The colour #273 pantone inspired my decision of choosing Sayuri as my client since it reminds me of a deep blue ocean colour. First of all the entire Japan is surrounded by the vast stretches of the ocean since it is an island. In traditional Japan blue is associated with purity and cleanliness, it is also considered a feminine colour.
Chiyo’s hometown is located by the ocean, it is a fishing village. Due to the blue colour of her eyes she is considered to have a “water” personality, or as known in cultures such as Japanese she carries the water sign.
In addition Geisha are usually evening entertainers, where the colour of the sky at night reminds me of this one I was assigned.
Chiyo’s hometown is located by the ocean, it is a fishing village. Due to the blue colour of her eyes she is considered to have a “water” personality, or as known in cultures such as Japanese she carries the water sign.
In addition Geisha are usually evening entertainers, where the colour of the sky at night reminds me of this one I was assigned.
Memoirs of geisha
Plot
Geisha, specifically Sayuri is my client. As a child Chiyo Sakamoto (birth name), and her older sister (Satsu) were sold by her poor parents from their fishing village of Yoroido. Chiyo was sold to Okiya (geisha boarding house) in Gion, whereas her sister was sold to a pleasure district forced to become a prostitute. After that she has only been able to reconnect with her sister once planning to run away together, this plan failed. Moved by the kindness from a strange man (Chairman) on the streets she then aspired to be a Geisha to be able to reconnect with him in the future. She practises Shintoism, not a lot is mentioned about this apart from her offering to the
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Shrine praying to become a geisha. Thereafter the most successful geisha in town (Mameha) helped Chiyo to become a geisha and take the name Sayuri. During the outbreak of World War II Sayuri has been sent off to work for a kimono maker. Sometime after the war she returned to Gion where Chairman revealed that he sent Mameha to held Sayuri become a geisha, and she told him that every decision she made in life since meeting him was to bring herself closer to him. She was very secretive about her primary motive which was to reconnect with the chairman, and did not reveal it to anyone, even him until after he revealed that he cares for her too.
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Note: Chiyo and Sayuri are the names of one person, Chiyo is the birth name, when a girl advances to a Geisha they are given a new name.
"Snow Dance" powerful scene from the film, Sayuri's dance
When considering my client I immediately recalled this scene, here Sayuri is hypnotising, the colour scheme of this scene reminded of my assaigned colour giving me even more of a reason to pick her as my client.
Main book and film cover
Scenes from the film
Filming set
What's fascinating about the scenery in the film is that most of it was built for the purpose of this film. The whole hanamachi (Japanese geisha district) was carefully detailed in order to recreate the authentic atmosphere of Japan concentrated timely prior and post World War 2.
"Production designer John Myhre devised a detailed floor plan for the village with director Rob Marshall. Next came a full set of technical drawings for some 40 buildings and the construction of a quarter-inch model of the hanamachi, complete with toy cars and rickshaws and the carved path of a serpentine river. The model provided a frame of reference for many production decisions. “We put a small ‘lipstick’ camera inside the model so we could view on a monitor what it was like to be in there,” said Myhre. “Rob and director of photography Dion Beebe played with it all the time and even used it to plan a complicated crane shot.”
The hanamachi was built at Ventura Farms, an immense horse ranch about an hour outside Los Angeles with mountains in the distance and 360 degree green valley views. In 14 weeks, a grazing pasture was transformed into five meandering blocks of cobblestone streets, alleyways and a river -- 250 feet long, 22 feet across and eight feet deep -- with a re-circulating system that created the illusion of running water.
The set was built with cedar, bamboo and clear fir. Black bamboo and sheets of cedar bark, both unavailable in the U.S., were shipped from Japan, along with fences made of woven grass and bamboo. Huge quantities of window coverings, reeds and mats were purchased in Kyoto. To accommodate the shooting schedule’s seasonal shifts, four hand-made cherry trees were created for each time of year."
- Sony Picture Entertainment Museum, 2006
http://www.sonypicturesmuseum.com/filmmaking/production/geisha
The hanamachi was built at Ventura Farms, an immense horse ranch about an hour outside Los Angeles with mountains in the distance and 360 degree green valley views. In 14 weeks, a grazing pasture was transformed into five meandering blocks of cobblestone streets, alleyways and a river -- 250 feet long, 22 feet across and eight feet deep -- with a re-circulating system that created the illusion of running water.
The set was built with cedar, bamboo and clear fir. Black bamboo and sheets of cedar bark, both unavailable in the U.S., were shipped from Japan, along with fences made of woven grass and bamboo. Huge quantities of window coverings, reeds and mats were purchased in Kyoto. To accommodate the shooting schedule’s seasonal shifts, four hand-made cherry trees were created for each time of year."
- Sony Picture Entertainment Museum, 2006
http://www.sonypicturesmuseum.com/filmmaking/production/geisha
Geisha Culture
The culture of geisha is extremely intricate. I spent days watching films, documentaries and simple geisha performance videos in order to gain a better knowledge on the subject of geisha. I've decided to sum up some facts for those not so familiar to this subject.
- Geisha are known to be the life of the party, since their job is to be entertainers.
- The word “geisha” exactly translates to “artist” in English.
- They are very hard working, devote their entire life to become a geisha.
- They vigorously perfect their performing arts, such as dancing and music.
- Independent from a life with a man, they were considered first modern women in Japan.
- They obtain their own financial stability, although they can get a help from their “donna”, a man who will pay for even all their expenses, however they do not live with them.
- Their uniquely exquisite appearance take years to perfect, putting on a kimono is a task which requires help.
- They are NOT prostitutes unlike many people think. Since the very beginning of the geisha occupation there was a separation between geisha and the courtesans. Geisha were forbidden prostitution. However there are women which imitate geisha known as Geesha Girls to the American soldiers that met them, those women are prostitutes. To distinguish the 2 is a hard task unless you know the difference. This difference is the way they put on their kimono, specifically the obi belt which a prostitute would tie in the front as it is easier to tie it in that way.
- Traditionally, Geisha began their training at a young age. Some girls were bonded to geisha houses (okiya) as children.
- Maiko is an apprentice geisha and is bonded under a contract to her okiya. Her training is very expensive, and must be repaid to with the earnings she makes and only when her debts are settled is she permitted to move out to live and work independently.
- Around the age of 20–22, the maiko is promoted to a full-fledged geisha in a ceremony called erikae (turning of the collar).
- There are myths about a one time paid for sexual intercourse called mizuage where the virginity of a maiko would be sold off to the highest bidder, there is no straight forward answer as to whether this ceremony happens.
- In general geisha are very successful business women with a high class and self-respect.
This documentary is about geisha which dispels western world misconceptions about geisha. It reveals the lives of geisha from the early beginnings to now modernised traditions.
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Life during the day and night at the Gion, where supposably Sayuri grew up |
Japanese culture
Wabi Sabi
Outer shell
Interior
lighting
tatami mats
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