The Brutal Side of a Geisha’s mizuage
The transition from maiko (apprentice) to geiko (full geisha) is, according to rumor, a much darker ceremony. Under the surface, mizuage meant a bidding war for the maiko’s virginity to court the patronage of a danna, or lifetime sponsor. Historically, when a maiko prepared for her debut, her clients bid to become her danna-sama. Men vied for the opportunity to sponsor the ceremony; expecting to be granted her virginity.
While profitable for the okiya (being a danna cost a lot; only the elite could afford it), maiko has little or no say in who wins. Nor would she receive money; it went to the okiya toward her debts. While the money wasn’t directly for physical gratification, but the sensual favors came as an unspoken fringe benefit for the danna. This put it in a gray area for the anti-prostitution legislation in the 1950s.
