Two maiko dancing in a Gion theatre

[SaemiChina]

In the green is not Manoka.

[Kkyyrruu]

oh my gosh I loved this dance. The green danced nicely and the pink was very beautiful. I can watch this and listen over and over. It was... relaxing

[InalielAirotciv]

@Kkyyrruu The maiko in green was the better dancer definitely, I was wondering if it was just me. I suppose the one in pink may be better at other things, but she did dance well so no harm done.

[clara84gib]

@InalielAirotciv

Apparently the geisha's that have the red fabric in their hair are still apprentices, so perhaps that's why the one in green is the better dancer. I only know because I'm currently reading the book which is great.

[SauryGirl1]

@clara84gib Both off theese yong girls are maiko off Kyoto (geiko apprentices) Its only in Tokiyo its called geisha the apprentices are called hangyoku meaning half charge. the maiko in the green hikizuri is a senior maiko (maybe in her round 3-4th year) the other one is in her 2-3 year you see it because off her hairstyle wich is int he ofoku (the first maiko hairstyle)kanxashi etc and her obiage the red bond on above her obi belt. the obiage is not tied like the maiko in green hiki has.

[PinkSkiiTtLeZzYoanNa]

geishas these days are different. idk why, but i was just left with this impression that geishas from the old days were more graceful

[Kkyyrruu]

@PinkSkiiTtLeZzYoanNa Perhaps that is true. Geisha's today are not the same. However they may not be as graceful here because they are Maiko's. They're Geisha's in training.

[osbourn15]

The Maiko in green is actually Mamehide (she's no longer working). Her and Manoka have a very similar facial structure.

[WorldisArt]

It seems like a lot of maiko/geiko dance to this tune if I'm hearing correctly. Anyone know what this song is any why it's so common?

[LilDtownBarbie]

@WorldisArt yeahh its called Gion Kouta

[SauryGirl1]

@WorldisArt Its called Gion Kouta, and its really often danced because its like a national song for the maikos and geikos in Gion. everyone in that district learns this song and dance really early in theyre training.

[612franklin]

I'd name her Grace, the next name I've Forgotten. I believe in them both'

[bubbles02010]

did japanese men back then find the neck and the back of japanese women to be very attractive?

[LittleAngelAmy]

@bubbles02010 Yes ~

The nape is still considered very sexy and feminine. Can you dissagreee? >W<

[bubbles02010]

@LittleAngelAmy >w<

[bleachbabe03]

Oh wow!

They look awesome!

(You guys think that looks easy? HAH! Its wayyy harder then it looks!)

[dithbmine1]

I was there in 1904

[stingoffate]

Ah, gion kouta. :3 Classic! They do it so well, too.

[smukase]

lol i kinda understand why the japanese love robots so much i mean if u can get off by watching this kind of dancing cuz geishas were like prostitues right? not trying to make fun btw, just think japanese give me the creeps sumtimes

[syrinx32]

@smukase I think they're not the same as our prostitutes. As far as I know, they're more like - hm - entertainers. They have to learn instruments or the difficult traditional tea-ceremony, they learn how to do small-talk that is at once intelligent, but not exhausting. Hiring a Geisha doesn't always mean you will take her to your private rooms.

Still, before I say something terribly wrong - the article on wikipedia is quite informative :-)

[dotkokoro]

@smukase The geisha were 'desended' if you like from the oiran & tayu, who were prostitutes. the geisha were there origionally to perform dance and music at parties before the guy went off with the prostitute he'd booked. Of course, kimono and dancing lessons and all the stuff they needed to work were very expensive, and as the tayu etc dyed out, the geisha took their place.

[dotkokoro]

@dotkokoro They did used to suplement their income with 'prostitution' though it was actually more like the average marriage back then. They would have a patron who supported them in their carreer, paying for kimono etc, and in return, they'd have to sleep with him. This hasn't been practiced since 1958, when it was made illegal. Geisha are - now, certainly, in no way, shape, or form, prostitutes.

[MessedUpGrasshopper]

@dotkokoro You're right about them not being prostitutes now, but i read a book written by a actual geiko, and she explans the mix up between geisa and prostitutes.When the prostitution trade was going on in Japan, young girls had a ceremony called Mizuage where they were "deflowered".In the geisha business, when a maiko becomes a geiko,it is also called Mizuage.But these two Mizuages are not the same. Also some Geiko used to sleep with their clients to get ahead but this was and is frowned upon

[funkeys101]

only one is maiko and the other one is geisha look at the color and lipstick

[PeonyMai]

@funkeys101 These are two senior maiko as their hair is styled up in ofuko (the mage (bun) with chirimen tegarami - triangle shaped cloth - pinned to the bottom.)

Depending on what stage of training the maiko are at, they could just have a little bit of the bottom lip painted, or as they progress, more of the lips get filled in with colour.

Also, if they were geisha, they would be wearing the otaiko, where as both these girls are wearing the loose, dangling obi.

[Sugarbabe2545]

Wow, this just relaxes me :) I love this, can anyone explain their dance? I just started getting into the japanese culture a few months ago, and I don't know how to tell the story of their dance.......

[SauryGirl1]

@Sugarbabe2545 This is Gion Kouta or song of Gion.

Its about a man who sings about his love for the maiko and theire beauty in theyre look, like he sings about the darari obi, a furisode kind of kimono (hikizuri) etc.

Look up Gion kouta and you get to watch the whole dance, or even learn the song. I just got finished learning to dance the Gion Kouta and sing it as well.

[ilovetruffles99]

I'm new to Japanese culture, and I only understand bits and parts of the dance (because I'm reading Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden). Their faces are mostly expressionless because they're trying to imitate Noh masks.

But the kimono that they wear are the most beautiful I've seen so far.

[Nejjidragon]

You should read "Geisha: A life" by Mineko Iwasaki instead. Memoirs is a good story, but in the end that's all it is...a fictional story with a lot of cultural mistakes.

[thenameaintjim]

@Nejjidragon it's fictional?!?!!

[Nejjidragon]

@thenameaintjim Very fictional. He had interviewed some Geisha, but he has admitted to putting plot twists in there that would appeal to American audiences. It's not totally historically accurate.

[Irischelka]

i love the way they're moving their hands :)

[turtlewings]

I can't imagine walking, let alone dancing in those heavy kimono!

[UndrkukedCheezburger]

Goodness, Beorque00, it's bad enough to make such a comment in the first place, but then to attempt to cover it up with a lie? I don't beliee the sister bit, and I love these dances, and this culture, it's so beautiful. If you have the guts in the fist place to shame something, at least follow through and defend yourself, not lie.

[BARBIEDANCER1323]

Their kimono are ssssooooo Beautiful. And they dance so gracefully

[KarinElegance]

they dont have to be dur.

[Taeyang101]

its justs tradition the white paint helps hid there idendity.

[imthegreenfaiiry]

they are only painted down to their neck

[Fluffymiyster]

You know, rewatching this, there's a scene where some guy in the audience sneezes. At the same time, the geisha (or geiko as i've learned they're sometimes called) is covering her face. I found myself falling over in a fit of laughter as though she had done it! Not to make fun of the beauty of the art, but it would be kinda funny if a girl accidently let out a powerful sneeze in the middle of a performance! Poor thing...

[InalielAirotciv]

@Fluffymiyster Oh my goodness! I read this comment before watching the video and thought: "It can't be *that* funny." Got to the point you mentioned and died laughing for two minutes. Such a manly sneeze from a delicate looking young woman. I'm glad I wasn't there because I would have laughed horribly.

[Kaoskadosk]

Theres no need to even post a comment like that. If you dont see why its beautiful, then go look at other videos instead of making bad comments on what you dont like

Theres something missing alot on youtube comments and thats just pure respect.

If you would see these in the real world, you wouldnt stand up saying what you say here, you would show respect and keep silent.

So keep silent here aswell.

[Beorque00]

I'm so sorry for my sisters comment. I've left my account open and my sister used that to write comments on youtube. I'll promise not to be careless anymore. thank you for your concern.

[shari4minipigz]

wow, what colourful words you use. Maybe instead of calling the japanese government those things you should maybe, say other words? after all you may offend someone. And Korea isn't japan's problem anyway (no offence, sorry to all korean, but its true).

[Fluffymiyster]

Something I have learned from watching these videos is that I didn't know that their sleeves were actually used in their dances...like how they twirl them sometimes. I only thought it was just their hands and a fan...yeah, I'm naive about all of this...but I'm happy to be learning! ^_^

[allahexclamationmark]

They often use their sleeves to accentuate their movements, too, because movement is constricted in their kimono. You'll find that geisha who don't dance (or rather, who specialize in something different) wear shorter sleeves.

[MariMarice]

I thought the length of the of the sleeves had to do with other things?

Maiko wear long sleeves, and geiko/geisha wear short sleeves, and young woman wear long sleeves, while older/married woman wear short sleeves?

[kmah88]

was there ever any concensus on the name of the geisha (green)?

[tyronemitchelle]

that dance is something else very enchanting and simple i like it

[XxWeccaxX]

i love their dance.

and they are both beautiful!

[coralarch]

I don't think there are any more exquisite females on the earth than maiko. Indian women look divine in their saris, flowers and jewels, but these ladies are something else.

[sujinshin6291]

The one of the left is Sayoko I think. It's wonderful to see her as a maiko!

[sundevils234]

The  green kimono

is buttful.

[sundevils234]

I like  the green kimono

[manga12]

That orange furisode is stunning, You have to admire the percision of their movements, almost like that of a ballet dancer.

They learn from very young the traditional arts and devote many years to it to entertain others

[ChiroNozomi]

True^__^ Kimono are hard to get used to at first. I have one very pretty one, it took me a while to get used to it^__^ I love their dance, it is very pretty and graceful.

[xcuppiixcakex]

they make the kimono look comfortable. ^^

[kittenbut1]

They are wearing november kanzashi right? Just want to make sure :)

[geiko14]

the faces look weird it think they are sucking in there cheeks

[millamus]

it is how their facial struktur looks like

[ssummerlandc]

Actually that is one of the many ideas of Japanese beauty. Like how their hair is always elegantly coiffed without a single hair out of place, or how they spend an hour or more a day making sure that their kimono is absolutely perfect.

[Okobosan]

No, the one in green can't be Mamesuzu, Dame... I'm Royce Okobo on Flickr!

[DameDiabolique]

Hey, what's up. I took a second look and figured out it wasn't her too. I can't figure it out yet.

[millamus]

she looks more like manoka,same facial structur

[ayabaya]

I think it was in 2003... Alan

[DameDiabolique]

I know who these girls are.

The one in the Green is Mamesuzu. The other one is Sayoko. They are both from Gion Kobu. When did you obtain this video? These girls became Geiko about 3-4 years ago. Awesomeness

[hahaseashells]

when I was little, I was forced to watch it with my grandparents. They REALLY killed my brains out.