that explores the 'Gei' (art) side of Geisha, but also again with references to the history of how customs and traditions came to be. Hope this helps and I'd love to hear about any other books!
A book I will suggest is titled: "The World of the Geisha". It is written by Kyoko Aihara, who had got an wonderful opportunity to write about the world of the Geisha, as countless geishas helped her in gathering information about this fascinating and secretive world. The book was copyrighted in 1999. I shall supplement that the photographies in the book are wide, colourful and breathtaking. This book is perfect for getting a general idea about the world of the Geisha. The book publishing house is "Tuttle".
Geisha a life by mineko iwasaki, mineko was the most popular geisha to ever exist in the 20th century. This is an autobiography of her life told in her words. Sayo Masudas book autobiography of a geisha, tells of now deceased geisha, sayo masuda- who worked as a double registered geisha at an onsen. Very sad, but interesting.
👘Want to Meet a Real Maiko? This is Shogo's most recommended activity, where anyone can meet an authentic Maiko and Geiko working in Kyoto: wabunka-lux.jp/experiences/en_exclusivekyoto-dinner/?ref=shogo
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Honestly this makes Demon Slayer's newest arc a lot more understandable. I was honestly wondering how he thought they were gonna get away with crossdressing three boys for that.
To be fair, Inosuke was at least somewhat convincing, at least at a glance (x
Don't spoil !!
@@ARGssszzz That was in the manga 😅
@@RenHeng_canon they probably didn't read manga bro
@@ARGssszzz its in s2
Also, there's one thing that Shogo didn't mention, but I think should be said:
One thing you mustn't do is harass the Geishas for a selfie or take photos of them without their permission. Doing so is extremely rude and disrespectful and may make them upset or late. In fact, in Kyoto, you can even be fined for it.
In kabukicho, Ya might even get beat for it.. Especially if there are Yakuzas and Hells angel bikers around, they are probably watching out for them
Thank you for saying this. I was horrified when I read tourists were harassing Geisha for selfies! So rude.
im sorry but this is something you should not do with anyone - im not a geisha but if you harass me for a selfie or just take photos of me without permission you are pissing me off too ^^"
@@Asakku That is one of the reason all Japanese phone do not have a silent camera sound feature, especially iPhone
@@LyndaMarie929 Japanese tourists. I was in Kyoto a few years back and staying in Gion and I saw a few Geisha and/or Maki on the streets and it was the Japanese who stopped them for photos.
In all seriousness, I'm quite impressed with how organized things were in it's hayday and how the prostitutes managed to get such high social standing, specially in comparison to the rest of the world.
Yea jp simping since time inmemorials.
European courtesans had more power than some kings.
Yeah.. the west came in and fucked everything up as always.
@password 12 court prostitutes in a sence. Or social company butterflies for nobles and high ranking people. Yes this could lead to horisontal wrestling but it was also a this lady will talk to you for the 3 hour ball kind of thing depending on lady and situation and yes they also had the ability to say no depending on situation.
Like apllianariya said some had more power than smaller kingdoms kings thanks to their social connections. Last but not least with a culture so ingrained with premade marriages as european nobility was at the time courtisans was an out and allowing people to loosen up.
@password 12, Courtesans are prostitutes that serve the extremely wealthy and powerful. Royalty, aristocracy, business tycoons, prime ministers and other political figures. They were not hired as one-night stands, but were often kept as exclusive "companions" for months or years at a time. They sometimes became extremely wealthy in cash, jewels, lands, houses, and high-end horses. Courtesans knew the secrets of nations and were trusted confidantes. They often came from very humble beginnings but if they were wise with their business dealings, some could become dazzlingly wealthy and some were known to establish charities and endowments in their declining years. Many were not wise in their business dealings and died penniless and lonely when their beauty faded and no one wanted them anymore.
Thank goodness for people like Shogo who give us great historical information. I had one professor who used Memoirs of a Geisha as one of his core information for geisha culture but also for Japanese customs. Half of his class dropped his East Asian Studies class by the end of the semester. And he was madddd creepy toward Asian students - boys and girls.
That is really disturbing. I hope he doesn't teach anymore.
Memoirs of a Geisha wasn't even written by a former geisha. I can't believe this happened! 😖
@@sarahrowe9661 its was based in the life of a geisha and then she was very upset because as she said the author invented a lot of thinks. Then she wrote own book about her actual life as a geisha.
@@Ssaidak Oh my goodness, really?! Would you happen to know the title? Also, thank you very much for your reply. I appreciate it!!
@@sarahrowe9661 ik this comment is old but if you’re still searching for the book it’s called Geisha, A Life by Mineko Iwasaki
Also, a Geisha apprentice is called Maiko, they can be distinguished from the geishas by their style of kimono known as hikizuri and unique hairstyle with its kanzashi (traditional hair ornament).
It never crossed my mind that geisha were potentially prostitutes.
Always thought they were a representation of proper beauty and status. Interesting...Shogo informs again!
It's a common myth/misconceptions/rumour/thing people think
@@spudsbuchlaw Except it isn't... because Shogo literally explains how Geishas (some) WERE prostitutes.
@@darrelsteinberg4127 the misconception is the Geisha=Prostitute though, which isnt true
I mean did you really believe men would go there just to had a tea served to them?
@@kattodoggo3868 Especially when they had tea servers in their own fortresses/castles? And musicians? haha
Like Shogo explained. Geishas were lower position than the yu-jyos, then they became part-time yu-jyoslater on, then they became the wholesome cultural icon they are now.
Not a complicated idea; they WERE yu-jyos, they aren't now. Not sure why people like Spuds doesn't want to accept historical fact. It doesn't detract from how great geishas are now.
I did’t know that Yoshiwara so big in golden age
Thank you very much for leaving a comment!
Yes, it was a huge district!
@@LetsaskShogo Hahahaha!!😅
Gintama lol
I like how in 19th century Japan the Oirans were in control and could decide with which customers they wanted to sleep with and that they could even dismiss those they didn’t like
Oirans were basically gone by the 19th century. This high class prostitution didnt last long in Edo and Osaka. In Kyoto it lasted until WW2 though
And like a Wild West Madams, they hold incredible political power, even if only locally.
They are basically concubines
@@aanyasrivastava9652 That's different, a concubine still has a level of authority in an imperial court. Concubines are more than just bed warmers. Most of the time, they are of noble descent and acts as a link for their noble house into the imperial family. They don't just sleep with anyone, lest they want their entire clan to be purged by the imperial court. Another pupose of a concubine ks to ensure that there are enough lineages for the empire.
Prostitutes are service providers, unlike Concubines who are more of a political tool.
Thats basic consent rights.
funny thing in ancient iran with had women who's job was dancing and entertaining the guest in wine houses, we call them in farsi "saghi" unfortunately no one knows about there culture due to government ban
Probably a lot like elite courtesan culture in various countries with higher culture, like geisha culture in Japan.
your username and profile pic combo is quite terrifying
Good. Degrading towards their honor as women.
Well with asia and africa 1000+ written history, will be weird if it isn't one
@@هدي-ه8ظ learning history so it wont repeat itself. Honestly, my fellow woman, can you really say you are already honored in iran?
Geishas are so feminine. I want to wear their beautiful clothing 😍😍😍
Thanks for the video.
So much knowledge
I tell you, I'm starting to get addicted to your content! It's always so insightful, I'm learning so many things!~ you have my respect :)
Shogo's diction makes me feel like I'm on a field trip to Japan with a tour guide 😀 this man knows how to speak clearly
I thought Geishas were show girls, like girls in dance numbers and what they did on their off time was a different from their Geisha time.
Nope, I know that alot of girls before were sold to geisha house from black market, or poor family send their female children to become geisha for money
Sort of. They’re more like really traditional hostesses. An evening with a geisha is usually an hour or two. They’ll make conversation and pour drinks. Then they’ll perform a dance or two. Then it’s drinking games. Then it’s over.
@@edienandy That's the modern geisha, the geisha role changed many times throughout history. As Shogo explains.
Becoming a geisha is almost like a nun. They have to be a virgin with waist length hair and no younger or older than 17-21. The house owns you and you live there. You have to be devoted to the life. One of the things they do is sleep on wooden blocks to prevent messing up their hair. Their hair takes 3 hours to do and they get it redone every week. The process to become one and live like one is very strict. If you want to marry, that means you are retiring.
@@coffeepandacat at least don't call them nuns. I do respect them but please spirituality is not entertainment
Me: "So were Geisha prostitutes?"
Shogo: "Well yes, but actually no!"
Thank you,
I read memoirs of a geisha as a teenager and this video really brought me back and enriched the surreal experience
If you want to read the real book by a former Gion geiko (geisha), read Mineko Iwasaki's "Geisha: A Life" (or it might be titled something else depending on where your from). She gives the real story, not some bad fantasy version like MoaG.
Memoirs was an orientalism, a perversion of japanese culture made up to fit western stereotypes about Japan.
@@kittyelgato4246 I saw some of these sentiments online. How's this the case?
@@Melki It's not accurate and the man who wrote it twisted the story to be more sexy and filled with his lack of understanding of a culture and profession.
He interviewed a real geisha named Mineko Iwasaki, and turned her story to his narrative, and any details she did not provide, he made up with things he assumed were what geisha did.
@@kittyelgato4246 Almost no non-Japanese gives a historically correct explanation of Japanese history... even people in this comment section are still spreading incorrect facts, despite what Shogo, a Japanese person studying this stuff, explains.
Such an informative video. I remember from the "memoirs of a geisha" movie that their goal was to get a "danna". Could you develop more on that matter please? I enjoy your videos very much.
Danna is an old fashioned word for husband. A danna as far as a geisha is concerned is a wealthy patron who could pay for things like kimono, lesson fees, and the costs associated with putting on dance recitals. He might also pay for their living expenses.
Memoirs of a Geisha are from the ugly in-between times after the meiji Restauration and WW2 when many geishas were prostitutes to survive. Bjt still high class prostitution only with familiar guests
@@edienandy Basically a sugar daddy? But not necessarily older?
@@rocelderamos3013 I can’t really say. “Sugar daddy” to me implies that there’s a sexual relationship involved and I really don’t know if geisha had that kind of relationship with their danna. They’re very tight lipped about that kind of thing even when talking about the past.
@@edienandy aw come on, of course it's sexual, it's how this kind of thing always went down no matter what time or what culture it is.
Very well explained, especially if you know and understand the partial origins of kimono.
Ray mak 🗿
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I love how you speak, it's so soothing˜˜˜
Thank you so much for your video. I lives in Japan before and was used to see a Geisha time to time. Last time I saw 👀 Geisha was not in Japan but in an Arabic Country in Oman 🇴🇲 there was 3 Geishas two Japanese’s and one Western but also in full Geisha garments. They were walking in the Arabic market called Souq. Everyone stoped to take pictures with them. I was surprised to see them there in full Geisha garments. I think I made Pikachu faces looking at them meanwhile everyone was so delighted with their presence also they looked at me with Pikachu faces like hmmmm I guess this one is trying to understand what da heck we are doing g here in full geisha garments. Well I walked away because I was not surprised with their presence it’s been 3 years now and I’m still asking myself what da heck was 3 Geishas walking into a Arabic Souq ?! 😂 ❤️
This is knowledgeable for me since I'm watching Demon Slayer Intertainment District Arc to know what Did they all having segges and what costs for Warabihime Oiran
waaaa, arigatou, i had the false idea that they where prostitutes but their purpose sounds way more interesting and safe.
i got kinda sad when i saw Robin (one piece) in that position. but now that it is cleared up the position do sound like Robin, keeping culture and entretaining.
i also had the idea that kunoichis could use a geisha position to spy on the enemy. Could you please clarify?
Thank you so much for always leaving a comment!
Yes, the "Yu-jyo (especially Oiran)" needed to be educated and trained in calligraphy, music, dance etc. in order to become one, so they were admired both from men and women in Japan!
That's a very interesting question... I haven't read any studies about the "Kunoichi" becoming a geisha, but it's something that could of happened!
I'll keep on studying and will keep you updated!
@@LetsaskShogo thank you so much for the info, always happy to learn something new
Geisha is just those who make music and entertainments, so yeah not prostitutes according to this vid
this was beautiful. 26 years of living i never knew what was what. SO insightful. Thank God you exist lol
The Geisha is an interesting topic tbh. I first know them from 'Memoirs of a Geisha' by Arthur Golden, its a very interesting book that illustrate the life of geisha in 1940'. One things that you dont say in your video but talked about in memoirs of geisha is of Geisha's Patrons where the geisha can have adult fun time with the patrons. I dont know if its true or not.
Can you make a video reviewing 'Memoirs of a Geisha'? Because its a very interesting book regarding japanese culture and i want to hear your opinion about it.
The book is a fun piece of fiction but please do not use it as a construct to understand Japanese culture. Arthur Golden violated his confidentiality agreement with Mineko Iwasaki and was sued for plaigerizing her life story with defamatory inaccuracies. Please read her autobiography instead to learn more.
@@NasikaSakura so... Its a bad book?
@@cefrinaldi8060 That's for you to decide.
so it was based on a book? a while ago I watched the movie titled the same thing. it's an interesting life story
That book is fiction and its inaccurate and westernized.
Thanks for the informative video. I was under the impression that pre-Meiji period Geisha's were something akin to a high-class escort or entertainer. This video helped to fill in some gaps in my knowledge.
Thank you for this content!!! I see the essence of traditional Japanese elements as the most beautiful and refined of any culture, ever!!! Even your presentation as a young Japanese man, with the essence of the traditional elements and the beautiful presentation of Japanese photo images, and your beautiful Japanese language makes the entire essence of your presentation a work of beautiful Japanese art.
Your video are clear and so interesting well done! Now I have to watch again the movie “Memoirs Geisha”
Informative and entertaining video, thank-you. Your content is very high quality, you should reach 100K subscribers soon. I really like that you give us conclusions at the end.
On my trips to Kyoto I walked along length of "Bojo Dori" in Shimabara, at first, just because "Bojo" matched the screen named I've been using for decades. But it turns out there are many historical old buildings, history museums, and shrines and temples along this route.
It always staggers me how well the Japanese culture is preserved and given place in today's world ... I'm sure, just like every country, the problems are many and varied. But Japan seems to manage to retain so much more of their original self than any other modernised culture I've seen.
It helps that Japan was an island and probably one of last countries to connect to the Western world. With US occupying Japan after WW2, many of which was changed like the language, culture, religion, even adding in the culture to burn the corpse to dust.
It is like saying "An escort is just a company for you chat with".
Yeaah, I believe all escorts online only provide nothing but a conversation.
Thank you so much for making this video..i am currently trying to write a thesis on Geishas and this helps me a lot
Yu-jyos are really cool, then. It seemed like they were given proper respect and protection. Nowadays, "entertainers" are at risk for violence. I appreciate the system in place in the past for them.
They were enslaved and couldn’t leave the brothel if they wanted. The money they earned went to the brothel owner in order to pay of the prostitute‘s debt.
that yujyo youre talking about wasnt a real prostitute, she was more like a celebrity who could sleep with who ever she wanted to with and just earned money by sitting next to people, normal yujyos got worst treatment than they do now
@@evaweiss1160 This was true of the maikos and young geishas as well. They were sponsored by a geisha house. They have a lot of training in the arts, plus the kimonos are very expensive. People can contribute to geisha training thru patreon. Look up Fukagawa Geisha.
No not at all. This is why you should learn everything before actually stating your views or opinion. They were enslaved girls. Their family sold them off to prostitution because they had debt or financial problems. Girls worked everyday until they reached a certain age (maybe around late 20s or 30 or smth).
They don’t get proper meals, so you can imagine doing the deeds for multiple times a day in condition like that. You may think “oh well they got paid really well!!” honey.......those money are used to pay their rent in the brothel, it also went to the owner’s pocket, to pay their parent’s debt, etc. Not to mention the risk of sexual diseases and unwanted pregnancy that would get them thrown out.
Even if they’re “protected” by the rules, that wouldn’t stop the cocky and prideful high ranked men to do shitty things. Just because smth has the word “protect” in it, it doesn’t immediately refer to a peaceful condition.
No, yujo were victims of human trafficking and could not progress in rank unlike their more prestigious courtesan sisters. They regularly died of STDs and pregnancy complications, and could not leave the district without permission ever- unless they paid off their debts or were bought out by a customer. They were just licensed prostitutes of low rank. They sat in front of barred windows waiting to be picked out by a male client.
geisha had more freedoms and could go were they pleased when they wanted and were not expected to sleep with customers and didn't rely on that to make a living. To separate the yujo from the geisha a new new neighborhood called hanamachi were created, which means flower town. geisha live and work in these areas exclusively even today.
I love the fact the Oiran charged by the minute
Very nice video - it clarified a lot!! Again, you should definitely have been the consultant for Geisha movies ❤️
So this is basically the old form of host club.. Huh... 😆
WOW, now I see this video and your goal was of getting 10k subs by July 2021, now it's just January 5th 2022 and you have 606,000 subscribers, that's some massive growth! Keep up the quality content Shogo, wish the best!!
So the pros were more like GRO who work at some bars here huh? Very expensive and they also can have you kicked out by the bouncer.
Wow, that really made me understand the geisha's profession more. I hope to attend an event or something where they have geisha's one day, i think that would be cool. :D
Hi Shogo! Thanks you for the interesting video - I have a question though! I've read before that geiko were originally men, and their role gradually transferred to women over time. Is this true, and if so could you enlighten us as to when this happened and why? Thanks again for a thoughtful and insightful video!
This is absolutely fascinating. I can't think of any other culture that institutionalized and created a social hagiarchy like this.
Thank you, perfectly explained and given historical context.
Totally amazing video of the history of geisha of Japan in past and today too. Fantastic job
I think Memoirs of a Geisha seemed to make people think all Geisha are prostitutes
Really good information! I just subscribed to this channel! Incredible job!😁
me too
Thank you very much for this video! I am a big fan of Geisha Culture, and still have only so much information available about it in my country; this makes me happy to see. I do have a question though that I guess expands on Geisha and Yu-Kaku history. I read in a non-fiction novel about the Yu-Jyo ndustry that there were a precursor to the first Female Geisha called: “Taikomochi” or “Drum Bearers,” Male entertainers who were closer to Court Jesters in the West, telling jokes, making guests laugh, etc. but I’ve found little information on Taikomochi aside from that one book. Were they genuinely part of the industry before Geisha became popular?
Beautiful culture, thank you for explaining and teaching.
This video has made my respect toward the Geishas increase significantly..and to continue your Movie review of The Last Samurai, how about a review on the Memoirs of a Geisha
Memoirs of a Geisha while pretty, is extremely inaccurate and was actually damaging to the real geisha profession
Wao I being searching for Keisha kisha I knew I was close now your the only one to confirm is geisha! Thank you. Not even google was close I was wondering if this term was band now I got more that I was looking for!!!
Man I wish I could've had a chance for a Geisha teach me
There are a lot of documentaries in UA-cam that show the duties of a Geisha (the modern ones). They are very polite, and have a lot of abilities, just like our modern female artists (actresses, singers, painters, etc), but related to traditional Japanese culture.
4 soccer fields is pretty small though. I visited Yoshiwara today and was quite surprised how small it was.
And to add to the video, the first geishas were men.
Your description of the geishas today reminds me of the Tokugawa Ooku for some reason.
Thanks for clearing up this often confused subject
10,000 subs by July 2021, its the end of may and already over 100k.. great job
There's a buddhist temple called jokan-ji where the remains of 25,000 prostuites and fire victims resides.
I don't understand why noone is ever talking about what geishas were before. Male geisha, taikomochi, entertainers and advisors.
its because of demon slayer season 2 that its gotten in everyones recommended
@@bootyslayer2127 havent seen that yet, what do you mean?
It's because almost no non-Japanese actually knows anything about Japanese history and it's just two groups of people with conflicting understandings saying incorrect things to each other.
Because they don't want to accept that Japan has a very nuanced and complicated history.
@@darrelsteinberg4127 well, it's difficult to get to the correct informations on the internet. Especially about Japan there are plenty of missinformations flying around. For any outsider it's difficult to judge those with a critical eye when almost everything we know about Japan is highly romantised.
@@materla4102 It's really bad too, because there's misinformation from both ends romantizing it in opposite ways. Like, Japan has a complicated history but no one wants to accept that it did.
Glad that change happened :) standing wise Japan's history always fun to learn things
This was a very interesting topic and helped me also to fix a problem w a book I'm writing. So yay ^^
When u realized that Daki from kny season 2 is actually an oiran ._.
When the prostitute organization is more organized than my countries politics. Lol
omg i finaly found more information about geisha and oiran all thx to u man
Yu-jyo is the affordable Escort and the Oiran is the High paid Escort of today, geisha is the entertainer with side job haha
Yukkaku ? Yoshiwara ? Yeah. I know. I even know two oiran : Warabihime and Koinatsu.
I’ve been doing a little bit of research on the topic of geishas and learned somewhere else that the popularity of oiran eventually dwindled because they were so expensive and everyone started going to geishas. And that was in part due to the oiran complaining to the government; I learned that’s why they made the prostitution prevention law. Is that true?
Such an amazing teacher, I learn like a ton and this is my first video
Very, very interesting. Thank you for the information.
very informative! i learn a lot from this video. Thanks for the video!
3:00 Wow $750/minute...I guess it's fine for me since I only last less than 3 minutes.😑😑😑
The first thing i thought is: Demon Slayer and looks like i'm not the only one.
This was so interesting and educational!
I found an awesome channel! Good Job! Subscribed.
Your absolutely amazing and doing a great service to share the knowledge of Japanese Culture as well as everything surrounding it! I found you randomly 3 days ago and have started watching every episode you have put out to learn so much of what I love....Japanese Culture! So thank you!
Wow! Thanks for clearing this question for me!
In the 20th Century prostitutes would often lie to GI's and other foreigners by telling them that they were geishas. This further confused the issue.
Your videos are very well made. I'm certain you will meet your subscriber goal.
A man walks into an Izakaya, thirsty... He goes to the bartender and says, Hello Bartender I'm thirsty..
Bartender who's missing a front tooth says " *Well you're in the right place.. What can I geisha?* " xD
Ba dum tss 🥁
@@its_seabass9668 its a what they call a dad-joke .. haha-like : very-funny-like-not-:rolls-eyes
Fascinating! Mahalo nui loa for the education! U got a new sub!
I couldn’t understand that one episode from Samura Champloo back then… now it makes sense 😅
A few years ago, there was a recent debate in Finland about whether it was OK or a harmful appropriation if the Finnish chocolate manufacturer Fazer used the name Geisha for one of its chocolate products (which is inspired by Japan) or whether the company should change this product's name. Also the supposed connection between Geisha and the prostitute was present in this discussion, although at the very beginning the attempt was made to correction that this connection was not entirely true.
Shortly afterwards, some Japanese people finally ended up commenting on this Finnish debate because it claim that the word "geisha" would be controversial and offensive in Japan. And when this discussion was featured in the Finnish media, an attempt was finally made to say that the word Geisha is not controversial and offensive in Japan. However, it remained open what the Japanese really think about the Geisha chocolate made by Fazer. Is it OK or not.
But what is this Geisha chocolate? This chocolate praline contains similar Japonais filling as the Japanese Japonica pastry and its purpose is to symbolize respect and love for Japan. Peter Fazer, the grandson of Karl Fazer, come across with the idea for this praline when he visited Japan during the Tokyo Olympic games in 1964.
Geisha was also a soap product by Unilever
Hey Shogo, been watching your videos for quite awhile now and thanks for all the content. I learned alot about your culture.
Just thought, can you cover something from the anime Demon Slayer since it's somewhat corelated to samurais/swordsmen and their timeline is from classic japanese era? Not sure if you are into it but I love the anime and thought maybe you could do a reaction video or whatnot.
I presume their costs were so high so that only the top ranked people in the society could afford them? Speaking of, could samurai afford them and were Daimyos allowed to use their services even if they were married?
Oh yes of course. The wife was just the respectable woman hired longterm for heir-making. Everyone man in Asia knew where to get pleasure, & find a woman that could hold a conversation, as well as satisfy carnal needs. That was the pleasure quarters/ brothels.
@@Jumpoable Thanks for responding. That is very fascinating!
@@Jumpoable that sounds kinda horrible and sad-
@@sleepybread4900 It was
Thank you for the detailed video.
Wow that was an amazing lesson
You're handsome
This man really gave these four different sound effects a workout
That was very insightful. Thank you
Very informative. Thank you very much.
Now I have a deeper understanding of Yugiri from the Zombieland Saga anime
Are Geisha's allowed romantic partners outside of their job or is it like a code/way of life?
Yes. A lot of geishas have boyfriends and eventually get married.
I recommend the youtube channel Linfamy if you want to know more, they do Japanese history videos and have a couple about prostitution through history in japan
I watched kimono mom and she said her first marriage was with her guest, when she was working as a Maiko.
@@limwowo5902 could you give me link which video where she said like that? i couldn't find it, sadly...
They can have personal relationships but if they marry they retire.
This is fascinating.More please
10 000 subscibers July 2021? You have already over 69 000 !
Very educational. Thank you sir.
Big Shogo! I'm always here for the vids brother
I love your content.
ありがとうございます
Very interesting. Thank you 🙏🏻
3:21 what kind of luxury is that’s😭🤣
they can sing and dance, like pop stars.
Dear Community, dear Shujo, is there any literature you can recommend on the topic of the work of geishas in the past? I get a lot misinformation from the people around me and would like to dig into this a lot deeper. Academic literature very welcome! Thank you in advance!
How far back are we talking?
Geisha by Liza Dalby and Geisha of Gion by Mineko Iwasaki are excellent reads, they take place post-WWII and give a deep insight into the Geisha world today with many references to pre-WWII traditions and customs. There's also a book called The Gei of Geisha: Music, Identity and Meaning by Kelly M. Foreman that explores the 'Gei' (art) side of Geisha, but also again with references to the history of how customs and traditions came to be. Hope this helps and I'd love to hear about any other books!
A book I will suggest is titled: "The World of the Geisha". It is written by Kyoko Aihara, who had got an wonderful opportunity to write about the world of the Geisha, as countless geishas helped her in gathering information about this fascinating and secretive world. The book was copyrighted in 1999. I shall supplement that the photographies in the book are wide, colourful and breathtaking. This book is perfect for getting a general idea about the world of the Geisha. The book publishing house is "Tuttle".
Geisha a life by mineko iwasaki, mineko was the most popular geisha to ever exist in the 20th century. This is an autobiography of her life told in her words. Sayo Masudas book autobiography of a geisha, tells of now deceased geisha, sayo masuda- who worked as a double registered geisha at an onsen. Very sad, but interesting.
Thank you so much! I will look into these!
Hm. This was a question I had never thought to ask.
The answer doesn't surprise me.
Thank you Shogo
Living and learning
congratulations on exceeding your goal! with over 6 months left, what's your new goal?! :D