June | 2014 | johnliddlephotography

June 24, 2014
by johnliddlephotography 4 Comments

Geisha Blur

Blur is not a word one normally associates with geisha, yet it aptly describes my most valued sightings of geisha from dusk onwards when their focus is getting to their next appointment. This is their busy time and in an evening with several bookings, time is money and they are ladies in a hurry. Sightings can be a “where did she come from?” experience as they pass in a blur of colourful elegance, appearing to float above the pavement with their short, quick steps.

Pics 1 to 3 are examples of geisha blur, all shot in Kyoto’s Gion district. Sadly the Geiko shown in pics 1 and 2 show signs of unwanted attention and it was disappointing to witness the lack of respect shown by many people obstructing their path and popping flashes to get the souvenir shot. Nevertheless, their grace shines through. I did not travel with a flash unit and was happy to record the blur, nor did I elect to join in chasing, which is why pic 3 shows a Maiko moving away. It is unfortunate that a frontal shot was blocked, as she was the most beautiful Maiko I saw. However, there is a certain pleasure in accepting blur as the trade-off for retaining one’s dignity. (I guess a career as paparazzi is out of the question.)

To stay with this theme, one must understand that geisha are celebrities with a difference. Their celebrity is an inheritance from being the current custodians of a traditional entertainment form unique to Japan. Indeed, in my opinion, geisha represent Japan’s most recognisable icon. Unlike western celebrities who seemingly crave attention, geisha go about their business in a quieter, more refined manner. However, their time-honoured practice of walking to appointments means that they are frequently exposed to an adoring and curious public.

Much has been written about the world of geisha, yet so much remains unknown. Retaining an element of mystery and intrigue is essential, but I would like to touch on one aspect that tends to be somewhat overlooked.

A general perception of Japan is that of a male dominated society and there is much to support this perception. Yet the geisha culture challenges this perception. The world of geisha is female dominated, with men occupying specific roles such as dressing, where strength is required to perfectly arrange a geisha’s apparel. The okiya within which geisha live and train under the guidance of an Okasan (mother) is exclusively female and most importantly, the Tea Houses (ochaya) where geisha entertain have traditionally been female owned and operated. I find it fascinating that this most feminine of Japanese cultures has emerged from a male dominated society and whilst geisha do not openly associate with feminism, their achievement is significant.

Pics 5 to 7 are of a young Maiko in Kyoto during the cherry blossom season. I gained the impression that she was somewhat uncomfortable in the public spotlight and perhaps she had not yet realised her powers.

Pics 8 and 9 are of a Tokyo geisha, shot in the late afternoon on her way to a nearby ochaya. Tokyo geisha are more elusive than their Kyoto counterparts and these shots were my reward for several hours spent wandering the streets of Mukojima. It was an enjoyable time as Mukojima is one of Tokyo’s older areas and although my primary focus was to see geisha, the area is interesting in its own right. After wandering for some time, I came across an area that simply felt right and decided to hang around for a while. (Maybe there is a bit of paparazzi in me after all.) A short time later, I heard the distinctive clip clopping and jangling sounds and there she was coming in my direction. My satisfaction with the day’s shoot was heightened after speaking with some Tokyo residents who advised that many people live for years in Tokyo without ever seeing geisha. Maybe I got lucky.

The final photograph (pic 10) of the older woman in kimono was taken shortly after pics 8 and 9. The wrapped object the lady is holding is a shamisen, a stringed Japanese instrument, which she plays as accompaniment for geisha performing dances. I would have liked to know if she had once been geisha, but alas, my Japanese language skills were inadequate.

It is always a special experience when one encounters geisha, whose numbers are unfortunately declining. One hopes this decline can be arrested and their place in Japan’s traditional art forms can be forever ensured. There are traditions that should never be lost. Geisha is one such tradition.

(Please click on any of the following images for an enlarged view.)

Two Geiko in Kyoto

Pink Geiko rushing by

Blurred Beauty

Geisha Poster

Gion Maiko – pic 1

Gion Maiko – pic 2

Gion Maiko – pic 3

Tokyo Geisha – pic 1

Tokyo Geisha – pic 2

Shamisen Player

June 13, 2014
by johnliddlephotography 4 Comments

Gion

I have heard Kyoto described as “old Japan” in contrast to Tokyo being seen as “new Japan”. Like many generalisations, such descriptions may be seen as unkind and incomplete summations of each city given that each sits comfortably in the 21^st century and embrace, in that very Japanese way, the old and the new. Nevertheless, differences in the relative emphasis assigned by each city to the old and the new tends to support these broad classifications, as is supported by the preponderance of world heritage sites in and around Kyoto.

Through previous posts I have shown several of Kyoto’s world heritage listed sites and will show more in future posts. Today, however, I wish to focus on the area that has been Kyoto’s gathering place through the centuries and continues to be so today. The place I am talking about is, of course, Gion.

Its history is too deep to cover in this brief discussion and I will leave readers to pursue their own enquiries, preferring instead to talk of my own experiences.

My first morning in Kyoto was spent in Gion and perhaps it was the chance meeting with a Geiko (Kyoto term for geisha) that cast its spell over me. From then, the place was like a magnet and it seemed that at some point of each day I would find myself somewhere in Gion. This was not always planned, but Kyoto is a great city to explore on foot and many paths lead to and/or from Gion.

In its heyday Gion was a maze of narrow streets filled with traditional wooden buildings and home to many thousands of geisha. If time travel were a reality it would be at the top of my time travel bucket list. Times do, of course, change and with tourism comes commercialisation. However, old Gion remains. The streets and alleys are still narrow and if one can ignore the modern additions such as power lines, a sense of the old maze and its charm can be felt. It is not a place to visit with a guidebook and a list of sights to see. It is a place in which to wander, get lost and keep wandering until you find your way.

The selected photographs attempt to show old and new Gion, though I openly admit they do not do justice to the place. The tea-houses by the canal (pic 1) attract an up-market clientele where geisha entertain. In fact, pic 2 shows a Geiko and Maiko (apprentice geisha) on their way to the tea-house in the foreground of pic 1. One can only wonder how many Geiko/Maiko have and will continue to walk this street. For me, pic 2 is a reminder of a lost opportunity. I was lost in concentration setting-up another shot with the camera mounted on a tripod when I became aware of movement behind me. On turning around I was greeted by the graciously smiling white painted faces of a Geiko and her Maiko sister en route to their appointment. There was only time to settle for exchanged greetings as they passed, hence the shot of them walking away.

Pics 3 to 5 show other examples of the warm, welcoming atmosphere created by the elements of old wooden buildings, cobbled streets, trees and water. To round off the older style images, pic 6 shows the Minamiza Kabuki Theatre, Kyoto’s premier kabuki theatre located in an always bustling section of Gion.

As mentioned earlier, Gion is a major tourist attraction and pics 7 and 8 give some indication of its popularity. Pic 9 shows the same street with fewer people, but what is interesting is how the young Maiko is the focus of attention. Although the kimono worn by regular Japanese women do not match the finery worn by geisha, one does see more kimono worn around Gion than elsewhere in Japan (at least in my experience). Typical examples are those of the kimono clad women in pic 11 enjoying a stroll through one of Gion’s many winding laneways and the young women (pic 12) disappearing into an alley, framed again by those typically Japanese building elements of paved stone and wood.

For those readers who have visited Gion I hope these images may spark some pleasant memories and for those who have not visited in person, I hope this little glimpse may spark some interest.

(Please click on any of the following images for an enlarged view.)

Tea Houses by Canal

Geisha on way to appointment

Welcoming Light

Delightful Footpath

A beckoning courtyard

Minamiza Kabuki Theatre

Gion Streets – pic 1

Gion Streets – pic 2

Gion Streets – pic 3

Gion Streets – pic 4

Kimono clad strollers

Young women in kimono

Gion home – pic 1

Pathway steps

Products of a fertile mind

Gion roofscape

June 3, 2014
by johnliddlephotography 6 Comments

Shinto Weddings

The best pleasures are those of the unexpected variety, such as I experienced on a visit to Kamakura’s Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine. One is always drawn to a crowd and in this instance, a crowd had gathered around the Maiden (an open sided stage or pavilion) in front of the stairway leading to the main hall. Drawing closer it became apparent that, purely by luck, I was about to witness my first Shinto wedding ceremony.

As with western-style ceremonies the centre of attraction is the bride, as one will surely appreciate from the accompanying photographs. The ceremony itself is symbolic and does not legally confer marriage. This takes place previously via a civil ceremony in accordance with Japanese law.

Happening across the Kamakura wedding conducted in public was most fortunate, as most Shinto wedding ceremonies are conducted within the private areas of shrines, thus the public can only view the participants before and after. Nevertheless, it is a sight I would never tire of and I could quite happily spend my weekends photographing Shinto weddings. (Bookings will be gratefully accepted haha.)

As with many things Japanese, the ceremony and the costumes communicate a link to past traditions – a link further emphasised by the historic significance of the shrines within which the weddings take place. The locations for these photographs, the Hachimangu Shrine at Kamakura and Tokyo’s Meiji Jingu, are each steeped in history and are highly significant sites in their own right.

The brides wear exclusively white garments – a colour associated with purity in Japan, with the only exception appearing to be adornments worn in their hair. In ages past, I understand that brides would paint their faces and arms white, as do geisha, though this practice is no longer followed. The bridal kimono is intricately embroidered in patterns of the bride’s choosing, though the patterns do seem to draw heavily on symbols from nature. Perhaps the most striking part of the costume is the wataboshi, the large oval shaped hood intended to conceal the bride’s face to everyone except the groom. Whilst I don’t think it succeeds in this respect, the wataboshi is undoubtedly elegant and adds an air of mystery. For viewers who may be wondering, of the five brides shown in the photographs, four were wearing wigs.

I will now allow the pictures to tell the story. Pics 1 to 5 are shots from the Kamakura wedding and pics 6 to 17 were taken on a rather wet and cold afternoon at Tokyo’s Meiji Jingu, where a number of weddings were taking place.

Of the four brides photographed at Meiji Jingu, it was interesting to observe their different personalities. The first bride (pic 6) was ebullient and radiated happiness and joy. The second bride (pics 7 to 9) was simply a picture of elegance, whom one could happily photograph all day long. (For the photographically minded, I acknowledge that pic 9 is greatly over-exposed, but I like it anyway. It was unintentional and my best guess is that my shutter fired at exactly the same time as the official photographer’s flash.) The third bride (pics 10 to 12) looked so nervous at the conclusion of the ceremony. However, some calming words from her attendant and fine-tuning of her kimono soon transformed her into a radiant bride. Finally, the fourth bride (pics 13 to 17) epitomised grace at all times.

I hope this post gives at least a little glimpse into another of Japan’s links with tradition.

(Please click on any of the following images for an enlarged view.)