Japanese Meiji
Posted in Antiques on 01/10/2011 02:13 am by adminJapanese History - Meiji period?
Hiya. I'm curious to know whether all geisha in that time were considered prostitutes and whether prostitutes were always geisha.
Thanks for the reply. Need it for a research paper.
This is a tragic misconception. Geisha WERE NOT prostitutes, and are not now, nor have they ever been.
The word Geisha actually means "Art Person" or "Art Doer." In the Edo and Meiji periods, protitution was legal and regulated, and Geisha were expressly forbidden to have prostitute licenses.
For centuries, geisha have been entertainers, and have been rigorously trained in music, dance, singing, and other forms of entertainment. To be a geisha is to possess real skills, and any geisha would be offended at the implication that she was a prostitute. This is true now, and has always been the case.
People always mistake geisha for prostitutes, but they never were.