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Thursday, May 22, 2008

Geisha Extremes

I'm used to getting various emails forwarded to work from colleagues and friends (usually quickly browsing through them and continuing with work), but on this occasion I am genuinely shocked.

I am a sucker for all things Japanese - the food, the street style, the wave of designers from the 1980s - to name a few. However, I find the world of the Geisha truly fascinating. After reading 'Memoirs of a Geisha' and watching the film of the same name I almost wished to be transported back in time to experience it for myself - the beauty, the classical art and music, the Saki, their highly adorned kimono with an extravagant obi - all so delicately graceful. This however is NOT.


Admittedly I was probably only seeing the fantasy, below are images which show the reality of living your life as a Geisha. I knew they slept with their necks supported by wooden pillars to protect their hair, and bound their feet to give the appearance of smaller feet - but this shocked me to the core.

WARNING - DISTURBING IMAGES BELOW. Continue reading at your own risk!


Leaves you speechless doesn't it?


EDIT: I have been informed by a Chinese friend of mine that these are infact Chinese!

"My Greatgrandma had those feet. You are right about the beauty of small feet...they are wrapped like this so that the women take small steps, which represented wealth! Old China believed that if a woman was to be a wife she shouldn't step out of the house more than an inch. The Japanese don't wrap their feet, they just use wooden shoes and tight Kimon to walk naturally beautiful."

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