The city of Kyoto is one that is rich in history and heritage. A former capital of the country, Kyoto was the capital of Japan between 794 till 1868. Located on the Honshu Island, Kyoto is widely regarded as the cultural capital of Japan. Kyoto boasts of a plethora of Japanese cultures, traditions, and historical sites. Ranging from ancient temples and other forms of religious architecture to historical monuments, beautiful gardens, exquisite mountain landscapes and restaurants and cafes that offer a wide range of traditional Japanese cuisines, Kyoto is a center of Japan’s culture and heritage.
Maiko and Geiko
One of the most notable and popular features of Japanese culture in Kyoto is the “Maiko”. Maiko is a term that is used to describe a person training to become ‘Geisha’ or ‘Geiko’ as they are referred to in Kyoto. The term Maiko literally means dancing girl or child, it refers a Geiko (Geisha) in training. Geisha are women who are exceptionally skilled in Japanese traditional arts such as singing, music and dance; they are highly trained female entertainers. They usually perform at luxury diners, private parties and notable events.
To become Geiko, a Maiko would have to undergo intense training for about five years. During this time they live in a place called Okiya (Geiko house), and are trained extensively in various forms of Japanese traditional arts, the required manners and personal skills are also developed. This is overseen by the Oka-san (mother of the house). During training, Okiya covers the full costs of feeding, clothing and training the Maiko.
In Kyoto, Maiko and Geiko are very popular and highly rated features of Japanese culture and they can be recognized through their unique physical appearances. Maiko usually carry their natural hair which is styled into various sophisticated forms, contingent on the stage of training at the time. While Geiko on the other hand wear a wig over their natural hair, styled in a particular fashion. Maiko also adorn their hair with various extravagant ornaments and hairpins. Maiko typically wear a colorful long sleeved kimono. The Maiko also wear the kimono with a wide kimono belt known as darari obi which is usually five to seven meters long, while their more experienced counterparts use a narrow and shorter belt. Maiko wear a self painted white foundation makeup, with red or pink colored brows, and red lipstick. For Maiko in the first year of training, only the lower lip is allowed to be painted, and for the subsequent years, both lips can be painted. Maiko wear a 10cm wooden clog known as ‘okobo’, which has a red ribbon and bells on it.
Popular Netflix series featuring Maiko
The Netflix series, The Makani: Cooking for the Maiko House provides an insight into the Japanese Maiko culture; it depicts the life and training of a group of girls in an Okiya, providing clear pictures of the unique fashion of the Maiko. The heroin of this Netflix series had a hope of becoming a maiko and was hired by an Okia in Kyoto to cook makanai meal for maiko residing there. If you wonder what makanai is, visit this page.
Maiko in today’s Kyoto
In the past, only the wealthy were able to afford entertainment by Geiko and Maiko, but now there are more affordable Geiko and Maiko events in Kyoto as there now Maiko shows available for various budgets. There are now popular Maiko shows that cost around $400 for two people, and there some that even go for as low as $275 for two people.
The Kyoto Maiko culture remains a major attraction for tourists, with lots of tourists trooping to Kyoto at various times of the year to watch the Maiko performances.
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