Geisha harassment photography recurs in Kyoto

Japan Tourists deliberately taking photos of geisha have returned to Kyoto after a five-year ban, prompting the ancient capital to propose new measures to prevent it.

Kyoto is known as the home of geisha and maiko - apprentice geisha or teenage girls training to become geisha. Many geisha and maiko work and reside in Gion, the historic district of Kyoto, which is also a famous tourist destination in Japan. It is not difficult to see these women walking on the streets of the ancient capital. Geisha in traditional kimono with heavily made-up faces make many tourists curious and raise their cameras to take pictures. This action, which is called "geisha paparazzi" by locals, makes many geisha and maiko feel uncomfortable and embarrassed.

Tourists take photos of maiko on the streets of Kyoto. Photo: Shutterstock — Tourists take photos of maiko on the streets of Kyoto. Photo: *Shutterstock*

Isokazu Ota, the representative secretary of the Gion South Side Ward Council, said that geisha photographers have gradually reappeared since the pandemic. Local authorities have now posted signs in multiple languages stating that it is not allowed to take photos of geisha without permission. Violators can be fined up to 10,000 yen ($67).

In 2015, Kyoto posted flyers and used pictographs to illustrate “nuisance acts,” including taking photos of geisha and maiko. In 2019, there were cases of tourists behaving badly, grabbing geishas’ kimonos, pulling out their hairpins, and trying to cling to them to take photos. Some even teased the women with cigarette butts. That year, the Gion government posted signs and notices prohibiting taking photos of geisha and maiko, warning that violators would be fined.

Ota said the current fines are not enough to deter geisha paparazzi. The Gion local council is working to completely close off all the small alleys to tourists by April 2024, in order to limit paparazzi access to maiko and geisha. Meanwhile, Gion’s main street, Hanamikoji, is difficult to control harassment and taking photos of geisha because it is a public street. Most maiko and geisha use this street, making it an ideal place for paparazzi to gather.

According to Mr. Ota, many people who take street photos in Gion and take pictures of maiko from a distance do not know about the photography ban. Meanwhile, many Tourists wait for maiko to come out of the alleys to take pictures, they know the rules but ignore them. Authorities have difficulty approaching geisha paparazzi who violate the ban.

“Some locals have taken it upon themselves to discipline badly behaved tourists,” Ota said.

Ota and many Gion residents are looking for ways to curb the geisha paparazzi. He suggests that foreign tourists to Kyoto should have Japanese tour guides to teach them etiquette and explain the rules. Ota believes that this would make it easier for tourists to meet and interact with maiko and geisha naturally without making them feel harassed.

Several locations in Gion allow visitors to take photos with the consent of the geisha. The Gion Theater, located near Hanamikoji Street, periodically hosts maiko performances, after which visitors can take photos with the girls.

Bich Phuong (According to CNN )

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