Maiko originated from women who served green tea and dango (Japanese dumpling made from rice flour) to people who visited the Kitano Tenman-gū or Yasaka Shrine (these are the two of the famous shrines in Kyoto) at teahouses in the temple town about 300 years ago. At first, women served only green tea and dango, but they gradually started to perform songs and dances for visitors. In the morning, maiko take lessons to polish their performances. At night, they go out to work. They are usually given the opportunity to eat at high-quality Japanese-style restaurants or stay in Japanese-style hotels. They perform dances, songs, play the shamisen, and serve visitors with sake. Recently, their jobs have expanded to include visiting nursing institutions or hospitals. Some maiko are also dispatched overseas.
A group of Maiko girls on a balcony overlooking the Kamo River in Kyoto, ca. late 1910s
Drinking Kirin beer, 1920
Five Maiko girls posing for a shot, ca. 1920s
Fourteen Maiko girls in Komonos, ca. 1920s
Geikos on a summer balcony, 1920
Maiko girls have an afternoon tea, ca. 1920s
Maiko girls in a Takase-bune, 1926
Maiko girls with umbrellas in the 1920s
A group of Maiko girls playing a game, ca. 1920s
Maikos by the river in the 1920s
Maikos in Kimonos in the 1920s
Maikos with dragon obi Kimonos in the 1920s
One Maiko taking a photograph of another withe an early Kodak folding camera, ca. 1920s
Playing the Taiko and the Kotsuzumi, ca. 1910s
Playing Toryanse, ca. 1920s
Posing for a shot by the Kamo River, ca. 1920s
A group of Maiko girls standing on the riverbank, ca. late 1910s
Two young girls sitting on a park bench, ca. 1920s
A Maiko girl taking a photograph with an early Kodak folding camera, while being guided by another Maiko, ca. 1920s
Beautiful girls in a hot summer evening, ca. 1920s
Climbing an escarpment, ca. 1920s
