LinaVer’s Reviews > Geisha: A Life > Status Update

Old Meanie turning into Mama Masako feels like a coming-of-age moment

A bit of a slow read so far.

“We also appear publicly in a series of annual performance events. The most famous of these is the Miyako Odori (“Cherry Dances”).”

“In Gion Kobu we don’t refer to ourselves as geisha (meaning “artist”) but use the more specific term geiko,“woman of art.” One type of geiko, famed throughout the world as the symbol of Kyoto, is the young dancer known as a maiko, or “woman of dance.” Accordingly, I will use the terms geiko and maiko throughout the rest of this book.”

“Karyukai means “the flower and willow world.” Each geisha is like a flower, beautiful in her own way, and like a willow tree, gracious, flexible, and strong”