ENGLISH

Maiko Masquerade: Crafting Geisha Girlhood in Japan

Book information

Publisher
University of California Press
Year
2021
ISBN
9780520968943
DOI
10.1525/9780520968943
Language
english
Format
PDF
Filesize
51 MB (53543500 bytes)
Pages
300\300
Library
degruyter.com
Time added
2023-08-21 17:10:55

Description

Maiko Masquerade explores Japanese representations of the maiko, or apprentice geisha, in films, manga, and other popular media as an icon of exemplary girlhood. Jan Bardsley traces how the maiko, long stigmatized as a victim of sexual exploitation, emerges in the 2000s as the chaste keeper of Kyoto’s classical artistic traditions. Insider accounts by maiko and geisha, their leaders and fans, show pride in the training, challenges, and rewards maiko face. No longer viewed as a toy for men’s amusement, she serves as catalyst for women’s consumer fun. This change inspires stories of ordinary girls—and even one boy—striving to embody the maiko ideal, engaging in masquerades that highlight questions of personal choice, gender performance, and national identity.

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