KYOTO, Japan — On the quiet streets of Kyoto you will get a glimpse of them. Dressed in Kimono. The familiar white makeup. Walking quickly. That is the extent of what most people see of a geisha.

Misconceptions about geisha that stem from highly sensationalized stories from Western perspectives flatten the complex cultural artistry of the profession. Detail of a Katsura, a geisha wig. Before ...

SHIMODA, Japan (Reuters) - It takes Rinka at least two hours to apply her thick white makeup and get dressed in an elaborate kimono on formal occasions, as is typical of most trainee geisha. But ...

SHIMODA, Japan — With a few hesitant steps and the swoosh of kimono against a tatami-mat floor, it isn’t long before Awagiku finds her rhythm, moving with what comes close to perfection by the end of ...

Her voice sounded melodic, soft and soothing. She glided across the tatami mats, dancing traditional steps that she had performed thousands of times. Her apprentice, fresh with youth and wearing a ...

Gaining access into the enigmatic world of Japan’s modern-day geishas is no easy task, but award-winning French photographer Philippe Marinig has managed to pull off just that. His new book, “Secret ...

KYOTO, Japan – Like ghosts from another time, the real geisha seem to float silently along the streets at twilight, making their ways to teahouses and restaurants where they will entertain elite, ...