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Miss_Feline_Tenticle Crew
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 Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2005 3:03 am
Umemi bowed as she entered the class room and sat down, she watched Lotus-sensei begin the class and was feeling quite conten that she was here. She wondered how she were to keep up with the homework, studies and the chores but she was sure to be fine. She took notes down as Lotus-sensei spoke and paid attention.
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2005 3:09 am
"Umemi-chan, I hope I'm not scaring you off to take another profession," the teacher said with a smiel after she noted how diligent the maiko was in taking down the lecture.
"I take it that you plan to become a geisha not just out of your own decision, right?"
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Miss_Feline_Tenticle Crew
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2005 3:13 am
Umemi nodded "I did want to become one but because of personal circumstances it just seemed to be the better option though I do feel that I would make a very good geisha" Umemi said. "It was firstly my mothers idea as she knew that she was dying she wanted to make sure that I was well looked after, but when I first heard of the profession I only fantasized with the idea" Umemi said softly. "You are certainly not scaring me off Lotus-sensei" Umemi smiled sadly.
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Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 11:01 am
*The sensei nodded, taking in her words.* 'So it's more of a family choice then...' *Checking her watch, she nodded to the girl.* "I'll leave a homwork for you girls now, a litle piece of profile to fill out just so I know more about my students." Quote: HW: Create your geisha character, using the profile below. No Mary-Sues, and try to think of her as a separate person from you, her author. Expound on her personality.
Character Name:
Age & Appearance:
Personality: (No schizo characters please. Write down one temperament and stick with it, for the most part at least. Make this longer than your Age&Appearance section)
Past: (I will nitpick on the realism of this, so be careful what you write.
Geisha/Geiko, maiko/geisha in training
Most women in the geisha business were usually sold to okiya owners, and had no say in them becoming a geisha, at least in feudal times, or are daughters of ex-geisha. Most geisha and especially maiko owe huge debts to their okiyas, because training to become a geisha requires lots of money (and I'm sure those who have debts for your kimonos know this. Most maiko graduate into geisha at around the age of seventeen.
They rarely know how to fight with swords or weaponry, as there is simply no need to know them, and geisha training takes up a lot of their time,as well as house chores. Geisha can also be kunoichi (ninja), and serve as intel spies. But I don't want to see teen maiko who claim they are ninjas. There is simply no time for them to have another job.)
Current Occupation: (Describe how you see her in a current roleplay, not neccessarily as a maiko here at Gion Baraen. Imagine what okiya she is under, her strengths and weaknesses as a geisha, who are her patrons, etc.)
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Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 12:52 pm
"For those who have trouble thinking of how to write out their character, here are some tips."
*the woman walks around, looking out to the zen garder in thought, as if...she was just trying to think of the tips right then and there!*
"Imagine her, or yourself for that matter, having an arguement with your best friend, who is also a geisha. Or...maybe imagine yourself trying to practice the shamisen, but you keep getting it wrong. Or maybe you coul think of a time when you were with your patron, on your first entertaining party.
Think of how you would react, and try not to blush most of the time, my students."
*The teacher seemed to chuckle at the thought, having done a lot of blushing herself in her entertaining carreer.*
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Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 12:01 am
Umemi wrote out her homwork as neat as she possibly could and sighed once it was done. She was very happy with it as it took her along time to do as she wanted to do it properly. Umemi hoped that her sensei would like it as much as she did. She stood and went to find Lotus-sensei to be able to give her the homework as she was excited about it.
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Miss_Feline_Tenticle Crew
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Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 9:33 am
*Walks down the stairs and into the main room, looking fo rthe students. The sensei looks pleased, just like her regular expression.*
"Minna-san...Attention please."
*She walks into the classroom.*
"Ah, my students, I've received your home tasks. Please note my comments on how to improve your characters, alright? But now, we must move on to the next lesson...And that is roleplaying."
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Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 2:20 pm
The new girl walked into the classroom and looked around at all the students sitting down. "ahem... sorry." She said as she took as seat near everyone else.
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Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 2:34 pm
((OOC: Oh, I'm so sorry I didn't tell you Inu, but first you need to go to see if the Akiyama okiya will accept you as a maiko *nods* you should make your fist post in the okiya thread, visiting to see Akiyama Lucya
By the way, I will play out that Toneriko does attend the second lesson, because I do not really want to roleplay her getting there late or so on. If you wish to repremand her, please feel free to do so! *giggles*
I would also like to request that the geisha who are already graduated from being Maikos don't have to submit homework, if that seems fair...))
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Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 10:45 am
((Geisha who have gradutaed from the Silk Cherry need not submit HW, but are encouraged to do so. I may be being biased, but still, I need to check up on things.))
"First off, please tell me how you, as geisha, act like when you try to start a converation with a patron."
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Miss_Feline_Tenticle Crew
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Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 12:25 am
Umemi sits in class and is feeling very excited about the festival, she is going to help participate if she can only finish her chores in time. She sighes and pays atention as much as her attention span would allow. She wonders what kind of feedback she will get from handing in her homework. She looks around and is content in sitting here listening to Lotus-santi.
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Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 12:50 am
Things were put on hold, as the sensei was taken away to tend to a few matters regarding the Jidai Matsuri. Now she just came in, hoping ot send her students outside to join the parade. She saw Umemi sitting restlessly.
"Ano...Umemi-chan, about your homework..."
She paused looking disapointed...then gave a big smile. "It's a very thought-out character, and I appreciate your efforts. Although she does seem to have too much history for a seventeen-year-old...an orphan, then has worked and lived in two foster homes, if I'm not mistaken. We can only do so much in a few years, my girl," she said, chuckling. "But it's a great start, particularly with her personality and flaws, and her appearance description. Well done. Ah....you may now leave for the parade."
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Miss_Feline_Tenticle Crew
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Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 1:00 am
Umemi nodded why was she thinking that she hadn't done these things? she asked herself. Umemi bowed "thankyou Lotus-sensei I appreciate your kind words" she said. She left for the parade wondering why her story wasn't believable even though it was true?
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Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 11:04 am
*Returns from her room upstairs to check up on the students* 'I wonder how their day at the parade went? I had some fun myself...' *Goes to the classroom and rings the bell for the next lesson* Quote: Lesson 2 - Grab your adjectives and metaphors.
The basic allure of a geisha in fiction is how the writer describes her--from her hair, hair ornaments, makeup to her clothes, to the way she crinkles her nose at a customer. Just keep in mind that when you describe, have some sort of flow--either from hair to toes, etc.
Also, since you know the stuff to describe, you'll know what should be interesting to your patrons, at least at first, when you can't talk with them.
A. Appearance.
Make-up.
Silk Cherry Hello girls. This is the last lesson for the week. I suggest that we combine two topics and practice both at once: putting on kimono and make-up. I hope all of you have received my messages and brought your kimono with you. Geisha do not dress and put on make up by themselves usually, so I have invited seven professional otokosu (dressers) for each of you to be assisted. What you need to know is the difference between styles of geisha and maiko. While the maids and otokosu help you dress up and put on the make, up, please, listen to a few theory. Make Up: Maiko paint their faces white, but leave a line of bare skin around their natural hairline. There is also a greater amount of pink blush on the cheek and eye area, and her eyes and eyebrows have a noticeable amount of red. She will also only partially paint her lips in (refer to the diagrams below). When Geisha wear the white make-up, they leave no bare hair line, due to them wearing katsura. They have minimal amount of red outlining the eyes and eyebrows, and the pink blush is subtle. She will paint her lips almost in full. A Geisha not wearing white make up will wear a subtle, often natural shade of make-up and her hair pulled back in a simple bun.
You must be wondering why they leave a strip of bare skin along the hairline and a "swallow tail" at the nape. Someone explained that men are intrigued by the contrast of the thick makeup and the slim strip of skin exposed. This bare skin accentuates the idea of beauty being half hidden (coyly) and half shown. It makes them wonder what's really underneath.
Also, the nape(the back of the neck), in Japanese culture, seems to be a very sensual part of a woman's body. It's like nice legs to Westerners (or so my source says). This is also why the kimono's back collar exposes "the first few bumps of the spine." Bottom line is...it's sexay.
Hair and hair ornaments.
Quote: Hairstyle: Maiko have their natural hair dressed in various traditional styles according to their position in the Maiko hierarchy. Junior Maiko wear the Wareshinobu style and progress onto the Ofuku style as she becomes a senior Maiko. As a senior Maiko, she has the privilege to wear her hair in the Katsuyama style and Yakko Shimada style for special occasions, and finally the Sakkou hairstyle, right before she becomes a Geisha. The maiko of the Pontocho hanamachi wear an additional 5 hairstyles through the duration of their training: Umemodoki, Oshidori no Hina, Osa Bune/fune, Mizu/sui Guruma and Ikiguruma. Geisha wear a katsura (wig) in the Shimada-mage style (or traditional style of choice). Kanzashi (hairpins): Maiko wear a wide variety of kanzashi such as tsumami kanzashi (also called hana kanzashi, flower hairpins) made from habutae silk. They also wear kushi or tenkazari with silk. These ornaments generally correspond with the relevant season and month. Geisha only wear a few pins and a kushi kanzashi in their hair which are generally plain in style and not covered in silk. This was a direct result of the sumptuary regulations imposed on Geisha during the Edo era. The exception being a Geisha performing a formal tea-ceremony, where she may wear a small hana-kanzashi. A special kanzashi calendar exists that regulates what hairpins geisha are to wear at the certain moment.
In the feudal setting, geisha/geiko/maiko had their hair done just once a week, because it was expensive, and the hairstyles were too difficult to do. The girls sleep using a "tall pillow" which is an uncomfortable beanbag to prop up their head and not mess their hair. Result? Stinky (well, maybe not that bad) dirty hair, which geisha attempt to cover up with perfumes. This is the same reason why hair ornaments are almost regarded like er--dirty underwear--you really don't want to touch them, much more share them.
Anyway, enough with the gross stuff. Hair ornaments can be lacquered combs, tortoise shell combs, those "sticks" called kanzashi...They are usually stuck well and secure in the hairstyle. "The lesson will be continued tomorrow, regarding the kimono appearance. In the meantime, I suggest you practice how to put on your makeup. I hope you brough tyour make-up kits..."
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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 12:36 pm
"Alright minna-san, I shall continued the lessons on description and roleplaying." Kimono.
I'm sure most of you are familiar with how a kimono looks. To describe the patterns and color of the kimono is important, very much so when you are making your intro post. After all, that's what your patrons will see and make their judgement about you, even before you get the chance to talk with them.Silk Cherry Kimono:Maiko kimono is a noisy (yet tasteful) and colourful affair. She wears a hikizuri kimono, furisode, which has the long sleeves that hang down near her ankles. The upper half of her sleeve will have a tuck along the width, and her shoulders will also have a tuck. Geisha wear the much more refined hikizuri kimono with shorter sleeve length or homongi, if she is not wearing the traditional hairstyle and make-up. Generally, the kimono will be of one solid colour with a subtle pattern towards the bottom. There can also be haori - a jacket worn over the kimono. It was originally men's wear, but the Geisha made it fashionable for women. Obi (kimono belt, a sash used to tie the kimono around the middle):Maiko's obi are long and wide, generally covering a good proportion of her torso from her hip bone to her breast. The back of the obi bow dangles down to her ankles. Geisha wear a narrower obi of a more subtle pattern and generally tie it in the refined Taiko box bow. Collar: With the kimono, Maiko wear a thick heavy embroidered collar. The collar starts of predominately red, with a smattering of white and silver patterns on it, and as she increases in age and experience, it slowly turns to white. The back of the collar though remains red until she turns into a Geisha. A Geisha wears a wide, yet simple white collar. Erikae O Suru - The ceremony of turning of the collar. When the maiko becomes a full Geisha, there will be a ceremony and from then on she will wear a white collar. Geta (wooden sandals): Last, but not least - Maiko wear Okobo - high, unpainted wooden clogs that have a belt on the inside of them. Geisha wear either zori or geta, depending on the occasion. "Geiko and Maiko alway carry a bag with a basket weave bottom topped by a silk drawstring pouch called an ozashiki-kago . In it she carries makeup for touchups, a fan, and a few other items." -- Karyukai
Also, regarding obis and kimonos, the obi is usually more colorful and intricately designed than the kimono, and the colors are always complimentary, if not contrasting, to highlight the beauty of the obi. Keep in mind that the obi is yards and yards of cloth, and without help, it is almost impossible to wrap it around by yourself.
Collars: Unmarried women wear their back collar in a V-shape, while unmarried ones wear it in a U-shape. As mentioned before, the back collar tries to go low, to show most of the back part of the neck.
"And now I'm sure you're quite interested on how a kimono is made.
Can anyone tell me which collar should be on top when you wrap the kimono on? Left or right, and why?
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