Memoirs of a Geisha

Geisha is an ancient and honorable profession in Japan. Geisha are not just girls for entertaining guests, they are traditions, ancient art and history. We offer you to look at the representatives of this ancient profession in its "golden age".

Two geishas take a samurai in Japan, around 1880. (Pho­to by Hul­ton Archive)

Two geisha practice their skills; one of them plays the traditional Japanese shamisen. Ok. 1950. (Pho­to by Three Lions)

A typical Japanese geisha in a kimono. Ok. 1950. (Pho­to by Evans/Three Lions)

A group of geisha in traditional costumes, November 1937. (Pho­to by Fox Photos)

A girl in a typical geisha kimono. Ok. 1950. (Pho­to by Evans/Three Lions)

Japanese geisha with traditional makeup. Ca. 1900. (Pho­to by Felice A. Beato)

A group of rural geishas and maids around 1943. This speckled outfit is worn when geisha are working in the field or doing chores around the house. It is called mumpey. (Pho­to by Three Lions)

A Western visitor uses the services of a Japanese geisha, circa 1955. (Pho­to by Fox Photos)

A group of geisha from Beppa, Japan, on March 8, 1920. (Pho­to by Spencer Arnold)

Geisha arranges her shoe collection, circa 1955. (Pho­to by Orlando/Three Lions)

Geisha entertain a group of men – they must ensure that their cups are always full. Ok. 1955. (Pho­to by Three Lions)

American actress Betty Grable (1916-1973) as a geisha in a scene from the musical "Call Me Mister" on January 2, 1951. (Pho­to by Keystone)

Japanese geisha in a kimono and with a shamisen, circa 1950. The shamisen is a traditional Japanese plucked musical instrument. (Pho­to by Evans/Three Lions)

A Japanese geisha is carried around the city during the Ebisu Festival, 1928. (Pho­to by Kutschuk/London Express)

A geisha gives a visitor a beer in 1955. (Pho­to by Fox Photos)

Geisha play go on May 2, 1957. (Pho­to by Key­stone Features)

A geisha shyly laughs with a visitor around 1955. (Pho­to by Three Lions)

Japanese geisha from the trade union are trying to negotiate better working conditions, circa 1935. (Pho­to by Hul­ton Archive)

British actor Cary Grant (1904-1986) watches as the actress teaches how to walk like a geisha, before shooting his new film "Madame Butterfly", 1932. (Pho­to by Mar­garet Chute)

Geisha, circa 1865. (Pho­to by Felice Beato)

Geisha without wigs, circa 1950. (Pho­to by Three Lions)

A girl in a traditional kimono is taught to play the shamisen, circa 1950. (Pho­to by Evans/Three Lions)

Geisha serve tea on board a ship on the Niagara River, circa 1950. (Pho­to by Three Lions)

Geisha in aprons over kimonos serve food to Japanese sailors on Navy Day in Tokyo, circa 1937. (Pho­to by Hul­ton Archive)

A geisha walks home past umbrellas drying in an alley, circa 1955. (Pho­to by Three Lions)

A group of geisha in training, circa 1955. (Pho­to by Cen­tral Press)