The theme for the 137th Miyako Odori is, “Mizu-ni Haeru Sakura-no Hana Emaki”
(“A picture scroll of cherry blossoms reflected in the water”)

Scenes

Prelude: Oki-Uta

Scene two: Kitano Tenjin Hatsu-Moude
(“Paying the first visit of the year to the Kitano Tenjin Shrine”)

Scene three: Arashiyama Suminokura Monogatari
(The story of Ryoui Suminokura who endeavored to develop the Ooi River of Arashiyama, Kyoto, in the Azuchi Momoyama period.)

Scene four: Gion Shirakawa-no Ryou-Fū
(“A cool breeze from the Shirakawa River in Gion”)

Scene five: Osome Hisamatsu Nozaki-mura
(Taken from the Kabuki play “Nozaki-mura“.)

Scene six: Momiji Tazune Sagameguri
(“A tour of Saga, Kyoto, for enjoying the Autumn leaves”)

Scene seven: Kyo no Satoyama Yukijorou-to-Kosagi
(“A snow fairy and a Snowy Heron at the mountain village in Kyoto”)

Closing scene: Iwashimizu Hachimangū-no Sakura
(“Cherry blossoms at Iwashimizu Hachimangū Shrine”)

Performers

Natori Geiko:
Kofumi, Nakako, Tomichiyo, Mameji, Mamezuru, Koman, Kosuzu, Katsuno, Sonomi, Mamehiro, Eriko, Takazuru, Makoto, Mameka, Korin, Mamesono, Fukue, Mamechizu, Tamaha, Katsuma, Terutoyo, Mamechie, Mameryō, Fukuha, Satomi.

Geiko:
Manoka, Mameya, Koaki, Mamechō, Kokimi, Mamegiku, Takamaru, Sonoe, Mamefuku, Sayoko, Yuiko, Fumikazu, Kimika, Manami, Kogiku, Mayuha, Mamesuzu, Mari, Koai, Suzuko, Mihoko, Terukoma, Mao, Mameshino, Maori, Yukako, Kotoha, Katsufumi, Makiko, Katsugiku, Ichiyuri, Koyō.

Maiko:
Konomi, Wakana, Mamechiho, Yasuha, Katsuyuki, Ayakazu, Yukikazu, Mameteru, Mameyuri, Kosen, Sakiko, Mametomi, Sayaka, Tsuruha, Takamari, Mahiro, Ichiwaka, Mamehana, Takasuzu, Katsumi, Kyouka, Ayano, Mamesome, Mamefusa, Takahina, Makino, Keiko, Kimichiyo, Manaha, Mameharu, Koyoshi.

Jikata Geiko:
Dan-e, Yukiryō, Komasu, Emiji, Kimiya, Kimihiro, Komomo, Kana, Dan-yū, Yoshimame, Mameyoshi, Danka, Fukunami, Kimizuru, Masuho, Yukizono, Fukumomo, Koemi.

Tea Ceremony

April 1st-10th:
Terukoma (Kyouka), Kogiku (Konomi), Yuiko (Sayaka), Takamaru (Takahina), Mari (Mahiro), Sayako (Mamefusa), Sonoe (Takasuzu), Kotoha (Manaha & Mameharu), Maori (Makino), Manami (Sakiko).

April 11th-20th:
Koyō (Kosen), Mamechō (Mamesome), Kimika (Kimichiyo), Koai (Takamari), Suzuko (Mameteru), Katsugiku (Katsumi), Yukako (Ichiwaka), Mihoko (Keiko), Ichiyuri (Koyoshi), Makiko (Mamechiho).

April 21st-30th:
Katsufumi (Yukikazu), Mamesuzu (Wakana), Mamefuku (Ayano), Fumikazu (Ayakazu), Mamegiku (Mamehana), Mayuha (Mametomi), Koaki (Tsuruha), Mao (Katsuyuki), Mameshino (Mameyuri), Kokimi (Yasuha).

Note: The names in parenthesis are the Maiko performing Tea Ceremony with that Geiko.

For information regarding the purchase of tickets, performance times and instructions on how to get to the Gion Kobu Kaburenjō please visit the Miyako Odori Website.

Many thanks due to arumukos for kindly sharing all of this information with me.

Ichimame is well know for her writing and blog which has given many a peek under the mysterious facade of the Geiko and Maiko world. Today she attended Kamishichiken’s annual Baika-sai on her last day as a Maiko. Tomorrow (Feb. 26) she will don the Katsura of a fully-fledged Geiko—stepping out onto the streets of Kamishichiken in her formal black kimono, called Kuromontsuki.

Also recently (Feb. 23) Miyoharu of Miyagawa-chō and Makiko of Gion Kobu turned their collars. Raising the numbers of Geiko in Kyoto to 200!

Miyoharu and Makiko © Michael Chandler
Ichimame © Hidenori Ohnishi

Gion Kobu: 86 Geiko (86),  31 Maiko (28), 68 Ochaya (74)

Miyagawa-chō: 38 Geiko (40), 38 Maiko (27), 36 Ochaya (37)

Ponto-chō: 41 Geiko (41), 9 Maiko (10), 29 Ochaya (32)

Kamishichiken: 21 Geiko (18), 7 Maiko (7), 10 Ochaya (10)

Gion Higashi: 11 Geiko (11), 6 Maiko (5), 12 Ochaya (12)

Total: 197 Geiko (196), 91 Maiko (77), 155 Ochaya (165)

Note: The ones in parenthesis are the numbers from February 28, 2007.

This past month the Kyoto Hanamachi has taken quite a shock. With it’s many recent departures in both Gion Higashi and Miyagawa-chō.

Tomitaka and Masayui of Gion Higashi, both of which debut last year in October, have retired. Leaving Gion Higashi with only 6 trainees in it’s district.

Miyagawa-chō has also bid farewell to maiko Satonami. She wore the Sakkou hairstyle and danced Kurokami before going back home.

Images © Michael Chandler [Left to right: Masayui, Satonami, Tomitaka.]

Her name is Kotoha and finally after 5 years of training she gets to let her hair down and put on a wig.  This ceremony is called Eri-kae (ゑりかえ) or “turning of the collar”.

For the past few weeks she has worn a hairstyle called Sakkou-Mage (先笄髷). During the Edo period ( 1603-1868 ) newly-wed women would sport this style. In the old days, when Geiko and Maiko could not wed freely, the Oka-san would allow them to wear it in their last days as a Maiko.

Kotoha © Hidenori Ohnishi

Kotoha does a very special dance during these few days called “Kuro-Kami” (黒髪), literally meaning “Jet black hair”, which has been passed down throughout generations. The song is a sad story of a woman forlorn over her absent lover, reminiscing over the nights they’ve shared together.

Inoue Mao plays the role of Mineko, a young maiko (apprentice geisha) in the Gion Kobu Geisha district of Kyoto.

The story is loosely based on the autobiography of the famous retired geisha Mineko Iwasaki (who was one of the sources for Arthur Golden’s Memoirs of a Geisha). Iwasaki is also involved in the drama by personally coaching Inoue in the ways of the geisha, and training the cast to speak the unique Gion dialect.

To watch this show with English Subs visit Veoh.com

Koremochi is very delighted, and drink saké while being entertained by the ladies dances. Koremochi says that he would like to see Princess Sarashina (performed by Ichikawa Danjūrō XII) dance herself. But while Princess Sarashina is dancing, Koremochi and his two lackeys have dosed off. After Princess Sarashina finds they have slept, she storms out like a mad man!

For centuries this dance and song has been a staple for Ozashiki. Gion Kouta or “Ballad of Gion” is performed by every Hanamachi in Gion. Each district tweaks the dances a little, maybe using fans, or adding another chorus to the melody. But still, after all these years it has continued to be the forefront of Ozashiki Asobi.

Gion Kobu style

Gion Higashi style

Pontochō style

Miyagawachō style

Kamishichiken style

The 136th Miyako Odori dedicates all scenes to the Japanese classic novel, the Tale of Genji, as this year marks the 1000th anniversery of this great literary work.

How Miyako Odori Started

People of Kyoto were very concerned that Kyoto would go downhill after the relocation of the capital to Tokyo during the Meiji Restoration.

Kyoto Governor Nabuatsu Hase and Vice Governor Masanao Makimura made a lot of efforts to develop and prosper Kyoto further. In 1871, they planned to hold the first Japanese exposition in the Imperial Palace in order to promote Kyoto’s industry.

Jirouemon Sugiura, the representative of Gion Shinbashi and owner of Mantei (current Ichiriki-tei, a famous Ochaya), recieved a request from Kyoto prefectural government to show a dance by Geiko and Maiko to the public. With the collaboration from Yachiyo Inoue III, the head of the dance school of Kyomai. Mr. Sugiura came up with the idea of a group dance based on the performance of ‘Kamenoko Odori’  in Ise Furuichi.

In March of 1872, as a sideshow of the expo, the dance ‘Miyako Odori Junicho’, created by Masanao Makimura, was performed with a chorus and musicians in a room with beautiful sliding doors of a house called Matsunoya, located in Gion Shinbashi. This performance was the start of the current Miyako Odori.

At that time they agreed that the dance style of Gion Kobu’s ‘Miyako Odori’ had to be Inoue’s Kyomai and no other schools should be involved. This promise has been kept since then, and the quality and dignity of the Miyako Odori is passed on heads – the fourth and current head, Yachiyo Inoue V.

In April of 1987, on the way to a performance in Fukuoka, she suddenly collapsed. Rushed to hospital, she was diagnosed with bilateral femoral necrosis brought on by chronic hepatitis. In 1988 she performed at a concert called Fushichou konsaato (Phoenix Concert) at the Tokyo Dome.

Against overwhelming pain in her legs, she performed a total of 39 songs  reassuring her fans that she had completely recovered. However, on May 24th 1989, having been re-admitted to the Juntendou hospital in Tokyo, she died from interstitial pneumonitis at the age of 52. Her death was widely mourned throughout Japan.