Geisha, A Life

Iwasaki was born in 1949, & was only 5 years old when she left her parents' home for the world of the geisha. For the next 25 years, she would live a life filled with extraordinary professional demands & rich rewards. She learned the formal customs & language of the geisha, studied the ancient arts of Japanese dance & music, & enchanted kings & princes, captains of industry, & more. She was hailed as one of the most prized geishas in Japan's history, & one of the last great practitioners of this fading art form. Here, she tells her story, from her childhood & privileged upbringing, to her years as a renowned geisha, & finally, to her decision at the age of 29 to retire & marry. Her aim is to explain what it really means to be a geisha. Color photos.Mineko Iwasaki is the author of 'Geisha, A Life', published 2004 under ISBN 9780756781613 and ISBN 0756781612.