A Geisha's Journey: My Life as a Kyoto Apprentice

In this illustrated narrative, Komomo, a teenager training to be a geisha (or more specifically a geiko, as the position is known in Kyoto), relates the motivation behind and experiences following her difficult decision to join the rarified, centuries-old high-culture profession, charged with entertaining and hosting in traditional Japanese manner. The Kyoto apprenticeship system is intense and all-encompassing, stripping Komomo of ""all the freedoms I'd taken for granted in my old life"" (""I never knew when I could see my family, or even when I'd be allowed a day off"") while she trains in music, dance and theater, makeup and costumes, social customs and household etiquette. Her candid behind-the-scenes perspective will prove invaluable to readers keen on understanding the history and significance of the undertaking, but it's Ogino's full-color photos that capture the visual splendor of Komomo's education and transformation, including interactions with peers and superiors, the intricacies of her kimonos and elaborate stage performances. These extraordinarily bright, vibrant images, coupled with Komomo's gentle voice and demeanor, make this volume a transporting read.