She takes so much time only for putting on her kimono (seems like there were so many many many dresses) !!! What makes people in the 21st century to waste their time so fullishly!!! Moreover after she has worn her kimono and awkward shoes she cant walk normally anymore !!!! What isall this for?! Tell me people!!!
@Lynnieeeeee Why do people wear high heels and platform shoes when flat soles are so readily available? Why do people wear short shorts and g strings and skin tight jeans? Clothing is much less about functionality and much more about personal expression. Also, an everyday casual kimono outfit wouldn't involve nearly so much effort. She dresses so ornately because it's part of her job.
is it just me or does the camera man suck!! he obviously doesnt know what hes doing, he ruined it and really wanted to see this because I'm doing a assignment on geisha.
I wonder how geisha's can breath with all those clothes..and also...do they really have to pile clothes on them if they are only going to be covered with the red thing...
The girl here is a Maiko (Geisha apprentice). She is wearing the so called "Ofuku" hair, the second hairstyle of a Maiko. Her kimono is called Hikizuri and the obi - darari obi.
Geisha and Maiko are not prostitues, they are artists and perfomer and the film "the Geisha" and the book are so false ... prostitues are called Tayuu or Oiran in Japan. =) Please read the book from Mineko Iwasaki (also in English published). Ookini (thanks in Kyouto dialect)
@AichiArimura I totally agree. I'm reading Geisha, A Life by Mineko Iwasaki. The proper term for a "geisha" is "geiko" which translates to woman of art. Geisha is artist. Geiko were not prostitutes, they were simply paid for their time. Thanks, at least i found someone that agrees.
@123freddykrueger Ookini =) Geisha are called Geiko in Kyouto ^_^ I am well known into this flower and willow world I am also collecting Kimono and all the things you need for it to make Kitsuke. I hope that more people would read Mineko´s book ´cause this is a true story about a true (star-)Geisha.
@TheHeianPrincess Nope the book is actually more informative than the movie....the guy who wrote it studied Japanese culture and even mastering in the studies, so no im not trying to "troll" or something.
that guy is the worst camera guy ever RECORD what they are doing not her face or feet jackass and keep the camera steady they arent running doing this
Newfound respect for Geisha women: Not only do the women have to wear many layers of clothing, they also have to wear it in the very hot, humid summer Japan weather. To add to that, some also had to dance in those layers of kimono cloth; not a very easy task!!
Geisha are beautiful, the make up video was amazing, this one just as much if not more fascinating! It's amazing that people think they were prostitutes - look at the effort involved in the make up, hair and dressing...A hairstyle had to last a Geisha 2 weeks. Imagine the nightmare of a pregnant Geisha - her career would be ruined! If Geisha were prostitutes, why would women have respected them so much? It was respected, they are artists in conversation and dance! Not sex workers. Beautiful film
El de la cámara es un pendejo ese tal Robyn Probyn no entendió que lo que se necesitaba grabar era como la vestian? no como era su maldita cara y pies!!!
@lukkha1 This is in fact a real maiko, I dont remember her name but you can see this hikizuri being worn if you search maiko Kimika. She is senior so the han eri will still be red in the back until she is a geiko-I have a senior maiko han eri and its just like this- the nape will still show a lot regardless. This is much different than other kitsuke and the techniques still change-no one can just go out and learn this... So while she may not be dressed the greatest, it doesnt mean shes not real.
@HanatoKobatochan she is a maiko indeed i checked with my mother. but it is still very wrong and my mother is a professionnal kimono dresser. i live in tokyo now so i am not aware of the new faces in the kyoto hanamichis when i used to live there the top stars were still hisayo san from pontocho and wakagumo from the shimabara district. i as supposed to become an otokosu but i anted to study abroad and as tired of the kimono industry and the gossips of ponto cho were i grew up.
@lukkha1@HanatoKobatochan Her name is Kimiryo. Ladyhendrix mentioned her a few comment pages back. She's also from the Honjou yakata like Kimika. ^_^ I remember this hikizuri when Kimika wore it in Kyo Odori 2008.
lukkha1, you can find authentic maiko haneri on yja, they pop up sometimes but they can get quite expensive.
@HanatoKobatochan but i am impressed you know the names of the maikos. are they so famous abroad now? and where do you people find han-eri. if you ever need geisha stuff let me know
the han-eri and the hair style do not match either. and no maiko get dressed that early during the day. i think she might not be a maiko at all. or the supposedly okasan picked up a random kimono a random hanjuban, sosoyoke han-eri and darari obi and just to show how it is done she dressed the girl. the very way she is dressed isnt correct though the obi isnt tight enough if she had to work or dance it would fall apart after 20 minutes. i studied dressing techniques from yukata to weddi
there is something defenitely wrong with the way the hikizuri is put on. it is like if she was dressing a geiko with a furisode and a darari obi. the nape of the maiko is revealed too much only geiko let the kimono dip that far in far in the back. the front collar angle is all wronk the han-eri should cover the lower part of the throat. if it was summer i would understand but this is fall. the hanjuban and sleeves have maple leaves pattern and the kimono a water pattern it doesnt make sense
Another sign for her being Sr. Maiko is her hairstyle, it's the so-called Ofuku. The color of the cloth in it changes with her seniority. As far as I know it's red in the beginning, and white in the end.
The hairstyle of the young Maiko is the Wareshinobu (look at google images). It's usually worn by Maiko during her first year. Then they change to Ofuku and two lips painted instead of only one.
It's because she is a very Sr. Maiko that her Haneri is that white at the front. But if you look at the back (see 10:46) it's still red. White front, red back = very Sr. Maiko. It means that from that stage her erikae (Geisha debut) isn't very far. As soon as she becomes a fully fledged Geisha, her back collar turns white as well.
I'm surprised that her dresser is a woman. Usually it's done by men, because you need a lot of strength to tie all things, especially the Obi.
@ichisumification it's a woman and not an otokosu who dresses her because she is not going to the zashiki. she just did it for the video and they ouldnt pay an otokosu just for a movie. each time an otokosu dresses a maiko or geiko it costs 6000 yen multiply it by 350 days a year and that's quite a lot! actually the way the darari obi is knot is not really good. if a she had to work it would fall apart but for the movie it's ok.
@TheEmoHamster that's not what I meant. The haneri on a maiko should be red when she starts out and get whiter as she progresses in her career. It should only be white when she is a geiko (right?). I didn't mean her neck. I was wondering why her haneri (collar) is so white while she is stilll a maiko.
@Theklamp she is at her last stage as a maiko and the haneri is red in the back. a geiko doesnt ear embroidered han-eri it is just plain white habutae silk or chirimen in the coldest month of winter ro or sha silk gauze in summer but never any design or pattern. so this maiko has a red han-eri covered with white embroidery to show her maturity as an apprentice.
what do Geisha actually do this century? i mean what they did before is illegal now so......do they just study the art? if so,none are truly Geisha at all,just 'virgin" Maiko. confusing .__,
@LilAsianGirl01 oh my oh my.... you see geisha were never prostitutes, they were artists. They entertatined men with music dance and on some ocassions theatre.... you might have read memoirs of a geisha or seen the movie but it is just wrong. The whole book is wrong. Some parts are correct but otherwise it's a book providing wrong information to westerners.
The word geisha means artist or art person to be more exact. Kthnxbye
I think that if the guy is going to spend time to get permission to do this in the first place he may as well get a good angle and get it right. Instead of getting 5 seconds of feet or a random blur of arms or juban and hikizuri, why not get an angle with the entire maiko in it. Has anyone noticed that this is the only actual footage of a real maiko being dressed? Because rarely does anyone get to be behind the scenes like this. Personally this seems very shaky and amateur for usable footage.
Guys, the cameraperson is moving around a lot because this footage isn't meant to be watched all together. The cameraperson is trying to get one or two interesting 5-second shots with movement, where we pan across her or tilt up from her feet, that an editor can cut out and use in a documentary.
You know how a still-image photographer will take 200 shots in an hour-long session, and choose one or two good frames to be published?
That's what this cameraperson is doing too... just for video.
It must be dangerous for Geisha's to wonder of by themselves thinking that people thinks of them as prostitutes you know!
:O!
By the way... Camera man! U have to focus while filming. I'm telling you this cuz I want you to get better. I don't mean to be the bad person here XP!
the video and the topic are excellent!!! but the camera operator is bad, not show the beauty and the minimal details of the proces of the geisha costum, the camera leaves much to be desired.
Geisha are not even close to prostitutes >< They're about as close as some English/American preformer that do shows for the bratty kids at "My super sweet 16".
Geisha's obi is tied in back, a prostitutes obi is tied in front. Geisha paint their whole face, prostitute only paint to above their mouths. Geisha wear beautiful kimono, prostitutes don't.
It's like saying you can tell a fake diamond from a real one just by looking, untrained.
Given from the red collar on the back of her kimono, she is a Maiko (Ni nin mae would be my guess at her rank.. She might be progressing closer to San Nin Mae, to her how coloured her lips now are). Once a Maiko has the Eri Kae, the red collar turns to white, showing she changed from a child to an adult.
during the World War II prostitutes would refer to themselves as "geisha girls" to American service men. thus their image as sex workers retained in the minds of many.
That aside: DUDE, STOP MOVING. Half the time he has the camera shoved in the poor woman's face. Kudos to them for going about their work very efficiently with the camera operator shuffling about the room.
A thing of beauty...and fuck off all rude wankers unable to catch a glimpse of precious gift given by all people involved in this video. if we would be able to translate this all in money none of them would ever be able to pay to lick the street she walks...
Definitely not a prostitute, prostitutes would have the obi tied in the front due to the amount of time and effort it takes to put it back on, especially because someone else is needed to do it, (Due to the intricate knots.) In a way I could see how they'd call them a prostitute, because they do sell their virginity and later become a mistress. But a geisha is an artist of outstanding class, hardly someone that'd sell sex.
Enough with awkward camera angels. Lets focus on the main attraction: the giesha. I don't give two-shits about being creative in this setting. Sit still or else.
Shocking camera work. No one wants to see the mirror stand. Or the floor. Especially when the woman is tying her obi, which is what I wanted to see :/
@JerNela I'm fully aware that this video is a raw version. But the cameraman has missed out some important shots, and its not just myself that has noticed. It could have been shot far more effectively, and I think its very unjustified of you to call me rude. Don't talk down to me like im an idiot. If you're happy with this camerawork then thats fine, you're entitled to your opinion, just as I'm entitled to mine.
@iheartroxy100 It's not a "maiko dress-up tutorial" and this is a perfect raw for the purposes that it was created for.
I am happy that it is here, that I can actually see one which is of dressing a real maiko- there is something to appreciate and not just judging like you do. Maybe you could give us something better to watch?
It's easy to critique if you are not a professional, or are you?
@JerNela haha I'm not telling you anything about myself, you strange person. Nor am I lowering myself to fight with you, which for some bizarre reason you seem intent on. Let people have their own opinions. Now enough bitching, goodbye.
the weight of this is enough for one kimono.. they would have to do a lot of training just to walk is this outfit.. they are truly amazing what they go through..
the camera operator needs to get a hit on the head xD Half of the time he shows her feet or something and zooms too much so you can't see what's really happening -.-
@Freakshow2210 I know :( I really wanted to see the full process of how it was tied at the back, but he was too busy filming the floor -.-" it was the same with the video of this Maiko putting on her make up.. spent forever filming her neck and hair
This isn't a youtube vlog post where the webcam stays in one spot the whole time. This is cinematography, and cinematography is an art. The person filming is using artistic liberties to show the feeling of what is going on. He's not giving people a 'how-to' tutorial. it's understandable that people want to see the up-front version, but that's not how the director wanted people to view it.
I think it's amazing that people think that geisha are prostitutes. Look at how long it takes her to put this on, and she needs someone else to do it, and then time doesn't even count her hair. Why in the world would she throw all that time away to have sex with someone? There wouldn't be anyone there to fix her up again.
Some geisha houses in Japan used to be whore houses so the owner ( kinda like a pimp ) could pay off debts for gambling problems. But geisha's aren't really prostitutes.
Some geisha houses in Japan used to be whore houses so the owner ( kinda like a pimp ) could pay off debts for gambling problems. But geisha's aren't really prostitutes. I know I'd be pissed if I had to have my hair done, then go have sex with someone and spend a hour getting it redone. D:<
Very senior maiko. Higher up you go in training,m the collar gets more white with embroidery. She is not far off from Sakko(2 or so wks before becoming a Geiko) and then her Erikae(Day she'll debut as a geiko).
@hartycla You will se that her collar at the very back is some redish. but its right, a maiko close up to her erikae or a senior maiko will have less red in her collar..
@ladyhendrix Yeh you are right, i just know in my heart she was real..
I was looking trough the kyo odori programme and pictures but dident find her. lokked trought he one from 1999-2005 and its weird i dident saw her maybe i oversaw, but i looked closely.. When you or if you find out who she is i would be glad if you could name the name to me:)
I believe geishas are the most elegant and beautiful women anyone could ever come across, When i see geisha and maiko, iv never seen such beauty and elegancey.
I truly thank the person that took his time to have this on film, this was an amazing experience!!! Their is so many things about the geishas that intrigue me and this and the other four videos really taught me how to value art and beauty like this:) thanks so much:)
I wonder if I am going to try a Henshin in Kyoyo into a Maiko...I cannot drink or eat much before getting dressed...otherwise it would be difficult and impossible when one needs to go to the washroom with that kind of costume on...
This maiko is no imitation. You can tell because of the crest on her obi. Maikos usually have the crest of their okiya on their obis.
The shops where you can get a maiko-makeover don't have crests on the obis.
btw:
Just men becoming a hakoya (one kind of name for the people, who are helping a maiko/ geisha to get dressed) is very old fashioned... today, women are also able to learn this job
@gothicgrapes Some henshin studios have crested obis... and some even have real maiko dressers to help them knot the obi as a maiko wud. but this is offcourse a real maiko i saw pictures off her in the lyo odori :) shes really neautifull i just love her hikizuri :)
The maiko was so thin and tiny before she got dressed. Now she's like normal. It seems one has to be very very thin to look good when wearing a kimono. I cannot imagine how it would look like if a thick person would wear a kimono.
@madenkind well depends a heavier person needs less padding to wear a kimono so maybe better but the trick to wearing and looking good in a kimono is how the person holds themselves- the kimono is ment to give a person a cylinder like body image. hope that answers your question
Dude! The camera man was actually pretty confused, he took way too much of the girl´s face, moved around way too much and missed out on some of the best shots where something was actually happening. If I did that for a twenty second sequence I would´ve used wider selections and detail on what was actually moving around.... I'd be in trouble at work with a selection like this....
I think the video is amazing and everything, but the camera guy is kind of missing some of the most important details when she was tying the obi...It was still a great video!
the camera is horrible! who the hell is the camera man? I don't care if he's work for whoever.... it's awful! It misses important views!! what a waste! find another camera man, this one is a moron!
@ispiseco which views (shots) are important depends entirely on the purpose of the footage. The camera man was nice enough to make the unedited version of this footage available to the public; It is sad how ungrateful everyone is being. He was looking for only about 2 min. worth of finished product and the finished product is not focused on this process at all. This is a rare glimpse of a process that none of us will ever get to see ourselves. It is a waste...to show this to such ingrates!
@matapaloxxx Thanks for the explanation, sorry for being ungrateful. Thanks for sharing the video then... Clearly the number of hits this video has, and the messages about the camera evidence there's an interest in the subject and that viewers are interested in learning more about the geisha dressing process. That's not bad... Viewers and people who post videos must be more tolerant and grateful to each other. None of them are perfect... neither are the videos.
i'm not a true historian of the Japanese culture, but for some reason the geisha is intriguing. And just watching what she has to go through as far as clothing is extraordinary. thank you for posting it was enjoyable.
this is stunning..it just shows you how laboring and time consuming this is..down to the last detail. Its a shame this is a dying breed..I really love the Geisha..I have since I was a kid.
i found this amazing! i loev how it was shot. i felt like i was in the room watching! a neat kind of birds eye view. amazing how much goes into dressing and even the makeup. wow
Shes a geisha you can tell by the her white color and the way the back of her neck is painted. Shes very lovely :)
Fartikist 3 weeks ago
@Fartikist Well.. duh o.o it even says so... title?
nethanbabes 1 week ago
@nethanbabes it says maiko OR trainee Geisha, doesn't state confidently that she is indeed a geisha, duhhhhh title :P
Fartikist 1 week ago
@Fartikist But she isnt a Geisha yet she is a Maiko.
nethanbabes 1 week ago
To bad the music is the modern Japanese, as it truly ruins the authenticity and some of the video.
2hatelibs1 3 weeks ago
este video es herrrmosoooooo
MishelArroyo 1 month ago
why do you keep filming her feet?
cassygarcia13 1 month ago
I'm always fascinated with the giant hakata obi Geisha wear. They seem to be rare.
KimonoHire 1 month ago
This has been flagged as spam show
All I can say is: nice feet.
RoseOfDestiny10 1 month ago
she's so beautiful. absolutely enchanting.
cmarie159 1 month ago
How beautiful, thank you for taking the time to put this up.
sashajames7 1 month ago
what a wasted opportunity.. this is shitty ass camerawork
SableMelody 2 months ago 2
And about camera man... He really shoots not the right moments... The parts of the body where nothing is happening... why so ... is he sleeping ?:P:P
Lynnieeeeee 2 months ago 5
She takes so much time only for putting on her kimono (seems like there were so many many many dresses) !!! What makes people in the 21st century to waste their time so fullishly!!! Moreover after she has worn her kimono and awkward shoes she cant walk normally anymore !!!! What isall this for?! Tell me people!!!
Lynnieeeeee 2 months ago
@Lynnieeeeee Why do people wear high heels and platform shoes when flat soles are so readily available? Why do people wear short shorts and g strings and skin tight jeans? Clothing is much less about functionality and much more about personal expression. Also, an everyday casual kimono outfit wouldn't involve nearly so much effort. She dresses so ornately because it's part of her job.
KimonoHire 1 month ago
@Lynnieeeeee it's more about culter then anything else japan women been doing this for years
newew15 3 weeks ago
That cameraman gave me motion sickness! Oh if I ever see you, cameraman! *shakes fist*
yarasunshine019 2 months ago
Look Camera man. I dont give a crap about her feet. I want to see whats going on with the Kimono!
ashy13241 2 months ago
Those geta look hard to walk in..
sheimisheimi1 2 months ago
okay what if she had to go to the bathroom?
DJKBELL 3 months ago 4
@DJKBELL lol. that was funny.
sexydds2010 2 months ago
that has to be like 30 lbs of material she's wearing
DJKBELL 3 months ago
She is beatiful and I want her obebe (kimono) for me.
porta0toda1la2vida 3 months ago
is it just me or does the camera man suck!! he obviously doesnt know what hes doing, he ruined it and really wanted to see this because I'm doing a assignment on geisha.
laressway 3 months ago
stop staring AT HER TOES!
TheHermentQueen 3 months ago
@TheHermentQueen I think he has a foot fetish
ashy13241 2 months ago
Holy molly she so tiny!!!
TheHermentQueen 3 months ago
she is a junior geisha, not a maiko
jinnyboy8 3 months ago
I wonder how geisha's can breath with all those clothes..and also...do they really have to pile clothes on them if they are only going to be covered with the red thing...
sorry for my bad english.. :))
crisitneang 3 months ago
The girl here is a Maiko (Geisha apprentice). She is wearing the so called "Ofuku" hair, the second hairstyle of a Maiko. Her kimono is called Hikizuri and the obi - darari obi.
Geisha and Maiko are not prostitues, they are artists and perfomer and the film "the Geisha" and the book are so false ... prostitues are called Tayuu or Oiran in Japan. =) Please read the book from Mineko Iwasaki (also in English published). Ookini (thanks in Kyouto dialect)
AichiArimura 3 months ago
@AichiArimura I totally agree. I'm reading Geisha, A Life by Mineko Iwasaki. The proper term for a "geisha" is "geiko" which translates to woman of art. Geisha is artist. Geiko were not prostitutes, they were simply paid for their time. Thanks, at least i found someone that agrees.
123freddykrueger 3 months ago 2
@123freddykrueger Ookini =) Geisha are called Geiko in Kyouto ^_^ I am well known into this flower and willow world I am also collecting Kimono and all the things you need for it to make Kitsuke. I hope that more people would read Mineko´s book ´cause this is a true story about a true (star-)Geisha.
AichiArimura 3 months ago
@AichiArimura But she has a white collar, two prong and her neck, and her lip makeup is almost full red lips. She's a junior Geisha
jinnyboy8 3 months ago
Wow... look how tiny she is. Well Asian women are naturally petite.
Ayiana24434 3 months ago
If you guys want to be informed more about a geisha, you should really read the book Memoirs of a Geisha
doulkmochi 3 months ago
@doulkmochi Are you trying to troll or something?
TheHeianPrincess 3 months ago
@TheHeianPrincess Nope the book is actually more informative than the movie....the guy who wrote it studied Japanese culture and even mastering in the studies, so no im not trying to "troll" or something.
doulkmochi 3 months ago
love the shoes..(!)
thapa02 4 months ago
that guy is the worst camera guy ever RECORD what they are doing not her face or feet jackass and keep the camera steady they arent running doing this
beckygiamboi 4 months ago 3
Newfound respect for Geisha women: Not only do the women have to wear many layers of clothing, they also have to wear it in the very hot, humid summer Japan weather. To add to that, some also had to dance in those layers of kimono cloth; not a very easy task!!
laichi16 4 months ago
Geisha are beautiful, the make up video was amazing, this one just as much if not more fascinating! It's amazing that people think they were prostitutes - look at the effort involved in the make up, hair and dressing...A hairstyle had to last a Geisha 2 weeks. Imagine the nightmare of a pregnant Geisha - her career would be ruined! If Geisha were prostitutes, why would women have respected them so much? It was respected, they are artists in conversation and dance! Not sex workers. Beautiful film
DebzCM911 4 months ago
El de la cámara es un pendejo ese tal Robyn Probyn no entendió que lo que se necesitaba grabar era como la vestian? no como era su maldita cara y pies!!!
Coño que falta de profesionalismo.
shadoru15 5 months ago
Does anyone know the name of the music they used in the video?
I really enjoyed this full lenght video. Thank you for sharing it.
natava1 5 months ago
@natava1 Thats what I wanna know too! What is the title of this song?
Scabzilla49 4 months ago
Does anyone else want to kick the camera guy's ass?!
KatjasHumanoid483 5 months ago 56
@KatjasHumanoid483 hell yes..............the same asshole that chose the music...
2hatelibs1 3 weeks ago
by the end of this i wanted to beat the cameraman with his own camera
daisykiller01 5 months ago 35
Whats the title of the song being played?
Scabzilla49 5 months ago
wedding uchikake including the hikizuri and darari musubi techniques and i can tell you this is not the proper way to dress a maiko
lukkha1 5 months ago
@lukkha1 This is in fact a real maiko, I dont remember her name but you can see this hikizuri being worn if you search maiko Kimika. She is senior so the han eri will still be red in the back until she is a geiko-I have a senior maiko han eri and its just like this- the nape will still show a lot regardless. This is much different than other kitsuke and the techniques still change-no one can just go out and learn this... So while she may not be dressed the greatest, it doesnt mean shes not real.
HanatoKobatochan 5 months ago
@HanatoKobatochan she is a maiko indeed i checked with my mother. but it is still very wrong and my mother is a professionnal kimono dresser. i live in tokyo now so i am not aware of the new faces in the kyoto hanamichis when i used to live there the top stars were still hisayo san from pontocho and wakagumo from the shimabara district. i as supposed to become an otokosu but i anted to study abroad and as tired of the kimono industry and the gossips of ponto cho were i grew up.
lukkha1 5 months ago
@lukkha1 @HanatoKobatochan Her name is Kimiryo. Ladyhendrix mentioned her a few comment pages back. She's also from the Honjou yakata like Kimika. ^_^ I remember this hikizuri when Kimika wore it in Kyo Odori 2008.
lukkha1, you can find authentic maiko haneri on yja, they pop up sometimes but they can get quite expensive.
AkemiMamechino 5 months ago
@HanatoKobatochan but i am impressed you know the names of the maikos. are they so famous abroad now? and where do you people find han-eri. if you ever need geisha stuff let me know
lukkha1 5 months ago
the han-eri and the hair style do not match either. and no maiko get dressed that early during the day. i think she might not be a maiko at all. or the supposedly okasan picked up a random kimono a random hanjuban, sosoyoke han-eri and darari obi and just to show how it is done she dressed the girl. the very way she is dressed isnt correct though the obi isnt tight enough if she had to work or dance it would fall apart after 20 minutes. i studied dressing techniques from yukata to weddi
lukkha1 5 months ago
there is something defenitely wrong with the way the hikizuri is put on. it is like if she was dressing a geiko with a furisode and a darari obi. the nape of the maiko is revealed too much only geiko let the kimono dip that far in far in the back. the front collar angle is all wronk the han-eri should cover the lower part of the throat. if it was summer i would understand but this is fall. the hanjuban and sleeves have maple leaves pattern and the kimono a water pattern it doesnt make sense
lukkha1 5 months ago
She does not look happy in the beginning
xShadowxPhoenix 6 months ago
Another sign for her being Sr. Maiko is her hairstyle, it's the so-called Ofuku. The color of the cloth in it changes with her seniority. As far as I know it's red in the beginning, and white in the end.
The hairstyle of the young Maiko is the Wareshinobu (look at google images). It's usually worn by Maiko during her first year. Then they change to Ofuku and two lips painted instead of only one.
ichisumification 6 months ago
@Theklamp
It's because she is a very Sr. Maiko that her Haneri is that white at the front. But if you look at the back (see 10:46) it's still red. White front, red back = very Sr. Maiko. It means that from that stage her erikae (Geisha debut) isn't very far. As soon as she becomes a fully fledged Geisha, her back collar turns white as well.
I'm surprised that her dresser is a woman. Usually it's done by men, because you need a lot of strength to tie all things, especially the Obi.
ichisumification 6 months ago
@ichisumification it's a woman and not an otokosu who dresses her because she is not going to the zashiki. she just did it for the video and they ouldnt pay an otokosu just for a movie. each time an otokosu dresses a maiko or geiko it costs 6000 yen multiply it by 350 days a year and that's quite a lot! actually the way the darari obi is knot is not really good. if a she had to work it would fall apart but for the movie it's ok.
lukkha1 5 months ago
does anybody know why her collar is so white?
Theklamp 6 months ago
@Theklamp it's part of the make-up.
TheEmoHamster 6 months ago
@TheEmoHamster that's not what I meant. The haneri on a maiko should be red when she starts out and get whiter as she progresses in her career. It should only be white when she is a geiko (right?). I didn't mean her neck. I was wondering why her haneri (collar) is so white while she is stilll a maiko.
Theklamp 6 months ago
@Theklamp Ah...well...I don't know, sorry. :)
TheEmoHamster 6 months ago
@Theklamp she is at her last stage as a maiko and the haneri is red in the back. a geiko doesnt ear embroidered han-eri it is just plain white habutae silk or chirimen in the coldest month of winter ro or sha silk gauze in summer but never any design or pattern. so this maiko has a red han-eri covered with white embroidery to show her maturity as an apprentice.
lukkha1 5 months ago
this camera operator has a severe foot fettish
missmilan11 6 months ago
what do Geisha actually do this century? i mean what they did before is illegal now so......do they just study the art? if so,none are truly Geisha at all,just 'virgin" Maiko. confusing .__,
LilAsianGirl01 6 months ago
@LilAsianGirl01 oh my oh my.... you see geisha were never prostitutes, they were artists. They entertatined men with music dance and on some ocassions theatre.... you might have read memoirs of a geisha or seen the movie but it is just wrong. The whole book is wrong. Some parts are correct but otherwise it's a book providing wrong information to westerners.
The word geisha means artist or art person to be more exact. Kthnxbye
Theklamp 6 months ago
@Theklamp :D thanks
LilAsianGirl01 5 months ago
@LilAsianGirl01 no problemo '^^
Theklamp 5 months ago
I wonder how much all this weighs....and how does one get to be in this profession.....hmmmmm.....
thesholla01 6 months ago
I think that if the guy is going to spend time to get permission to do this in the first place he may as well get a good angle and get it right. Instead of getting 5 seconds of feet or a random blur of arms or juban and hikizuri, why not get an angle with the entire maiko in it. Has anyone noticed that this is the only actual footage of a real maiko being dressed? Because rarely does anyone get to be behind the scenes like this. Personally this seems very shaky and amateur for usable footage.
HanatoKobatochan 6 months ago
Guys, the cameraperson is moving around a lot because this footage isn't meant to be watched all together. The cameraperson is trying to get one or two interesting 5-second shots with movement, where we pan across her or tilt up from her feet, that an editor can cut out and use in a documentary.
You know how a still-image photographer will take 200 shots in an hour-long session, and choose one or two good frames to be published?
That's what this cameraperson is doing too... just for video.
studiomediarecording 6 months ago
...
It must be dangerous for Geisha's to wonder of by themselves thinking that people thinks of them as prostitutes you know!
:O!
By the way... Camera man! U have to focus while filming. I'm telling you this cuz I want you to get better. I don't mean to be the bad person here XP!
mardeguit 6 months ago
I think that the camera guy has a foot fetish or something...geez.
rocknroll302 6 months ago
the video and the topic are excellent!!! but the camera operator is bad, not show the beauty and the minimal details of the proces of the geisha costum, the camera leaves much to be desired.
UchihaMonica08 6 months ago
Geisha are not even close to prostitutes >< They're about as close as some English/American preformer that do shows for the bratty kids at "My super sweet 16".
Geisha's obi is tied in back, a prostitutes obi is tied in front. Geisha paint their whole face, prostitute only paint to above their mouths. Geisha wear beautiful kimono, prostitutes don't.
It's like saying you can tell a fake diamond from a real one just by looking, untrained.
xxsugarcookies 7 months ago
Given from the red collar on the back of her kimono, she is a Maiko (Ni nin mae would be my guess at her rank.. She might be progressing closer to San Nin Mae, to her how coloured her lips now are). Once a Maiko has the Eri Kae, the red collar turns to white, showing she changed from a child to an adult.
marunoyami 7 months ago
...watching this I realize that what she is wearing...probably costs more than my life lol
darkestnight128 7 months ago
@darkestnight128 lol me too ;___;
Zayashuku 6 months ago
during the World War II prostitutes would refer to themselves as "geisha girls" to American service men. thus their image as sex workers retained in the minds of many.
spicywickedme 7 months ago
This is beautiful. (:
That aside: DUDE, STOP MOVING. Half the time he has the camera shoved in the poor woman's face. Kudos to them for going about their work very efficiently with the camera operator shuffling about the room.
rabbitsrock07 7 months ago
A thing of beauty...and fuck off all rude wankers unable to catch a glimpse of precious gift given by all people involved in this video. if we would be able to translate this all in money none of them would ever be able to pay to lick the street she walks...
Deadseafruit0 7 months ago
she is very beautiful...and NOT a prostitute--.--
wieselchenchan 7 months ago
What a beautiful kimono!
ladida49 8 months ago
Definitely not a prostitute, prostitutes would have the obi tied in the front due to the amount of time and effort it takes to put it back on, especially because someone else is needed to do it, (Due to the intricate knots.) In a way I could see how they'd call them a prostitute, because they do sell their virginity and later become a mistress. But a geisha is an artist of outstanding class, hardly someone that'd sell sex.
boobookeys129 8 months ago 2
Oh god I couldn't wear this, I'd be so worried about tripping and destroying the lovely fabric. =(
JamDeity 8 months ago
Dear Camera-person,
Enough with awkward camera angels. Lets focus on the main attraction: the giesha. I don't give two-shits about being creative in this setting. Sit still or else.
TakaraSakura 8 months ago 3
I heard that way back then there were more layers?
xShadowxPhoenix 9 months ago
omg how do you go to the toilet with that on???
mychemicalrelapse 9 months ago
the camera person have issues ==
ShiroyamaEiri 9 months ago
I wonder how geishas feel...
MarijaBlueBG 9 months ago
Shocking camera work. No one wants to see the mirror stand. Or the floor. Especially when the woman is tying her obi, which is what I wanted to see :/
iheartroxy100 9 months ago
@iheartroxy100 I think that you haven't read what was at the written beginning? It is a raw version of something what supposed to be much shorter.
The camera work on this piece is very good- perfect for what it was destined for and I think that you are rude by saying otherwise.
JerNela 9 months ago
@JerNela I'm fully aware that this video is a raw version. But the cameraman has missed out some important shots, and its not just myself that has noticed. It could have been shot far more effectively, and I think its very unjustified of you to call me rude. Don't talk down to me like im an idiot. If you're happy with this camerawork then thats fine, you're entitled to your opinion, just as I'm entitled to mine.
iheartroxy100 9 months ago
@iheartroxy100 It's not a "maiko dress-up tutorial" and this is a perfect raw for the purposes that it was created for.
I am happy that it is here, that I can actually see one which is of dressing a real maiko- there is something to appreciate and not just judging like you do. Maybe you could give us something better to watch?
It's easy to critique if you are not a professional, or are you?
JerNela 9 months ago
@JerNela haha I'm not telling you anything about myself, you strange person. Nor am I lowering myself to fight with you, which for some bizarre reason you seem intent on. Let people have their own opinions. Now enough bitching, goodbye.
iheartroxy100 9 months ago
this is so cool! i didn't even know there WERE still geishas!
XxTwiPiresxX 9 months ago
the weight of this is enough for one kimono.. they would have to do a lot of training just to walk is this outfit.. they are truly amazing what they go through..
Arvuvu9 9 months ago
the camera operator needs to get a hit on the head xD Half of the time he shows her feet or something and zooms too much so you can't see what's really happening -.-
Freakshow2210 9 months ago 85
@Freakshow2210 I know :( I really wanted to see the full process of how it was tied at the back, but he was too busy filming the floor -.-" it was the same with the video of this Maiko putting on her make up.. spent forever filming her neck and hair
sophiejew 8 months ago
@Freakshow2210
This isn't a youtube vlog post where the webcam stays in one spot the whole time. This is cinematography, and cinematography is an art. The person filming is using artistic liberties to show the feeling of what is going on. He's not giving people a 'how-to' tutorial. it's understandable that people want to see the up-front version, but that's not how the director wanted people to view it.
hlppyhappy 6 months ago 3
Where can I get kimonos like that??? I really really want one!
nana32231 10 months ago
I can't even see how they fully dressed Maiko.
mallhaute 10 months ago 2
I think it's amazing that people think that geisha are prostitutes. Look at how long it takes her to put this on, and she needs someone else to do it, and then time doesn't even count her hair. Why in the world would she throw all that time away to have sex with someone? There wouldn't be anyone there to fix her up again.
allahexclamationmark 1 year ago 102
@allahexclamationmark
Some geisha houses in Japan used to be whore houses so the owner ( kinda like a pimp ) could pay off debts for gambling problems. But geisha's aren't really prostitutes.
rawrlz 8 months ago
@allahexclamationmark
Some geisha houses in Japan used to be whore houses so the owner ( kinda like a pimp ) could pay off debts for gambling problems. But geisha's aren't really prostitutes. I know I'd be pissed if I had to have my hair done, then go have sex with someone and spend a hour getting it redone. D:<
rawrlz 8 months ago
@allahexclamationmark I never thought of it that way before, but it makes perfect sense!
thudor1 6 months ago
@allahexclamationmark what is amazing when people think that geisha are prostitutes ??? It isn´t amazing.
EinAllesFreak 5 months ago
@EinAllesFreak I don't think this person means amazing like "oh this is awesome". You can also use the word to mean "it's incredibly odd".
Yuri92001 5 months ago
@Yuri92001 oh ok ... when you mean that
EinAllesFreak 5 months ago
Here are pictures of Kimika wearing that hikizuri last Kyo odori 2008 by Melissa Chase
flickr [dot] com/photos/mboogiedown/2550401577/
flickr [dot] com/photos/mboogiedown/5317756931/
ladyhendrix 1 year ago
@contortionist104 @SauryGirl1 Her name is Kimiryou, she's from the Honjou okiya of Miyagawa-chou
ladyhendrix 1 year ago
@ladyhendrix thanks, :)
SauryGirl1 1 year ago
Comment removed
ladyhendrix 1 year ago
It's amazing on how much those kimonos cost.they cost as much as a French couture gown
babyharryable 1 year ago
I feel weighed down just looking at her. It's so much silk and fabric she has to carry with her all day, but she does look elegant.
xlollipopyum 1 year ago
Why is her collar white? Isn't she a maiko?
hartycla 1 year ago
@hartycla
Very senior maiko. Higher up you go in training,m the collar gets more white with embroidery. She is not far off from Sakko(2 or so wks before becoming a Geiko) and then her Erikae(Day she'll debut as a geiko).
attackofdameepits 1 year ago
@hartycla You will se that her collar at the very back is some redish. but its right, a maiko close up to her erikae or a senior maiko will have less red in her collar..
SauryGirl1 1 year ago
i would have loved to se her smile one time...she is pretty dressed as geisha
RipleyNgr 1 year ago
That gung-ho posture in the beginning there looks so odd on a Maiko, lol.
Lindethiel 1 year ago
she walks so fast
hihikitty101 1 year ago
Her name is Kimiryo, she was in 1999 Kyo Odori programe.
YumikoAkazawa 1 year ago
@YumikoAkazawa Thanks, I guess I oversaw. Thank you thanks ...
SauryGirl1 1 year ago
Comment removed
YumikoAkazawa 1 year ago
She seems like a real maiko, but i cant find her in the 1999 kyo odori programe.
she seem sreal because she knows what to do, and when to hold the arms and when to move the legs etc...
so my best guesses would be she is a real maiko... well im still trying to find her name...
SauryGirl1 1 year ago
@SauryGirl1 She's real. Her kimono was worn by Kimika when she was still a maiko so I'm guessing the same yakata. The question is who is she?
ladyhendrix 1 year ago
@ladyhendrix Yeh you are right, i just know in my heart she was real..
I was looking trough the kyo odori programme and pictures but dident find her. lokked trought he one from 1999-2005 and its weird i dident saw her maybe i oversaw, but i looked closely.. When you or if you find out who she is i would be glad if you could name the name to me:)
SauryGirl1 1 year ago
@ladyhendrix
Kimika is from Miyagawa-cho, so this maiko is too then i guess
contortionist104 1 year ago
jeez she must be burning up with all those layers still though this has got to be the most elegant woman i have ever seen
acraftyperson 1 year ago
unliking of the shots... too many foot and face shots when in my opinion the camera should have been aimed at the knots of the kimono... sigh...
TravelingBones 1 year ago 3
I asked my four year old if she like the shoes, and she said they weren't shoes they were cupcakes!
Karmaslaugh 1 year ago 2
I believe geishas are the most elegant and beautiful women anyone could ever come across, When i see geisha and maiko, iv never seen such beauty and elegancey.
GothicBish 1 year ago 4
Even though the process is painful there is a beautiful end result.
xoxomaja27xoxo 1 year ago
Absolutely beautiful but DAMN, look at those those heels! I'd trip so bad in a second! Wow, wearing a kimono is a process in itself :)
mailee0515 1 year ago
I truly thank the person that took his time to have this on film, this was an amazing experience!!! Their is so many things about the geishas that intrigue me and this and the other four videos really taught me how to value art and beauty like this:) thanks so much:)
burner6662000 1 year ago
I am glad that I am going to kyoyo soon...
I wonder if I am going to try a Henshin in Kyoyo into a Maiko...I cannot drink or eat much before getting dressed...otherwise it would be difficult and impossible when one needs to go to the washroom with that kind of costume on...
smcccuhk 1 year ago
That's a lot of clothes... I wonder if they get hot during the heat. o_o
DaisyExodus 1 year ago
This maiko is an imitation
！
There are a lot of goods shops to become maiko in Kyoto.
It is common sense that a man binds Obi together as for the true maiko.
tmtmjdmtja 1 year ago
@tmtmjdmtja
This maiko is no imitation. You can tell because of the crest on her obi. Maikos usually have the crest of their okiya on their obis.
The shops where you can get a maiko-makeover don't have crests on the obis.
btw:
Just men becoming a hakoya (one kind of name for the people, who are helping a maiko/ geisha to get dressed) is very old fashioned... today, women are also able to learn this job
gothicgrapes 1 year ago
@gothicgrapes Some henshin studios have crested obis... and some even have real maiko dressers to help them knot the obi as a maiko wud. but this is offcourse a real maiko i saw pictures off her in the lyo odori :) shes really neautifull i just love her hikizuri :)
SauryGirl1 11 months ago
I wish we got tosee more of how to obi was put on.
MessedUpGrasshopper 1 year ago
@Sakurasaga Same. :)
MessedUpGrasshopper 1 year ago
Seeing exactly how many layers this maiko is wearing makes me much more impressed by their dance! That obi must be really heavy!
InkBleedsDeeper 1 year ago
The maiko was so thin and tiny before she got dressed. Now she's like normal. It seems one has to be very very thin to look good when wearing a kimono. I cannot imagine how it would look like if a thick person would wear a kimono.
madenkind 1 year ago
@madenkind well depends a heavier person needs less padding to wear a kimono so maybe better but the trick to wearing and looking good in a kimono is how the person holds themselves- the kimono is ment to give a person a cylinder like body image. hope that answers your question
shimizuchild101 1 year ago
@madenkind Remember that a maikos is usaly between the age of 15-20. so maikos is girls, girls dont always have the forms of a women okay.
and Japanese women is smaller then europeian and american women.
A geisha is usaly not this thin, because theyre elder.
But this is a beautiful maiko.. im trying to find her name...
SauryGirl1 1 year ago
I wanna go to japan so badd!
fishpineapple 1 year ago
This looks really good to be cut & placed into a film, but secretly I was hoping it'd be a bit more clear how they dress after watching this!
Even though it really wasn't, I'm still glad I watched it to the end because the clothing is stunning. I wish I could have been there. :-)
Marice91 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
she has no boobs at all!
TheMrcupcake 1 year ago
beautifull....this is rare...thanks for uploading it....
21haruki 1 year ago
It takes 14 minutes to dress a maiko?
madenkind 1 year ago
@madenkind yep))
KiPoroka 1 year ago
@madenkind Most of time, it takes longer!
MadDuckInc151 1 year ago
Dude! The camera man was actually pretty confused, he took way too much of the girl´s face, moved around way too much and missed out on some of the best shots where something was actually happening. If I did that for a twenty second sequence I would´ve used wider selections and detail on what was actually moving around.... I'd be in trouble at work with a selection like this....
mariajo17 1 year ago
I think the video is amazing and everything, but the camera guy is kind of missing some of the most important details when she was tying the obi...It was still a great video!
sokiandme 1 year ago
the camera is horrible! who the hell is the camera man? I don't care if he's work for whoever.... it's awful! It misses important views!! what a waste! find another camera man, this one is a moron!
ispiseco 1 year ago
@ispiseco which views (shots) are important depends entirely on the purpose of the footage. The camera man was nice enough to make the unedited version of this footage available to the public; It is sad how ungrateful everyone is being. He was looking for only about 2 min. worth of finished product and the finished product is not focused on this process at all. This is a rare glimpse of a process that none of us will ever get to see ourselves. It is a waste...to show this to such ingrates!
matapaloxxx 1 year ago
@matapaloxxx Thanks for the explanation, sorry for being ungrateful. Thanks for sharing the video then... Clearly the number of hits this video has, and the messages about the camera evidence there's an interest in the subject and that viewers are interested in learning more about the geisha dressing process. That's not bad... Viewers and people who post videos must be more tolerant and grateful to each other. None of them are perfect... neither are the videos.
ispiseco 1 year ago
i'm not a true historian of the Japanese culture, but for some reason the geisha is intriguing. And just watching what she has to go through as far as clothing is extraordinary. thank you for posting it was enjoyable.
darkestnight128 1 year ago
this is stunning..it just shows you how laboring and time consuming this is..down to the last detail. Its a shame this is a dying breed..I really love the Geisha..I have since I was a kid.
nekocatgirl 1 year ago
this looks complicated
bubbles02010 1 year ago
So...she's an apprentice and hasn't partaken in her mizuage yet...am I correct or am I backwards?
kelpieandbigwill 1 year ago
@kelpieandbigwill
No such thing anymore.
attackofdameepits 1 year ago
I knew it took a long time to get a maiko dressed but man no wonder!
Geisha it must take even longer!!
bleachbabe03 1 year ago
2:38 She got 4 feet?
judokajoyce 1 year ago
@judokajoyce Those are tabi socks. Google it
MoonEyes144 1 year ago
she[maiko] doesn't look too happy in the beginnig
geiko14 1 year ago
the camera man is a retard...no offense...
SOSbragade 1 year ago
This tradition is so beautiful
Surirygirl 1 year ago
A maiko indeed, the red under kimono is the proof. Only geisha/ geiko wear a white under kimono..
Rowena98675 1 year ago
XDDD The first image you get @ 02:28 ,of that Maiko arms crossed, almost tapping her foot waiting to be dressed is priceless!
akissy 1 year ago
this camera work is ridiculous
ih1dch8 1 year ago
who is this girl? why she is so pretty. i am envious of her beauty.
TheSexybabygirl32165 1 year ago
Beautiful.
It is wonderful to see a woman dress like one, unlike here in the usa where most woman are SLOBS.
dithbmine1 1 year ago
@dithbmine1
i wish people could see slobs as beautiful too. If guys could see fat lazy women as beautiful then there would be so much less pain in the world.
watusernameshudiuse 1 year ago 3
i found this amazing! i loev how it was shot. i felt like i was in the room watching! a neat kind of birds eye view. amazing how much goes into dressing and even the makeup. wow
lamrimeater 1 year ago