Dalby's Misinterpretation Of Geishas

Japan has a very distinct culture, from the art of kabuki theatre to anime and manga; Japanese traditions have grown over time. One distinguishing facet of the Japanese culture is the "geisha." The practice of the "geisha" tradition is elegant, stunning, and sophisticated while it empowers women simultaneously. This environment enabled the development for Japanese women to gain a form of influence or power that did not exist to the majority of women throughout the world. The Oxford English Dictionary defines “geisha” as “a Japanese girl whose profession is to entertain men by dancing and singing; loosely, a Japanese prostitute” (n.1). This definition roughly refers to geishas as prostitutes over several incidents in time. For a while now,
If more people were able to acknowledge that a geisha is paid solely for her company, there would most likely be a change in how they perceived.
Another misinterpretation of "geishas" can be found in the 2005 movie release of Memoirs of a Geisha. This movie was based off the book written by Arthur Golden, who visited Japan to study more on the flower and willow world of the "geishas". He has sold more than 44 million copies in thirty three different languages. A famous "geisha" of Kyoto's Gion district, Mineko Iwasaki, now retired, allowed Golden to research and question her experience about being a "geisha." However, once the novel was published she was not pleased with the results:
I spent seven to eight hours a day for two weeks talking to him, but he did not get anything right," Iwasaki told U.S. News." He has made a mockery of Japanese culture." She says geishas are more artisans than courtesans--more focused on the arts of music and dance and conversation, which they study for years, than those of the futon. She adds that she was promised anonymity but was named in the book's acknowledgments, and now people think she is the model for Golden's main character, Sayuri, a young rural girl sold into a geisha house. "For me, personally, this is a libel," Iwasaki says. (Galloway, Joseph L)
It seems that some tourists do not understand the manners of respecting a "geisha" when she is walking down the street to her next teahouse venue. In "Japanese Geisha to Be Trained in a New Art: Self-defense," Julian Ryan reports that the Higashiyama Police Station is training the "geishas" in the art of self-defense. Many tourists have misunderstanding of what modern "geishas" do for a living and often grab them thinking they are women who do more than entertaining men at night. Due to this misconception, it is offensive to the "geishas" and residents when foreigners, intentionally or unintentionally, disrespect these women. Visitors who are unaware of these tradition risks a "geisha’s" safety in her workplace (The Telegraph). This may be happening due to the portrayal of "geishas" in the media. One example is during the month of October in America, Halloween is a holiday that allows people to wear costumes of their favorite characters, people, or whatever they choose. Retailers sell costumes that range from boys and girls to women and men. Most of the costumes for women are sexy; miniskirts, tight fitting clothing, high heels, fishnet stockings, etc. These costumes often take an innocent children’s cartoon costume and sexualize the concept. Included in the sexy Halloween costumes, "geishas" make their appearance on the market. The costume depicts a woman wearing a scantly