Maiko Makover
Originally uploaded by kdt

You hope to catch a glimpse of a Geisha or a Maiko as they flit from appointment to appointment in the Gion district. It doesn’t take long to realise that something fishy is up when you start to see maikos and for that matter samurais flit about the tourist sites! Is is true that there is an upsurge of interest in being a maiko? Is the western lifestyle being rejected?

No, not at all. All became clear when we spotted a well placed sign for Maiko Makeovers! For as little as $50 you can become a maiko. That might explain why so many “maikos” were snapping the tourist sights with their digital cameras. But hey, the other tourists followed these pretend maikos snapping shots anyway. It is a business that not doubt saves the real maikos from the hassle of tourist hordes!

Kym