The Geisha of Japan

    The Geisha is a symbol of Japan's culture and tradition. Many people mistakenly think that Geisha are prostitures. High-class courtesans known as the oiran in the Edo period could be confused with Geisha as they had similar makeup and hairstyles. While it's true that Geisha partly grew out of the oiran,genuine Geisha are not courtesans. They are employed for their skills in traditional Japanese musical instruments, dancing,singing,. tea ceremonies, and literature.
    Makeup and clothing is very important to a Geisha. They use a thick white compound for their face paint. Geisha always paint their lips vivid red. Eyebrowns are lined in red and black. They wear traditional kimonos depending on the season. When they go out, Geisha wear flat soled-sandals or clogs called getas.

    To become a Geisha, a girl undergoes training which usually begins around the time she turns 16. She moves into a Geisha house and goes through various "stages" of training. First, she is a shikomi, then a minarai. As she progresses, she becomes a maiiko and finally, a full Geisha. This typically takes about six years.
    Geisha training is very complex. The girls must learn how to dance and speak, entertain a room of customers, dress perfectly, and how to perform elaborate ceremonies perfectly.