dress like geisha

I will be in Tokyo, Hoddaiko and kyoto end of Dec. Where can I go to get dress up like a geisha and take some pictures? Also about how long do you think the whole dress up time will be and the cost?

You mean "Maiko" (•‘‹W) in Kyoto?

"Maiko" and "Geihsa" are different. "Geisha" doesn't wear special dress. The girls who wear the beautiful and colourful furisode drress and gracefully dance are "Maiko" in Kyoto, not Geisha.

Japanese girls also wish to dress up like Maiko and to be taken their pictures in Maiko styles. And there are such facilities (company/studio) in Kyoto.

It is "Experiencing Maiko dress and Maiko styles". As for Yume-koubou company, 4 studios are in Kyoto. Reservations are needed. Cost is 10,000 -- 20,000 Yen for Basic Plans (including all make-up and materials and rental dress and 20 cuts/3 photos). You obtain resevations and go to the studio, and then they will make up and dress up you as Maiko and take your photos.

This is fairly easy. But this is mainly for Japanese female(s). The following is "Yume-koubou" site (there is also English page and you can make booking in English).

http://www.yumekoubou.info/

English site:

http://www.yumekoubou.info/english/index.html

Read and confirm English pages. And if you have still other question, ask here.

------------------------------
The following is for references to ones who can read Japanese.

http://oshiete1.goo.ne.jp/kotaeru.php3?q=992628

keywords: •‘‹W�@ŽÊ�^
http://oshiete.goo.ne.jp/

[1312]

Hi,

I will be in Tokyo and would love to get that done. Is there any studio in Tokyo?

There seem to be many studios (about 10 plus), but most of them are located in Kyoto.

The following is the list (but in Japanese):

http://animato0.hp.infoseek.co.jp/an_nai/itiran.html

The following is located in Asakusa, Tokyo:

http://animato0.hp.infoseek.co.jp/an_nai/sadatiyo.html

But the above studio, which is Ryokan, is now out of service, said the Japanese introduction page. I don't know whether this ryokan has web site or not (and whether it has English page or not).

Yumekoubou has English pages and the cost is not so expensive. As for the above ryokan, called "Sukeroku no Yado Sadachiyo", it is uncertain that this ryokan operates at present or not. Phone is 03-3842-6431.

Search in Google etc. using keywords, then it may be possible to confirm whether other studio(s) are in Tokyo area or not.

Wait. If you cannot search Japanese pages, I will try.

Or ask someone who can read and search Google and Yahoo! etc.

There are other methods that later you will post other question and request the search of studios in Tokyo. At least, in Kyoto, there are studios.

----------------------------
Keywords in Roman letters: maiko geiko henshin hangyoku geisha photo furisode tokyo kyoto

----------------
----------------
search by
maiko + geiko + henshin

results in Google:
http://www.google.co.jp/search?hl=ja&q=maiko+geiko+henshin&lr=

results in Metcha search:
http://bach.istc.kobe-u.ac.jp/cgi-bin/metcha.cgi?q=maiko+geiko+henshin

---------------------
Metcha search engine:
http://bach.istc.kobe-u.ac.jp/metcha/

Keywords in Roman letters:
addition:

taiken studio style oiran keiekn make-up dress dress-up

I didn't know you could dress like an Oiran (high class prostitute) too.

I thought they wanted to dress like a geisha. I'd say, contact your travel agent, or a Japanese agent. You might be able to arrange an appointment through a Japanese agent when you get to Japan. I think there are a few places in Tokyo. In Kyoto, of course, there's probably a hundred.

I finally found it. This place will dress you in any traditional outfit for photographs. Its located at OME..(forgot name but its on the green line southwest of TOKYO, a real popular place with name brand shops like DIOR GUCCI LV.. ST. Go to the corner at GAP walk straight pass a little street. On the second street make a left at LAWSON (Lawson is a store not street). It's not even a minute walk from GAP before you make the turn so pay attention. Just wonder around back there and you'll fiind it. THey have pictures of their works infront. Y12,ooo for make up, kimono rental, and 3 photos. Bring your own camera too.

Thanks for all the helpful info! I will look into them:)

I dressed as a maiko at the...well, I forgot which studio, I'll have to look for the packet I got... in Kyoto last year, and it was one of the best things I did while living in Japan! For about 100 US dollars I got makeup/dress-up, and professional photos taken of me. It was so much fun! Whenever I get back to Japan I'm going to do it again, so if anyone out there is just considering it, I say go ahead and do it!

There was a list of a good fifteen to twenty studios which offered maiko/geiko dress-up at the Kyoto Tourist building..thing...(sorry, my memories are leaving) near Kyoto Station. It showed the names, addresses, phone numbers, prices, and offered services of each studio, so I could choose which one sounded best for what I wanted. Some studios don't take photos, but let you walk around outside. Some let you do both, some don't let you do either. The place I went wouldn't allow anyone to go outside, but that was fine with me. It had the best price for what I wanted, and I was very, very pleased!

http://www.henshin-maiko.com/
This is a place near Harajuku and Omotosando... I think a previous post mentioned it.

Starwing is right, but I must say the whole conversation had me laughing so hard I almost lost my Tea. Thanks!!!.

If you want a quick and easy picture done when your in Kyoto go to the Japanese film studio, I took my dad and he got a real quick picture done for real cheap. And the walking around the studio is good also.

Is it okay if I can wear a Furisode instead of a geisha's kimono and where can I find a Furisode on Oahu. Ever since I saw that movie Memoirs of a Geisha. I wanted to become one, but I am not Japanese, but I am very good if you tell me step by step. I can show people the art of Geisha. So women in Japan will actually join and become a Geisha. I hope it will change their minds that they want to become a Geisha. I do. I never knew what a Geisha was until I saw that movie. Ever since then I have been looking up on Geisha. Please help me. Please tell me what to do to change their minds.

I am 13 and am considering becomeing a maiko/geisha. My best friend is from japan and she thinks that would be really funny. The thing is, I want to graduate high school and go to college, but I heard it takes a lot of time and effort to be a maiko/ geisha.
Some one please give me some advise! ^_^

To be trained as maiko, you need to start right after you graduate from the middle school. They'll not take you if you wait until after high school. You'll be "too old."

I am very excited to do the maiko dress-up in Kyoto, but I'm concerned because I have red hair. On all the websites, the example photos seem to be Japanese women. Some sights mention something about a "semiwig," which they incorporate with your natural hair. Do you know if they have full wigs that I will be able to use? How natural will it look?

I mean, I know that I'm going to stick out anyway, with my green eyes and red hair, but I just want it to look a liiiitle authentic, no?

Thanks!

They all have full, black-hair wigs (katsura) which will not change the outcome of photos the professionals take for you. But of course, you would want to take pictures with your own camera yourself, in which case the line of the full katsura may show. However, han-katsura, the semi-wig, creates a totally natural hairline, so when you take pictures yourself it will still look totally natural. It's not a problem if you have red hair as the studios spray temporary black spray over the natural sections of your hair (it washes out).

why is the whole thing expensive? this is just so that you can have your picture taken? so after the picture is taken then its time to remove all the makeup and the wig and all. I'm a guy so maybe I don't get it.

At Asakusa in Tokyo, I recommend this shop.
Blog ( translation available ) address is
http://kimonoasakusa.blog55.fc2.com/ (Edokomachi - reasonable)
Or see this site,
http://www.tokyo-ryokan.com/usefulinformation_asakusa.htm

I know this thread is old but I just wanted to mention about this shop. I took my mother to kiyomizudera shop as a mothers day gift one time (also her first time in Japan). The staff were SO RUDE - I was absolutely disgusted - I can speak and understand Japanese (they did not realise) and the two female make up artists said to each other, weve only got 2 hoursnot two weeks - implying that we were somehow ugly or too gaijin for them. I didnt say anything because my mother was having such a nice time but I will never recommentd that place to anyone with staff saying nasty things like that behind your back...