The shrines around Kyoto and the neighborhood of Gion are great places to walk around and travel back in time. In many occasions there are no elements dating after the 1800’s, so you feel immersed in a space/time bubble. The experience can be accentuated as a young couple passes breezily by, both wearing traditional kimono. Suddenly two ladies approach from the other side of the street, wearing beautiful robes and full make up, local geishas you might think? I approached them to take their portrait and they joyfully stopped and accepted. After walking for a bit you start seeing more and more people dressed in these customary outfits. It turns out that you can rent them out, and even have a professional photographer follow you snapping away as part of your turning Japanese experience. So, most of whom you see in these images are tourists immersed in the enthralling quotidianity of this city. It turns out that real Geisha and Maiko (Geisha apprentices) are not as easy to photograph. They only come out at certain hours, and always seem to be dashing hastily with little steps towards work or training. Some even have an escort, implying not to be bothered. But with a bit of luck, if you are in the right place at the right time, and they accept, you can have a picture of these fascinating women keeping tradition alive and keeping time still.
Text and Photos Felipe Aguilar
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TOKYO MON AMOUR
