Geisha Culture Suffering Behind the Artistry
Despite the historic traditions of geisha being artists and entertainers and definitely not adult entertainment workers, modern geisha are speaking up about the culture of selling their bodies within the geisha ranks. Former apprentice geisha Kiyoha Kiritaka quit her maiko career after hearing her mother (her employer) discuss selling her virginity. She had already been left on her own to deal with intimate advances and groping, but this was next-level horror.
While critics say Kiritaka worked for a bad employer and this treatment is uncommon, other geishas have spoken out. Fumika Tamura spoke out about this treatment thirty years ago and believes the claims. She had her virginity sold to a winning bidder, and says of Kiritaka’s claims, “Looking at the online reactions to her allegations, it seems like some people thought she made this up, because the stories are just too horrible. But frankly speaking, this is totally normal.”
