Koaki-san is such a stylish and charming young maiko. And a beautiful and graceful dancer. It was so beautiful to watch, a privilege really. I can't imagine how it would be to see that in person, surely even more impressive. Thank you Yamaguchi Shogo-san!
I totally agree! She is very charming and I think she's very cute too! I wonder what the lyrics to the song she was dancing to said. It seemed like she was telling a story almost with her subtle facial expressions at some point she seemed sadder at some point she seemed wistful. If anyone can explain what the lyrics were saying and if it was a story being told through song and dance that would be great
Watching this now when she is a geiko!! I am so proud of her and I love her so much! She is so special her laugh sounds like little bells, and her smile is like a cherry blossom! She melted all of my heart away and has a very special place in it even though she does not even know me! Wishing you all the best girly! You mean the absolute world to me!!! ❤❤❤❤❤ll
The best thing about art- is that you don’t need to know the language, in order to appreciate how beautiful it is. What a wonderful experience this was to watch! I would love to enjoy this in person one day!💖🙏
These men are literally: "You can look at the sun but not at her" This is a line that appears in almost every Hungarian Volk-tale and describes how beautiful a girl was. As in, her beauty was shining brighter then the light of the sun. (17:20)
Koaki-san's dancing was so expressive! I have only just begun to learn Japanese, so I could not understand the lyrics to the music, and yet I got a strong sense of the songs just from the maiko-san's dance. How fortunate you are to get to attend ozashiki at all, but on top of that, such a charming and knowledgeable maiko-san. What a fantasy you visited!
To be treated like lords even for a short while regardless of status...to be immersed in a dream of song, dance and drink...It's no wonder they called it the Floating World.
Thanks alot for Sharing! i felt like having to support you at least a bit, since you're sharing so much very interesting content with us. and i felt amazing and moved by this video in particular. Looking forward to more from you all!
Shogo, Kazu and Tomoko, thank you for sharing this experience with us. I hope whenever my second trip to Japan will be, that I can be in the company of a Maiko but this video was enough to keep me patiently waiting. I've learned so much.
I've had the honour of speaking with both maiko and geisha during my visits to the country prior to COVID and hope to do so again when I'm able to visit again. Many of the questions asked here were similar to what I would have asked myself! It's great to hear Koaki-san's reponses and it's so nice to hear that she was at least able to find some positives in these challenging times.
Koaki-san is from Miyagawa-cho, one of the geisha districts that's the most open to share geisha culture with the outside world. You can tell her seniority by looking at her collar - it's white, so she's in the profession for at least 3 yrs. 3-5 years. Then she will become a geiko. Beginners will have colorful and reddish collars.
I was honestly so mesmerised with her dancing, she is graceful!! I can only imagine what it would have been like to see her dancing the same room, this was such a treat~ EDIT: The more I watch the more I realise her dance is telling a story that I’m just not grasping. Gosh, this was so amazing. Even the way she left the room after her dance felt so dignified~
Beautiful! Please let Koaki-san know she has many new fans! 🤩 I wonder if she enjoys other kinds of dancing as well, or what her favorite thing about traditional Japanese dancing is?
This was so just amazing. I feel like I went back in time. Thanks so much Shogo, Tomoko, & Kazu, & especially Kaoki-san! I tried to type that as she spells it in Japanese, (*smartphone does not compute*) but can't seem to get it correctly. My apologies. Awesome video. Thanks again to all 4 of you all and the establishment!
Thanks for the video. I always wanted to know what it's like meet a Maiko, but I really feel like I'm not worthy. Something about her was so magical. I think I might have been speechless in front of her too. I thought it was funny how Kazu kept talking and Shogo kept eating.
Thank you so much, Koaki-san, for agreeing to do this video and for treating us to this very special moment of getting to see you perform. For someone like me, who will never have the money or the opportunity to travel to Kyoto, much less afford a Maiko or Geiko experience, this was very moving. I welled up with tears, honestly. ♥♥♥
Thank you for continuing to show all the lovely nooks and crannies of Kyoto! It's videos like these that allow us on the other side of the world to share your experience!
Beautiful! What a privilege to be able to spend time with a maiko at a teahouse. And something that is unique to Japan. I live in America, and have yearned to visit Japan literally all of my life. Before I was born my father traveled to Yokohama. While there he purchased a Japanese doll for my mother. I admired this doll from a very young age. I was fascinated by her delicate beauty; and so different from me. Now I am in my 60s, and I still yearn to walk the streets of Kyoto and experience up-close Japanese culture. This channel is one of my favorites and I can honestly say that this video is one of the most personable I have seen with regards to the flower and willow world. Thank you for sharing with us. 🌙💜☮️
Koaki-san is a beautiful talented maiko. Even though she is on training, she already achieved to entertain her gests, to keep them company. She is so gorgeous. I loved her dance. It was like a real timetravel.💖💖💖
This was really great to watch your experience! :D I'm so happy to see as many people as possible enjoying kagai culture because I have loved it for years. I've done ozashiki 3 times and it just wasn't enough! Please keep supporting them! :D
What a beautiful maiko. Her Kimono and dancing was beautiful as well. What a privilege to watch. I hope the Maiko and geisha can keep delivering people their arts through dance and entertainment.
I'm so happy to see you expanding yourself Shogo and becoming involved in the karyukai!! I'm really interested to see what connections you make and future content that may focus on this niche culture!
this was very profound , personal and spiritual for me because of my background is difficult to catch up with ancient traditions living here in USA :-( :-) thank you shogo
You have a great gift in that you are a Japanese person who has so much knowledge of many interesting parts of Japanese culture and can make it accessible to people across the world.
Many Thanks for this wonderful video. The MAIKO was lovely. I am sure that she will be a successful Geiko when her time comes. Your actions and reactions let us know how very special this was to you and to your team. "Only in Japan"....
Boy am i glad this young lady is at least in her late teens. Can you imagine being entertained by a child and making her work when she can still actually get lost in the district and not even know where she lived. Thankfully things have changed for the better in the Karyukai ! But when i arrived in Japan i actually needed a Darari Obi with my address on it because i was getting lost all the time.
What an awesome experience! Koaki is like a celebrity. She has the sense and charm or a celebrity. I hope to be apart of such an experience next time I visit.
Oh! Shogo! I can't tell you how much this video has meant to me to experience! I have loved all things Japanese( especially the art and painting techniques!) For over 50 years now,and I am also an avid Origami -er! But this! I may never have been able to experience this without you showing it to us ! I am full of tears of amazement and joy at this superb beautiful lady!
I love how Kazu and shogo act like little school children at the end. Koala-San seems to be a fun and relaxing to be around as well and charming young maiko.
Man this is so nostalgic i had my first experience when i was 15 and i have never had one since. Hopefully when this is all over i can come back to kyoto and have this again.
Shogo, I think this was the absolutely most ecstatically happy that I have ever seen you in any of your videos. It was so enjoyable to see you both have such a nice time.
The intimacy of a wonderful performance, so close up, is a special treat and can last a lifetime in your memories 😎👍 Glad for you to have experienced this😎👍 Thank you for sharing. It has made my day better 😎👍 😎👍❤🖖
OMG! This was such a beautiful experience you shared to us. Koaki-san is such a breathtaking and fun maiko! I’ll definitely include this experience once I get to visit Japan.
I just found your YT channel yesterday (or, more accurately, YT's algorithm found it for me), and I have been binge-watching your content. Thank you for all the work you put into your uploads. I enjoy your presentation, and I have learned so many interesting things from you about Japanese culture. When I was a college student in Michigan USA, one of my closest school friends was a wonderful young woman from Osaka. Our friendship led to my deepening interest in Japanese culture. I wish you all the best for your channel!
I absolutely LOVE this video on geiko/maiko culture as I've been a fan of the art for many years now. And I just adore Koaki San. She's a gem. I'm so happy I found your channel last year! 🥰
What a beautiful experience! What a privilege to see the dance, at no charge to us, your viewers!! I'm so thankful she allowed you to film it. With multiple camera angles and zoom shots too; a masterful job at filming and editing of a lovely performance. One question: Are the dances strictly choreographed, or is there room for interpretation and improvisation? Thank you again, so much, for sharing this with us!🥰
This was absolutely wonderful. This video reminded me of how much I miss Kyoto and of how much I miss the experience of getting to spend time with and be entertained by maiko and geiko. Koaki-san is such a consummate professional with such a cheerful and charming personality. I know that she will continue to do well!
¡Hontou ni arigato gozaimasu! thank you so much for this video, loved every minute of it, poor kazu he was in love with the meiko! again thank you for taking your time to showing everyone this great and beautiful tradition and culture
I had a lot of fun reliving this experience with you! While one can watch maiko and geiko dances filmed a lot, it's a rare peak to see how one's actually interacts with her guests. Thx for this beautiful and very informative video!
I'll be in Kyoto next month. Are geisha that can converse in English common? Or does the restaurant or someone else provide a translator (even if it's an added fee)? I'd love to experience something like this, but I can understand more than I can speak, so I would feel bad for not being able to converse if there wasn't someone to help.
It depends on the establishment and the maiko/geiko. Most touristy experiences will provide a translator with no additional fee (Maiko Theater, Koan Hanare, come to mind, while they're tourist friendly they still provide amazing experiences). There are locations like Tomikiku Ochaya in Gion Higashi where the Geiko and the okami-san speak English. If a patron is requesting an ozashiki where they know translation will be necessary, they'll need to arrange for a translator to attend as well if they would like one for their guests ^^
Even I felt sad and I am not even there. I was so caught up in the moment. I would like to experience this unparalleled power they possess to be captivated. That is why I like Japan.
Such a pleasant video. Thank you Shogo! Enjoyed the atmosphere with a cup of tea. Such a bright and relaxing vibe is what I need in these grey rainy days
Beautiful video Shogo san, honestly you have made my day. I am missing my friends in Kyoto and it'll be great to take them there when I get a chance to return. Thank you very much.
I can’t visit the Japan because of the travel restrictions in my country and this video makes me feel that I already went there. Hopefully, I would be able to visit Kyoto and will be able to see the maiko’s performance by myself.
Can we PLEASE talk about how strong her knees are? That kimono probably weighs the same as a 10 year old child and she just effortlessly stands like she’s wearing clouds of air.
I must comment again, about the tea dance at the end of the video. It is quite beautiful and graceful, and I would like to know the significance of each movement, and the meaning of the piece of fabric she is holding, and the various things she does with it during the dance. I have the sense every movement she makes has specific meaning or significance. If you ever have the opportunity to produce an upload explaining the dance in depth, I would love to watch it. Thanks again for all of your great work!
Shogo, I'm interested to know, how easy is it for you to converse in English compared with Japanese? Your fluency suggests it's relatively effortless. Do you find yourself struggling to find the right words in one language and end up talking in the other?
@@GratiaCountryman though he is a very natural English speaker, I wouldn't say that he always uses the most natural ways to describe things. He is fantastically intelligent but his way of speaking English is intriguingly exotic. I really really appreciate it though, and what I'm talking about manifests more predominantly when he is instructing (and less when he is conversing with somebody else in English.) One really wholesome and interesting example is to finish a lot of sentences with "yes" even though there is nobody quite there to ask "oh really??" he often emphasizes his points with a quick "yes" at the end. This obviously comes from the Japanese tendency to end many sentences with "hai", which obviously also means yes. I feel like the tradition of saying "hai" to indicate certainty makes a lot more sense than ending a sentence with "yes" (as a Native English speaker) whereas ending a sentence with 'yes' sort of has this pejorative pompousness about it. But, in saying that I realize that I am projecting my Western conceptions of language onto Shogo and therefore interpret his quick 'yes' in a much less derogatory manner.
Maybe I'm missing the point of the video but I look at how Japan has dealt with the coronavirus and feel envy. Regardless, she is a lovely artist. I'm glad you all were able to share with us.
It was a pleasure watching you enjoy such a special occasion. I hope that all who you have welcomed feel the same. Time spent with Maiko is ikigai, for lack of a better word to describe it by me. Thank you!
What a wonderful video this was! She is absolutely sweet and so beautiful. She really impressed me. I loved how you fell under her beautiful spell. Thank you for letting us experience this. I would love to be able to meet her in person. I love your channel and subscribed.
