Geishas and the Floating World

Geishas and the Floating World PDF

Author: Stephen Longstreet

Publisher: Tuttle Publishing

Published: 2020-03-24

Total Pages: 216

ISBN-13: 1462921329

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Geishas and the Floating World returns readers to a lost world of sensuality and seduction, rich with hedonism, abandon, and sexual and personal politics. "Floating World" refers to Japan's traditional Geisha pleasure districts, but also to the artistic and literary worlds associated with them. At the heart of the "Floating World" and the system it supported was an extensive network of talented courtesans and entertainers, typified by the still fascinating, enigmatic Geisha. Stephen and Ethel Longstreet bring the reader on an in-depth tour of the original and most infamous red-light district in Japan--the Yoshiwara district of old Tokyo that underwent tremendous changes during the more than three centuries of its existence. Beyond the erotic allure the district held, the Yoshiwara also fostered a rich culture and a much studied and revered artistic and literary tradition. This account is adorned with examples of fine woodblock prints and quotations from often bawdy, and always colorful, original sources that offer a gripping portrait of life within the pleasure zone. Geishas and the Floating World balances scholarly insights with a master storyteller's flair for the exploits and intrigues of people operating outside the confines of polite society. Stephen Mansfield's new introduction bridges time, examining gender realities and the Yoshiwara through contemporary eyes, highlighting often overlooked subtleties and the harsh realities associated with this glittering world.

An Artist of the Floating World

An Artist of the Floating World PDF

Author: Kazuo Ishiguro

Publisher: Vintage

Published: 2012-09-05

Total Pages: 212

ISBN-13: 0307829065

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From the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature and author of the Booker Prize–winning novel The Remains of the Day In the face of the misery in his homeland, the artist Masuji Ono was unwilling to devote his art solely to the celebration of physical beauty. Instead, he put his work in the service of the imperialist movement that led Japan into World War II. Now, as the mature Ono struggles through the aftermath of that war, his memories of his youth and of the "floating world"—the nocturnal world of pleasure, entertainment, and drink—offer him both escape and redemption, even as they punish him for betraying his early promise. Indicted by society for its defeat and reviled for his past aesthetics, he relives the passage through his personal history that makes him both a hero and a coward but, above all, a human being.

Geisha

Geisha PDF

Author: Lesley Downer

Publisher:

Published: 2001

Total Pages: 434

ISBN-13: 9780747264262

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Ever since Westerners arrived in Japan, we have been intrigued by geisha. This fascination has spawned a wealth of fictional creations from Madame Butterfly to Arthur Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha. The reality of the geisha's existence has rarely been described. Contrary to popular opinion, geisha are not prostitutes but literally arts people. Their accomplishments might include singing, dancing or playing a musical instrument but, above all, they are masters of the art of conversation, soothing worries of highly paid businessmen who can afford their attentions. The real secret history of the geisha is explored here.

Yoshiwara

Yoshiwara PDF

Author: Cecilia Segawa Seigle

Publisher: University of Hawaii Press

Published: 1993-03-01

Total Pages: 352

ISBN-13: 9780824814885

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Drawing on both historical and literary sources, examines life in the pleasure houses of Japan during the Edo period from the early 1600s to 1868. Among the topics are the origins, illegal competitors, the cost of a visit, the treatment of the courtesans, traditions and protocols, Yoshiwara arts, th

Geisha

Geisha PDF

Author: John Gallagher

Publisher: Sterling Publishing Company, Inc.

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 292

ISBN-13: 9781856486972

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Japan's geisha have fascinated and allured westerners for centuries. But just who are geisha? This book delves into their lives and history with detailed coverage of their training, their costumes, and the intricate world of tradition in which they live and work. This finely illustrated book looks at the gradations of rank, clothing, and makeup, as well as the subtle changes of geisha appearance through the seasons. It explores the network of dance schools, teahouses, temples, offices and traditional crafts, with calligraphers, dyers, and sake warmers among the many occupations serving in the hanamachi or "flower towns," as geisha districts are known. The geisha craft itself draws on an array of traditional Japanese arts: dance, tea ceremony, traditional music, and games, all in the service of leisure. This book explains how this complex and often misunderstood world evolved, how it fits into modern Japan, and how it is adapting in order to survive there.--From publisher description.

The Floating World, rev. ed.

The Floating World, rev. ed. PDF

Author: James A. Michener

Publisher: University of Hawaii Press

Published: 1984-02-01

Total Pages: 484

ISBN-13: 9780824808730

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The Floating World by novelist James A. Michener is a classic work on the Japanese print of the Edo period (1615-1868). Mr. Michener shows how the Japanese printmakers, cut off from revivifying contacts with the art of the rest of the world and hampered by their own governmental restrictions, were able to keep their art vital for two centuries through their vigor and determination. For this new edition, Howard A. Link updates the scholarship and expands on many theoretical aspects introduced in Michener's study.

Geisha

Geisha PDF

Author: Stanley B. Burns

Publisher:

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 128

ISBN-13:

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Japanese Geisha and courtesans intrigue and fascinate Westerners. During the mid-19th century, Japan opened its doors to the world and became an essential destination for travellers. Geisha: A Photographic History 1872-1912 documents the intimate life and culture of this 19th century icon. It portrays the artists of these images in a cultural reality created by staged studio photography, private scenes and rare outdoor images. Essential viewing.

The Geisha with the Green Eyes

The Geisha with the Green Eyes PDF

Author: India Millar

Publisher: Red Empress Publishing

Published:

Total Pages: 346

ISBN-13:

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The secrets of the Floating World unfold in the embrace of The Geisha with the Green Eyes. In 1850, Japan had remained veiled from the outside world for centuries, a secretive realm that held within its heart Edo. Within Edo lay Yoshiwara — "The Floating World," a center of unbridled pleasure. Deep within this enigmatic district stood the Hidden House, a sanctuary reserved for the elite, where geisha of extraordinary talent dwelled. Among them was Midori No Me, a woman of dual heritage — part Japanese, part foreigner. Born into captivity, she was trained from youth to devote herself to the wealthiest patrons in Japan, her innocence was auctioned at a tender age of thirteen. She found herself under the possession of a renowned kabuki actor before fate intervened, leading her into the hands of Edo's most formidable yakuza. This is the tale of the geisha who fled the intoxicating allure of the Floating World. This is the saga of The Geisha with the Green Eyes. For enthusiasts of Amy Tan's "The Valley of Amazement" and Arthur Golden's "Memoirs of a Geisha," "The Geisha with the Green Eyes" beckons with its sensuality, sentimentality, and captivating narrative, crafted by author India Millar. Embark on a journey through a mesmerizing historical romance unlike any other. Keywords: Historical romance set in Japan, Geisha historical fiction, Edo-era Japan romance, Yakuza romance novels, Kabuki theater novels, Geisha with green eyes book, Forbidden love Japan historical fiction, Geisha who feels no pain novel, Dragon Geisha book, Hidden House trilogy, Japan historical romance series, Samurai love story, Japanese cultural fiction, Yoshiwara district novels, Floating World romance books, Japan secret society romance, Geisha and yakuza love story, Resilient geisha stories, Author India Millar, Escape from the Floating World, Amy Tan, James Clavell, Arthur Golden, Lisa See, Pearl S. Buck, Eiji Yoshikawa, Gail Tsukiyama

Geisha & Maiko of Kyoto

Geisha & Maiko of Kyoto PDF

Author: John Foster

Publisher: Schiffer Pub Limited

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 144

ISBN-13: 9780764332210

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This exquisite collection of photographs and interviews focuses on four of Kyoto's most beautiful geisha and maiko (apprentice geisha). First, the geisha and maiko were photographed at Kyoto's largest geisha dance performances and other important dances. Next, portrait sessions were held with each woman to capture the kata (forms or poses) of her favorite dances. The geisha and maiko were then interviewed about their photographs, giving the reader a rare insight into their artistic training. Finally, images follow one maiko from her last few days as an apprentice through her first few days as a geisha. Never before has the change from maiko to geisha been documented so completely. The result is a collection of 149 gorgeous photographs that shed light on these exquisitely beautiful women like no other book before.