For The First Day Of Fun I present… something very different that I haven’t done before. This is about someone who really changed the karyukai for the better, even if people will not say so on record or may be too modest to admit. This is about a person who you likely never have met nor even heard of, but they are a great reason as to why you’ve even reading this in the first place.



For privacy’s sake and the sake of their family I’m only going to tell you about the person themselves as I knew them best. Without their direct permission I will not be sharing real names, but rather just usernames. Please enjoy.





Onihide-san, The Exception To All Rules

Simple and refined.



Back when I was new to the entire karyukai scene around 2005 everything felt like a secret club. The only real information that I could find was from Kyoko Aihara’s book, and that was about it. Trying to meet other enthusiasts through forums was a bit disastrous as they cared more about who’s a queen bee and who has more items than others. I don’t remember exactly how, but one day in 2008 I landed on Flickr, and that random click would change my life. Not only did I find beautiful images of maiko and geiko, but people who were very open about their experiences! One of the biggest photographers was Onihide-san, whose page views and activity were among the highest (if not the highest) of the geimaiko photographers. It felt a bit intimidating, but I quickly realized that people who asked him questions got responses! And not just one word answers either; he would take the time to answer any question that you had as he was very excited to find other people who were interested in geimaiko.



With images as stunning as this, who wouldn’t feel intimidated?



So, who was Onihide-san and why did he take photographs of maiko and geiko? Well, before he really invested heavily in photography he was a customer in Gion Kobu who had a great reputation among the geimaiko. From there, he wanted to show others what he saw, and what he saw was truly unique. Just from the way that he frames his subjects and the manages to capture their sincere emotions is a giveaway that the photograph was taken by him. You can line up a bunch of images of the same maiko from various photographers and it will always be easy to spot which one was his.



Tsuneyū of Shigenoya in Gion Higashi on stage, captured in his unique style.



One of the easiest ways to see his intentions in his photographs is to look at the women in them. He may have been a street photographer at times, but you can tell that he always got consent from the women themselves to take their portraits. If they didn’t stop to pose then you can clearly see the greetings in their eyes as they converse with a well known friend. He didn’t have to go out on the streets to see maiko and geiko, but he did anyway as he loved to see them away from the formalities of an ozashiki and interact within their communities.



Kyōka of Tsurui in Gion Kobu easily recognizes the adept photographer.

Ichimomo of Ichi in Kamishichiken flashes a quick smile for a familiar face.



And so he taught through his images, where memorizing the smallest detail helps to understand the entire context. Just like a minarai, you learn by observing, and it’s through these observations that you come to understand how everything added up to the way that it was and how many countless individuals come together to make the person that you see in those images. If there was something you weren’t too sure about then he’d help you out with it in a bid to teach in the most patient way possible. Instead of being stressed by a constant bombardment of questions he was excited for the chance to talk to other enthusiasts and always gave detailed answers.



Ayano of Yamaguchi in Pontocho in a moment on stage.



One of the greatest things that he ever taught was to not let yourself be blinded by the old notions or hang ups of the karyukai, but rather to follow your heart and do what feels right to you. Back in those early days the Fukushima okiya had just opened, and with it came many reservations from current customers about showing their allegiance for such a new establishment as they did not want to arouse the internal politics of the karyukai. Onihide-san ignored the politics and instead focused on a wonderful maiko who seemed to be invisible to the other photographers: Ayano (彩乃). It is through his lens that Ayano became a person, not just a doll with white makeup. They genuinely liked spending time together, and it shows in every image of Ayano that he ever took. Some are silly, some are serious, while others are just in this fun spot that’s in between everything else. His popularity, along with his photographs of Ayano, are the biggest reasons that the karyukai became accessible to outsiders who had no other way to learn and to insiders who were reminded that nothing can ever change by simply following the flow. Without those images I am certain that the Fukushima okiya would not be as prosperous as it is today as his exposure of Ayano was critical at such a vulnerable time for them.



Ayano, a fresh maiko from a fresh okiya with understated beauty.



Ayano makes a fox shadow in a moment of relaxation and fun.

Ayano went from obscure to well known via Onihide-san’s influence online.



In the end, you may be asking: what’s the point in making a spotlight about a single photographer like this? Yes, I would like to shine a spotlight on other photographers in the future, but this isn’t so much of a spotlight as it is a memorial. News of Onihide-san’s death broke on December 24th, 2010, eight years ago now, but it still feels so vivid. His loss marked a return to the more closed ways of the karyukai. Without someone to advocate for the people like me the process to learn and be accepted became much harder than when he was around. But it’s not the lack of knowledge that compelled me to write this. Rather, it’s to share with you the warmth and passion from such an amazing person whose images are as unique and fresh today as they were the day they were uploaded. For those that got to know him we remember this time of year with fondness and sadness as his presence can still be felt so strongly. For those who didn’t know him, it gives us a chance to share what a difference a single person has made in the lives of many, and hopefully his knowledge and spark can be passed down to others just as they were passed down to us.



Then shikomi Satsuki and Sayaka of Tsurui in Gion Kobu. He was very much looking forward to Satsuki’s debut, but sadly he would not be around to see it.