Geisha in Demand
Oiran had fallen out of preference by the 1830s in favor of these new geisha. In contrast to the oiran, geisha’s role didn’t include intimate ‘clients.’ It has always been to entertain guests at parties, events, and continue traditional performing arts during public shows. Geisha were, and still are, elite performers. Training for geisha became formalized. Geisha schools and training centers, called kaburenjo, trained geisha in the classical performing arts.
The training, experience, and popularity of some geisha resulted in a hierarchy among geisha. Those with particular skills were highly sought after among the clientele at tea houses and entertainment venues. But reaching that level came with challenges. The expensive, grueling, and difficult training required extreme precision and dedication by the girls. It could be brutal for the young girls who dedicated their lives to the performing and entertainment arts.
