Ich�gaeshi style of coiffure.
It is stated that geisha first came into existence at Ky�to and Ōsaka in the 1st year of H�reki (1751), but they were vastly different to those of the present day. Up to the eras of Sh�toku (1711–1715) and Ky�h� (1716–1735) nearly all the courtesans were skilled in the arts of singing, dancing, music, etc., and as they were equal to the task of enlivening parties with their performances there was no room nor necessity for geisha. Besides the fact that the courtesans were accomplished, it was the custom for the wives and daughters of brothel-keepers to play the samisen and dance for the amusement of guests: these were called tori-mochi (entertainers). Again, those shinz� who were versed in amusing arts such as dancing and music, were invited by guests to assist at parties, although no fixed arrangement was made with them. These things ceased at the end of the H�reki era (1751–1763).
COURTESAN DANCING FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT OF GUESTS.—KWAMBUN ERA (1661–1671).
Formerly there was a class of female professionals called odori-ko (dancers), who not only gave exhibitions of dancing but even offered themselves as substitutes for the ordinary courtesans in order to eke out their means of subsistence.
In the 4th year of H�reki (1754) regular geiko (kind of geisha) sprang into existence for the time, and the term geisha developed later on about the 11th year (1761). In the latter year, we read that in the “Daikoku-r�� (brothel), was a geiko named Toyotake Yasohachi, in the “Ōgiya� (brothel) a geisha named Kasen, in “Tama-ya� (brothel) two geisha called Ran and Toki respectively, while another geisha known as Mondo was engaged in the “Iseya� (brothel), etc. The geisha were experts in gidayū (musical drama), naga-uta (lyric poetry or song), and bungo-bushi (a style of song which originated in Bungo), etc., and, as their name implies, they were accomplished women. The proper sphere of the geisha, on the other hand, was to entertain parties by playing popular airs and singing popular “catchy� songs. When the geisha first came into existence—about the 10th or 11th year of H�reki (1760–1761) they were employed by the brothels and lent to guests of the houses, but, as their popularity and number increased, they came to be engaged by tea-houses and individuals, or to start independently, and so gradually formed a separate and distinct profession. The liberty of action which they had acquired since they had set up independently soon degenerated into license, and it often happened that geisha not only sold their accomplishments but their charms as well: this led to the establishment of the kemban-sho by Daikoku-ya Shūmin in the 8th year of Anyei (1779) and the placing of geisha under proper control. Prior to the establishment of this kemban-sho the geisha were at liberty to go out of the great gate with guests, but subsequently this was strictly forbidden except to two geisha each day. Only on New Year’s day and the 13th day of the 7th month (Bon no jū-san-nichi) were they free to pass out of the Yoshiwara irrespective of number, but even on those days their hours of liberty expired at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. We find it recorded that the rules were so stringently enforced that comparatively few geisha actually ventured outside the gateway even on the special days above mentioned. The kemban-sho further made strict sumptuary regulations prohibiting geisha from wearing unnecessarily fine clothes, believing that if these women were dressed too magnificently it might lead to their making easy conquests of the guests they met. The dress was limited to clothes of plain non-figured stuffs dyed with their crests, and collars of some white material (shiro-eri muji no mon-tsuki) while their coiffures had to be made in the “shimada� style ornamented with one k�gai (hair-pin), one comb, and one smaller hair-pin only. This style of dress is adopted even in these times on certain days called mom-bi (crest days). In order to make assurance doubly sure, geisha were generally recruited from among comparatively plain women so as not to set up a counter-attraction to the oiran or out-shine the latter, and in a party of guests they were not allowed to sit close beside the latter except in cases of sheer necessity. When a geisha was suspected of too much intimacy with a guest an enquiry was held by the kemban-sho people, and if they considered the suspicion to be well-grounded they would suspend the fair sinner from the exercise of her profession for the space of from one to three days and admonish her as to her future conduct. Nowadays, geisha have perfect freedom of action in the matter of going out of the Yoshiwara, the only stipulation being that they are required to notify the kemban-sho of their purpose. Formerly, geisha licenses were issued by the nanushi but are now given by the kemban. In the kemban hung a number of wooden tickets bearing the names of geisha registered there, and as soon as a woman was engaged her ticket was taken down and hung up again with its face to the wall: this enabled the kemban people to tell instantly whether a certain geisha was “in� or “out.� Three geisha made one “set� (kumi) and not less than three could be engaged: this was a precaution against allowing one girl to make herself unduly familiar with a guest, but now the “set� has been reduced to two geisha only. The hours of engagement were limited from noon to 10 p.m., and during that time 7 joss-sticks (senk� shichi hon) were supposed to have been consumed: the fee was fixed at 1 ry� 3 bu (Yen 17.50) and was divided between the kemban and the geisha, the latter receiving 2 bu 2 shu (Yen 6.25). The geisha also received a gratuity of from 2 shu to 1 bu (Yen 1.25 to Yen 2.50). In the Yoshiwara there were no hakoya (samisen-box carriers) the clerks of the kemban acting in that capacity: at night time these clerks carried lighted lanterns on which were painted the sign of the kemban.
On the 2nd day of the first month the ceremony of hikizome (first playing of the samisen in the new year) was observed. After about 4 o’clock in the afternoon the geisha and h�kan, in groups of fives or sevens, went round to the various tea-houses and brothels in their holiday dress wishing the proprietors and inmates a happy new year, playing tunes of a felicitous nature, and soliciting future patronage. The tea-houses and brothels entertained these callers with toso (spiced saké), ordinary saké, and food. This custom of celebrating the hikizome still prevails.
In closing this chapter it may be of some interest to readers to note that the Sakura-gawa school of h�kan is the most influential in the Yoshiwara, and consequently many persons have concluded that this style is indigenous to the quarter: such, however, is not the case, for it originated in Fukagawa. Of late, several classes of amusements and many new songs, said to be in the Sakura-gawa style, have been introduced, but they do not seem to be particularly noteworthy.