August 22, 2006

I thought you might enjoy the little film I've attached to this page. It was, of course, made by fans of "The Mikado".

May 3, 2004

My most humble apologies! I let the entire month of April slip by, and it was such an exciting month, too! The first few days of April are Cherry Blossom viewing time, and everyone here in Titipu turns out to spread blue picnic blankets and lie under the pretty trees, enjoying the flowers, the spring weather, a spot of tea (or a bottle of saki for some) and a picnic lunch. A lovely and pleasant way to spend a morning.

But alas, it was not to be! Most of the month it rained horribly, almost every day, and most of the blossoms were blown off before anybody could enjoy them!



March 3, 2004

I am happy to say that it looks like Spring has finally come to Titipu! The ice and snow of just two weeks ago is at last no more than a memory, and daffodils are popping up along the pathways, and flower buds are in all the trees. Soon there will be wisteria and cherry blossoms, and that means it is time to hunt for the blue picnic blankets so that everyone here can go cheery-blossom viewing next month. That is something we do in Japan, and it is a very pleasant nature-holiday.
By the way, we just had a birthday party here on February 19. It seems that a certain pirate named Frederick celebrated his 35th birthday, which is odd because his 21st birthday was in 1940. If you haven't figured it out for yourself, I suggest you click this little picture of Frederick and visit his party page.

In the meanwhile, it is March and there is a fine breeze coming up just now, so please excuse me while I go and find a kite. I will see you next time!

February 5, 2004

I have posted an excellent copy of "The Mikado" online today - You know, the famous play by Gilbert & Sullivan that tells my story. I hope you enjoy it. I also recently attended a very interesting new production of the is same play, starring "Hello Kitty" as myself! It was most unusual.

In any case, this is National Flirting Week I am told, and I find that very intereting indeed. I still have not figured out who reported me for flirting that time, long ago, and I dare not ask myself too deeply. I may not like the answer I'd receive.

But they say that to flirt is capital, and it is capital, so I'll let it go at that. I am just glad that the Mikado finally saw fit to remove this foolish law, and we can now go about our business without fear. After all, Valentine's Day is next week.


January 13, 2004

Brrrr! It is a bitterly cold day here in Titipu. There has not been much to tell since New Year's Day, and you will have to look elsewhere if you want to see what we did over the other winter holidays. But I see that the next event on my holiday calendar is...Valentine's Day! A most interesting holiday where the ladies give their male friends - especially boyfriends or husbands - heart-shaped boxes of candy. There is another holiday where we men reciprocate the honors, but right now I am wondering if I shall get one at all. Yum-Yum is no longer speaking to me, of course. Peep-Bo and Pitti-Sing have gone back to the Titipu Geisha Guild, and I honestly do not know what to expect from Katisha! I will keep you posted.


November 17, 2003

My goodness, it has been awhile since your last visit --

The pretty young girl in this picture is a maiko, and she seems to be in a big hurry--no doubt to one of her lessons. She will train for hours to do wonderful old dances, skillful fan work, and will train as a musician either to sing, or to play traditional instruments such as the samisen or the koto. This is the instrument that Mr.W.S.Gilbert mistakenly called a "native guitar" because he had no previous experience with a samisen.

Maiko do not say much at a geisha party because their job is to watch, listen and learn, and to just look pretty. It is easy to tell the difference between a geisha and a maiko. These two little maiko are between 14 and 18 years of age. You can easily recognize them by their bundled up hair, their elaborate hairpins and decorations, their tall clog shoes (called geta , which are made that way so her feet and hemline don't get wet and muddy in bad weather. They wear very colorful kimono and theirobi--the big,long brocaded sash, hangs almost to her heels.

When the maiko turns 18, she changes her hair to something much more geisha-like, as in this picture below.

This is when she begins to get many marriage proposals--and often for the sons or grandsons of rich, elderly customers. She also usually thinks about selecting a wealthy patron to sponsor her career. Often, this is a rich businessman or politican who needs a good geisha he can count on. In spite of a popular myth, he is rarely her lover. She is an independant young woman who makes the rules for herself, and is no man's plaything unless she wants to be.
This is the sort of senior-level maiko Yum-Yum was when I asked to marry her. She probably didn't really want to become a geisha, and there was no one else who had asked to marry her. So I purchased her contract, making me her guardian, for lack of a better word.
Had she gone on to become a geisha, she would have dressed more like this:

This costume is much more mature and serious than a maiko's, and some western people are surprised to see it. She can write her own ticket anywhere, and she usually does.
And now, you may ask, what about Yum-Yum-s sisters, Peep-Bo and pitti-Sing?
Actually, they were not her real sisters at all, but her guild sisters. In the world of the geisha, the ladies belong to certain houses, much like medieval tradesmen, and they consider themselves part of professional families. The woman in charge of the okiya, where the girls of one "family" live, is called "Mama". The geisha who acts as a mentor to a young maiko is called her "older sister". And the other ladies of the house are called her "sisters". And just as in the old medieval guilds, they even have marks of heraldry. This little picture is the heraldic device of one of the more famous geisha guilds.

Well, I hope you've enjoyed this rather instructional visit and will return again very soon.



November 4, 2003

Today is the first day I have opened this teahouse to so many visitors, and I hope you will come around often. And now, let me tell you a little more about myself. This is the castle I live in, as Lord High Executioner.

As you can see, I have a wonderful view of Titipu from every window or balcony.

But I did not always live in such a fine castle, I did not always live in a fine castle. Oh,no! I am the only son of an artisan, a tailor by trade, and I learned my craft from him. I was not just any common, ordinary "cheap" tailor, whatever Nanki-Poo may say. I was, in fact, a well-paid tailor who did work for the best karyukai in Titipu.
Excuse me? You don't know what a karyukai is? This is a very special, very beautiful place where all the teahouses (chaya) and geisha houses (okiya) are. The ladies who live and work there must have only the finest, most expensive and most beautiful clothes to wear, and it must all be made to precises specifications.
Oh, now you're going to raise an eyebrow and ask what all this means! Shame on you! You have watched too many movies and read too many novels. A geisha is not a courtesan or glorified "call girl", as you would say. She would never have any "hanki-panki" with a customer, because she is a disceiplined, well-trained lady, who considers herself an artist. In fact, the word "geisha" means "art person". She is a work of art in herself, and is always to be treated with great respect.
The karyukai is a district always kept as beautiful as possible because wealthy businessmen, politicians, and many tourists come to visit the geisha and spend a lot of money in the chaya. This is often translated into the better-known word, "teahouse".
What happens in the chaya? Some of you may be disappointed. Saki is served, and dinner is served. And more saki. A lot of little table games are played. And saki is served. Jokes are told, and a lot of flirting goes on (Oh, the Mikado would notbe pleased about that!), and more saki is served. The maiko dance and the geisha play instruments. They sing tear-jerking, three-hanky songs while everyone drinks saki. Men talk business and discuss very important secrets while they drink saki, and they do not have to fear that the ladies will gossip and tell their girl friends, boy friends, or anyone else what they heard -- because one of the things that makes a geisha so important is that she is trained to be totally discreet in what she hears. Then, when the evening wears on and everyone has eaten their fill and consumed much saki, the gentlemen are bundled off on their way to stagger home, and the geisha and maiko count up their fees and tips before going home themselves.
A "maiko" is a young teenage girl, trained for years in a very strict apprecticeship, after which at age eighteen she will become a geisha. More on that shortly.