/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>8753233
Unfortunately, no. It's a great misconception, even in Japan. Back during WWII, Japanese prostitutes would paint their faces like geisha and just call themselves such because American soldiers wouldn't know the difference.

>>8753234
No. Geisha were never prostitutes. You're thinking of Tayuu/oiran, an aristocratic, "high class" prostitute that were around before geisha.

Apprentices did have a coming of age ceremony called 'mizuage' where their okaa-san (the matriarch of the okiya, the lodging house for geisha) was responsible for seeing that a high bidder would take her virginity at a very high price. The maiko would never see the man again afterward. The money used was a kick start for her career as a geisha. It was not seen as a form of prostitution, but rather as a sort of sweet sixteen party (it typically happened at age 20, but less responsible okiya owners would make it as young as thirteen, sadly). It was outlawed in 1959 so it is no longer practiced.

Geisha do take on danna, a man (or woman) who will support her financially in her career if she accepts the proposal, but this is strictly business and there are no strings attached or requirements to fulfill. She may decline if she so wishes.