Taste of Japan in Seattle, シアトルでは日本の味

On the uncut lawn
A bloodbath of flower petals
Naked limbs weeping

So this post breaks from the norm a little. I hope you don't mind too much!

I went to Seattle last week and stopped in at a shop called Sake Nomi. My first visit was a little brief, long enough to taste some of the Sake and purchase my favorite. While I was there I was invited back by the owner, Johnnie. (Why I don't know, I'm really not that nice a fellow!)

At any rate, I went back and had a great time. Another patron was there and we spent the evening talking Japan and watching a few movie clips on the big screen. Oh, and not to mention.... DRINKING SAKE of course!

So here's why I bring this up. This is the first time I've discussed any businesses on the blog. And it isn't something I will do often. However, this is one I think is worth mentioning. Johnnie was and excellent host and his store is top rate. Makes me want to open one in Spokane!

I was very impressed by the amount of Sake he had on display, Everything from Iwate, Kyoto, to Hyogo. Needless to say I didn't have enough money.

I enjoy going to Seattle and make sure to stop at Uwajimaya and Kinokuniya any time I am in town. I am happy to make Sake Nomi on of my staple stops whenever I'm there. It's easy to get to right off of Pioneer Square within walking distance of the Stadiums. Should you be in the area I would definitely recommend it. It certainly sports the largest Sake inventory in the state, if not the region including British Columbia.

Anyway, Check it out. Here's the link to Sake Nomi's homepage:

Sake Nomi

Here's a link to a map too.

Enjoy! 5$ gets you an excellent sampling of Sake! Have some on me... Ah heck, 5 bucks is nothing, you can handle it yourself!




All photo's, original works, and comments are my personal property. Please be respectful of the effort I've taken.

Your comments are welcome, be polite:
No throwing pebbles in my pool of zen.

Geisha 3, Gion Kyoto 京都市の祇園区の芸者です

In a floating Dream
The river keeps passing by
Pausing on a bridge

漂う夢の中
川が通って続ける
橋で待ている

So I left a few unanswered questions on my previous posts. I want to wrap up my posts on Geisha as best I can. I may re-visit them in the future, but before I move on I want to hit a few more topics.

I think in my previous post I mentioned that Kyoto Geisha have made themselves synonymous with Kyoto. When someone thinks of Kyoto, the image of a Geisha comes to mind and the names Gion and Pontocho all come to mind.

As can be imagined Geisha from different locations in Japan all have different standards, practices, and living arrangements. For instance, Tokyo Geisha will live in their own apartments and commute to their place of work every day. Kyoto Geisha however, continue to live in homes with their fellow Geisha.

Kyoto Geisha tend to have a very formal hierarchy with the pinnacle being the Okaasan or Mother of the house. Traditionally Geisha would grow up in the house and learn the music, songs, dance, and etiquette from a very early age. Geisha could be sold into the house, but more commonly were born into the home.

In more recent years the pool of candidates is quite smaller than before. The even rise of economic wealth in Japan has made the trade of Geisha less enticing (necessary) to the average prospect. Geisha of Kyoto (Pontocho specifically) have several years of apprenticeship (as a Maiko) followed by their initiation as Geisha. There is no formal expectation that the prospect will remain following the apprenticeship. The former practice of 12 year olds beginning their training as servants has been replaced by Geisha houses wooing 17 year olds into the trade. Oftentimes using high profile events with celebrities as selling point, pg45.

Geisha Communities which had once thrived have decreased as Japanese Society has changed. Osaka's practicing Geisha population is set at a few dozen women. In Kyoto the estimated numbers are 80 Maiko and 200 Geisha, pg xix. Each Geisha district in Kyoto attempts to attract prospective Maiko with its own special 'flavor', Dance, music, etc. pg xxi. The prospects may come from all over Japan, even e-mailing the Okaasan directly, xxi. Nowadays, Meiko may sign up for a year's apprenticeship and then decide to stay, making the commitment to become a Geisha, "A girl does not need to feel she is signing up for the rest of her working life." (xxii.)

One attraction that the Geisha world offers prospective Maiko is the training in refined social interaction. Some women specifically seek out the training looking for the opportunity to add the experience to a resume.

Still however, it is a serious commitment. Young women are expected to live in communal houses, giving up their privacy. Wear their own hair in traditional (and uncomfortable) styles. Sleep on wooden pillows, and wear a 40+ lb Kimono worth over $20,000 on a regular basis, xxi. Among other things is the competitive nature of the job along with the string of long nights going from party to party just to do it again tomorrow.

Today there are Geisha communities throughout Japan. The most famous are Tokyo (shimbasha and Akasaka), Kyoto (Gion, Pontocho, Kamishichiken,) , Osaka, and Atami. Atami is a hot-spring town. As a result it's Geisha tend to perform regularly for the more average customer. The Atami Geisha work in accord with local hotels and establishments for the constant stream of customers. As a result Atami Geisha have a reputation as being lesser among the Geisha of Japan. Maybe they don't have the training or refinement of the more traditional areas of Kyoto.

Geisha of the past might hope to find a patron to support her. Geisha of today's economy are not so lucky to have patrons who can both afford a wife and family as well as a Geisha on 'retainer'. Also in the past, businesses would have accounts to fund parties with Geisha houses. Often for clients but for employees as well. With the tightening of belts in the modern economy and oversight on spending these sources of income are / have dried up. A Geisha then may look towards running / owner her own home or bar as a final source of income to retire on. It is still the practice that the 'Mother' of the house will pass the house on to her most respected 'daughter'.

From reading Liza Dalby's Geisha, it is apparent that a Maiko / Geisha can still anticipate a lucrative career if they work hard. For anyone even remotely interested in learning more about Geisha I strongly recommend reading Liza Dalby's book. And naturally, persons with an interest should definitely experience it first hand in Kyoto during March, even if all the closer you get in having a Geisha pass you on the street. It is well worth the trip.

Here are quick links to my other posts on Kyoto's Geisha
Post 1
Post 2
Also here is the original post on Maiko in Gion, (Which includes one of my favorite photos).
Maiko 1

Look at the Amazon Page on 'Geisha' here.

Citations from;

"Geisha"; Liza Dalby, 1983 2008; University of California Press.



All photo's, original works, and comments are my personal property. Please be respectful of the effort I've taken.

Your comments are welcome, be polite:
No throwing pebbles in my pool of zen.

Sanada Yukimura Yasui Temple 眞田幸村安居神社

Mourning the passing
Of all that comes and goes
Tomorrow's cool breezes


だった今、美味しいお茶を飲んでん！　うまい！　　でも、飲むやから寝ることできません!　　でも、　新しいポスットを書けますぞ！　　この前旅行する間当たらし所へ行ってん。　　その場所は眞田幸村の死ぬところです。　　四天王時の歴史を見たとき他人は僕を近づいた。。。　　他人さんはトテモ優しい人です。　　との人は子の新しいところを見せてん。　　

眞田様は他人の英雄です。　　この石は眞田さんの死ぬところを示めしている。　　ここに眞田さんは怪我が有った。　　又、眞田さんは急追をして彼は無勢になった。　　やっと眞田さんは殺した。　　戦争に当たって眞田さんはいえやす徳川様のために大隊を率いた。　　めっちゃおもろいな！　　

眞田さんにと言えば、　　Samurai　Warriorsというゲッムの中にさなださんは特別人です。　　Samurai Warriorsからこれは眞田さんの劇的な死ぬ場面。　　楽しんでください。　　

So, I've recently finished a cup of delicious green tea. Some friends helped me find the tea in Kyoto during my last trip! It is delicious. However, now I have absolutely no hope of falling asleep any time soon.

While I was touring Shitennoji (temple) in Osaka I was taking some photographs. A man walked up to me and in English asked me how the weather was. I responded in Japanese and he walked on his way. I walked the same direction and we started a conversation again. He led me on a round about trek looking for Kushi Katsu (a Tennoji Delicacy!). Anyway as he led me about the back streets of Osaka we came upon a secluded temple. He told me that the temple was on the spot where his hero Sanada Yukimura had died. He explained a lot more, but I had no hope in understanding.

Sanada Yukimura was originally a vassal for the Takeda clan, who was defeated by Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1582. (See a related post by "As I see Japan...From LA.) Eventually Sanada allied himself with Hideyoshi. Sanada's clan's loyalty was split following the death of Hideyoshi, one side battling for the remainder of the Toyotomi clan and the other following Tokugawa Ieyasu. Sanada is associated with the samurai code of loyalty for his dedication to his Lord.

After being captured following a battle at Ueda Castle he was exiled to Kudoyama. He escaped and joined the Toyotomi defending Osaka Castle after Sekigahara. He was killed while outnumbered and injured. You can see a dramatic rendition of his death on You-Tube. The clip is from a popular game "Samurai Warriors," in which Sanada plays and important role. Check out the clip here. In the clip the injured Sanada is attempting to kill Ieyasu. -This apparently is not too far from the truth........... Sanada was killed in 1615.

Some references taken from:
"Samurai Leaders," Michael Sharpe, Metro Books 2008, pg 137.

These photos are at Yasui Shrine, where Sanada's body is purportedly buried. (Head having been carried off in battle.)

Read more about Yukimura...
At Heroes in the Civil War Era
and Wikipedia
A photo of his statue in Osaka

All photo's, original works, and comments are my personal property. Please be respectful of the effort I've taken.

Your comments are welcome, be polite:
No throwing pebbles in my pool of zen.

Geisha 2, Gion Kyoto 京都市の祇園区の芸者です

Waiting patiently
For the blossoms to unfold
Tested by time

花を咲く
根気良く待つ
時の試験

So what is a Geisha? This is a complicated question and the complexity revolves around what was.... and what is now...Lets go back for a little history lesson. As discussed before Geisha were originally men, highly trained in the arts and especially dedicated to entertainment. By 1780 female geisha outnumbered the men, and by 1800 the term "Geisha" referred only to women, (56).

In Kyoto and other areas during the Edo period specific areas were designated 'entertainment districts.' These districts were regulated by the government. The predecessor to the Geisha was the Yujo. She would have been a more simple entertainer, with smaller repertoire. They were however hired with a specific routine in mind,...Sex. The Geisha of the licensed quarters were forbidden by law from sleeping with the customers of the Yujo. Geisha were recognized as a distinct profession in 1779 (57). With this distinction came regulation. Regulation including where they could sit in regards to their customers, how they could dress, and that they could not take business from the Yujo.(57) In 1957 legal prostitution (yujo) was abolished, however the Geisha profession was left, "untouched, indicating a basic sense that geisha -in some true or best sense of the word- are not prostitutes."(57)

The Western belief that Geisha are prostitutes can be tracked back to the US occupation of Japan following WWII. US Soldiers would easily confuse the similarities between Yujo and Geisha with being the same entities. "Memoirs of a Geisha" (Sayuri) does a good job showing this role confusion as Yujo and Geisha intermingle with servicemen looking for business. Also, since Western culture completely lacks the idea of Geisha it is easy to impose a quick reference from our own culture to Japanese. Of course, the closest profession we relate to Geisha are prostitutes. Western missionaries certainly contributed to this attitude as well.

This certainly isn't to say that Geisha didn't/don't relate to their 'customers' in an intimate relationship.... However, the difference is that unlike a prostitute or Yojo, the Geisha is in control of with whom they associate with.

So if Geisha aren't having sex with every customer, what do they do? Well, it's pretty simple really. A Geisha's job during a gathering is to provide the social lubrication (bad term maybe?) to allow everyone to have a good time. Geisha are masters of the social scene. From reading 'Geisha' I got the impression that Geisha must be experts at conversation. They must relate to a variety of customers. Their conversation, dance, songs, and sake, have to be able to take a businessman out of the 'real world' and into the 'willow world' (floating world). Then, without the actual lure of sex get them to come back again.... and spend the money for the favor! I say actual lure, yet I'm sure that the weapon of sexuality is wielded with little restraint. The book, "Chrysanthemum and the Sword," talks about this at length.

An interesting transition occurred in the Geisha world at the dawn of the 20'th century. Geisha had been seen as the leading edge of culture, beauty, and elegance. With the Meiji Revolution came western ideas of beauty and entertainment. Geisha had previously held the ability to be front runners of style and fashion it was always within the Japanese context. When hair styles, clothing styles, music, and entertainment all took on a Western hue Geisha experimented with the new ways. Yet, as the Geisha dabbled in the Western styles they came the the realization that, in trying to be modern, they were in danger of losing that which made them special as geisha."(74) So instead of being the fashion innovators, they became the guardians of tradition.

So, who can become a Geisha? Who is entertained by Geisha? How many Geisha are there? Where are they? All these questions and more in later posts.

Also, check out "As I see Japan..... from L.A." My associate Japanese Aficionado has a great post on Gion's Geisha. You may note that he refers to Geisha as Geiko. This is the Kyoto-ben term used for Geisha. I've foregone the use simply because Geisha is more widely recognized... and rolls of the keyboard a little more smoothly! However, technically speaking... My reference is incorrect! (Won't be the first time!) Check out his thread on Geiko here, enjoy some video clips and a Geiko's dance.

-This photo was taken during the Spring Cherry Festival dances in Gion. These dances consist of several traditional folk tales put to music and danced by Geisha and Maiko. There are numerous roles and many backgrounds dances. Liza Dalby points out the Gion Corner recruits high school girls to fill in roles where they don't have enough dancers.
-I was surprised that Japanese were videotaping the dances and taking photo's throughout the performance. Something you wouldn't expect at a professional show in the States. Naturally I couldn't resist and grabbed some video for myself.

References;
"Geisha"; Liza Dalby, 1983 2008; University of California Press

All photo's, original works, and comments are my personal property. Please be respectful of the effort I've taken.
Your comments are welcome, be polite:
No throwing pebbles in my pool of zen.