What Does a Geisha Do?: The History of Geisha Part 1 (Edo Period)
What Does a Geisha Do?: The History of Geisha Part 1 (Edo Period) What Does a Geisha Do during the Edo Period? In the Edo period (1603-1868), it was customary for Yoshiwara to host banquets with Taiko-Mochi (male entertainers) and Geisha to welcome high-ranking courtesans known as Oiran. The roles of courtesans and Geisha were clearly distinguished: courtesans sold sex, while Geisha sold their artistic performances. These were entirely separate professions. But what does a Geisha do exactly? The term “Geisha” originally meant “a person of the arts,” and it referred to men who played the shamisen and performed at banquets to entertain guests. These male entertainers were known as Taiko-Mochi or Hōkan. The history of Hōkan is said to date back to a witty samurai named Sorori Shinzaemon, who served under Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598) and is also considered the ancestor of Rakugo performers. By the mid-Edo period, women began to take on the role of Geisha, and this eventually became the norm. The Origins of Geisha: From Unofficial Beginnings to Cultural Icons The roots of Geisha in Tokyo (Edo) can be traced back to the Fukagawa Geisha, who were not officially recognized by the shogunate. After the Great