Culture

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GEISHA & MAIKO

WHAT IS GEISHA?

Geisha are traditional Japanese female entertainers who act as hostesses and whose skills include performing various arts such as classical music, dance, games and conversation, mainly to entertain male customers.

WHAT IS MAIKO?

Maiko ("dance child") are trainee Geisha who typically undergo training from their mid teens to early twenties in Kyoto, western Japan. Their jobs consist of performing songs, dances, and playing the shamisen or the koto(traditional Japanese instruments) for visitors during feasts.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GEISHA AND A MAIKO?

                                            Hairstyle and Ornaments

Geisha use wigs instead of their own hair and have only simple kanzashi (decorative combs) in their hair.

Maiko use their own hair to make the hairstyle and have elaborate hana-kanzashi (flower comb made out of silk) with other ornaments to decorate their hair.

                    Makeup (blush, eyeoutline, eyebrow color, lipstick)

Geisha paint their face white with no strip of bare skin because the wig will cover it. They will only have black outlining their eyes, with a faint red under the black of their eyebrows. Their lips will be almost fully or fully colored with red. 

Maiko paint their face white but will have a strip of bare skin left unpainted by their hairline. They will have a noticeable amount of pink blush around their cheeks, crimson and black outlines around their eyes, and their eyebrows will also be defined with red or pink under the black. Their lips will only be partially colored red.

Kimono, Collor, "Obi"=sash

Geisha wear a more refined kimono, usually of one color with a pattern near the bottom. Their "obi"=sash is narrower and is tied in a simple box bow in the back, and their collar is completely white.

Maiko wear colorful kimonos with a wide "obi" that is tied into a bow at the back and dangles down all the way to her feet. Her collar will be thick and embroidered. It will start out red and will become embroidered with white patterns as it advances, but it will remain red at the back of their neck.

Footwear

Geisha wear geta(right) that are much lower.

Maiko wear quite high unpainted wooden clogs known as okobo(left), which look extremely difficult to walk in. 

Related video: Differences between a Geisha and a Maiko

GEISHA AND MAIKO TOGETHER

Now you should be able
to tell a Geisha from a Maiko from any angle! =)
      For more information about Japan: click here

SOURCE:

Kanda, Y. (2012). The traditional city of Osaka and performers. City, Culture and                                 Society, 3(1), 51-57. 

                       

Knight, E. (1970). The History and Culture of Japanese Geisha. Retrieved 14 October 2016 from http://www.historyundressed.com/2008/08/history-and-culture-of-japanese-geisha.html

Kyoto. (2013). Differences between a Geiko (Geisha) and a Maiko (with subtitles).                           Retrieved 14 October 2016 from http://www.youtube.com/watchv=VJnXwyN4qPk 

(Geisha & Maiko) Written By Sarah Adibah Binti Ismail - 161420127