A book of historic proportions
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This is a book of historic proportions, both for the impact on the understanding of Geishas and for the excellence and finesse of the photographic work. Never before a photographer has been allowed to go into the depths of this ancient Japanese tradition as Ogino has gone. The book is bound to become a point of reference for the study of traditional Japanese culture in general and the institution of Geisha in particular.
From the American GIs that allegedly entered Tokyo in 1945 shouting "we want Geishas" until more recent novels and films written and produced by people with a superficial understanding of what being a Geisha implies, this traditional and respectable Japanese institution has been usually subject to an unfair treatment based on the ignorance and misunderstanding of Western observers. While it can be argued that there have been books about the inner world of geikos, those have been written by either those peeping at it or by former members that give their version of their lives without necessarily having a third party's corroboration. This work adds to the study of Geishas and their world because the combination of Ogino's photography and the Geisha-to-be Komomo's commentary produces a unique and powerful tale of the making of a Geisha from the complicity of the photographer and the subject of his work, clarifying some of the misunderstandings and shading new light on what a Geisha really is and really feels. It can be argued that there are some works that become an unavoidable reference for the study of a topic, and A Geisha's Journey is definitively one of them.
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Delightful photographic insight to a Miyagawacho maiko
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This book is a must-have for anyone interested in geisha. The pictures are beautiful and at times intimate. But if you looking for something gritty like Mineko Iwasaki's biography, you won't find it here. This book is a delightful photographic journal of the passage to womanhood in the geisha world. Komomo-san seems like a darling and you feel you get to know her somewhat through these enchanting photos. There is no new information here for the seasoned geisha enthusiast, but is still an essential part of anyone's collection.
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