Maiko Training 5/7

Kotoha's Hiki-iwai, or retirement.

When you retire you go with an Otokoshi to the Ochaya and Okiya and thank the owners for their time and patronage.

In the past it used to be tradition to give a gift of red rice (O-sekihan) and white rice (Shiroi-gohan) with beans in a lacquered box,red symbolizing the flower and willow world and the white is the outside world. It insures that one day you might return to the profession. If you would just send all white rice that means that you will not be returning. But they no longer practice that any longer.

Nowadays they will usually send some kind of gift and the little paper triangle with their geiko name and real name written on it.

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Entertainment

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• geisha
• geiko
• maiko
• training
• documentary

[SuperShinkazu]

Does the triangle of paper says her real name? Could anyone translate it? I'd like so much to know her name.

[osbourn16]

@SuperShinkazu Her name is Risa Osaka.

[saphiredewdrop]

If they retire nowadays, they can return?

[xmeimi]

@DarkOnyx98

omg. you're so right. I ALWAYS think of that. xD It's too funny to forget.

[DarkOnyx98]

when seeing a maiko or geiko cry while having their make up on, cant help but think of the scene from Memoirs where Okasan tells Pumpkin "quit crying, or your face will run" LOL makes me chuckle when I see that scene.

[jojiojp]

@princehitsuka kotoha retired in order to get married

[princehitsuka]

why did kotoha retire?

[HanatoKobatochan]

Thanks for posting this. Kotoha is my absolute favorite, I hope she returns one day T-T

[gardengeisha]

the white paper triangles are official announcements saying that a geisha is retiring