Kyoto, Japan
Acknowledgments
This work would never have been accomplished without the unfailing patience and support of my husband Jin. From the initial look of surprise on his face when I first told him, many years ago, that I wanted to write a book about my experiences as a geiko until today, he has continually encouraged me to fully speak my mind. Through the tears, the laughter, and the squabbles I have treasured his kindness and advice.
I must also thank my daughter Koko for helping me explore questions that I had been carrying around with me for decades. She handed me the keys to unlock the gates of understanding, and for this I am truly grateful.
I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to Rande Brown for her marvelous ability to translate the complexities of the Japanese language and culture into English. It was a great joy to work with her.
Finally, my sincere appreciation goes to Emily Bestler at Atria Books for her skillful guidance in editing and shaping the text. Her insightful questions about traditional Japanese culture brought an invaluable dimension of clarity and sense to the manuscript.
As an infant, with father, mother, brother, and sisters.
The concrete bridge over the canal in front of my house. This is the same canal in which Masayuki drowned.
Age six.
In the Gion, 1956, age seven.
Playing a poison mushroom, age eight (right).
Kuniko, age thirty.
Butterfly role, age ten.
Auntie Oima (left), Aba (center), Aba’s husband (right).
Yaeko (left), Mother Sakaguchi (right).
As a minarai, in front of the doll display that distracted me in the ozashiki.
The wareshinobu hairstyle.
Entertaining Prince Charles.
Mama Masako, age forty-four.
In front of the Iwasaki okiya.
With my dresser Suehiroya.
With Dr. Tanigawa.
The sakko hairstyle. This was also my last day as a maiko.
The day I became a geiko, fans sent many hand-painted messages of congratulations, which we hung in the entrance to the okiya.
Onstage during the Miyako Odori.
A summer portrait.
Between performances at the Kaburento Theater, age twenty-three.
As Murasaki Shikibu during the Festival of the Ages, age eighteen.
In the garden of an ochaya.
Performing a tea ceremony at the Miyako Odori.
With Toshio in Atlantic City.
With Yuriko in Hakata.
Rehearsing the Suntory commercial.
My final performance, age twenty-nine.
A summer ensemble (August).
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
Copyright © 2002 by Mineko Iwasaki
All rights reserved including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Atria Books, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, NY 10020
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
ISBN 0-7434-5304-2
ATRIA BOOKS is a registered trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Photos courtesy of the author.
Visit us on the Word Wide Web:
http://www.SimonSays.com
Geisha Page 26