Maiko Masquerade: Crafting Geisha Girlhood in Japan

Maiko Masquerade explores Japanese representations of the maiko, or apprentice geisha, as an icon of exemplary girlhood, highlighting their training, challenges, and rewards. It also inspires stories of ordinary girls striving to embody the maiko ideal, engaging in masquerades that highlight questions of personal choice, gender performance, and national identity.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 300 pages
Publication date: 09 March 2021
Publisher: University of California Press

Maiko Masquerade delves into the captivating portrayal of maiko, or apprentice geisha, in Japanese films, manga, and various popular media. Jan Bardsley meticulously explores the transformation of the maiko, once stigmatized as a victim of sexual exploitation, into the revered guardian of Kyoto's classical artistic traditions in the 2000s. Through intimate insider accounts provided by maiko, geisha, their leaders, and fans, the book showcases the immense pride and joy that accompany the maiko's training, challenges, and rewards. The perception of maiko has undergone a significant shift, moving beyond their role as mere playthings for men's amusement to becoming a catalyst for women's consumer fun. This transformative shift inspires captivating stories of ordinary girls, as well as one boy, striving to embody the maiko ideal, engaging in masquerades that shed light on profound questions of personal choice, gender performance, and national identity.

Maiko Masquerade delves into the captivating portrayal of maiko, or apprentice geisha, in Japanese films, manga, and various popular media. Jan Bardsley meticulously explores the transformation of the maiko, once stigmatized as a victim of sexual exploitation, into the revered guardian of Kyoto's classical artistic traditions in the 2000s. Through intimate insider accounts provided by maiko, geisha, their leaders, and fans, the book showcases the immense pride and joy that accompany the maiko's training, challenges, and rewards. The perception of maiko has undergone a significant shift, moving beyond their role as mere playthings for men's amusement to becoming a catalyst for women's consumer fun. This transformative shift inspires captivating stories of ordinary girls, as well as one boy, striving to embody the maiko ideal, engaging in masquerades that shed light on profound questions of personal choice, gender performance, and national identity.

Weight: 418g
Dimension: 153 x 230 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520296442