Edo (Tokyo) GEISHA ,1985 - 2002 color

The Edo geisha developed separately from their Kyoto equivalents, who are more well known in the West. Their basic philosophies of life differ and although they celebrate the same traditional Japanese festivals and seasonal events their ways of doing so are different.

They first started during the Edo Period in the Yoshiwara Pleasure Grounds in Tokyo, formerly called Edo. This was the area where the courtesans, known as "Oiran", worked and lived. The geisha entertained the guests by singing, dancing and playing music while they ate and drank, before they met the courtesan, or Oiran. They subsequently moved out from Yoshiwara to many other districts of Edo where they lived and worked as 'Machi Geisha' (Town Geisha), who were highly skilled dancers. Fukugawa was the most well known of these districts, and the geisha from there were known as Tatsumi Geisha.

They were leaders of fashion in Edo at the time and adopted a clean-cut style of dress and manner, sometimes even wearing the male 'haori' coat and going without 'tabi' socks in winter. And it was by them that the concept of 'iki' was created. 'Iki' is an aesthetic philosophy based on a sense of beauty where outward display is muted, even though there is deep feeling within. The practice of this philosophy extends from ways of expressing emotion through to style of dress.

Later on the focus moved to the Yanagibashi area which was ranked highest among the districts. In present day Tokyo there are many geisha communities, but the best known are in the Shinbashi, Kagurazaka, Yoshi-cho, and Asakusa areas. These communities are still trying to preserve the old Edo geisha ways but the traditions are gradually becoming more difficult to maintain, just as the old wooden buildings in the areas where they live are being knocked down and replaced with concrete blocks.

Since 1985 I have been photographing geisha in the districts that represent the Tokyo Geisha community.

The approximately 60,000 color and 100 black and white photos show the geisha - their customs, etiquette, seasonal ceremonies, and their main work in the Ozashiki salons and theater performances, and training. I took the photographs with the intention of respecting their privacy and also without once staging even a single scene.

This document shows the generations of geisha, from those born in the Meiji period (1868 - 1912) who passed on the traditions of the Edo period, to the present day geisha, who are changing to suit the times. I am confident that it reveals the true heart of the geisha women.

Future intentions: from this year on, I am intending to photograph the main geisha communities all over Japan from the Gion district of Kyoto, through Osaka and on.

yoko yamamoto
( translated by Madeleine A. Harrington)