Customer Reviews

Geisha: A Unique World of Tradition, Elegance and Art

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A Unique World Of Tradition, Elegance and Art
by John Gallagher

Book review

Photo Caption Mistakes

1. Intro 11
Photo of plain clothed Maiko described as just normal Japanese women

2. Intro 19
"Finely dressed Maiko" is wrong! Just a tourist dressed as a Maiko.

3. Transparent pictures of maiko dressing procedure section
Fully dressed page: There is no dangling floral ornament on the crown of her head and the under color is not embroiled red and white.
Next page: There is no separate embroidered color put on above the Naga-Jyuban.
Third page: Usually the Hada-Jyuban top is red and white, not plain white.

4. Page 59
Not picture of Geisha Amusement Restaurant (This restaurant is called `Yagenbori' and it is mentioned many times through out the book as being a tea house. However, it is just a tourist restaurant.

5. Page 61
It is Not a picture of Onnagata as stated.

6. Page 63
This is not a Noh theater, but geisha performing at their annual dance.

7. Page 69
It is two Geiko, one is playing a male role and the other is playing a female role. Not a `Geiko and younger Maiko'.

8. Transparent geisha dressing images
Page 1: The Geisha's wig red ribbon should not be there and no dangling ornaments either. The collar is embroiled but should be plain white silk and the comment above going bald on the crown because of the wig. However sometimes Maiko develop a bold spot because of her hair style.

9. Page 83
`Maiko in Kyoto' is wrong. These are just tourists dressed up.

10. Page 93
`Geisha in garden' is not a geisha but a just a Japanese woman.

11. Page 136
A `Maiko' is just a tourist dressed up.

12. Page 137
"Maiko in Kyoto' is wrong. These are just tourists dressed up.

13. Page 139
`A Tayu of Shimabara' is wrong. This woman is dressed as `Oiran' from Yoshiwara. You can tell it because of the way of her Obi is tied.

14. Page 142
This not a Maiko. But she is ???who knows?

15. Page 145
Probably not the back back of Geisha.

16. Page 147
She is not a Maiko but just a tourist. And the word `Hikizuke' in the caption should be `Hikizuri'.

17. Page 149
`Caption Maiko in full regalia' is just a tourist dressed up: Look at the wig.

18. Photos on Page 152 & 153
These are not labeled Maiko or Geiko but we are led to believe that they are.

19. Transparent Picture after page 160
1st image: The geisha, when wearing her white make-up should be wearing Susohiki kimono with either the hem of Kimono down or tied up.

20. Page 172
`A Geisha' is really a Maiko.

21 Bottom Photo. Page 180
`Dignitaries' are just a regular visitors to the cherry blossom dance performance. Nakai" ÅeProfessional Hanamachi insiders?????"These are just young girls working part time.

22. Page 183
`A tea house in Gion' This is just a normal Japanese restaurant named `Yata', not a Tea house.

23. Transparent pictures after page 184
The kimono in the image Not right Kimono for three lines left unpainted (sanbon ashi) on the back of the neck

24. Page 197
`A tea house in Gion' This is Yagenbori. It is just a Japanese restaurant (see error #4).

25. Page 198
`Ochaya-Tea House' This too, is Yagenbori (see error #4 and #24)

26. Page 210
`Geisha' This is a Maiko

27. Page 212
`A Maiko in full attire' This is just a tourist dressed up. She is wearing a wig.

28. Page 213, Top photo
This is just a tourist dressed up, not a Maiko.

29. Page 216
`These Maiko' are just three women dressed up as Maiko, not a real Maiko.

30. Page 218
`Maiko' Just a tourist dressed as Maiko.
`Hikizure' should be `Hikizuri'

31. Page 221
`Geisha wearing a formal hair dress' This is just a tourist dressed up.

32. Page 222
`Maiko' Just a tourist dressed up.

33. Page 227
The reason the Maiko is wearing a Yukata is because she is being photographed. She is not intending to wear it out for an engagement.

34. Page 229
`Maiko taking a photo' This is not a Maiko, she is wearing a wig.

35. Page 234
`Two Maikos' The two are just tourists dressed as Maiko.

I think this book was a good effort to put out an abundance information about geisha and traditional Japanese culture.
I found the text quite informative and well researched. However, with 35 plus caption error, it shows us that the author was early researcher translating Japanese information into English and rewriting English information already out there in his easy to read and fluent writing style.
Unfortunately, because of the amount of the errors in the captions, we find out or must come to the conclusion that the author is either very careless or really wasn't writing from any personal experiences (probably the latter).

I almost forgot. This book is very inexpensive for a hardcover with so
many color photos and pages.

P.S. Sorry if their are mistakes in grammar and spelling in this review.

Peter MacIntosh
www.kyotosightsnadnights.com
www.PeterMacintosh.com

In 1997, Arthur Golden's best-selling _Memoirs of a Geisha_ caused a minor boom in interest about the "world of flowers and willows." Gallagher is a professional translator living in Tokyo and his obvious knowledge both of Japanese political and social history and of the geisha tradition itself make him an excellent go-between in explaining it all to western readers. He goes to considerable lengths to disabuse the ignorant of the assumption that geisha are courtesans, or that there is any serious comparison between the entertainments of bar hostesses and of geisha. (The former, he says, are like renting a cheap compact car to take a weekend jaunt to an amusement park; the latter are like journeying in a hand-gilded coach with footmen to a grand banquet.) What tourists used to see, until very recently, was laid on specially for them, since the network of geisha houses, teahouses, fabric-sellers, kimono-makers, and other associated craftsmen and service-providers that make up the hanamachi district in any city -- and every town and city has one, or did have -- is basically closed to outsiders. "No new faces" is the rule. The geisha themselves and their clients are two halves of the same culture, and very few modern Japanese have any knowledge or even any interest in the old ways. So the geisha tradition is dying. In the mid-1950s, some 40,000 geisha were active in Japan; by the mid-1970s, that was down to about 17,000. At the turn of the new century, there are fewer than 5,000 in the whole country, and fewer than 200 in Kyoto itself, where the whole thing began. It's a shame to think the whole geisha world will probably, inevitably, soon be extinct. This is a beautiful as well as very informative volume, with detailed color photos depicting the differences between the gorgeously colorful maiko (trainees) and the more sedate senior geisha, and with numerous historical paintings and engravings showing the development of geisha costume and relating geisha to a number of key events in the past several centuries of Japanese history. Anyone with an interest in Japanese life and culture definitely should find a copy.

I had never seen this book physically when I ordered it and was very pleased when it arrived on my doorstep. This hefty volume is a wealth of information, even for those who have already studied geisha culture and know a good deal of the terminology, ceremonies and details of the unique way of life and its related artistic and historical implications. I can't imagine a more detailed factual research source on the subject; this book really has it all. There is also an array of photographs of maiko and geiko in their respective regalia partaking in the business, artistic as well as personal aspects of their lives.

One of the most unique elements of the book is the inclusion of the sections of translucent vellum paper, which reveal the layers of a kimono ensemble and the progressive steps involved in the making-up of a geisha's face. This creative idea made for an interesting addition to an already fine book.

If I had to choose two resources on geisha culture to introduce an unfamiliar party with the subject, I would select _Geisha_ by Liza Dalby for her thoughtful, personal story told through a discerning anthropologist's eye, and _Geisha: a Unique World of Tradition, Elegance and Art_ for its comprehensive, detailed but more objective view of the subject. The information they encompass brings a mysterious, insular world into clear focus for the curious and eager-to-learn outsider.

These days it seems that books on geisha are becoming more numerous. Having previewed the entire work at a local store this evening, I decided to go ahead and order this online because it offers numerous pictures of not only the geisha, but traditional buildings and locations, an engaging discussion on part of the author (who is not above discussing how geisha affected persons ranging from Maria Callas to Madonna), and does not overly politicize their existence.

Many of the other books on geisha on Amazon.com are probably just as thorough, but none that I have seen can offer really the sheer number of color photos nor detailed illustrations of the traditional clothes worn by a geisha. One of the unique features of this book are the vellum overlays that dissect what the geisha wears from outside to inside. It's enormously helpful to those who in addition to wanting to know about the geisha, wants to know what they wore in great detail and the kind of places they may have dwelt and walked in traditional Kyoto and Edo.

This is a great introduction to the world of geisha as well as certain traditional cultural aspects of Japan, and any reader will certainly know more after reading and looking through this book and have a thorough appreciation for the traditions symbolized by the geisha.

History of male Taikomochi and female Geisha artists, Kabuki actors of the Japanese Pleasure Quarters or Flower and Willow World explain why Geisha speak, dress, live a 16th century existence in Hanamachi districts , their secretive sheltered world financially sustained for 3 centuries by Danna patron Buddhist monks, Yakusa gangsters, politicians and expense account businessmen.

Geisha Geisha of Gion: The Memoir of Mineko Iwasaki Mineko Iwasaki's life story informed the popular fiction Memoirs of a Geisha (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition) which debuts as a movie December 2005 but Gallagher's book Geisha provides colorful (at times inaccurate) photos and paintings to augment a historical perspective of these living works of art.

An excellent literary companion to Gallagher is the 18 month journal also named Geisha by anthropologist, writer and first American Geisha Liza Dalby (consultant on the movie Memoirs of Geisha) Geisha

Young Maiko historically began training at 6 years 6 months and 6 days to be discriminating readers of current events, politics, business as intellectually stimulating conversationalists with charisma as intelligent well informed listeners who never repeat what they hear.

Gei means art, sha means person, geisha arts are lifelong studies: dance, singing, 3 stringed shamisen, conversation which provides the patron with relaxation and laughter. The goal is harmony, consistency in dress, makeup, performance and comportment which can only be sustained by constant practice.

Geisha entertainment is costly, commensurate with the effort required to maintain the art. Very few aficionados, like ballet or opera devotees, have the education, wit and artistic bent to appreciate geisha allure. Geisha numbers are declining, and these icons may not survive into the next century. Geisha require support of traditional occupations such as tea ceremony assistants, kimono silk painters, wig makers, otokosu (dressers), ikebana flower arranging teachers, dance, singing, shamisen professions which also may disappear if the geisha cease to exist.

Fascinating look at what may be extinct cultural human artefacts within a few decades. Highly recommended along with Liza Dalby's Geisha.

This was a great read and it's an excellent resource for anyone who is interested in learning a lot about geisha. It covered everything from the details of their lives, their history and even down to their wigs and kimono. There are even layered examples of how their worn.

This is now one of my most treasured books about Geisha and I own a lot.

After seeing the movie: Memoires of a Geisha, I was curious to learn more about Geishas. Luckily I stumbled onto this book here. This is the best book ever one could imagine on Geishas! Full color with so many photos of Geishas! This book is a nice coffee table book that covers history, dress, culture, artistry, and more. It has enough information to entertain but not too much erudite script to bore.
This book actually has a cellophane chapter that is several pages of dressing/undressing a geisha. You can literally lift her layers of kimonos off and see how complex dressing is for a geisha!
I gave this book to a fellow costume friend and she LOVED it. I missed it so much, that I ended up buying another for myself!
This is a MUST HAVE for any geisha lover out there!

I love geisha and am very pleased with this book. The artwork and vellum build ups are awesome. I love love love this book. Definitly a must have

great transaction.recommend seller.I have studied Japanese culture and music.I keep it out for company to enjoy. It is one of my favs.

As a child I always been fascinated by Japan. I always loved Japanese culture from its rich history to its tapestry of fashion,pop culture, and its people including geishas. My interest in geishas really didn't hit its peak until I read Arthur Golden's novel "Memoirs of a Geisha". After the novel, I went out and bought or checked out any and every book about geishas.

I finally got around to checking out the John Gallagher coffee table book on geishas "Geisha: A Unique World of Tradition, Elegance, and Art". I personally enjoyed reading this book and looking at the gorgeous pictures. I loved the illustrations that dissected the geisha's wardrobe and makeup. I found the book pretty informative but there were times when I felt like the author was straying away from the topic of geishas and more into Japanese history. Was it really that necessary to go into the Heian and Edo periods? The author also does a bit of name checking but never get the people he name checks to say anything in his book. Liza Dalby gets a brief mention and that is about it. If anything Liza is the go to expert on geishas, not John Gallagher who I suspect is more familiar with Japanese history than with geishas. If John really knew a lot about geishas, why on earth did he use a lot photos of tourists dressed up as maikos? Think about it.

For a reference book on geishas, John Gallagher's book sure as heck isn't it. Go read Liza Dalby's "Geisha". For beautiful color photos, "Geisha: a Unique World of Tradition, Elegance, and Art" is the book for you.