“Our minds are one of loyalty, reflection and gratitude. We give love to people, give water to flowers. We shouldn’t forget our first intention; an excuse is merely an objection in disguise.”

This is what traditional female Japanese entertainers, known as geisha, in Akasaka, Tokyo, recite before each meal.

“Very few people know the inner workings of the karyukai (the geisha world). Some people still portray us as (stereotypical) Fujiyama Geisha, and a recent geisha movie has misrepresented our profession,” Ikuko, a veteran geisha who goes by the name of Ikuko-nesan, laments to The Daily Yomiuri.

She says a real geisha has class and perseverance and is well-versed in Japanese arts, all of which form her persona. “Real geisha are long educated in every field and act as if they’re part of the elite, despite having to suffer through hard times.”

The geisha often expose the expertise they have gained in various chores and fields over the years through their dances.

“Dance is just like pantomime in that one must express oneself without words. So, versatility in everything from kado (flower arrangement) to sado (tea ceremony) is key in creating the beauty inherent in the dance,” Ikuko says.

The geisha world took form in the Edo period between 1603 and 1868. By the Meiji era (1868-1912), its system— which involves an agency, or kenban that dispatches geisha to ryotei (traditional Japanese restaurants) in a certain areas—had been put in place. Since then, 50 areas of Japan have been designated as hanamachi (entertainment districts). The Akasaka geisha area, which earned its popularity by entertaining soldiers, is one of Tokyo’s hanamachi, along with Asakusa and Shimbashi.

“An Akasaka geisha can be likened to a peony,” says Ikuko, who has been an Akasaka geisha since she moved there from Kumamoto 45 years ago. “It’s more colourful than say, a lily. And peonies are overwhelmingly beautiful. I want my younger colleagues to feel the vigor and flamboyancy of a peony,” she says. This belief, she says, also is the reason behind the more colourful floral designs on the kimono of Akasaka geisha.

This flamboyant culture of Akasha geisha, however, is on the verge of extinction. In 1956, the number of Akasaka geisha peaked at 300. Since then, it has plummeted, with only 24 still working in the area today. This, Ikuko says, is because so few people really understand what it means to be a geisha.

To preserve the dying tradition, the ‘whiteface’ geisha have started coming out of their closets and are using Akasha Odori as a platform to perform their art to the public.

The Akasaka Odori dates back to 1949. It was long performed at the Kabuki-za in Ginza, before being moved to Asakusa last year. Despite a decade-long hiatus, the event celebrated its 50th anniversary this year.

“The Akasaka Odori itself can’t possibly be enough to give audiences real insight into our world. But it’s still a good chance to show what we do as performers and to present the beauty of our profession,” Ikuko says. “We also want audiences to feel our dignity in our style.” (By Ikuko Kitagawa in Tokyo/ The Yomiuri Shimbun/ Asia News Network)