The Status and Place of Geisha in Japanese Society and the Reason for the Wifes Acceptance of the

Geisha Patty Lin Class 317 Tainan GirlsSenior High School 2005.8.25 PDF created with pdfFactory Pro trial version www.pdffactory.comI. Introduction Today, most people can not accept a third person in the relationship between themselves and their spouse, in other words, their spouse having an affair. In reading Memoirs of a Geisha, I came across many passages that suggest that it is alright, if not common, for Japanese man with certain social status to have a mistress. The wife does not question or argue with their husband over this issue, but rather remains a silent and dutiful wife. Far from being jealous of her husbands affection for the geisha, the wife sometimes even makes friendly interactions with the geisha. Some of the passages also give me the impression that women usually have no say in their husbands work; in the book, men go to parties, business parties or any other parties alike, not in the company of their wives as most people nowadays do, but in the company of geishas. This intrigued me and therefore I decided to search deeper for the reason beneath this seemingly different view on marriage and relationship between man and wife. II. Thesis 1. Geishas status and relationships with her clients 1.1 Geishas status in Japanese society The word geisha means artist in Japanese. Its history is not as long as one may think it is. The predecessors of geishas first appeared in the 17 th century; however the early geishas were PDF created with pdfFactory Pro trial version www.pdffactory.comactually men who entertained in various ways. It was not until the 18 th century that the female geishas gradually came to dominate this trade. Geishas flourished during the Meiji era while reaching the height in the early 20 th century. The number of geishas has declined greatly from 1920s 80,000 to todays few thousand. Geishas are women who perform or entertain whether at parties, banquets or festivals. They

play the shamisen (a three-stringed traditional Japanese instrument), perform dances, perform tea ceremonies and make conversations with the guests at the party. It is probably the only profession in Japan where the women are consistently ranked above the men1 . Originally women in traditional Japanese society are considered to be dependent on men. The world of geishas is a culture that allows Japanese women to be independent and economically self-sufficient, as they do not marry (for they will cease to be a geisha if she does) 2 . Geishas used to be connected with prostitution (many people today still have this misperception); however, they are now the proud guardians of Japanese traditional culture. Many women now choose to become geishas in order to learn and preserve the tradition. Geishas of today are seen as the preservers of art, a blend of grace and beauty, and a memory from the bygone days. 1.2 The role of geisha to her customers In Japan, many important business parties and political banquets are held with the company of geishas. Some sociologists explain this phenomenon as the result of the innate awkwardness PDF created with pdfFactory Pro trial version www.pdffactory.comJapanese men feel during social intercourse. Whilst with the music, dance and lively conversations provided by the company of geishas, the tension can ease, and the trust and partnership will build up in this atmosphere. Other sociologists deem that typical Japanese men simply can not relax in the presence of a more fine/ good woman. These kinds of women will undoubtedly remind them of the restraint from their mother during childhood, and will only make them even more reserved3 . In any case, geishas have the supporting effect and making men feel more at ease. 1.3 Relationship between geisha and her danna (patron) A man who could afford to pay the expenses of the costly lifestyle of a geisha can take on a geisha as their mistress. To be a danna, he is expected to pay off a portion of the geishas debt and her living expenses. Moreover, he still has to pay the usual hourly fee whenever he spends time with her just like every other customer. Despite all this extravagant expenses, however, the danna is also entitled to privileges too, whether mental affections or sexual favors. The geisha may also

accompany him to certain parties, or special trips. This is where the major income for the geisha comes from. A geisha without a danna- Is like a stray cat on the street without a master to feed it.4 Traditionally, marriages were arranged in respectable families, which meant more to preserve social rank rather than secure personal happiness of the bride and groom5 . Under these circumstances, a Japanese man of means would typically come to have two women in his life, his wife and his loved one6 . It came to be not unusual for men of wealth and power to have PDF created with pdfFactory Pro trial version www.pdffactory.comrelationships with geishas. As for the geisha, it would be a chance of securing a better place for herself in society and it was also a way of being economically independent. The geisha actually had a say over who she accepted as her danna, and these relationships usually lasted about six months or even longer. 1.4 Relationship between geisha and her dannas wife the wife of our host stood at the door to hand out envelopes containing a generous tip as we left. She gave Mameha two of them. And asked her the favor of delivering the second to the geisha Tomizuru, who had gone home earlier with a headache, as she puts it. Actually she knew as well as we did that Tomizuru was her husbands mistress, and had gone with him to another wing of the house to keep him company for the night.7 In this passage we could see fully clear that the wife did not mind her husband having a mistress or if she did mind, she showed none of her feeling about it. Geisha women are not perceived as a threat to a marriage in Japanese culture8 . Traditionally, the wife and geisha play completely different roles in society, they are not supposed to collide. The wife is the one who looks after and take care of the husband and their family; as for the geisha, she is the one who relieves the pressure the husband withstands from society, workplace and such. Wives usually know who their husbands geishas are, and there are indeed times when their paths cross. During Obon Festival and during the New Years celebrations, geisha will typically visit the PDF created with pdfFactory Pro trial version www.pdffactory.comhomes of important customers and bring gifts to their wives. If a wife has trouble persuading the husband into agreeing on something that may be for the best interest of the family, she may ask the geisha for advice or even ask her to persuade the

husband on her behalf. Other than acting on the wifes behalf, a geisha may also offer business advice, for she is likely to hear important business deals while performing at business parties. In the past, geishas sometimes perform at the wedding of their customers daughter, and she will certainly be present at the funerals of important patrons. During these times of sorrow, the geisha will be in charge of the funeral arrangements, which is appreciated very much by the family9 . 2. Marriage and role of Japanese mother and father 2.1 Mothers in traditional Japanese families To many foreigners, Japanese mothers seem like the busiest people in the world. She has to cook, take care of the children, clean the house, wash clothes, do grocery shopping, practically doing all the chores by herself. If she has a job, she still has to do most of the chores. Though she may be seen by the rest of the world as dependant on her husband, she is the one who dominates the household. Many mothers have full power over the finance of the family and they usually make decisions on domestic issues10 . PDF created with pdfFactory Pro trial version www.pdffactory.com2.2 The influence of mother on the son Traditional Japanese mothers devote a great amount of time to her children, especially on her son. She puts endless love and attention on her son and raises him up making him feel more superior to women, resulting in most Japanese men seldom helps out with housework. However, this has made a lot of men very dependent on their mother. When they grow up, they yearn to find someone who will love and take care of them as unselfishly as their mother. Most of this effort is in vain; as a result, they turn to bars or having an affair as a resolution11 . Interestingly enough, many Japanese men grow up feeing that they have been sculpted into the person their mother wants them to be, and many feel dismay at this, while at the same time, unable to rid of the guilt, they feel of being in debt to their mother. 2.3 Fathers in traditional Japanese families In the eyes of outsiders, traditional mothers in Japanese households are often tied up at home with chores and looking after their children. They have practically no freedom compared with their husbands. In most cases, the father is privileged to hanging out after work, often not arriving

home until late at night. It may be because of this freedom that forfeits the father from having much power over domestic affairs. Japanese men generally work ten hours a day, five days a week, sometimes even taking additional shifts on weekends. Many leave home at seven oclock for work and arrive home PDF created with pdfFactory Pro trial version www.pdffactory.comat 8 or 9 oclock at night. To his family, he seems almost like a lodger who stays overnight. As men are content with a small role in family life, he loses the real authority in the family, he may not help do any chores but he is also willing to accept the fact that his wife is the one who takes charge of the finance and makes decisions. Many Japanese womens concept toward their husband is He is just a child, he can not make big decisions., and a Japanese proverb reflects their attitudes very clearly The best husband is the one who is healthy, but absent.12 . 2.4 Relationship between husband and wife Japanese men are brought up in the full attention and love of their mother. When they grow up, they subconsciously expect their wife will treat him just as his mother did, with selfless love and attention. Husbands sometimes would call their wife mother just like his children13 . This is a way of showing his want for the love and care he had when he was a child. If not, he would probably turn to other women to seek this affection. III. Conclusion For Japanese wives, it is acceptable for their husbands to have a mistress due to her role in the family. She is the one who looks after and cares for her husband and children. She has total authority over the family affairs, and therefore her status may not be threatened by a third party. In a way, she is the one who takes care of the internal affairs and the geisha is the person that helps handle the external affairs. The geisha is also a kind of ally to the wife, whether by helping to PDF created with pdfFactory Pro trial version www.pdffactory.compersuade the husband on the wifes behalf or by offering business advices. All in all, this special relationship between geisha, wife and husband is the result of the unique family structure in Japan. Each and every one of their lives and roles seldom overlaps with the other, making the relationship seemingly remarkable yet it works out harmoniously in Japans traditional society. PDF created with pdfFactory Pro trial version www.pdffactory.comIV. Reference 1 <<Geisha of Japan>>

http://marian.creighton.edu/~marian-w/academics/english/japan/geisha/geisha.html 2 <<Geisha of Japan>> http://marian.creighton.edu/~marian-w/academics/english/japan/geisha/geisha.html 3 <<->> pg. 99/2000 4 Golden, Arthur2000Memoirs of a Geisha NY: Vintage Books, pg. 171 5 <<Geisha of Japan>> http://marian.creighton.edu/~marian-w/academics/english/japan/geisha/geisha.html 6 <<Geisha of Japan>> http://marian.creighton.edu/~marian-w/academics/english/japan/geisha/geisha.html 7 Golden, Arthur2000Memoirs of a Geisha NY: Vintage Books, pg. 336 8 <<Geisha of Japan>> http://marian.creighton.edu/~marian-w/academics/english/japan/geisha/geisha.html 9 <<Geisha of Japan>> http://marian.creighton.edu/~marian-w/academics/english/japan/geisha/geisha.html 10 <<->> pg. 45 by Robert. C. Christopher /1984 11 <<->> pg. 47 by Robert. C. Christopher /1984 PDF created with pdfFactory Pro trial version www.pdffactory.com12 <<>> pg. 44, 45 by Robert. C. Christopher /1984 13 <<->> pg. 103/2000 PDF created with pdfFactory Pro trial version www.pdffactory.com