Hanatsuki joined the okiya at age 15, but she wanted to do so since she was 13. Now a popular and successful geiko, Hanatsuki of course had to follow the path through each stage, starting as a shikomi and working her way up through minarai, maiko and finally geiko. The story of Hanatsuki will give you an idea of what the life of a geiko is like and which stages they have to go through.
Before joining the okiya
Summer 1997. Every August, Hanatsuki's (whose name was Aika at the time) hometown hosted a large summer festival, featuring dances, parades, delicious food and plenty of fun. This small town was not far from Kyoto, and geisha from Kyoto's hanamachi would sometimes make an appearance at the summer festival, too. "Aika-chan!" called Himeko, her older sister. Aika was 13 years old at the time. "Look!" said Himeko. When Aika looked around, she caught a sighting of a magnificent maiko, with flawless white skin, stunning hair ornaments and intricate, beautiful kimono. Aika was struck by her beauty, and after a short silence she said "I want to be like that, too!" after which Himeko told her "Well, if you want to be a maiko, you have to wait until you're 15!".
Aika began searching for as many books as possible about the topic. By the time she was 14, she already knew a lot about geisha and was even more confident that she wanted to be one.
"Mother, my dream is to become a maiko!" Aika told her mother, who replied "Why, Aika-chan, it's just a phase, isn't it?". Himeko happened to hear the conversation, and said "Mother, Aika wanted to become a maiko since last year's summer festival, she has learnt so much about them, yet she is still confident that she wants to do it. If that's her dream, mother, I think she should go for it!", then Aika said "Yes, mother- as soon as I turn 15, I want to join an okiya". Aika's mother was quite reluctant at first, but gave in after a month and told Aika to go for it.
A year after the first summer festival, when she was 14, Aika had the courage to talk to a maiko she saw there. Aika was surprised that the maiko talked to her, a mere schoolgirl, but when Aika said that she wants to become a maiko, the maiko replied "Well, Aika-chan. I live in the Hanami Okiya in Miyajima-chou, so perhaps you could consider joining us. I will give you my senjafuda which has the phone number of the okiya, if you'd like to join. Have a good day, Aika-chan!" after the maiko gave Aika her senjafuda, Aika bowed deeply. The maiko bowed in response and hurried off. Aika, stunned, showed her mother the senjafuda as soon as she arrived home. She was to turn 15 in September, so her mother called the okiya a day later. "Why, of course we could take a new shikomi! We just need to see her and ask her a few questions in person- perhaps on Monday at 10am?" said the okaasan, who was on the phone. "Hai, I will be there with Aika-chan on Monday, 11am. Ookini!" replied her mother.
"Well, Aika-chan! You're on the way to reaching your dream" she said.
That Monday, Aika and her mother took the bus to Kyoto then walked to the Miyajima-chou Hanamachi, with a map. This wasn't easy to do, as Aika was very unfamiliar with Kyoto. Aika was stunned, taking in the surroundings- it was as if she'd gona back in time. "Hanami, Hanami, Hanami... oh, here, mother!" said Aika, as soon as she was the wooden sign with the kanji 花見 above a door. All the maiko were at lessons, and there were no shikomi in the okiya then. The geiko were either asleep after a long night, or at lessons. "Why, it's Aika-chan! Oideyasu, oideyasu. Come in!" said the okaasan as soon as she saw Aika and her mother. Aika heard that the okaasan of many okiya weren't the nicest, and it was a relief to know that the okaasan of the Hanami Okiya was kind- it made her feel at ease.
Aika, her mother and the okaasan kneeled around a table in the main room of the okiya, with a tatami floor. It was in a beautiful traditional Japanese style. The okaasan served tea, and began talking to Aika, who was quite nervous, and asked her questions.
"Aika-chan, how did you discover the okiya?" asked the okaasan.
"I was at this year's summer festival, and I saw a beautiful maiko in a firework hikizuri. I approached her, and when she heard I wanted to become a maiko, she suggested the Hanami okiya and gave me her senjafuda." Aika replied.
"Why, that must be our maiko Michiko! Well, Aika-chan. So far, you do seem like a very good candidate for a shikomi" said the okaasan. After a few more questions and a quick talk, the okaasan said:
"We'll be happy to take you in as a shikomi, Aika-chan. I'm sure that you already know that this period takes around 8-12 months- you'll be wearing your hair in a simple bun, and we will give you a kimono and zori to wear. You'll start by helping around and doing chores, and soon enough you'll begin taking lessons in dance, shamisen, song, tea ceremony and so forth. We would like it if you could come to start as a shikomi as soon as you turn 15, Aika-chan. Have a good day, I do hope to see you next month!" said the okaasan.
Aika couldn't believe it. There were girls who got rejected at three different okiya before they got accepted. Whereas Aika, she got accepted at the first okiya. The start of her journey was less than a month away, and Aika could hardly wait.
Aika was quite popular at school, but only two of her closest friends knew about her dreams. When Summer vacation ended, Aika announced to her class that she is joining an okiya, and thanked everyone for the memories. She never said which okiya or hanamachi.
Aika began searching for as many books as possible about the topic. By the time she was 14, she already knew a lot about geisha and was even more confident that she wanted to be one.
"Mother, my dream is to become a maiko!" Aika told her mother, who replied "Why, Aika-chan, it's just a phase, isn't it?". Himeko happened to hear the conversation, and said "Mother, Aika wanted to become a maiko since last year's summer festival, she has learnt so much about them, yet she is still confident that she wants to do it. If that's her dream, mother, I think she should go for it!", then Aika said "Yes, mother- as soon as I turn 15, I want to join an okiya". Aika's mother was quite reluctant at first, but gave in after a month and told Aika to go for it.
A year after the first summer festival, when she was 14, Aika had the courage to talk to a maiko she saw there. Aika was surprised that the maiko talked to her, a mere schoolgirl, but when Aika said that she wants to become a maiko, the maiko replied "Well, Aika-chan. I live in the Hanami Okiya in Miyajima-chou, so perhaps you could consider joining us. I will give you my senjafuda which has the phone number of the okiya, if you'd like to join. Have a good day, Aika-chan!" after the maiko gave Aika her senjafuda, Aika bowed deeply. The maiko bowed in response and hurried off. Aika, stunned, showed her mother the senjafuda as soon as she arrived home. She was to turn 15 in September, so her mother called the okiya a day later. "Why, of course we could take a new shikomi! We just need to see her and ask her a few questions in person- perhaps on Monday at 10am?" said the okaasan, who was on the phone. "Hai, I will be there with Aika-chan on Monday, 11am. Ookini!" replied her mother.
"Well, Aika-chan! You're on the way to reaching your dream" she said.
That Monday, Aika and her mother took the bus to Kyoto then walked to the Miyajima-chou Hanamachi, with a map. This wasn't easy to do, as Aika was very unfamiliar with Kyoto. Aika was stunned, taking in the surroundings- it was as if she'd gona back in time. "Hanami, Hanami, Hanami... oh, here, mother!" said Aika, as soon as she was the wooden sign with the kanji 花見 above a door. All the maiko were at lessons, and there were no shikomi in the okiya then. The geiko were either asleep after a long night, or at lessons. "Why, it's Aika-chan! Oideyasu, oideyasu. Come in!" said the okaasan as soon as she saw Aika and her mother. Aika heard that the okaasan of many okiya weren't the nicest, and it was a relief to know that the okaasan of the Hanami Okiya was kind- it made her feel at ease.
Aika, her mother and the okaasan kneeled around a table in the main room of the okiya, with a tatami floor. It was in a beautiful traditional Japanese style. The okaasan served tea, and began talking to Aika, who was quite nervous, and asked her questions.
"Aika-chan, how did you discover the okiya?" asked the okaasan.
"I was at this year's summer festival, and I saw a beautiful maiko in a firework hikizuri. I approached her, and when she heard I wanted to become a maiko, she suggested the Hanami okiya and gave me her senjafuda." Aika replied.
"Why, that must be our maiko Michiko! Well, Aika-chan. So far, you do seem like a very good candidate for a shikomi" said the okaasan. After a few more questions and a quick talk, the okaasan said:
"We'll be happy to take you in as a shikomi, Aika-chan. I'm sure that you already know that this period takes around 8-12 months- you'll be wearing your hair in a simple bun, and we will give you a kimono and zori to wear. You'll start by helping around and doing chores, and soon enough you'll begin taking lessons in dance, shamisen, song, tea ceremony and so forth. We would like it if you could come to start as a shikomi as soon as you turn 15, Aika-chan. Have a good day, I do hope to see you next month!" said the okaasan.
Aika couldn't believe it. There were girls who got rejected at three different okiya before they got accepted. Whereas Aika, she got accepted at the first okiya. The start of her journey was less than a month away, and Aika could hardly wait.
Aika was quite popular at school, but only two of her closest friends knew about her dreams. When Summer vacation ended, Aika announced to her class that she is joining an okiya, and thanked everyone for the memories. She never said which okiya or hanamachi.
Shikomi Aika-chan
September 16th, 1998. Aika's 15th birthday. Just over a year after she saw a maiko for the first time. Aika, excited, took a bus to Kyoto with her mother and walked to the Hanami okiya. When the okaasan answered, Aika's mother bowed down deeply "Please take care of Aika-chan!" she said. The okaasan said "Of course, I will do my best. Aika-chan, make sure you write letters home!". And so, on that day, Aika's journey began. After saying goodbye to her mother, the okaasan led Aika to a small room. "It's been a while since we last had a shikomi" she said, then reached for a pink kimono with a small repeating pattern. "This kimono is worn by shikomi of the Hanami Okiya- it's a bit like a uniform. Also, this is the obi that goes with it. I will tie it for you, but first go and put the kimono on. Here are the tabi, call me when you finish". In the Hanami Okiya, shikomi and off-duty maiko wear their obi in a bow, and off-duty geiko wear it in a taiko knot.
As Aika, now in her kimono, followed the okaasan to her room, she saw a geiko walking down the stairs. She had almond shaped eyes, a narrow, small nose, a small, oval face and round, quite plump lips. She was dressed in a light blue kimono, with a white obi. Her glossy black hair was down- it only reached just past her shoulders as she had decided to cut it after her erikae. It was a warm September day, and the kimono gave a cooling effect.
"Ohayou, Kazuko-han" said the okaasan, bowing. Aika bowed as deeply as she could.
"Ohayou" said Kazuko, the geiko. She stopped and looked at Aika. "Why, is it a shikomi at the Hanami Okiya? What's her name, okaasan?" she asked.
"This is Aika-chan. Starting today, she will be living here at the Hanami Okiya" replied okaasan.
"You know, Aika-chan, lots of shikomi before you have quit because they couldn't handle the shikomi life!" said Kazuko.
"Kazuko-han!" said okaasan as Kazuko walked away.
"Kazuko-han tends to be quite mean, Aika-chan, especially to the younger girls. You have to watch out for her- she will do anything to get what she wants, and she can't stand competition. She has driven two promising young girls out of Miyajima-chou before! Stay out of her way, Aika-chan" the okaasan warned.
The okaasan showed Aika to her room, which she would be sharing with maiko Michiko, maiko Komomo and maiko Mizuko.
"Aika-chan, you ought to start your chores today, but you just arrived. You will start tomorrow- I'll instruct you what to do then. Today get to know where everything is, and introduce yourself to the other maiko and geiko who live here. You met Michiko and Kazuko, but there are two more maiko and one more geiko you haven't met yet.
Her mind was focused on her goal from the very first day. Aika worked hard to do all her chores, and despite the frequent feelings of doubt, sadness and homesickness, she focused on becoming a maiko. When she wished Michiko a good evening as she was leaving, she became even more motivated. A month of chores and being taught some basics of language and etiquette, and okaasan said as she was having breakfast: "Why, Aika-chan, you've been working very hard! I can see that you truly are dedicated. Normally I'd wait at least two months with new shikomi before sending them to lessons, but I think you are ready to start as soon as tomorrow. We had a shikomi here last year, but she quit after two weeks. Well done, Aika-chan! Michiko-chan will take you to the school tomorrow morning."
When Michiko first saw Aika in the okiya, she said "Why, Aika-chan! I'm so pleased you actually came to join us! Being a shikomi is a bit tough, but it pays off, trust me. The other maiko are Komomo-han and Mizuko-han. There is also geiko Ayaharu-han, she's Kazuko-han's main rival, but Ayaharu-han is quite kind and supportive. As for us maiko, we are all friends and we support each other, so you'll be fine, Aika-chan! Komomo is a bit shy, and sometimes she can be a little mean, but then again she's Kazuko-han's imouto, and Kazuko-han can be a huge pain."
Aika began her lessons in late October 1998. She was strong at dance at tea ceremony, and weaker at song and shamisen. Nonetheless, she worked hard to reach her goal, and was often praised by many teachers. She didn't really have a natural talent in any of those things, except perhaps her unique grace when dancing, but she worked hard to do everything well. She practised the shamisen when she had the time, and rehearsed dances in her spare time. Okaasan helped her, by giving her tips and helping her with singing. She gave it her best. In March 1999, she was assigned Geiko Ayaharu as her oneesan. Geiko Ayaharu was originally Mizuko's oneesan, but Mizuko retired in December 1998 as a third year maiko upon hearing that her mother died. Halfway through May 1999, Aika was told by the okaasan "Well, Aika-chan! Today we are going to the Nihongami salon. I heard from your teachers that you passed the exam, and I think you're ready to be a minarai now. You don't have your chores anymore, but you will continue taking lessons. Omedetou, Aika-chan!" and so, Aika was another step closer to becoming a maiko.
As Aika, now in her kimono, followed the okaasan to her room, she saw a geiko walking down the stairs. She had almond shaped eyes, a narrow, small nose, a small, oval face and round, quite plump lips. She was dressed in a light blue kimono, with a white obi. Her glossy black hair was down- it only reached just past her shoulders as she had decided to cut it after her erikae. It was a warm September day, and the kimono gave a cooling effect.
"Ohayou, Kazuko-han" said the okaasan, bowing. Aika bowed as deeply as she could.
"Ohayou" said Kazuko, the geiko. She stopped and looked at Aika. "Why, is it a shikomi at the Hanami Okiya? What's her name, okaasan?" she asked.
"This is Aika-chan. Starting today, she will be living here at the Hanami Okiya" replied okaasan.
"You know, Aika-chan, lots of shikomi before you have quit because they couldn't handle the shikomi life!" said Kazuko.
"Kazuko-han!" said okaasan as Kazuko walked away.
"Kazuko-han tends to be quite mean, Aika-chan, especially to the younger girls. You have to watch out for her- she will do anything to get what she wants, and she can't stand competition. She has driven two promising young girls out of Miyajima-chou before! Stay out of her way, Aika-chan" the okaasan warned.
The okaasan showed Aika to her room, which she would be sharing with maiko Michiko, maiko Komomo and maiko Mizuko.
"Aika-chan, you ought to start your chores today, but you just arrived. You will start tomorrow- I'll instruct you what to do then. Today get to know where everything is, and introduce yourself to the other maiko and geiko who live here. You met Michiko and Kazuko, but there are two more maiko and one more geiko you haven't met yet.
Her mind was focused on her goal from the very first day. Aika worked hard to do all her chores, and despite the frequent feelings of doubt, sadness and homesickness, she focused on becoming a maiko. When she wished Michiko a good evening as she was leaving, she became even more motivated. A month of chores and being taught some basics of language and etiquette, and okaasan said as she was having breakfast: "Why, Aika-chan, you've been working very hard! I can see that you truly are dedicated. Normally I'd wait at least two months with new shikomi before sending them to lessons, but I think you are ready to start as soon as tomorrow. We had a shikomi here last year, but she quit after two weeks. Well done, Aika-chan! Michiko-chan will take you to the school tomorrow morning."
When Michiko first saw Aika in the okiya, she said "Why, Aika-chan! I'm so pleased you actually came to join us! Being a shikomi is a bit tough, but it pays off, trust me. The other maiko are Komomo-han and Mizuko-han. There is also geiko Ayaharu-han, she's Kazuko-han's main rival, but Ayaharu-han is quite kind and supportive. As for us maiko, we are all friends and we support each other, so you'll be fine, Aika-chan! Komomo is a bit shy, and sometimes she can be a little mean, but then again she's Kazuko-han's imouto, and Kazuko-han can be a huge pain."
Aika began her lessons in late October 1998. She was strong at dance at tea ceremony, and weaker at song and shamisen. Nonetheless, she worked hard to reach her goal, and was often praised by many teachers. She didn't really have a natural talent in any of those things, except perhaps her unique grace when dancing, but she worked hard to do everything well. She practised the shamisen when she had the time, and rehearsed dances in her spare time. Okaasan helped her, by giving her tips and helping her with singing. She gave it her best. In March 1999, she was assigned Geiko Ayaharu as her oneesan. Geiko Ayaharu was originally Mizuko's oneesan, but Mizuko retired in December 1998 as a third year maiko upon hearing that her mother died. Halfway through May 1999, Aika was told by the okaasan "Well, Aika-chan! Today we are going to the Nihongami salon. I heard from your teachers that you passed the exam, and I think you're ready to be a minarai now. You don't have your chores anymore, but you will continue taking lessons. Omedetou, Aika-chan!" and so, Aika was another step closer to becoming a maiko.
Minarai Hanatsuki
18th May 1999. Aika followed okaasan to the little Nihongami salon for traditional Japanese hairstyles. Finally, Aika would wear the wareshinobu hairstyle! However, the process itself was very painful- waxing, teasing, combing. Aika had something to read, thankfully, as the process wasn't short. Maiko visit a hair salon about once a week to keep the hairstyle perfect. They also sleep on special wooden supports to keep their hair off the floor- the okaasan poured rice at the base of Aika's support, so that if her head fell to the floor at night, she'd have to visit the hairdresser again. Later that day, there was a ceremony that officially bound Ayaharu and Aika as sisters, as well as the ceremony giving her the geimyo "Hanatsuki". She was no longer Aika, but now Hanatsuki. This day was very special to her. The minarai stage lasts about a month, and Hanatsuki's misedashi date was set for June 20th 1999. As a minarai, she still took lessons, and in the evenings she would follow Ayaharu to ozashiki, but she would only participate minimally. Her job was to watch and learn, picking up valuable skills such as conversation and gaming. At this stage she also got used to wearing oshiroi make-up (the same as a first year maiko's), wearing the wareshinobu hairstyle, wearing more intricate kimono (though it wasn't yet the hikizuri trailing kimono) and wearing okobo. On her first try, she fell over, and her leg hurt for two days, however she still managed to attend ozashiki. A month from now, her dream would come true and Hanatsuki would become a maiko, and her family would see her. She couldn't wait.
Hanatsuki wearing wareshinobu, the first hairstyle of a maiko. She now wears a pink iromuji, instead of the shikomi "uniform" kimono. In the Hanami Okiya, minarai to geiko have a yukata for certain occasions and lessons, but they also have a kimono for when they're off-duty. Minarai, 1st and 2nd year maiko: pink iromuji kimono. 3rd,4th,5th year maiko:lilac iromuji kimono and geiko: light blue iromuji kimono
Misedashi
June 20th 1999. It was the midst of the rainy season, and it was an overcast day. The hydrangeas were blooming, decorating Miyajima-chou with specks of pink and blue. The weeping willow was dangling and vibrant above the Chimomo stream. It was a warm day, slightly humid, and in the midst of it all was the newest maiko in Miyajima-chou- Maiko Hanatsuki. Hanatsuki woke up on the morning of June 20th with excitement, as this was the most important day of her career- the misedashi, or official debut as a maiko. She made it, she reached her goal! Now, she too was one of the magnificent maiko she saw on that fateful day at the summer festival. "Hanatsuki-chan! It's your big day! Hurry and eat some breakfast, then put on the juban I've laid out for you in your room and call me when you're done." said the okaasan, with a look of pride. Everyone in the okiya was happy for the new maiko- Ayaharu, her oneesan, Michiko, the maiko who directed her to the Hanami Okiya, the okaasan, and also Komomo- the poor maiko who was Kazuko's imouto. "Hanatsuki-chan, omedetou! If Kazuko-san-neesan sees me like this, she'll be furious, and she's capable of a lot- so I'll get going" she said. Kazuko stood in the corner, watching silently with a look of hatred on her face. As Hanatsuki was eating her breakfast, she approached her and said "Omedetou, Hanatsuki-CHAN...". The emphasis on the honorific was her way of saying "congratulations, but you're still nothing compared to me".
Hanatsuki put on the red and white juban and called the okaasan, who came with a dresser. Watching the process were Ayaharu, Michiko and okaasan. Before anything, the maiko's make-up was done by a retired geiko called Umeha, who was a professional make-up artist. She did the maiko's make-up with care, prepping the skin with a special wax, then putting on the white base, and carefully doing the eyebrows, eyes and lips, and of course the neck- three prongs were left unpainted, as it was a formal occasion. Once that was done, the dressing process began. First, the beautiful black, crested formal hikizuri with a motif of pink flowers was taken from its rack and put on the young maiko. Then came the red eri, followed by some padding and then the intricate, gold obi, which was tied into the dangling darari knot, now the full length. The red obiage was added, and the maiko was nearly ready to go out. Finally, she kneeled on a cushion as Ayaharu decorated the maiko's hair with special misedashi kanzashi, which includes the distinctive double ougi bira ornaments and special tortoiseshell kanzashi. Once done, escorted by Ayaharu, Hanatsuki exited the okiya as a maiko for the first time. She was taken aback- everyone was expecting her. In the crowd, she could see the retired maiko Mizuko, who now went by the name of Akiko, her mother, her sister, two of her closest friends from school, photographers... she felt like a celebrity. She smiled and nodded, then looked around. There were posters bearing her name, and she could barely move in the crowd. Ayaharu then came out, smiled at the crowd and gave a shallow bow, then said "I introduce my imouto, Hanatsuki- the newest maiko in Miyajima-chou! May she have a long and fruitful career". After posing for a few photos in front of her okiya, Hanatsuki followed Ayaharu around to various teahouses, okiya and establishments. It took a lot of "Yoroshou otanomoshimasu" and walking, as she was introducing herself. There were plenty of crowds and photographers, and she was happy to see her family and friends attending her special day. After finally visiting all the needed establishments, she got a bit of time to rest. Then, she went to a garden for a photoshoot. Before long, it was evening and Hanatsuki was to attend her first ozashiki as a maiko, where she performed her first ozashiki dance- Gion Kouta. The ozashiki was Hanatsuki's misedashi party.
Hanatsuki put on the red and white juban and called the okaasan, who came with a dresser. Watching the process were Ayaharu, Michiko and okaasan. Before anything, the maiko's make-up was done by a retired geiko called Umeha, who was a professional make-up artist. She did the maiko's make-up with care, prepping the skin with a special wax, then putting on the white base, and carefully doing the eyebrows, eyes and lips, and of course the neck- three prongs were left unpainted, as it was a formal occasion. Once that was done, the dressing process began. First, the beautiful black, crested formal hikizuri with a motif of pink flowers was taken from its rack and put on the young maiko. Then came the red eri, followed by some padding and then the intricate, gold obi, which was tied into the dangling darari knot, now the full length. The red obiage was added, and the maiko was nearly ready to go out. Finally, she kneeled on a cushion as Ayaharu decorated the maiko's hair with special misedashi kanzashi, which includes the distinctive double ougi bira ornaments and special tortoiseshell kanzashi. Once done, escorted by Ayaharu, Hanatsuki exited the okiya as a maiko for the first time. She was taken aback- everyone was expecting her. In the crowd, she could see the retired maiko Mizuko, who now went by the name of Akiko, her mother, her sister, two of her closest friends from school, photographers... she felt like a celebrity. She smiled and nodded, then looked around. There were posters bearing her name, and she could barely move in the crowd. Ayaharu then came out, smiled at the crowd and gave a shallow bow, then said "I introduce my imouto, Hanatsuki- the newest maiko in Miyajima-chou! May she have a long and fruitful career". After posing for a few photos in front of her okiya, Hanatsuki followed Ayaharu around to various teahouses, okiya and establishments. It took a lot of "Yoroshou otanomoshimasu" and walking, as she was introducing herself. There were plenty of crowds and photographers, and she was happy to see her family and friends attending her special day. After finally visiting all the needed establishments, she got a bit of time to rest. Then, she went to a garden for a photoshoot. Before long, it was evening and Hanatsuki was to attend her first ozashiki as a maiko, where she performed her first ozashiki dance- Gion Kouta. The ozashiki was Hanatsuki's misedashi party.
Junior Maiko Hanatsuki
And so, after her misedashi, Hanatsuki made her debut and was now a junior maiko. She attended ozashiki and participated fully now- dancing, playing instruments, conversing, attending events. In the mornings, she would attend her lessons, and in the evening she attended engagements. When she was being dressed one August evening, she looked at herself in the mirror, thinking... a year ago, I was still a schoolgirl, and now I'm a magnificent maiko! As a junior maiko, Hanatsuki wasn't that popular- which pleased Kazuko. She didn't dance at events despite her skills, because Kazuko made sure she didn't get the two roles she was supposed to. Hanatsuki was meant to dance at Aki Matsuri in her first year and Gion Matsuri in her second year. For Aki Matsuri, Kazuko hired a shikomi from another okiya to "accidentally" trip over Hanatsuki on the day before the dance, subsequently hurting her leg. As for Gion Matsuri, Kazuko simply bribed the dance committee to give the role to Komomo instead. Komomo was powerless, and this lead to a short feud between Komomo and Hanatsuki, but was solved soon enough by the help of Michiko who explained the situation. Despite the fact she wasn't a well-known maiko, her patrons loved her. She had an attitude that was both sweet and salty- the perfect combination of both, with a hint of flirty. Hanatsuki was a first year maiko from June 1999 to June 2000. In late June 2000, she began painting her upper lip and stopped wearing the dangling kanzashi as soon as July started, and her collar was less red and more white. One more year, and it would be her wagekae or mizuage- turning into a senior maiko. She continued to excel at dance and tea ceremony, and she was proficient enough on the shamisen. Her singing wasn't special, but she could do it. She worked hard at improving her skills. Apart from the two roles being taken from her, her first and second years as a maiko went quite smoothly. Kazuko started bothering less and less about Hanatsuki as she found a new rival, maiko Ayatsuki from Ayanigu okiya, and towards the end of her second year as a maiko in March 2001, Kazuko became an independent geiko. Hanatsuki became closer with Komomo, and her friendship with Michiko also developed. Ayaharu was there and kept supporting and helping Hanatsuki, trying to secure her a role in her first public dances- the spring dances which would take place in April 2001. During Hanatsuki's second year, in September 2000, Komomo was a fourth year maiko and Michiko was in her sakkou stage. In April 2001, Hanatsuki got a large role in the Spring Dances 2001, her first public dances. The performance went well, and Hanatsuki started to become a well-known maiko. In June 2001, she has been a maiko for two full years and was about to start her third year. It was time for an important event- her mizuage.
Senior Maiko Hanatsuki
And so, June 22nd 2001 was the day that Hanatsuki began her third year as a maiko. She was now a senior maiko, which was marked by her mizuage, or wagekae. Her hairstyle changed from the wareshinobu to the ofuku, her kanzashi became more toned down, she adopted a more mature make-up style and her collar was now completely covered in white embroidery, but still red from the back. Another two or three years as a maiko, and she would become a fully fledged geiko! With Kazuko living alone and focused on another young maiko, life was much easier for Hanatsuki- she performed in many events, and had the main role at the Gion Matsuri 2002 dances, when she was in her fourth year as a maiko. With the help of her oneesan, Hanatsuki became more and more popular. She was great friends with Komomo and Michiko, and sometimes attended ozashiki with them. The maiko continued her lessons, excelling at dance. Early in her 5th year as a maiko, in July 2003, after passing a test Hanatsuki was deemed capable enough of beginning her transition to a geiko. She wore the Yakko Shimada hairstyle for three weeks, and began her sakkou stage in early August 2003.
Sakkou and Erikae of Hanatsuki
In early August 2003, nearly 5 years after Hanatsuki joined the Hanami Okiya, her sakkou stage began- the transition from maiko to geiko. Hanatsuki was now deemed capable enough- she was proficient at the shamisen and koto, and excelled at dance and tea ceremony. After passing the test in July 2003, she wore the Yakko Shimada hairstyle for 3 weeks before switching to the sakkou hairstyle in early August 2003, which she wore for a month. Her teeth were also blackened- an old custom for the sakkou stage. On her final night as a maiko, Hanatsuki performed the difficult dance "Kuro Kami", a tale of tragedy, love and death. Michiko and Komomo, who were now geiko, and even Kazuko attended this event, it was said that Kazuko was smirking and quietly making remarks about Hanatsuki's dancing during this. Then, Hanatsuki sat on a chair where Ayaharu, Michiko, Komomo and loyal customers cut the ties holding her hairstyle together, letting her black hair flow in a cascade down her shoulders. Then, she went into a room where she changed into a formal geiko hikizuri with a pure white collar, and put on the geiko taka shimada wig for the first time. She then returned to her erikae ozashiki, making her first appearance as geiko Hanatsuki! On the second day of her erikae, Hanatsuki was dressed a bit less formally, and made her rounds in the Hanamachi, giving thanks.
Geiko Hanatsuki
In September 2003, at the age of 20, maiko Hanatsuki became geiko Hanatsuki. And so- as of August 2016, she has been a geiko for nearly 13 years, and has been a member of the Hanamachi for nearly 18 years. Hanatsuki continued being a successful geiko, and managed to secure herself a danna in 2006, who gave her financial support. She continued to take advanced lessons in dance, and also continued taking lessons in the shamisen and koto, and also took up the fue flute. Her friendship with Komomo and Michiko continued. In 2007, Kazuko passed away due to illness. Early in 2008, Hanatsuki became an independent geiko, her apartment funded by her danna. Hanatsuki continued performing at many events, even traveling abroad to perform in New York, Hong Kong, London and Berlin. Her danna passed away in 2010, however Hanatsuki was left with the apartment and thankfully was earning enough and had enough saved to fund herself. She was very close with her danna, and for a month didn't perform or attend ozashiki. In 2011, Komomo retired, which was another sad event for Hanatsuki and Michiko. Hanatsuki and Michiko, both popular geiko, attended ozashiki together and had a close friendship. In 2013, when Hanatsuki turned 30, she no longer had to wear oshiroi and taka shimada to ozashiki- she only had to wear this to larger performances and special events. She now played the flute, koto and shamisen well, and continued taking advanced dance lessons. In 2014, Michiko started her own okiya- the Michime Okiya. As of August 2016, Hanatsuki continues to be a successful tachikata geiko, aged 32. She hopes to open an ochaya within the next three years. She still performs at many events and ozashiki.