Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Maiko: The Apprentice Geisha

"A new maiko wears a hairstyle called wareshinobu, which incorporates two strands of red ribbon that signify her innocence."



"The white makeup that is a trademark of the geisha was once lead-based and poisonous. Now, it is harmless. If a maiko follows the traditional way of achieving the look, she first applies oil and a layer of wax to her face. This makes the skin perfectly smooth and forms a base to which the white powder can adhere. She then applies red lipstick only to her lower lip. This is a sign that she is an apprentice."


"A maiko wears a kimono that has extra long sleeves (they touch the ground when she drops her arms) and is very long, colorful and intricately adorned with embroidery or hand-painted designs. Her collar is red, and her obi is long and wide."


"She wears tall wooden clogs called okobo to keep her kimono from dragging on the ground. Learning to walk in this outfit without falling over is part of her training."


When a maiko becomes a geisha, she switches out her red collar for a white one and her maiko kimono for a geisha kimono.


Maiko Doll: from Cake.A'holic display counter
Data Source: HowStuffWorks.com

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