Photo: Baika sai (2008) by Dave Lumenta

All girls must have being interested in the life of maiko at least once. Their black wareshinobu hairstyle and long and gorgeous darari obi sash are so attractive. No doubt that there are many maiko experience studio in Kyoto and they are popular. However, it is not so easy to be a real maiko in reality. There are several conditions. If you meet all of them, then you are able to be a maiko!

1. Maiko is an apprentice of professional female entertainer

It is not an ordinary job. Maiko is an apprentice who wish to be full hedge entertainer.

2. The age must be between 15 and 17

It is too late to start the training period when you finish high school (18 years old). The best timing is 15 years old.

3. The height should be shorter than 160 cm

A maiko should not be too tall. When you wear okobo (high wooden shoes), it will add another 10 cm on your height.

4. The weight must be over 43 kg

Because the maiko costume is really heavy, you have to be over 43 kg.

5. Parents' consent

Because you are under 20, you need the permission from your parents to be a maiko.

6. Fondness to traditional Japanese entertainment

You don't have to have an experience, but it is important that you have a sense of sound.

7. Fondness to Japanese life style

Everything is Japanese style: kimono, tea ceremony, flowers arrangement, ozashiki (Japanese room) manner and you have to use high wooden pillow when you go to bed. Therefore you must love Japanese style living.

8. Overwhelming patience

While you are in shikomi period (pre-training before maiko), everything must be learned: manners, washing, cleaning, shopping, other trivial things in the life and what is the most important is to learn how to speak Kyoto dialect.

9. No monthly tuition fee required

You don't have to pay for anything. Everything including living expense, lesson fee, etc. are responsible for okiya.

10. Training period

Including shikomi (pre-training before maiko) and disciple period, you have to expect to spend 4-5 years as a maiko.

These are 10 necessary conditions to be a maiko, and of course this is not everything. Another important point is if you can make a good relationship with your elder maiko and geiko. The okasan (the manager) will strictly watch you while you are in training...

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...Thanks to Dave Lumenta for the Ookini zaidan's saying:

O - Otagai ni (each other)

O - Omoiyari (to respect others)

Ki - Kikubari shite (to be sensitive to others' feelings)

Ni - Nikoya Ni (with smile)

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幾乎所有的女孩都曾至少有過一次成為舞妓的夢想。她們烏黑的“割忍”髮型和長垂而華美的“長垂式腰帶”是如此的鮮亮奪目。因此毫無疑問，在京都設有許多舞 妓變身體驗館，而且很受歡迎。然而，現實中成為一名真正的舞妓並非如此簡單，需要具備一些條件。只有符合所有的條件，您才能成為一名舞妓！

條件

1. 舞妓是藝妓學徒

這不是一份普通的職業。舞妓是成為真正藝妓之前的初學者。

2. 年齡必須在15至17歲之間

如果在高中畢業（18歲）時才開始接受訓練，則為時過晚。接受訓練的最佳年齡是15歲。

3. 身高應低於160cm

舞妓的身高不能過高。當您穿上“okobo”（高木屐）時，它會使您增高10cm。

4. 體重必須超過43kg

因為舞妓的服裝非常重，所以您的體重必須超過43kg。

5. 父母的同意

因為您尚未滿20歲，所以若想成為一名舞妓，需徵得父母的同意。

6. 對日本傳統娛樂的喜愛

您不需要具備相關經驗，但是您必須要有對音樂的敏感。

7. 對日本生活方式的喜愛

所有的東西均是日式的：和服、茶道、花道、宴席（和室）禮儀，並且睡覺時必須枕高木枕頭。因此，您必須熱愛日式生活。

8. 極強的忍耐力

當您在新生訓練期（成為舞妓前的預培訓），每件事情都需要學習：禮儀、洗衣、打掃、購物以及生活中其他瑣事，而最重要的是要學會說京都方言。

9. 無需每月繳納學費

無需繳納任何費用。包括生活開支、課程費用等在內的一切，全部由“置屋（舞妓•藝妓的培訓及經紀機構）”承擔。

10. 培訓期

包括新生訓練期（成為舞妓前的預培訓）和見習的時間，舞妓的學習生涯為4-5年。

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