Memoirs of A Geisha

[sammd]

I just saw this film and was wondering about some historically related questions:

Why did they have to sleep with their necks up on those raised cushions?

What's the reasoning for wearing a cushion on their back?

Did the wives ever find out about them?

They're still around today but are all the rules the same?

[woofgang]

you could start here

http://marian.creighton.edu/~marian-w/academics/english/japan/geisha/geisha.html

[charmingeh]

I read the book, and they slept with their necks on the raised cushions to prevent their hair getting wrecked, as it was a painful, long and expensive process.

Not sure about the cushion on the back. But the wives almost certainly knew, but it was life to them. They are still around, but more of a tourist attraction, and not as rigid in the rules department.

[Clanad]

You are, I believe, referring to the Obi. Originally, the obi, worn by both men and women, was a simple narrow sash worn about the waist to hold the folds of the kimono in place. As a purely functional element of clothing, it was tied in front. As styles changed in the late 17th century, this sash became necessarily larger to remain in proper proportion with the rest of the kimono (actually called a kosode during that era). Style also dictated the size of the knot used to tie the obi as well as the placement of the knot, which moved to the back of the costume. (With partial help from The Tale of Murasaki by Liza Dalby) The manner in which the obi is tied and its position on the body are also important. Most obi knots derive from a single "boxy pouf" called the taiko. The most rare and expensive obi is the maru obi. From this general style stem several variations that distinguish an old, married woman from a young, single lady. The fabric, knot style and placement are all a self contained art within� Here�s an animated site showing how the obi is tied�
http://www.rindo.com/105/kimono/data/howto/fukura.htm

Do *************!

[Clanad]

Obviously the bots don't like a simple "You're welcome" in Japanese... Ah, so....

[sammd]

Ahh, so it's not a cushion, it's just a huge knot?

[kempie]

Ki ni shinaide Clanad san.

The link doesn't appear to work (for me anyway) but it is accessible from this page

http://www.rindo.com/105/kimono/data/howto/musubi.html

[sammd]

I'm sure i saw them put something that looked like a cushion inside the knot on the film...maybe i imagined it!

[Kingaroo]

They may have used "stuffing' to make the knot look nicer. Kind of like a bustle on a victorian dress. Decorative bows such as bunting on a balcony often have stuffing to keep the fabric puffy instead of droopy.

[mike b]

See Rudovsky's The Kimono Mind : problem - kimono etc is exquisitely aesthetic but hellishly uncomfortable and impractical. Solution: Japanese gentleman wears comfy robe while admiring lady wearing exquisitely aesthetic but hellishly uncomfortable...etc...

O genki ni, minnasan...

[sammd]

Thanks for all answers! Great website woofgang, and thanks to everyone else for solving the issues of the raised pillow and 'cushion'! I'm sure they could lower those pillows slightly though, surely they all had/have bad necks!

[willowman]

What's the reason for us wearing a piece of cloth tied round our necks under the collar of our shirts? Same question really.

[moore_tianna]

sammd,