Geiko debuts are more on the rare end in Kyoto. This has a few reasons: On the one side the women gain more prestige in the community if they go through with an apprenticeship instead of just jumping into the profession. On the other side the years spent as a Maiko-san are very precious: From a financial side, the girls get to build a bigger client base. From an artistic point of view, the time is needed to refine their many gei.



Since Geiko are mature women, not children, it makes little sense for them to debut and then retire again to get married immediatly or persue other careers. So Geiko-debuts usually have an air of durability to them. It takes just as much hard work as starting from the bottom but they have to be quicker about it too. There is no time to lose when you don’t have a steady stream of business going on.

So let’s talk about Jikata Geiko Hizuru of Pontocho. She is the first Geiko in her district to debut directly as a jikata in 37 years. Originally from Fukuoka, she took shamisen-lessons since she was in elementary school. After years of refining her skills, she headed to Pontocho, where she was introduced to Katsumi okiya by a friend. Determined to perfect her musical skills, she decided to stay and learn the ways of the karyukai.

The Geiko training phase lasted over a year for her. In that time she learned the Kyoto-dialect as required from all Geimaiko, the customs of the trade and the repertoire of songs needed for ozashiki and public performances. After her “Minarai” period she was allowed to debut as a fully fledged Geiko in May 2014. As a fresh Geiko she gets to wear the full regalia with hikizuri and oshiroi even though she specializes in singing but as a jikata she also has the option of performing in houmongi and yohatsu:





She has since cultivated a very modern singing style while staying true to the traditions of the kagai. As one of the younger jikata in her district, she represents Pontocho in the best ways: Hard working and talented, she is a true pleasure for the eyes and ears!

Photo by kyosanpo2017

Video by Roger Walch