What do we do when our semi-ancient socio-cultural skill no longer serves us in the modern world? Spiff up and get with the times! Throw on a signboard, learn a louder instrument, and sell ourselves out to the biggest hype. Yet another “price to pay” for modernization. Still, it looks to me like the sax player is the most awkward and out of place here. With her normal clothes! And her youthful passion! Bleh!
A friend who was along with me said that these people weren’t even worth a picture, citing it being a shame that this is what these professionally trained geisha are left to. The other (perhaps just as significant) argument being that they may not be trained at all and are simply posing in the geisha look.
Writing from Koganei, Tokyo, Japan | May 24, 2009
9 responses so far ↓
addidesu // May 24, 2009 at 11:03 am |
Chances are, they AREN’T professionally trained geisha….I think a lot of foreigners mistaken kimono-makeup-hairstyle donning women as geishas, but geishas are still very well trained and equally well paid…so I doubt that any real geisha would find times so hard as to do this.
If they did, you certainly wouldn’t find them trying to continue the image…that would just be really embarrassing for them.
Jonathan // May 24, 2009 at 11:19 am |
Ah! So it becomes: what to do when we can’t get customers any other way? Throw on something rather “out of the norm” for someone handing out pachinko flyers.
One way or the other, it’s a rather intriguing transformation and fusion of culture. Sankyuu for the feedbacks!
Katherine Austin // May 24, 2009 at 12:39 pm |
The picture is still very cool! Love the colors!
Danielle C. // May 24, 2009 at 1:45 pm |
i always love seeing the mix of old and new here and this picture really captures it. Whether they are trained or not the idea behind it is pretty interesting. eye catching and gets people instantly interested in what they are promoting. I know I’d be more willing to take a flyer from them than the pachinko pushing guys down here…
Along with that I also found the sax girl out of place in this shot, as funny as that may be.
I love your posts and pictures, keep em coming!!
Dan // May 24, 2009 at 7:12 pm |
チンドン屋ですね。
sandra // May 25, 2009 at 10:21 am |
They are not geisha!!! They are chindonya. These are people dressed up in garish, colorful, tacky outlandish garb who go around the streets attracting attention to themselves to ADVERTISE the product written on their banners.
Jonathan // May 25, 2009 at 6:29 pm |
Thanks a lot for the feedback. I in fact did not know what these were until my friend Dan mentioned it. But this is exactly the kind of feedback I wanted – you learn something everyday. On a side note though, a more amicable tone in your commentary might have been more appreciated. ^^;
Dad // May 26, 2009 at 9:07 pm |
Hey – I would take flyers from them – of course I took flyers from almost everyone while there! Cool picture!
Katherine Austin // May 30, 2009 at 11:59 am |
I am learning, too and I love to learn. I look forward to your commentaries and pictures. I miss you!!!!