Sayuki of Asakusa - 1st f'd gai-geisha

[Taro Toporific]

Sayuki of Asakusa
via sayuki.net
For the first time in the 400 year history of the geisha, a Westerner has been accepted, and on December 19, will formally debut under the name Sayuki...[she] specialized in social anthropology, a subject which requires anthropologists to actually experience the subject they are studying by participating in the society themselves....more...

Idea thanks to debito.org

[American Oyaji]

What's interesting is that the Japanese portion has a little more information about her than the English one.

[Charles]

..for the first time..

..if you don't count Liza Dalby..

[Taro Toporific]

..if you don't count Liza Dalby..

Sorry but "close" only counts for onsen geisha.

Anthropologist Lisa Dalby (author of GEISHA) got close to the ranks, but never became a geisha herself....

http://www.lizadalby.com/liza%20dalby.html
... the geisha themselves developed a stake in her gaining an understanding of their world. Thus the suggestion that she borrow appropriate kimono and take her shamisen to the teahouses of Pontochô]

She never went through the formal processes of becoming a geiko herself, nor was she formally associated with any of the okiya or ochaya in Kyoto. She was often requested by customers, but note that clients were not billed for her attendance, since she had no formal association
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liza_Dalby

[DrP]

How is it that she claims "...a subject which requires anthropologists to actually experience the subject they are studying by participating in the society themselves" This is only for a minor subset of social anthro which uses participation-observation as an investigative and reseacrh method. Generally not too reliable, since hard to unit test the observer-participant.

Perhaps we should gather a few FG members to become F*d Salarymen so we can observe and investigate her more intimately. I know where we can get some cheap black polyester suits.

[Greji]

Sorry but "close" only counts for onsen geisha.

Anthropologist Lisa Dalby (author of GEISHA) got close to the ranks, but never became a geisha herself....

We're not really sure if we aren't talking onsen geisha, or not, are we? This is Asakusa, not Gion and they do a lot of things different there then the real deal in Gion!

[Charles]

Sorry but "close" only counts for onsen geisha.

Anthropologist Lisa Dalby (author of GEISHA) got close to the ranks, but never became a geisha herself...

Well you can see the obvious similarities, I'm sure. This article talks about the debut of Sayuki, which doesn't mean you are a full fledged geisha, just setting out on the path to become one. Dalby had a debut as well. So if this debut is the unique angle of a first-ever story, it is a little weak.

We should check back in a few years to see if Sayuki is still doing the geisha thing, or writing books about it like Dalby. Many college women like Dalby and "Sayuki" experiment in the Gei lifestyle, but for most of them, it is only a passing phase.

[D-San]

So does this mean i can buy her?

[Mike Oxlong]

Going for the mizuage?

[succubusqueen]

Being a gaijin and out of college...mmm...mizuage....

[Greji]

Being a gaijin and out of college...mmm...mizuage....

Is that an offer? I'm no pushover, but I can be made, for a few schekles and providing of course, you pick up the bar tab and my taxi fare home (and don't keep me out to late)! You don't own any goats do you?

[Taro Toporific]

We should check back in a few years to see if Sayuki is still doing the geisha thing, or writing books about it like Dalby...

"Sayuki" is now going down-market for the Wapanese freakazoid type of tourist clientele at only 12.300 yen [sic] per person.

[floatr][/floatr] Dear All,

Following my debut as the first white geisha in Japan, many people have asked me if I can set up an evening at a teahouse where their members can meet geisha.

I have been able to negotiate with one teahouse the following arrangement for groups of first-time foreigners to introduce you to the flower and willow world:

…]http://www.sayuki.net[/url]

Via Arudou Debito

[succubusqueen]

"Sayuki" is now going down-market for the Wapanese freakazoid type of tourist clientele at only 12.300 yen [sic] per person.


Via Arudou Debito

I love the Harlequin looking outfit.....

[Mulboyne]

Sayuki appeared at the Sanja Matsuri in Asakusa over the weekend.

[Taro Toporific]

[floatl][/floatl]Sayuki et al: People clearly qualifying for J Permanent Residency are being rejected by Immigration
Mon, May 19 2008 3:41 AM debito.org on Exclusionism
Three case studies of people being rejected by Immigration for Permanent Residency (eijuuken)--a Tokyo University grad student, one of Japan's only full-time NJ elementary school teachers, and Japan's only officially-certified NJ geisha, Sayuki. All of these people under Immigration guidelines have lived here long enough to qualify, and have clearly made great contributions to Japanese society. Yet here they go getting refused. Does Japan expect to retain dedicated long-termers this way, in an era when the gas is leaking out of Japan's erstwhile effervescent economy, thanks to an aging workforce and decreasing population?

Sayuki appeared at the Sanja Matsuri in Asakusa over the weekend.

[Mulboyne]

[Mulboyne]

There's a profile of Sayuki in the Asahi (Japanese)

[Tengu Kid]

There's a profile of Sayuki in the Asahi (Japanese)

First white geisha maybe. Wake me up when the first white sexually attractive geisha comes along.

[Mike Oxlong]

First white geisha maybe. Wake me up when the first white sexually attractive geisha comes along.

Might wanna invest in cryonics...

[yt]Arj1yTjL4rc[/yt]

[Tengu Kid]

Might wanna invest in cryonics...

[yt]Arj1yTjL4rc[/yt]

hahaha...the chest wig in that video was uite an accurate representation of yours truly!

[Mulboyne]

Here she is again. (English)



I don't think I'd want to risk saying that caption out loud.

[Taro Toporific]

Sayuki's name popped up in the Kyodo headlines: "Apr.09 16:49 Aussie geisha to become Keio lecturer" (without any further information).
Perhaps she's already easing out of the geisha biz after only one year.

[Mulboyne]

She always mentioned something about doing it as an anthropology project but I'm not sure if that describes the whole plan or just her initial motivation. She did attend Keio, if I remember correctly, so there is already a connection. She could do both jobs if the Keio responsibilities aren't too onerous.

[nottu]

[Mulboyne]

Sayuki's name popped up in the Kyodo headlines: "Apr.09 16:49 Aussie geisha to become Keio lecturer" (without any further information).
Perhaps she's already easing out of the geisha biz after only one year.

Yup, she's giving up. The article is here.

...Australian-born Sayuki will teach local and foreign students about Japanese traditional culture from a foreign perspective, as well as providing foreign perceptions of Japan...She became fascinated by the mysterious flower and willow world, as the geisha culture is referred to, and set about a year-long transformation from social anthropologist to geisha. While initially planning a short-term project, she soon realized it was not feasible because of the time required to train as a geisha and says she has since "abandoned all thoughts of finishing"...

That's not quite "living a life of dedication" as she is quoted saying earlier in this thread. Didn't she get upset that she wasn't granted Permanent Residency on the back of committing to being a geisha?

[Greji]

That's not quite "living a life of dedication" as she is quoted saying earlier in this thread. Didn't she get upset that she wasn't granted Permanent Residency on the back of committing to being a geisha?

No, what pissed her off was that Take was the only bidder for her mizuage...

[Taro Toporific]

First white geisha maybe. Wake me up when the first white sexually attractive geisha comes along.

:tounge:

British transsexual makes history becoming geisha for the day
theblackship.com ›]
LONDON - Every day female tourists flock to the ancient Japanese city of Kyoto to dress up as geisha and fulfill a lifelong fantasy...
....Mary was told it was the first time a transsexual had dressed up as a geisha in a Kyoto photography studio, and she now wants to bring other transsexuals to Japan from Britain to enjoy the experience.
She would also like Japanese society to be more tolerant of transsexuals, many of whom she says have to conceal their desires and meet in private to dress as women.
Mary, 68, is calling on the Japanese government to enact further reform to make the lives of transsexuals easier.[url=http://theblackship.com/news/lifestyle/features/3708-British-transsexual-makes-history-becoming-geisha-for-the-day.html]....more...

[Taro Toporific]

Yup, she's giving up. The article is here.
That's not quite "living a life of dedication" as she is quoted saying earlier in this thread.

[SIZE="4"]Interview with Sayuki, the parto Discount Geisha[/SIZE]
[floatl][/floatl]


Interview with Sayuki
24. April 2009
hanamiweb.com
By Editor in Chief, Jaakko Saari
Recently I got chance to interview the first western geisha in Japan, Sayuki....
Q: How has the recent years been in Japan?
A: ....It has been two years since I started commuting to Asakusa, but still just over a year since I debuted. It has been incredibly long in some ways, and has flown by in moments in other ways! I still feel very much a beginner in this world so I want to continue for some time.
But I also have a lot of exciting things going on that I want to see come to fruition. I have an initiative with one of the tea-houses whereby if you get ten people together in a group yourself, you can come to a tea-house for a much lower price than usual: from 15,000 -- 20,000 yen per person....
...It is also always possible to call me alone or with my sisters out from Asakusa to events. Sometimes I go alone and entertain, sometimes I go with my sisters to entertain...more...

[Greji]

[SIZE="4"]Interview with Sayuki, the parto Discount Geisha[/SIZE]
[floatl][/floatl]


Interview with Sayuki
24. April 2009
hanamiweb.com
By Editor in Chief, Jaakko Saari".....Sometimes I go alone and entertain...."...more...

There you go Take. Practice up on your hog calling. You finally got your chance to bag a dream western wench here....

[Mike Oxlong]

Meet Japan's First Western Geisha

She's got a Ph.D. from Oxford, but Fiona Graham spent a year learning how to pour tea. Oh, and she has to greet her senior geisha sisters on bended knee. In a Marie Claire exclusive, she describes how she became the only foreign geisha in town...