"First" White Geisha Not Really First, Will No Doubt Write A Book Anyway

This is Sayuki, who claims to be the first officially white Geisha girl. She started work in Asakusa last week.

Actually, Sayuki is an Australian anthropologist with quite a pedigree—an MBA from Oxford, bragging rights for being the first white girl to enter Keio, film director credits at the BBC and National Geographic, and several books she authored.

Some blogs and news sites have been touting this as a breakthrough moment in the 400-year history of geishahood. Not me. I think "Sayuki" is a brillliant anthropologist who will no doubt write a book about her experiences in a couple years.

Sayuki.net via 3Yen

UPDATE: Actually, Sayuki is NOT the first foreigner/white geisha. As reader Jenn points out, Liza Dalby did this decades ago, as a geisha named Ichigiku. Pics here. (Thanks, Jenn!)

Comments

[Jenn]

Didn't Liza Dalby already do that? Like, twenty or thirty years ago?

[kungfupiggy]

I always think that White girls look bad in Geisha outfit because they are too tall, shoulders too wide, nose too large. Looks like drag queen, not feminine enough.

[felici]

According to what I have seen, Liza Dalby was not registered as a geisha or accepted as one in the geisha community. She was dressed up as one but not paid and was just doing research for a short time.
Sayuki is the first Westerner to ever have been formally accepted as a geisha.

[yaschan]

I interviewed her recently in Hanami Web. Please check out her interview at:
http://www.hanamiweb.com/topstory24042009.html