In my little trip to Japan, while I was visiting a beautiful city, I saw a maiko, a geisha apprentice. And, well, you know me, I´m so curious… that I proposed her an interview. I would love to know more about the elegant world of the geisha. The interviewees are two beautiful young ladies, who has to ask permission before to her okassan, the owner of the okiya which they belongs . Her names are Kikutsuru and Kikumaru.
Kikutsuru gently lets her hands rest over the tea pot lifts it with a elegant demenour and pours into the cup and offers it for Matilda san.
- Good afternoon, thank you so much for receive me. And also thank you very much for helping me to be a little closer, me and my readers, to the magical world of the geisha. Oh!... thank you for that tea.
Kikutsumuru – You are most welcome.
- What did you get to become a maiko? When and why, cause there are a lot of people that don´t know anything about it
Kikutsuru: I joined second life to be trained as a geiko apprentice ( we use the term geiko in Kyoto that others say geisha to) that was back in 2011. I have trained under Okaasan Kikuyu since 2012. I wanted to join to learn more about this culture for me to reach the stage I am at now it has taken me 2 years in Hanafusa okiya
Kikutsumuru: It is a very nice life but it requires very much study and hard work. Its hard indeed, but the way to perfection... shall the way to perfection be easy?.
Kikutsuru: it is very difficult to explain this but it can be explained in a little poem: "Ring the bells that still can ring, forget your perfect offering there is a crack in everything, but that is how the light gets in". We believe in the perfect in the imperfect. we will always be able to improve ourselfs. If you perfect one dance there will be another. I still got so much to learn. Many consider these Okiya sims for being a roleplay venue but the okiya here focus on education.
- And when do you become a geiko?
Kikutsuru: I will most likely debut as a Geiko in 2016.
- Tell me a little about how to be a geisha or maiko here in Second Life?
Kikutsuru: It is very nice to be a maiko in second life even if it requires a strict regime in which you do very little outside the part of being a maiko. This being said you do not live a boring life I get to meet many interesting people and learn about them I get to wear beautiful garments and learn very detailed about a culture that has roots many hundred years back. and as I said earlier its my favorite thing to perform or entertain. We have classes each week to help improve our skills. and to each much study.
A usual day is studying from the class you had, and possibly entertaining in the ochaya later it also involves to be around your sisters and have fun while learning and greet guests or interact with our citizens. And you get to study many traditional arts, such as dance, playing traditional instruments and entertaining. skills involve many dances within the same style of actual Geikoin RL, Kyo mai.
We perform many of the same dances and we use the moves to choreograph our own. We need to be able to write and recite poetry in a way that is appealing to our guests. We also have Odori or dance performances we study so much.
History and tea ceremony, flower arranging, calligraphy, kimono designs and how to wear things correct.
- How money do you spend in your avatar?
Kikutsuru: Oh, thousands. Each month requires spending money on new hairnaments, and each season new kimonos.
Kikumaru: If you want to look best you need to spend.
- And which shops do you recommend?
Kikutsuru: for Kimono I recomend: Geisha Dreams and Sakka studio. For Hairstyles ( Maiko/Minarai) and Kanzashi, Hana Katsuraya.
- Well, I think this is all, thank you so much for your time and I really love to meet you two.
Kikutsuru bows humbly. Happy to meet you as well
Kikumaru: Thank you, Matidla san.
