As the film began
I had no previous knowledge about Geisha’s or the Geisha lifestyle. After the
film I have a new respect for the art form as well as the lifestyle. The young
girl within the film comes to the life of a Geisha as a personal decision, one that
requires many a sacrifice to become a full Geisha. The sacrifice starts at a
young age. She leaves her home in the rural areas of Japan for Kyoto; the
absolute opposite from what she is accustom to. She has to take orders from her
Geisha mother and the other Geisha’s. The young trainee cannot contact her
family or friends for months on her journey into becoming a Geisha. This wares
on her as she becomes home sick for her family and friends. For a young girl
this must be an overwhelming experience. I know myself at the age of 15 and I
could only imagine the mental ware that this must take on her. Even though this
is hard on the girls it is done for a reason. It is done because the life of a
Geisha is extremely demanding. The trainees must be weeded out, to show your
dedication to the art. Another reason for this is the cost of training a
potential Geisha. The video said that the training can cost around 2000 pounds
a month. This is a large investment and because of this the Geisha’s need to
know that the trainee is dedicated. When a trainee is far along in her training
she is given a name, the name chosen is Kikuyu, This is her Maiko name and will
be used when she is a Geisha performing. Within her specific Geisha house all
of the girls are named after flowers. During her transformation you can see
that the Geisha lifestyle can drive wedges in your personal life as well as
your social life, once a trainee everything has to revolve around being a
Geisha. Everything within your life falls to the wayside. Overall the Geisha
Lifestyle is a very interesting one. It holds onto the traditional Japanese
lifestyle in an everchanging modern Japan. This video has given me a new
appreciation for the life and art style that is Geisha.
I too had no prior knowledge of geishas. However, after watching this film I feel I have a greater understanding of this cultural practice as well as the emotional toll it takes on the girl who is hoping to become a geisha.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed watching this film because I never realized how much tradition went into becoming a Geisha, along with how strict it was. I believe it ties greatly in with the rest of Japanese culture.
ReplyDeleteI knew very little about geishas beforte watching this film. It opened my eyes to the struggle that these young girls have to go to. They endure both physical and mental pain just so that they can achieve their dream of becoming a geisha.
ReplyDeleteI had many of the same feelings that you had aftering viewing the geisha video. The dedication to training was one of the most interesting aspects for me. It was interesting that you commented on the Geishas being named after flowers.
ReplyDelete