Norie

Congratulations to Norie-san of Asakusa who celebrated her 20th anniversary as a Geisha by getting an elaborate party thrown in her honor. She performed a solo on the big stage with her sisters backing her up as a full orchestra. It is no small feat for a Geisha to be active for so long and Norie is certainly a unique member of the hanamachi of Asakusa. Hopefully she will grace the stage for at least another 20 years and bless her patrons with her sophisticated services.

In commemoration of Asakusa Norie’s vicennial i went through the internet and found some gorgeous shots of her throughout the years to share with you all. Her life is as fascinating as her appearance and her story is worthy of your time.

Norie’s family tree is full of Geisha, she herself the fourth generation. But after her family moved to the United states when she was a small child, the Geisha-world seemed a universe away. A free spirit and strong willed girl growing up, she did anything she wanted up until she finished university back in her native country of Japan. It seemed as if just because Norie was able and capable of choosing her own path, she decided to follow in her mothers footsteps in Asakusa out of pure contrarianism.

Through this strong connection to the Geisha of Tokyo, she found herself in the care of the great Geisha Suzuno-san who took her in. Norie was always quick to remark, that the visuals of the Geisha never really attracted her. It was the familiar atmosphere of the ozashiki, the communal feeling of the sisterhood, the intimacy of the Geisha-world, a bubble in the metropolis that is Tokyo that spoke to her. It is expected of the Geisha of Asakusa to live in the district, to strengthen their community but also to promote their craft be it just by being visible, going from ozashiki to ryotei in the evenings.

Suzuno capitalized on Norie’s energetic demeanor and her drive to be an ambassador for the Geisha at a time when not much was known to the average person. The internet was established when Norie debuted in 1999 so she got herself an E-mail address and handed it out to journalists quite freely, to the chagrin of her mentor Suzuno. While Suzuno was experiencing a slump in business through the unsteady financial state of the country, Norie was adapting to modern tastes and means of communication. Soon after she was established in Asakusa she started giving interviews and was often seen in television as a representative of the modern Geisha. Even German reporters were knocking at her door. Through her stints in the States during her youth, she had perfected her English so naturally she was the ideal contact person for international media outlets.

At the forefront of Geisha on social media, she was one of the first to share her life, an insight into the exclusive operation of a Tokyo Geisha. But she had to find a balance between her personal and professional life and it seems as if the years in the karyukai have softened her sharp edges. The fire is still in her dance, she is a passionate performer and her presence on stage commands attention. In this sense Norie is now sharper and more forceful than ever. May she never loose this fire, not for next 20 years at least.

Sources: JD Griffin on Flickr / Makoto-craftbox / Kotechai