Ana's IkiMaru Forum!
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.
Latest topics
» Japanese for Beginners in St. Petersburg - Sept 13 - October 11, 2011
by rjTheUser Sun Sep 11, 2011 7:14 pm

» Handmade Kimono Bookmarks
by rjTheUser Sun Sep 11, 2011 7:13 pm

» greetings from South America ^_^
by Hayashi-san Wed Aug 03, 2011 8:36 pm

» Foreign Kimono-San: The Great Debate
by Hayashi-san Wed Aug 03, 2011 8:33 pm

» Green Screen Studio Photography Grand Opening
by rjTheUser Tue Jul 26, 2011 4:00 am

» Ragstock - Kimono/Vintage Clothing Store in the USA - Review and photos
by Caroline13 Wed Jul 13, 2011 7:27 am

» Kimono-san in England
by Hachiko Thu May 19, 2011 3:02 pm

» Cherry vs. Plum Blossoms
by rjTheUser Tue Apr 26, 2011 4:13 pm

» Graffiti in Japan (グラフィティ)
by rjTheUser Sat Apr 16, 2011 7:22 pm

» Artist Sasu
by rjTheUser Sat Apr 16, 2011 7:16 pm

Gallery


Kyoto: $5.50 Maiko Tea Ceremony Empty
Social bookmarking

Social bookmarking reddit      

BookmarkAna's IkiMaru Forum! on your social bookmarking website

Bookmark and share the address of Ana's IkiMaru Forum! on your social bookmarking website

Navigation
 Index
 Memberlist
 Profile
 FAQ
 Search

Kyoto: $5.50 Maiko Tea Ceremony

Go down

Kyoto: $5.50 Maiko Tea Ceremony Empty Kyoto: $5.50 Maiko Tea Ceremony

Post  AnaIkimaru Wed Mar 03, 2010 2:39 am

Kudos for Ohio Kimono posting this is another forum- I've been meaning to post it and I just remembered it!

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-News/2010/0112/Japan-For-5.50-your-own-geisha-tea-ceremony

This former imperial capital with national treasures and cultural assets now seeks help from young women with white painted faces to reinvigorate tourism.

Maiko (apprentice geisha) and geisha in elaborate kimono perform traditional dance, sing a song, and serve sake at a place called ochaya, or a tea house, where the average customer spends around $500. First-timers are usually turned away as an introduction is needed to get in.

Kyoto, however, started a campaign last month in which tourists pay 500 yen ($5.50) for a tea ceremony with maiko and geisha and a chance to pose for pictures with them.

In June, a similar program was started at the Kyoto Museum of Traditional Crafts, where a couple of maiko perform traditional dance three times every Sunday free of charge.

Is this commercialization of geisha tradition?

“Absolutely not,” says Osamu Ito, an official at the Ookini Foundation (ookini means “thank you” in Kyoto dialect). The foundation was established to preserve and promote geisha tradition. “It’s only 500 yen. We just want to help promote tourism.”

Between 2003 and 2007 the number of overseas visitors who stayed overnight in Kyoto doubled to 926,805. City officials attribute the surge mainly to a national campaign of increasing Japanese tourism, which started in 2003. The 2005 film “Memoirs of a Geisha” also helped draw more foreign tourists, especially from the United States, they add.

“We hope this opportunity could help overseas visitors have a deeper interest in Japanese culture,” says Hiroaki Kakinuma, a city official in charge of tourism promotion.
AnaIkimaru
AnaIkimaru
Admin

Posts : 179
Join date : 2009-08-16
Age : 41
Location : Tampa, Florida

http://ikimaru.com/contact.html

Back to top Go down

Back to top

- Similar topics

 
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum