I Was The Imbecile Who Chased After Geisha in Japan

A geisha is a Japanese hostess trained to entertain patrons with conversation and performance.

Chasing Geisha in Gion, Kyoto

What I knew about Geisha then was limited, based solely on Michelle Yeoh’s hit movie Memoirs of a Geisha. I tried to read the book, but couldn’t finish it. But a few hours earlier, a Japanese taxi driver suggested going to the Gion area in Kyoto if we wanted to spot a Geisha; I thought it was a great idea. So there we were, standing in a dark alley after hours, with cameras in our hands.

We, the three girls standing side by side in silence, each holding a camera, were super focused on spotting and snapping a picture of a Geisha. As if they were a natural phenomenon.

Minutes later, we did. We saw a geisha from one of those wooden houses on Hanami-koji street. She was wearing her full make-up and a black kimono with an intricate design. She floated gracefully in the traditional Japanese shoe, Geta.

I was ready to press the shutter button on the camera to snap a picture as she was nipping beside me when I stopped midair.

WTF was I doing?

The lady looked distressed. I was disrespecting her and the Japanese culture. I could do so many other things to experience Japanese culture. From soaking naked in onset to eating raw chicken, I chose to ignore the woman’s privacy!

As an Indonesian-born Indian, I grew up being treated like her almost daily. But unfortunately, I should have known better, and I didn’t.

I put down my camera and picked up the hotel’s Japanese guidebook to learn more about Geisha later that night.

Does that mean you shouldn’t see Geisha in Japan?

If you are curious about Geisha, from their art and fashion to their role in Japanese culture, you can always learn more about them in the right ways.

You could watch Kabuki. Kabuki is a classical Japanese dance drama performed in a theatre famous for the elaborate make-up worn by the performers. We ended up watching Kabuki the next day, ticking off a bucket list item.

Or if you want a direct experience with a Geisha, you can always visit restaurants in Kyoto. Some of them offer a Dinner with a Geisha experience. Be sure you have the money for it.

But please don’t be another ignorant fool like I was before, chasing them with a camera in hand to satisfy our curiosity.

Follow me on Instagram @KultureKween for more recent updates.