The documentary The Secret World of Geishas takes us to explore the fascinating but mysterious world of geishas in Japan. Not only that, this description of geishas also portrays the central qualities in the images of the Japan to the world.
First of all, the figure of geishas embodies Japan’s conservative cultural and social values. All the attributes circling around geisha’s life depicts a traditional exotic picture of Japan, from the kimono, ikebana, shamisen, kabuki to the habit of men drinking at ochaya with geiko and maiko to get away from the stress of work. The ochaya represents a small version of the country itself, where people don’t advertise their work but guard their privacy. “It’s a secret world with strict rules and taboos,” says in the documentary. Everything goes in this ochaya, stays in this ochaya. Geishas are expected to learn how to talk wisely, listen closely and keep the confidentiality of the customers. This conservative nature of the country is exposed clearly from the documentary.
Secondly, the role of geisha in their business also describes how subordinate and obedient Japanese women are perceived in this society. As Littlewood describes in his book The idea of Japan, “one laughing bright-eyed damsel approached me kneeling with a cup of tea in her hand; another held some sugar, kneeling on the opposite side; while a third from her lowly posture on the ground held to my lips a boiled egg, already broken and peeled, with the spoon containing the inviting morsel duly seasoned with salt” (p.113), Japanese women are seen to be acquiescent, and submissive to males. They have the responsibility to look after the men and are willing to sacrifice their own lives for their husbands. Geikos working at the tea parties are not exception. In Japan, it is a common thing when a married man enjoys the company of a geiko. “Their job is to create a fantasy, a world where every man feels like a king” (The Secret World of Geishas). Thus, the women in