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I remember when Memoirs of a Geisha came out in the late 90s. It was a massive bestseller. I only read it for the first time within the past year, after I returned from living in Japan.
While I was in Japan, I visited Kyoto twice, once in March and then again in November. I absolutely adored Kyoto! I love Japan and I love history, so Kyoto was right up my alley. I especially liked the Gion district, with its classic buildings and architecture.
On my first visit, I was walking with a friend through Gion when a black car pulled up outside a fancy restaurant. The driver got out and opened one of the rear doors, and a geisha stepped out, dressed in an exquisite kimono. She opened a parasol, and the driver ushered her into the restaurant. Everyone on the street stopped to watch her, but I noticed that no one took pictures of her. I later learned from my Japanese female coworkers that taking photographs of geisha is widely frowned upon. I had noticed signs in Gion saying that taking pictures on certain residential streets was forbidden, so I wasn't surprised.
It was only after my second trip to Kyoto in November, when I went to tour some temples and see the autumn leaves, that I decided to download Memoirs of a Geisha onto my Kindle. I originally did it because I loved Kyoto so much and wanted to read about it. But as I got further into the novel, I discovered why it was so popular.
The novel is fiction, set in the world of Kyoto's geisha during the early 20th century. Author Arthur Golden became fascinated with the subject and interviewed a retired geisha from Gion named Mineko Iwasaki as part of his research. Her firsthand experiences helped him understand the traditions and culture of that world, although the main character is fictional.
The story follows a young girl named Chiyo, who grows up to become the legendary geisha, Sayuri. It's told in the first person, as if narrated by an older Sayuri looking back on her life and speaking to the man who is writing down her story. But the character of Sayuri is so compelling and captivating. Hearing her talk about her life, from her childhood through her geisha training and beyond, was powerful and emotional. She is definitely a character I will never forget.
The book was turned into a movie about 20 years ago. And while the movie was beautifully filmed and the acting was very good, it bothered me that the three leading actresses portraying geisha were Chinese actresses rather than Japanese. They were all excellent, but I felt they should have cast Japanese actresses. It really took away from what was otherwise a very well-made movie, at least for me.
All that said, the life of Sayuri was truly a memorable one. And reading her story gave me another reason to remember and appreciate my time in Kyoto.
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