World’s Oldest Geisha
Published on December 3rd, 2007
Posted in Uncategorized
TOKYO (Reuters Life!) – Her face creased with age and her hearing faltering, 98-year-old Kokin is proud to have dedicated her life to being a geisha, feted by men for her charm, wit and beauty.
But the world’s oldest geisha also mourns a time before World War Two when Japan’s geisha districts would burst to life as soon as the sun had set — geishas in silk kimonos would rush by rickshaw to “ryotei” restaurants where they would entertain wealthy men at parties that went on until the wee hours.
These days the streets of geisha districts are quiet in Japan’s neon-light cities where nightlife is more about dance clubs, hostess bars and karaoke joints than traditional Japanese entertainment, leaving many geishas nostalgic and unemployed.
