Mizuage (水揚げ, lit.'hoisting from water') was a ceremony undergone by apprentice oiran (kamuro) and some maiko (apprentice geisha) as part of their coming of age ceremony and graduation.
For kamuro, who had often already lost their virginity, a patron would pay for the exclusive privilege of being a new oiran's first customer;[1] for maiko who underwent mizuage, it formed part of a number of ceremonies and occasions used to mark graduation into geishahood, including symbolic changes in hairstyle and official visits to benefactors. Before the outlawing of prostitution in Japan, maiko who underwent mizuage would see patrons and benefactors bid large sums of money for the privilege of taking their virginity, a sum of money the okiya (the geisha house an apprentice was affiliated to) would take entirely.
In the present day, a maiko's graduation is known as erikae (襟替え, 'turning the collar [of a kimono]'), and is entirely non-sexual, though some older sources – such as the autobiography of Mineko Iwasaki, the geisha that author Arthur Golden used as inspiration for his character of Sayuri in the novel Memoirs of a Geisha – refer to the non-sexual graduation of maiko to geishahood as mizuage.[2]Kamuro, and courtesans as an extension, exist in a wholly non-sexual capacity in modern-day Japan; oiranre-enactment parades are performed by actors, and tayū perform their profession's traditional arts without the inclusion of sex work. In both capacities, the kamuro of both oiran (who are merely actors in a parade) and tayū (for whom the role is a profession) do not engage in sex work as part of a 'graduation' out of apprenticeship.
Mizuage has been long connected with the loss of virginity of a maiko,[3] owing to the fact that some maiko did undergo ceremonies to lose their virginity.[4]Mizuage for a maiko would also include monetary sponsorship by the mizuage patron, intended to support and promote the maiko's debut to geisha status. Through this sponsorship of the apprentice, a patron would essentially purchase the right to take the maiko's virginity.[1] The mizuage patron would often have no further relations with the young woman in question.[4]
In the modern day, mizuage is a contentious issue, both within the geisha communities of Japan and elsewhere. The practice was outlawed following the introduction of the Anti-Prostitution Law in 1956, categorised under the "traffic in human flesh". Many geisha who came of age before the passing of the law went through the experience of mizuage, and though most geisha had no choice in the patron who took their virginity, with some instances of geisha being sold more than once,[5] the practice of mizuage formed an important initiation into womanhood and the role of an independent geisha; according to the research of anthropologist Liza Dalby, though this process was generally not pleasant, for many, it was perceived as a natural stage in growing up, with trainees in the same age cohort who had not graduated viewed by their peers as having been somewhat left behind.[6]
Post-1956 to present day
Mineko Iwasaki, former high-ranking Gion geisha, detailed her experience of mizuage in her autobiography, Geisha, a Life. Describing her experience of graduation to geishahood with the term mizuage, Iwasaki described her experience as a round of formal visits to announce her graduation, including the presentation of gifts to related geisha houses and important patrons, and a cycle through five different hairstyles before graduating.[2] This set of graduation experiences is generally referred to as erikae in the modern day.
Dalby relays the change between pre- and post-1956 attitudes to mizuage within the geisha community through her first-hand accounts with the geisha mothers of Ponto-chō:
"What about mizu-age now?" I asked, seeing this as a chance to find out more about sex in the geisha world[...] "It's all changed now," said the okāsan. "There's no mizu-age ceremony any more[...] All the maiko have been through junior high school, so they aren't as ignorant as we were – right, Ichiume? They pretty much pick their own boyfriends and patrons when they're ready. That's not the same as mizu-age."[4][page needed]
Today, all maiko and geisha have full say over their personal choices regarding sex, and most maiko begin training, attending banquets, and interacting with customers aged 18 – though they may start living at the okiya as a shikomi (maids) for a few years before graduation to minarai (lit.'learning by observation') and then maiko status.
Though customers attending geisha parties and banquets generally expect some level of convivial and low-key flirtation, a maiko is likely to be considered off-limits as a younger and more vulnerable participant to such gatherings. Maiko are instead treated with generosity by guests cognisant of their relative inexperience at geisha parties.[4]
In literature
Arthur Golden's novel Memoirs of a Geisha portrays mizuage as a financial arrangement in which a girl's virginity is sold to a "mizuage patron", generally someone who particularly enjoys sex with virgin girls, or merely enjoys the charms of an individual maiko.
Former geisha Sayo Masuda describes mizuage in her 1956 autobiography Autobiography of a Geisha as sexual exploitation. Masuda describes being sold multiple times by her okiya to men, ostensibly for the purposes of taking her virginity, under the pretence that she had not yet lost it. The transaction was explicitly a sexual arrangement, far removed from the ceremony of graduating into geishahood, netting the okiya a large profit. Despite her personal experiences, Masuda argued against the outlawing of sex work in Japan, explaining that it provided a way for women to make an independent living when chosen as a profession, and through criminalisation, would merely be driven underground.
^ abSeigle, Cecilia Segawa (1993). Yoshiwara: the glittering world of the Japanese courtesan. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. p. 179. ISBN0-8248-1488-6. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
^ abIwasaki, Mineko (2003). Geisha: A Life. New York: Washington Square Press. pp. 205. ISBN0743444299.
^Ditmore, Melissa Hope (2006). Encyclopedia of prostitution and sex work. Connecticut: Greenwood Press. p. 184. ISBN0-8248-1488-6. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
^ abcdDalby, Liza (2000). Geisha (3rd ed.). London: Vintage Random House. p. 115. ISBN0099286386. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
^Downer, Lesley (2000). Geisha: The Secret History of a Vanishing World. London: Headline Book Publishing. pp. 256–266. ISBN978-0747271055.
^Crihfield, Liza (1976). "8". The institution of the geisha in modern Japanese society (Thesis). Stanford University. pp. 161–162. When queried as to how they felt when it was time for them to become [full] geisha, these older women presented the following picture: a group of young girls would become apprentices together[...] They would see the maiko who were several years ahead of them suddenly change to the dress of adults and attain a new independence of movement, although as younger apprentices[...] they were not clear as to what all was involved in making this change. As they reached the age of seventeen or eighteen, proposals from customers to be their mizu-age patron would be presented to owners of their houses, and by this time the girls had a better notion of what they could expect. They remember being somewhat apprehensive, but in the context of their world, they said it just seemed like a natural stage in growing up. The girls to be pitied were the ones who were left behind when all the others in their cohort had undergone the initiation and become [full] geisha. In such cases, the ones left behind would be quite anxious that their house find them a suitable patron as soon as possible.
External links
Look up mizuage in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
mizuage, 水揚げ, hoisting, from, water, ceremony, undergone, apprentice, oiran, kamuro, some, maiko, apprentice, geisha, part, their, coming, ceremony, graduation, kamuro, often, already, lost, their, virginity, patron, would, exclusive, privilege, being, oiran, . Mizuage 水揚げ lit hoisting from water was a ceremony undergone by apprentice oiran kamuro and some maiko apprentice geisha as part of their coming of age ceremony and graduation For kamuro who had often already lost their virginity a patron would pay for the exclusive privilege of being a new oiran s first customer 1 for maiko who underwent mizuage it formed part of a number of ceremonies and occasions used to mark graduation into geishahood including symbolic changes in hairstyle and official visits to benefactors Before the outlawing of prostitution in Japan maiko who underwent mizuage would see patrons and benefactors bid large sums of money for the privilege of taking their virginity a sum of money the okiya the geisha house an apprentice was affiliated to would take entirely In the present day a maiko s graduation is known as erikae 襟替え turning the collar of a kimono and is entirely non sexual though some older sources such as the autobiography of Mineko Iwasaki the geisha that author Arthur Golden used as inspiration for his character of Sayuri in the novel Memoirs of a Geisha refer to the non sexual graduation of maiko to geishahood as mizuage 2 Kamuro and courtesans as an extension exist in a wholly non sexual capacity in modern day Japan oiran re enactment parades are performed by actors and tayu perform their profession s traditional arts without the inclusion of sex work In both capacities the kamuro of both oiran who are merely actors in a parade and tayu for whom the role is a profession do not engage in sex work as part of a graduation out of apprenticeship Contents 1 History 2 Post 1956 to present day 3 In literature 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory EditMizuage has been long connected with the loss of virginity of a maiko 3 owing to the fact that some maiko did undergo ceremonies to lose their virginity 4 Mizuage for a maiko would also include monetary sponsorship by the mizuage patron intended to support and promote the maiko s debut to geisha status Through this sponsorship of the apprentice a patron would essentially purchase the right to take the maiko s virginity 1 The mizuage patron would often have no further relations with the young woman in question 4 In the modern day mizuage is a contentious issue both within the geisha communities of Japan and elsewhere The practice was outlawed following the introduction of the Anti Prostitution Law in 1956 categorised under the traffic in human flesh Many geisha who came of age before the passing of the law went through the experience of mizuage and though most geisha had no choice in the patron who took their virginity with some instances of geisha being sold more than once 5 the practice of mizuage formed an important initiation into womanhood and the role of an independent geisha according to the research of anthropologist Liza Dalby though this process was generally not pleasant for many it was perceived as a natural stage in growing up with trainees in the same age cohort who had not graduated viewed by their peers as having been somewhat left behind 6 Post 1956 to present day EditMineko Iwasaki former high ranking Gion geisha detailed her experience of mizuage in her autobiography Geisha a Life Describing her experience of graduation to geishahood with the term mizuage Iwasaki described her experience as a round of formal visits to announce her graduation including the presentation of gifts to related geisha houses and important patrons and a cycle through five different hairstyles before graduating 2 This set of graduation experiences is generally referred to as erikae in the modern day Dalby relays the change between pre and post 1956 attitudes to mizuage within the geisha community through her first hand accounts with the geisha mothers of Ponto chō What about mizu age now I asked seeing this as a chance to find out more about sex in the geisha world It s all changed now said the okasan There s no mizu age ceremony any more All the maiko have been through junior high school so they aren t as ignorant as we were right Ichiume They pretty much pick their own boyfriends and patrons when they re ready That s not the same as mizu age 4 page needed Today all maiko and geisha have full say over their personal choices regarding sex and most maiko begin training attending banquets and interacting with customers aged 18 though they may start living at the okiya as a shikomi maids for a few years before graduation to minarai lit learning by observation and then maiko status Though customers attending geisha parties and banquets generally expect some level of convivial and low key flirtation a maiko is likely to be considered off limits as a younger and more vulnerable participant to such gatherings Maiko are instead treated with generosity by guests cognisant of their relative inexperience at geisha parties 4 In literature EditArthur Golden s novel Memoirs of a Geisha portrays mizuage as a financial arrangement in which a girl s virginity is sold to a mizuage patron generally someone who particularly enjoys sex with virgin girls or merely enjoys the charms of an individual maiko Former geisha Sayo Masuda describes mizuage in her 1956 autobiography Autobiography of a Geisha as sexual exploitation Masuda describes being sold multiple times by her okiya to men ostensibly for the purposes of taking her virginity under the pretence that she had not yet lost it The transaction was explicitly a sexual arrangement far removed from the ceremony of graduating into geishahood netting the okiya a large profit Despite her personal experiences Masuda argued against the outlawing of sex work in Japan explaining that it provided a way for women to make an independent living when chosen as a profession and through criminalisation would merely be driven underground See also EditVirginity auctionReferences Edit a b Seigle Cecilia Segawa 1993 Yoshiwara the glittering world of the Japanese courtesan Honolulu University of Hawaii Press p 179 ISBN 0 8248 1488 6 Retrieved 12 March 2020 a b Iwasaki Mineko 2003 Geisha A Life New York Washington Square Press pp 205 ISBN 0743444299 Ditmore Melissa Hope 2006 Encyclopedia of prostitution and sex work Connecticut Greenwood Press p 184 ISBN 0 8248 1488 6 Retrieved 12 March 2020 a b c d Dalby Liza 2000 Geisha 3rd ed London Vintage Random House p 115 ISBN 0099286386 Retrieved 12 March 2020 Downer Lesley 2000 Geisha The Secret History of a Vanishing World London Headline Book Publishing pp 256 266 ISBN 978 0747271055 Crihfield Liza 1976 8 The institution of the geisha in modern Japanese society Thesis Stanford University pp 161 162 When queried as to how they felt when it was time for them to become full geisha these older women presented the following picture a group of young girls would become apprentices together They would see the maiko who were several years ahead of them suddenly change to the dress of adults and attain a new independence of movement although as younger apprentices they were not clear as to what all was involved in making this change As they reached the age of seventeen or eighteen proposals from customers to be their mizu age patron would be presented to owners of their houses and by this time the girls had a better notion of what they could expect They remember being somewhat apprehensive but in the context of their world they said it just seemed like a natural stage in growing up The girls to be pitied were the ones who were left behind when all the others in their cohort had undergone the initiation and become full geisha In such cases the ones left behind would be quite anxious that their house find them a suitable patron as soon as possible External links Edit Look up mizuage in Wiktionary the free dictionary Japan portalRemaking a memoir A new autobiography former geisha Mineko Iwasaki Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mizuage amp oldid 1131721559, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
