Geisha Culture: Walking Lecture
Geisha Culture and Photography Hints
 What you are paying for:
- A set of Peter MacIntosh's original postcards
- An authentic Maiko-san's name sticker (senjafuda)
- Photogaraphy hints
- Entrance into Hanagumo Private Bar (a former teahouse). Inside Hanagumo, Peter will give a brief history of geisha culture and show authentic geiko/maiko paraphernalia.
What you are not paying for but is included is a walking lecture that points out many spots to take photographs and the proper etiquette when walking through the geisha districts.
Due to many complaints by local residents, shop owners and the maiko / geiko about poorly behaved tourists (foreign and Japanese), Peter has been asked by the well established Gion Yoshiuta Teahouse Proprietress to include this service.
Time: 4:30-6:00 PM
For the month of February, Peter is available Monday thru Saturday. Reservations required. Please call 090-5169-1654 between 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM to confirm or join the walk on the day.
Price: 3,000 yen per person
Meet in front of the Minamiza Kabuki Theater (map).
Peter
MacIntosh is a professional photographer and world-leading expert
on geisha culture. His photographs of geisha have been exhibited around
the world and will soon be released world-wide in his first book
entitled Geisha: Through Blue Eyes.
Also, his photographs have been used by the Japan National Tourist
Association for their international promotion of Japan. He has also
lectured in many countries about geisha culture, and is the first
non-Japanese to take geisha abroad without
the use of a native Japanese intermediary.
In order to share his
knowledge and explain his photos to his customers, Peter will take them
on a walk through his neighbourhood (an active geisha district), while
giving them advice on how to take photographs of this world. The
walking lecture will last approximately 90 minutes and will take you
through streets lined with old wooden houses and hidden alleyways in
Kyoto’s world-renowned geisha districts as the geiko/maiko make their way to their evening’s engagements. While answering your
questions, Peter will give you an insider's view into the past, present
and future of this unique and exotic world.
Please note that Peter is not a licensed tour guide. This
is a walking lecture for people interested in geisha culture and photography of geisha and Kyoto's hanamachi.
You will see geisha schools, ochaya, okiya and traditional artisan’s shops. There are some great photo
opportunities, so don't forget your camera.
Price: 3,000 yen per person. Included in this fee is a
set of postcards (while supplies last), a maiko's name sticker (while
supplies last), and a
chance to ask Peter questions about photography and geisha culture.
What you are not paying for, but is included, is a
walking lecture. The walking lecture points out many spots to take
photographs in addition to the proper etiquette when walking through
the geisha districts.
Due to many complaints by local residents, shop owners, and the maiko
and geiko about poorly behaved tourists (both foreign and Japanese)
Peter has been asked by a well established Gion Yoshiuta Teahouse
Proprietress to include this service.
Children under the age of 6 need not buy postcards to
participate.
Reservations required.
Important: In the event of rain after 2-3 pm, the walk
will be called off and re-scheduled for the next day. In our past
experience, nobody enjoys getting wet and photo oppurtunities are
limited, so please call or send an email to re-schedule.
(top)
What to Expect When
Walking Through the Geisha Districts With Peter
 You will see beautiful alleyways
and architecture, the geisha schools, ochaya (tea houses), and okiya (boarding houses). We worked with the Memoirs of a Geisha production crew during location scouting. Along the way you will see
exactly what they saw, and you will learn more in the 90 minutes about
geisha than even most Japanese people know. Peter
MacIntosh is a world renowned foreign expert on geisha. We will
tell you about the history and culture of geisha, as well as his
personal experiences about geisha in general. Please feel free to ask
many questions on the walk.
(top)
How to Reserve a Spot for
the Walking Lecture
1. Peter is available to do a
walking lecture only on Monday, Wednesday
and Saturday. (In the event of rain it will be held the next day but
you need to contact us to reschedule your booking).
2. Send an email
reservation with your name, number of persons, and
request date.
(top)
Guidelines and
Requirements for Walking Lecture
 Photos are fine. There is
some beautiful architecture and charming narrow streets along the
way. If we are lucky enough to see a maiko or geiko do not run after them or get in the way. These women are working and
probably on the way to an engagement where geisha elders or customers
are waiting.
They are usually fine with pictures while they are
walking by. However, if they look like they don't want their
photo taken, please don't. I know most of the women in the districts
and if they have time they will probably stop for a very quick photo.
Always remember that we are walking down streets.
Therefore bicycles and scooters and sometimes even cars will be passing.
There is a minimum of 2 people for the lecture to take
place, but no maximum. However, in busy season, such as April, there
can sometimes be over 20 people. In this case you might want to come
back another day if you feel the lecture would not be personal enough.
(top)
Walking
Lecture Q&A
 Q. What is the difference
between taking a tour with a Licensed Japanese tour guide and taking
Peter's MacIntosh's walking lecture?
A: Licensed tour guides are for the most part, not
native English speakers. To be a licensed "Bilingual Tour Guide" they
have to take a very difficult test which only about 10% of takers pass.
This test is about Japanese language, geography and history. They have
answer questions about all 47 prefectures of Japan, be able to recite
facts such as the heights of various temples, be able to read difficult kanji (Chinese Characters), as well as answer
questions on general knowledge. They are also tested on their ability
to translate from a foreign language to Japanese and vice-versa.
Peter MacIntosh offers not a tour, but a lecture on geisha culture and
photography while walking around his neighbourhood which is also
Kyoto's active geisha district. He has been living in the Hanamachi for
14 years and knows geisha as a husband, customer, friend and fellow
artist trained in the traditional arts. As a native English speaker,
professional photographer and geisha expert he has no problems
communicating with foreigners and can answer all their questions in
depth. As a professional photographer he also gives hints on how to
skillfully take pictures of geisha, like the ones in his book (to be
released Autumn 2007).
Q: Will I see a geisha? What's the best time of year?
A: You will almost definitly see a geisha, as they work
every day. Times you might not see one (or so many) include:
- The 2nd and 4th Sunday of every month
- New Years
- O-Bon Holiday
- Golden Week
(top)
Map of Minamiza Kabuki
Theater
Important: Even though we meet in
front of the Minamiza theater, they are not responsible for
contacting me. If there is a problem, or you are worried that
you are not in the right place, please use the pay phone to the right
of the theater near the vending machines. You will be calling my
cell phone so a 10 yen coin will not provide sufficient time to
have a conversation. 100 yen should suffice.
(top)
|
