Geigi(geisha) Party “Ozashiki-asobi”

A geigi party is an exclusive high-class party, where customers enjoy geishas’ polished musical performance and sophisticated games, while being served with quality Japanese food.

Note: In Kanazawa Geisha is called “geigi”

It started in Edo, the former name of Tokyo during the Edo Period(before democracy)

In ancient times young girls were sold by poor farmers when they suffered from

famines from bad harvest. A few lucky girls became geishas and unlucky girls

became prostitutes. They were bought by a teahouse and were trained intensively for years as a geisha with the sponsorship of a wealthy merchant.

There were more than 500 geisha girls in ancient times in Kanazawa, and currently there are only 35 geisha girls in Kanazawa. They are no longer sold by parents any more. They now want to be a geisha. Some are college graduates. It is now considered to be a decent job.

The geigi party system had an exclusive membership.

Only patron merchants and their introduced customers could go

to a teahouse. A first-time visitor, even if rich, could not attend a party.

The fee was paid twice a year, on “Obon” (or summer Buddhist ancestors memorial) days, and on New Year’s Eve. This has changed, and now a geigi party is open to first-time visitors.

Let’s enjoy an authentic geisha party in Kanazawa.

They wear gorgeous kimonos and have the Japanese traditional geisha hairdo.

They sing and dance to the accompaniment of a shamisen, a traditional musical instrument. Enjoy sophisticated chats and conversations and games with them.

The party time length is about two-incense fire, which means roughly 2 hours.

Note: “two-incense fire” means the time taken for two incense sticks to burn out.

Authentic geigi party at a traditional tea house

Authentic geigi party at a hall

Summer and autumn geigi’s dance practice viewing

Various simplified geigi parties