Geishas are a fascinating part of Japanese culture. Known for their white makeup, elaborate kimonos, and artistic skills, geishas have both mystified and captivated people for centuries. One of the most iconic parts of a geisha’s appearance is the hiding of her face behind a fan or piece of cloth. But why do geishas cover their faces? There are various cultural, historical, and practical reasons behind this mysterious practice.
The History of the Geisha
To understand why geishas hide their faces, it helps to look at the origins of the geisha. The first geishas appeared in the 17th century during the Edo period in Japan. At this time, there was high demand for female entertainers to perform songs, dance, play music, and keep men company. The earliest geishas were often associated with prostitution and sexual services. However, over time the role of the geisha evolved into a more refined profession focused on traditional Japanese arts.
By the 18th century, being a geisha had become an honorable profession and geishas underwent years of training in various skills. The geisha houses and districts became exclusive places frequented by wealthy Japanese men. Geishas were expected to be familiar with traditional arts, games, music, dance, poetry, and hostess skills. Their role was to entertain and engage in clever conversation with male customers.
Geisha Appearance and Manners
As the geisha profession became more exclusive, strict rules developed around a geisha’s appearance, conduct, and manners. One aspect of this was concealing their faces. For geishas, hiding their faces added to the intrigue and mystery surrounding them. It also allowed them to maintain privacy and project an air of aloofness.
In addition to hiding faces, geishas created specific makeup looks including pale skin, red lips, blackened teeth, and napes of necks. They wore ornate wigs with decorative hair accessories and kimonos in silk brocade. Geishas cultivated a hyper-feminine and delicate aesthetic. Their gestures, poses, and way of moving was deliberate and graceful.
All of these mystifying rituals allowed geishas to seem untouchable, elegant, and refined. For the men who visited the geisha houses, not being able to see a geisha’s full face added to the inaccessibility and wonder.
The Meaning of Hiding Faces
For geishas, hiding their faces carries several layers of symbolism and meaning.
On a practical level, it allowed geishas to shield their identity and maintain privacy in public. When walking through the streets in their towns, geishas could avoid being recognized. It protected them from unwanted attention from people outside their exclusive geisha districts and houses.
In the company of clients, hiding their faces added mystery and intrigue. A coy glance over an open fan or from behind a delicate silk veil suggested there was more beneath the surface to discover. Covering part of the face made every expression and gesture more impactful.
Veiling their faces also allowed geishas to have some psychological distance when interacting with clients. Not showing their full face gave them space to perform the role of the geisha rather than their individual personality. Displaying an enigmatic external image let them detach internally during the demands of their work.
Culturally, hiding faces aligned with traditional Japanese values around feminine modesty, elegance, and propriety. Keeping part of the face concealed was considered respectable etiquette for respectable women when in the company of men who were not their relatives.
Tools for Hiding Faces
Geishas use different accessories and techniques for hiding and framing their faces artfully. Some of the common tools include:
Folding Fan
The folding fan or sensu is an iconic geisha accessory. Geishas elegantly use sensu fans to conceal the bottom half of their faces. When open, the fan hides their mouths when speaking or laughing. If a geisha feels embarrassed or wants to blush demurely, they may hide behind the fan coyly.
Silk Veils
Geishas also utilize delicate silk veils in vibrant colors and exquisite patterns. Veils made from silk gauze can be draped over the nose and mouth or across part of the face diagonally. Veils add striking beauty and enhance the mystique of the geisha.
Parasol
Intricately decorated parasols act as portable face shields when open. Geishas gently place the parasol handle over the shoulder to let the canopy hide the profile. Parasols protect geishas from sunlight while walking outdoors and conceal their faces modestly.
Decorative Combs and Pins
Geisha hairstyles are elaborate works of art. Ornate hair combs and pins help secure wigs and decorate the hair. Strategically placed combs and hair sticks can partially obscure parts of the face.
High Collars
The kimonos worn by geishas feature high collars reaching up to the bottom of the chin. These stiff collars cover the neck and frame the face to draw attention upwards. The striking collar diverts focus from the lower face.
Body and Hand Gestures
When not actively hiding behind accessories, geishas use their hands, fans, and parasols to selectively block parts of their faces. Strategic gestures create fleeting glimpses and increase the sense of mystery. Turning the head coyly or looking sideways over the shoulder also avoids revealing the full face.
Makeup Adds Mystique
The ornate makeup worn by geishas works in tandem with hiding the face. The visual impact of the white base, red lips, blackened teeth, and decorative eye makeup directs the eye upwards. The lower face receives less focus through contrast.
Here are some key points about geisha makeup:
- Heavy white foundation lightens the overall complexion.
- Red lip color draws attention to the brightly painted mouth.
- Cheeks get a pink blush while eyes are subtly lined.
- Eyebrows are darkened and given dramatic arches.
- Blackened teeth make the red lips stand out more.
By putting emphasis on the upper facial features, the makeup complements the effect of concealing the lower face. The two effects together increase the sense of mystery and exotic beauty.
The Geisha Persona
The mystery surrounding geishas relates intrinsically to the persona and projection of geishas in Japanese culture. Geishas portray an image of feminine perfection mastered through years of training and dedication to their art. Hiding their faces reinforces the larger-than-life persona by holding some part back.
Specific aspects that contribute to the cultivated geisha persona include:
- Idealized feminine beauty standards focusing on poise, elegance, and grace.
- Artistry, musical skills, traditional dancing, and hostessing skills.
- Demure, modest, and restrained external conduct.
- Psychological separation between personal identity and geisha identity.
Together, these factors elevate geishas to the status of living artworks and figures of visual poetry in motion. Shielding part of the face perpetuates this mythic persona and protects the ordinary individual behind the mask.
Evolution to Modern Day
During the 19th century, tourism increased in Japan as the government eased restrictions on foreign visitors. Geishas became fascinations for Western tourists, who frequented the geisha districts to get glimpses of the illusive entertainers. Postcards and photography featuring geishas in traditional dress and poses spread widely.
While geisha popularity boomed, so did restrictions on concealing faces in public. In 1872, a nationwide edict discouraged women from obscuring their faces for moral reasons. This diminished the practice of hiding faces behind fans and veils.
After World War II ended in 1945, laws banned women from completely covering their faces. However, geishas continued selective concealment of facial features using fans and parasols. It remained an evocative part of their mystique.
Today, there are far fewer geishas in Japan than in the 1920s, when numbers peaked. However, geishas remain icons of traditional Japanese femininity and continue their art forms. Hiding parts of the face endures as a trademark of geisha mystique.
Here is a table summarizing the evolution of geishas hiding their faces over time:
| Time Period | Popularity of Geishas | Face Hiding Practices |
|---|---|---|
| 1600s to Mid-1800s | Emergence and Growing Popularity | Extensive hiding of lower face with fans, veils, parasols |
| Late 1800s to 1912 | Peak of Geisha Popularity | Full or partial hiding depending on context |
| 1912 to 1945 | Decline But Continued Practice | Partial hiding with fans, parasols, strategic poses |
| 1945 to Today | Scarce in Modern Japan | Some selective hiding of mouth and chin |
Conclusion
In conclusion, geishas have historically hidden their faces for a variety of interconnected reasons. Hiding their identities allowed anonymity and privacy for geishas. In the company of clients, it added alluring mystery and intrigue. On a cultural level, concealing part of the face aligned with traditional Japanese etiquette for women. Over time, laws diminished the practice but it remains an evocative part of geisha mystique even today.
Through strategic use of fans, veils, parasols, poses, and gestures, geishas reveal their faces in tantalizing glimpses rather than fully exposing their features. The concealment techniques combined with ornate makeup and costumes shape the projection of an idealized feminine persona. By hiding her face, a geisha captivates her audience by mingling beauty and artistry with inaccessibility.