Geisha: then and now. Part 2. Duties of a Geisha

Today we continue studying the history of Geisha. Last time I said that men were the first geisha. They entertained their masters and were perfectly trained. However, women began to occupy their positions.

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My previous post - Geisha: then and now. Part 1. Taikomochi

What does a geisha do, that she is paid serious money?

1. Games

Konpira fune fune - drinking game

The players get the sake cup off the table in turn. If the cup is in place, you need to show a fist, if not - an open palm. The one who is wrong first should drink sake, then the game continues again. During the game, the next song is sung:

Konpira funefune oite ni hokakete
syura syusyu syu
mawareba sikokuha sansyu
naka no gouri zouzusan
Konpira Daigongen
ichido mawareba
Konpira funefune oiteni hokakete
syura syusyu syu

Tora Tora Tora (Tiger, Tiger, Tiger)

This game is like "stone, paper, and scissors." Two geisha are on both sides of the screen, remaining visible to the audience, but is hidden from each other.

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Each of them depicts one of the three characters - the old woman who wins the hunter, the hunter who wins the tiger, and the tiger that wins the old woman.

2. Dance perfomance

Their dance always had a sacred meaning. It was a minimum of facial expressions and great meaning in every movement. The art of Japanese dance is very important for a geisha. It gives them grace. Japanese dance is not like the European dance. This is a change of graceful poses full of meaning. Also, Japanese dance can be called pantomime. If you learn to read symbolic poses, then the dance will become an interesting story for you. The dance can be both cheerful and sad.

My favorite dance from Memoirs of Geisha - Snow Dance:

Dance can carry a sexy tint. An oriental man knows the meaning of all the movements of a geisha. She can arouse him, or maybe calm him down.

3. Tea ceremony

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The tea ceremony is the main secret of a geisha as well as her main task. In the process of the tea ceremony, she should entertain the man with intelligent conversations, practically on any topic and maintain the atmosphere of celebration and fun at traditional Japanese banquets. During the tea ceremony, she not only talks to a man but also dances, sings, plays a dramatic or funny scene, plays a three-stringed instrument.