12/10/2023 0 Comments Memories of a geisha run![]() ![]() Further clarified by Iwasaki, the mizuage ritual as depicted by Golden, does not exist in Gion. For the most part, a mizuage is expected to be non-sexual. This meant that maiko-turned-geikos need not sleep with their patrons, nor be coerced into it. Eventually, selling off a girl’s virginity under the mizuage practice was also outlawed in 1959. While this was the case in the past, such a practice was implicitly condemned through the 1956 Anti-Prostitution Law. In the book, however, Golden described the mizuage as Sayuri needing to sell off her virginity to her most generous benefactor/patron/customer. This comprises a change in hairstyles, as well as visits to benefactors. As per the customs, a maiko has to go through this coming-of-age ceremony by undergoing a series of symbolic rituals. graduates from a maiko to a geiko/geisha ). Traditionally speaking, a mizuage is a crucial rite of passage in a geisha ’s life when she ‘turns the collar’ (i.e. This was something that Golden could never compensate for.Īnother oversight was Golden’s cultural faux-pas in his description of the mizuage. Since Iwasaki was the only geisha who was identified and ‘outed’ by Golden, she fell out with a lot of friends for perceivably breaching the geisha code of silence. An undisclosed amount was compensated.Īs for who was telling the truth in this situation, I guess that’s something we’ll never know. On another hand, Iwasaki remains unwavering in her position, and contests that she never consented to have her name in the book.Įventually, to settle the score between the two, Golden’s publisher settled with Iwasaki out of court. This gave rise to a rather confusing situation: On one hand, Golden claims that Iwasaki never acceded to confidentiality, and even alleges the possession of recorded tapes on their conversations. Mineko Iwasaki, one of Gion’s top geisha…” (p. Despite promising to keep her identity secret, he writes in the acknowledgement page, “In the course of my extensive research I am indebted to one individual above all others. ![]() One of Golden’s first missteps was his breach of confidentiality. His mistakes are essentially cleaved into two parts – identity breaches, and poor fact-finding. Beyond these ethical mishaps, the work is painfully wrought with several terrible inaccuracies and missteps. To her dismay, Golden fell short on his promises, and after the Japanese edition was published, Iwasaki sued Golden for the violation of confidentiality. To his end, he promised that he would deliver reliable information, and keep her identity confidential. Initially, Golden contacted Iwasaki to get ahold of insider information, especially since the geisha community practiced much discretion with its culture. Much of the book’s contents are premised off Golden’s 1992 conversations with Mineko Iwasaki, one of – if not the most – famous geisha at the height of her fame during the 60s and 70s. *To add a disclaimer, since this book is a whopping 448 pages, that was a very condensed summary it barely captures the novel’s essence, much less its subplots and finer details. The story pretty much tells itself at this point, with several meandering subplots and twists. Compared to earlier years that were abound with dramatics and jealous opponents, she quickly rises to a height of staggering success and fame in the community. After becoming a popular maiko, she quickly ‘turns the collar’ and becomes a full-fledged geisha. Classed as a historical fiction, it details the story of Chiyo ( geisha name: Sayuri) who was born into a coastal fishing village, before being sold into an okiya where she undergoes arduous training to become a maiko (apprentice geisha ). Memoirs of a Geisha was written by the eponymous American author, Arthur Golden.
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