The Geisha. Can you think of anything more typically Japanese?

When looking through the list of experiences offered by FindJPN I simply couldn't go past the Geisha Experience. Having the chance to wear a GORGEOUS kimono and be made up with the white make-up and headpiece sounded like so much fun.

I wasn't wrong! After meeting my hosts Hiroshi and Rei, we took a short walk to a photo studio which specialised in wedding and family portraits. The first thing I noticed when I entered was the array of kimonos carefully hanging on the racks. I could easily have spent the next few hours carefully looking at each one, admiring the colours and intricate needle work. One in particular caught my eye, a beautiful teal green which I’m sure cost more than my yearly wage! No doubt that would NOT be one of the kimonos I could choose from.

Having recently watched the movie Memoirs of a Geisha in order to get into the ‘Japanese mood’ before my trip, I had some idea of what to expect. The white face, pink near the eyes and red lips are all trademarks of a Geisha.

After removing my shoes at the front entrance and donning a pair of slippers, the custom in Japan, I was taken to a small room to begin my transformation. A lovely elderly woman with little to no English, gestured for me to remove my clothes down to my underwear and replace it with a light weight robe and the special socks that leave the big toe free to wear wooden sandals.

Whilst sitting in front of a mirror I watched her pin my hair back and paint my face with a thick white paint using a soft wide brush. She even went as far as painting the sharp lines on the back of my neck. Although I’m from Australia, my British heritage has left me as white as a ghost already. But this was a whole new level! She then added pink around my eyes, carefully darkened my eyebrows and of course painted part of my lips a vibrant red.

When my face was ready I was asked (with the help of Rei, the translator) to choose my kimono. Here’s where it became difficult! I could easily have chosen anyone of the 15 or so hanging there, but I eventually settled on a red kimono that I felt looked the most traditional. Another lady was then brought in to help dress me. The two ladies worked together so quickly and with such ease I can barely remember the process. But it did involve a number of undergarments before the final kimono was put in place. The wide odi was tied around my waist in such a way as to shorten the kimono to suit my height and make bad posture near impossible!

The final step in turning me into a Geisha for the day was the intricate black wig complete with dangling hair ornaments. This really finished off the look.

I was then ushered into the photo studio where a man was waiting to take my photo. If I’d have had any ideas of how I’d like to pose, it all went out the window. He directed me to the exact position he required using direct body movement and hand gestures for my face. I must say I felt a little bit strange with my head tilted in such a way, but who was I to argue?! If I truly wanted to experience being a Geisha, I guess this was part of it. After posing in a number of ways and with a number of props (fan, umbrella, box, and ball), it was over.

I was soon de-robed and back to my usual clean face. As I was leaving they presented me with a proof sheet of 20 shots and a disk to reproduce my favourites. I found the whole process to be very enjoyable and the people to be very professional.

Thank you FindJPN for organising such a memorable day in Tokyo!