@CuteClayOrignials Actually the Maiko's kimono is called Hikizuri, Hiki means that it is worn trailing on the ground and normal kimono don't do that.. And they show a large part of the neck..
Geisha are not prostitutes. The term geisha is made of two kanji: gei, which is the character for “art”; and sha, the character for “person” or “doer".
They can play traditional Japanese instruments, sing, dance, hold intelligent and meaningful conversation, make Japanese flower arrangements called ikebana, perform a tea ceremony, write poetry, and other such traditional Japanese arts.
I was a Geisha for Halloween last year and I learned how to do the make-up right by looking at real Geisha's. They are just so beautiful and I think it would be an honor to be one:D
memoirs of a geisha isnt a load of crap its a novel its all about the imagination the author had he never said any of it was true i love the novel and the movie so dont talk bad about arthur golden!!!
I'm curious; what if a person were to use the follow the basic guidelines (V/W shape at the back of the neck, etc), to near the exact letter, but rather than use colors such as the red and the yellow, they left it out for their own skin tone for the color itself? Would that be seen as disrespectful?
@blueipodgal94 Yes, in the first part of the video I show a photo of the makeup done incorrectly and then a picture of it done correctly back and forth so people can compare.
If you all want 2 know the truth about Geisha then get a library card and go read a BOOK! And no I don't mean Arthur Golden's: "Memoirs of a Geisha" because that's a load of crap. Read a book by Liza Dalby or Lesley Downer. They wrote books on Geisha and their lives that is all fact. Their books are not novels. Or read a book by an actual Geisha like Mineko Iwasaki or Kyoko Aihara! Stop relying on Wikipedia 4 all of your info and please stop fighting when you don't even know what's what!!
@KatjasHumanoid483 I have read Geisha by Liza Dalby. I've learned much about real Japanese culture by reading her books. I would say I made this video partly to try to undo some of the damage that Arthur Golden's book has done. Besides, this page isn't about becoming a Geisha, it's about how people who think they are dressing up as geisha when in reality they look like something else entirely.
Yes, I undrestand that. I have been studying Geisha for awhile myself. I even cosplayed as a Maiko for an Anime convention this year. I also know what I'm talking about.
Also, it isn't a matter of my information. I am a kimono enthusiast, not a journalist and the comment I made was based on the information provided to me. I made one observation based on what may be sensationalism considering what I have been told by native Japanese since having written the comment. Do you mean to say it is "dangerous" to point out perceived discrimination or "dangerous" to unknowingly share incorrect information?
@aoiahiru My comment was not about the level or area of damage in Japan. My comment was about the wrongness of devoting more attention to one event then another simply because of the country it occurred in and how I believe such racism could be remedied by education. If the local news has indeed been exaggerating the scale of the event and still paying unequal attention to it then it only adds to the wrongness.
I agree with you. I love this culture, I love geishas, Japan, every bit of it, and I can't stand how people can think their were mere 'prostitutes' or give them no importance...
@claudialovin True true. I can't help but notice that even though the tsunami is pretty much destroying most of Japan (floods, fires, radiation) the local news hasn't paid nearly as much attention to it as they did to 9/11 which, as tragic as it was, couldn't have possibly killed and injured as many people. Maybe I'm misinterpreting the situation but that's the impression that I get.
@claudialovin I agree 100%. Most people thin they know everything about Maiko and Geisha/Geiko just from watching a "certian" movie, and reading a "certian" book. As well as reading lies on the internet, written by said people; Sadly, this is a war that we will loose TT.TT. People would rather believe what they have been told by media than the truth.
@MsUsagi007 I understand what you mean, but I think it's helpful for people to understand that there's more to the Geisha look then just painting your face red and white. Some people don't know the difference between the original and the halloween stuff.
@KimonoHire your first 2 'wrong' examples are Kabuki - Geisha are closely associated with Kabuki so those 2 women didn't pull that red eye-makeup out of their asses. They just didn't do traditional Geisha.
@happytobreath I never said there was anything wrong with the red eye make up. A small amount is almost always used in the geisha look. My problem is with how they made it into "face paint" as if it were part of a costume rather then make up as if part of an outfit. Even if you excuse how heavy they went with the red make up you can't ignore the fact that they didn't put any make up on their necks.
@KimonoHire Kabuki = drama/dance "theater"; Geisha are closely associated with Kabuki & often marry Kabuki actors. The eyes & lips on the first 2 women are Kabuki - traditional Geisha make-up you apply lipstick to the inside of the lip & try to make the lips look as small as possible. Kabuki, you do what those 2 women did & make the lipstick most prominent in the center.
In traditional Geisha, the covered neck is obvious so I doubt they "missed" it. I say They did Geisha "inspired" make-up.
@KimonoHire Kabuki = Japanese drama/dance theatre; Geisha are closely associated & sometimes marry Kabuki actors. First 2 women had Kabuki eyes & lips - in traditional Geisha, you paint the inside of the lip to make it look as small as possible. In Kabuki, you paint the center of the lips like those 2 women did.
The white Geisha neck is hard to miss - I doubt those 2 women didn't see it. It looks to me like they did Geisha-inspired make-up instead of traditional Geisha.
@happytobreath The fact that they think they can mish-mash the two as if they are the same is the problem. It's simply a cultural misrepresentation. I would also say I have personally known people who thought the make up only went on the face.
Actually they're not necessarily making "mistakes" some of those women you put up were clearly just putting their own spin on the look, that doesn't make what they did incorrect, it's just not accurate or traditional. Furthermore the "little bowed lip" is not a myth, it's just not a trait of young Geisha. The younger girls only wore red on their lower lip, while the more senior Geisha would paint on their lower lip, and half way up the top lip. The older Geisha wore red on their whole lips.
Final the W shape at the back of the neck that you have shown is not the "usual" it is considered far more formal, and is used for such event that they will be attending. Where the V shape is used for more casual events. The culture surrounding the Geisha is very interesting and fun to read about. But like I said, you are showing examples of the traditional, and conservative Geisha makeup. Styles that deviate are not wrong, just not accurate.
@AyanaLinval People have said this, but that is a completely different process to putting lipstic on only the centre of the lip.
Yes, I recognise that people come up with their own versions, but the way they do it more often then not reveals a basic ignorance of the original, and merely a steriotyped impression. I clearly state in the video that there are variations but these should be built on research and understanding.
@Kkyyrruu I've looked at many photos of true Geisha make up and there seem to be some who only cover the bottom lip and some who cover the whole lips, but I've never seen any that cover the whole bottom lip and only partly cover the top. But then maybe you've seen a local variation.
@GothicBish That is because of the seniority of the Maiko, Maiko who work less then a year paint only their lower lip and as soon she works longer then a year she'll paint her upperlip too :)
@contortionist104 I already knew that. I've know that for a while. I wasnt talking about the Maiko. I was talking about Geisha. They dont completely color their full lips that i know of.
1:03 uhm no it is not a myth , just don't make it too small, also if a maiko is still a Junior" i guess you could say, they may only do the bottom lip
@childrenofmaiden25 Well I didn't intend this video to be about how a geisha would neccesarily do it all the time. I have noticed they have their variations etc. but I meant this video to help people understand the geisha aesthetic and help them to see geisha more as people and less as a characature.
@childrenofmaiden25 Yes, what I meant to say was that it doesn't go all over the back of the neck. I wasn't very specific in the video about which ones were right and which ones were wrong because I thought it would be self evident.
@LunaraSilvermane I didn't intend this video to be about how a geisha would do it all the time. I have noticed they have their variations etc. I meant to help people understand the geisha aesthetic and help them to see geisha more as people and less as a characature.
Only maiko or apprentice Geisha because they had their hair done up, so you can see where the paint stops and her hairline begins, but full fledged Geisha wore wigs which covered the bare skin before their hairline started.
@osuushiza8 Yes, those were my examples of real ones. Maybe I should have been more specific, I sort of thought the real ones were very discernable from the fakes, especially with my descriptions. Redux?
@osuushiza8 Sorry, I got two Youtube memberships. I'm thinking maybe I should re-do the video so it's easier to understand which ones are the good ones and which ones are the bad ones.
@LoveSpike93 Yes, even on youtube there are some tutorials that aren't so gruesome. If you have a look around you can see what sort of look you want. If you look closely even Geisha have different looks, all I meant in the video is that some people tend to try to imitate what they THINK it looks like, instead of trying to reflect the graceful essence of the look.
This is a great vid! I hate people screwing up the Geisha look, it's blasphemy to me. A girl went as a "geisha" (using the term EVER so lightly) to a convention just past and it was terrible. It had fail written all over it.
She wore artificial flowers in her hair (very cheap ones), chopsticks as well, wore a very informal kimono of blue squares and her make-up was horrible. It was whiter in the creases of her face and she had circles of red blush on her cheeks. >.<
@DraculasHotBride Please! But the way you described it (about the artificial flowers and all) it seems to me that she was using Michelle Phan's tutorial (watch?v=cDUlcgDfYTo). What do you think?
@Hoyhhh Yeah, it does look a little like that. I know Michelle's tutorial was "inspired" but this girl posted on our con's Facebook page that she was coming as a geisha and some people were like "OMG, that's gonna be amazing!" and I just thought "...Yeah, if it's done right. >.>"
@DraculasHotBride More troubleingly she may not have been dressed as a Geisha. Some people think all Japanese women look like that and/or assume that all kimono wearers have to be Geisha!
I've felt this way too! Why do people have to take something pretty and dignified and turn it into something from outer space just because they don't understand it?
They were actually listed as Geisha makeup! But I do think that's why people make these mistakes, they see the Cantonese Opera makeup and think that that's okay for geisha too. If anything, my video will help people identify which is which.
I think that 0:13 is a makeup that you would see in the traditional Chinese opera. It's not meant to be a geisha look.
ttuanmu 1 day ago
Nice Video , Best Wishes
khatpandwa 3 days ago
@CuteClayOrignials Actually the Maiko's kimono is called Hikizuri, Hiki means that it is worn trailing on the ground and normal kimono don't do that.. And they show a large part of the neck..
contortionist104 2 months ago
What were geisha's?
boredom847 2 months ago
Geisha are not prostitutes. The term geisha is made of two kanji: gei, which is the character for “art”; and sha, the character for “person” or “doer".
They can play traditional Japanese instruments, sing, dance, hold intelligent and meaningful conversation, make Japanese flower arrangements called ikebana, perform a tea ceremony, write poetry, and other such traditional Japanese arts.
LeighAnne1029 2 months ago
I was a Geisha for Halloween last year and I learned how to do the make-up right by looking at real Geisha's. They are just so beautiful and I think it would be an honor to be one:D
Geisha's RULE!
Naticpeebody 4 months ago
@CuteClayOrignials i wish i remembered what i was really refering to :o
childrenofmaiden25 4 months ago
beautiful
babypocho 4 months ago
@CuteClayOrignials Leaving the shapes to show the real skin.
Dinker27 4 months ago
memoirs of a geisha isnt a load of crap its a novel its all about the imagination the author had he never said any of it was true i love the novel and the movie so dont talk bad about arthur golden!!!
missmilan11 7 months ago 4
I'm curious; what if a person were to use the follow the basic guidelines (V/W shape at the back of the neck, etc), to near the exact letter, but rather than use colors such as the red and the yellow, they left it out for their own skin tone for the color itself? Would that be seen as disrespectful?
Dinker27 7 months ago
0:48 Oo She looks like Michael Jackson !
TheKamatarie 8 months ago
AMEN sista
SweetRanma2008 8 months ago
actually the second image is correct geisha makeup its supposed to be on the neck and the brows and eyes are correct too
blueipodgal94 9 months ago 4
@blueipodgal94 Yes, in the first part of the video I show a photo of the makeup done incorrectly and then a picture of it done correctly back and forth so people can compare.
KimonoHire 8 months ago 9
If you all want 2 know the truth about Geisha then get a library card and go read a BOOK! And no I don't mean Arthur Golden's: "Memoirs of a Geisha" because that's a load of crap. Read a book by Liza Dalby or Lesley Downer. They wrote books on Geisha and their lives that is all fact. Their books are not novels. Or read a book by an actual Geisha like Mineko Iwasaki or Kyoko Aihara! Stop relying on Wikipedia 4 all of your info and please stop fighting when you don't even know what's what!!
KatjasHumanoid483 9 months ago 12
@KatjasHumanoid483 I have read Geisha by Liza Dalby. I've learned much about real Japanese culture by reading her books. I would say I made this video partly to try to undo some of the damage that Arthur Golden's book has done. Besides, this page isn't about becoming a Geisha, it's about how people who think they are dressing up as geisha when in reality they look like something else entirely.
KimonoHire 9 months ago 3
@KimonoHire
Yes, I undrestand that. I have been studying Geisha for awhile myself. I even cosplayed as a Maiko for an Anime convention this year. I also know what I'm talking about.
KatjasHumanoid483 9 months ago
@KatjasHumanoid483 ''Memoirs of a Geisha'' is actually based on an interview that Arthurs Golden had with Mineko Iwasaki. It's only fiction.
Redydoo 2 months ago
@Redydoo
No shit...I said that in one of my earlier comments!
KatjasHumanoid483 2 months ago
Also, it isn't a matter of my information. I am a kimono enthusiast, not a journalist and the comment I made was based on the information provided to me. I made one observation based on what may be sensationalism considering what I have been told by native Japanese since having written the comment. Do you mean to say it is "dangerous" to point out perceived discrimination or "dangerous" to unknowingly share incorrect information?
KimonoHire 9 months ago
@aoiahiru My comment was not about the level or area of damage in Japan. My comment was about the wrongness of devoting more attention to one event then another simply because of the country it occurred in and how I believe such racism could be remedied by education. If the local news has indeed been exaggerating the scale of the event and still paying unequal attention to it then it only adds to the wrongness.
KimonoHire 9 months ago
I love the music<3 :)
Mizugetsu94 9 months ago
I agree with you. I love this culture, I love geishas, Japan, every bit of it, and I can't stand how people can think their were mere 'prostitutes' or give them no importance...
Great video
claudialovin 11 months ago 38
@claudialovin True true. I can't help but notice that even though the tsunami is pretty much destroying most of Japan (floods, fires, radiation) the local news hasn't paid nearly as much attention to it as they did to 9/11 which, as tragic as it was, couldn't have possibly killed and injured as many people. Maybe I'm misinterpreting the situation but that's the impression that I get.
KimonoHire 11 months ago
@claudialovin I agree 100%. Most people thin they know everything about Maiko and Geisha/Geiko just from watching a "certian" movie, and reading a "certian" book. As well as reading lies on the internet, written by said people; Sadly, this is a war that we will loose TT.TT. People would rather believe what they have been told by media than the truth.
Kuronekogirl784 10 months ago
some of the people with allot of red also just recreated the geisha look in a modern way that they liked
MsUsagi007 11 months ago
@MsUsagi007 I understand what you mean, but I think it's helpful for people to understand that there's more to the Geisha look then just painting your face red and white. Some people don't know the difference between the original and the halloween stuff.
KimonoHire 11 months ago
some of those look more like kabuki make-up - that's probably what the women who used lots of red around their eyes were going for
happytobreath 1 year ago
@happytobreath I got all those pictures by typing "Geisha Makeup" in Google Images.
KimonoHire 1 year ago
@KimonoHire your first 2 'wrong' examples are Kabuki - Geisha are closely associated with Kabuki so those 2 women didn't pull that red eye-makeup out of their asses. They just didn't do traditional Geisha.
happytobreath 1 year ago
@happytobreath I never said there was anything wrong with the red eye make up. A small amount is almost always used in the geisha look. My problem is with how they made it into "face paint" as if it were part of a costume rather then make up as if part of an outfit. Even if you excuse how heavy they went with the red make up you can't ignore the fact that they didn't put any make up on their necks.
KimonoHire 1 year ago
@KimonoHire Kabuki = drama/dance "theater"; Geisha are closely associated with Kabuki & often marry Kabuki actors. The eyes & lips on the first 2 women are Kabuki - traditional Geisha make-up you apply lipstick to the inside of the lip & try to make the lips look as small as possible. Kabuki, you do what those 2 women did & make the lipstick most prominent in the center.
In traditional Geisha, the covered neck is obvious so I doubt they "missed" it. I say They did Geisha "inspired" make-up.
happytobreath 1 year ago
@KimonoHire Kabuki = Japanese drama/dance theatre; Geisha are closely associated & sometimes marry Kabuki actors. First 2 women had Kabuki eyes & lips - in traditional Geisha, you paint the inside of the lip to make it look as small as possible. In Kabuki, you paint the center of the lips like those 2 women did.
The white Geisha neck is hard to miss - I doubt those 2 women didn't see it. It looks to me like they did Geisha-inspired make-up instead of traditional Geisha.
happytobreath 1 year ago
@happytobreath The fact that they think they can mish-mash the two as if they are the same is the problem. It's simply a cultural misrepresentation. I would also say I have personally known people who thought the make up only went on the face.
KimonoHire 11 months ago
Actually they're not necessarily making "mistakes" some of those women you put up were clearly just putting their own spin on the look, that doesn't make what they did incorrect, it's just not accurate or traditional. Furthermore the "little bowed lip" is not a myth, it's just not a trait of young Geisha. The younger girls only wore red on their lower lip, while the more senior Geisha would paint on their lower lip, and half way up the top lip. The older Geisha wore red on their whole lips.
AyanaLinval 1 year ago
Final the W shape at the back of the neck that you have shown is not the "usual" it is considered far more formal, and is used for such event that they will be attending. Where the V shape is used for more casual events. The culture surrounding the Geisha is very interesting and fun to read about. But like I said, you are showing examples of the traditional, and conservative Geisha makeup. Styles that deviate are not wrong, just not accurate.
AyanaLinval 1 year ago
@AyanaLinval People have said this, but that is a completely different process to putting lipstic on only the centre of the lip.
Yes, I recognise that people come up with their own versions, but the way they do it more often then not reveals a basic ignorance of the original, and merely a steriotyped impression. I clearly state in the video that there are variations but these should be built on research and understanding.
KimonoHire 1 year ago
Actually a Geisha doesn't color her whole top lip. She does the whole bottom one but not the top, fully.
Kkyyrruu 1 year ago
@Kkyyrruu I've looked at many photos of true Geisha make up and there seem to be some who only cover the bottom lip and some who cover the whole lips, but I've never seen any that cover the whole bottom lip and only partly cover the top. But then maybe you've seen a local variation.
KimonoHire 1 year ago
@KimonoHire Really? Cuz most REAL Geishas ive seen dident have full lips.
GothicBish 1 year ago
@GothicBish That is because of the seniority of the Maiko, Maiko who work less then a year paint only their lower lip and as soon she works longer then a year she'll paint her upperlip too :)
contortionist104 1 year ago
@contortionist104 I already knew that. I've know that for a while. I wasnt talking about the Maiko. I was talking about Geisha. They dont completely color their full lips that i know of.
GothicBish 1 year ago
@GothicBish As far as i know Geiko (Kyoto Geiko) do paint both their lips. Might be in other Geisha districs outside Kyoto
contortionist104 1 year ago
@Kkyyrruu It's the Maiko (trainee) who paints only the lower lip. The Geisha would color both top & bottom lip.
happytobreath 1 year ago
I find this very entertaining thank you for making such a good video. :D
kagyasha506 1 year ago
@kagyasha506 No worries :) all I said was what I'd observed.
KimonoHire 1 year ago
1:03 uhm no it is not a myth , just don't make it too small, also if a maiko is still a Junior" i guess you could say, they may only do the bottom lip
childrenofmaiden25 1 year ago
@childrenofmaiden25 Well I didn't intend this video to be about how a geisha would neccesarily do it all the time. I have noticed they have their variations etc. but I meant this video to help people understand the geisha aesthetic and help them to see geisha more as people and less as a characature.
KimonoHire 1 year ago
that was most likely a maiko in training 0:45
childrenofmaiden25 1 year ago
@childrenofmaiden25 Oh yes, the image at 42 is meant to be an example of how it is meant to be done.
KimonoHire 1 year ago
uhm the white makeup does go down the neck
childrenofmaiden25 1 year ago
@childrenofmaiden25 Yes, what I meant to say was that it doesn't go all over the back of the neck. I wasn't very specific in the video about which ones were right and which ones were wrong because I thought it would be self evident.
KimonoHire 1 year ago
Actually Geisha used to have skin showing around the white, it made it look like a mask.
LunaraSilvermane 1 year ago 11
@LunaraSilvermane I didn't intend this video to be about how a geisha would do it all the time. I have noticed they have their variations etc. I meant to help people understand the geisha aesthetic and help them to see geisha more as people and less as a characature.
KimonoHire 1 year ago
@LunaraSilvermane
Only maiko or apprentice Geisha because they had their hair done up, so you can see where the paint stops and her hairline begins, but full fledged Geisha wore wigs which covered the bare skin before their hairline started.
KatjasHumanoid483 9 months ago
For some odd reason, I liked the 2nd one...
0:48 O.o x(
1:00 is pretty too.
Great video. ;)
osuushiza8 1 year ago
@osuushiza8 Yes, those were my examples of real ones. Maybe I should have been more specific, I sort of thought the real ones were very discernable from the fakes, especially with my descriptions. Redux?
shonaisapunkrocker 1 year ago
@shonaisapunkrocker
Redux? Huh!?
osuushiza8 1 year ago
@osuushiza8 Sorry, I got two Youtube memberships. I'm thinking maybe I should re-do the video so it's easier to understand which ones are the good ones and which ones are the bad ones.
shonaisapunkrocker 1 year ago
@shonaisapunkrocker
I thought it was good though. (:
osuushiza8 1 year ago
@osuushiza8 Thanks!
KimonoHire 1 year ago
@UncleBobIsAngry there is a video of a geisha putting true geisha makeup in Kyoto, I think the user's name was " ayabaya " :)
LoveSpike93 1 year ago
@LoveSpike93 Yes, even on youtube there are some tutorials that aren't so gruesome. If you have a look around you can see what sort of look you want. If you look closely even Geisha have different looks, all I meant in the video is that some people tend to try to imitate what they THINK it looks like, instead of trying to reflect the graceful essence of the look.
shonaisapunkrocker 1 year ago
Where can I get a video of geisha make up? The real one not the ones douchebags use as halloween masks.
UncleBobIsAngry 1 year ago
This is a great vid! I hate people screwing up the Geisha look, it's blasphemy to me. A girl went as a "geisha" (using the term EVER so lightly) to a convention just past and it was terrible. It had fail written all over it.
She wore artificial flowers in her hair (very cheap ones), chopsticks as well, wore a very informal kimono of blue squares and her make-up was horrible. It was whiter in the creases of her face and she had circles of red blush on her cheeks. >.<
DraculasHotBride 1 year ago
@DraculasHotBride I can give you the pic for lulz and to ward people off of it if you like. :D
DraculasHotBride 1 year ago
@DraculasHotBride Ooh! Please!
shonaisapunkrocker 1 year ago
@DraculasHotBride Please! But the way you described it (about the artificial flowers and all) it seems to me that she was using Michelle Phan's tutorial (watch?v=cDUlcgDfYTo). What do you think?
Hoyhhh 1 year ago
@Hoyhhh Yeah, it does look a little like that. I know Michelle's tutorial was "inspired" but this girl posted on our con's Facebook page that she was coming as a geisha and some people were like "OMG, that's gonna be amazing!" and I just thought "...Yeah, if it's done right. >.>"
DraculasHotBride 1 year ago
@DraculasHotBride More troubleingly she may not have been dressed as a Geisha. Some people think all Japanese women look like that and/or assume that all kimono wearers have to be Geisha!
shonaisapunkrocker 1 year ago
its about time some made a vid for this thanks
gardengeisha 1 year ago 2
I've felt this way too! Why do people have to take something pretty and dignified and turn it into something from outer space just because they don't understand it?
KimonoHire 1 year ago
@KimonoHire for halloween?
herminiaz 1 year ago
@herminiaz For any occation!
shonaisapunkrocker 1 year ago
great video!
makeitup08 2 years ago
Some of the makeup you show are Chinese Opera makeups....I know I was made up as one!
geishastace 2 years ago
They were actually listed as Geisha makeup! But I do think that's why people make these mistakes, they see the Cantonese Opera makeup and think that that's okay for geisha too. If anything, my video will help people identify which is which.
KimonoHire 2 years ago