December 11th, 2017: One era ends, and another draws close to its conclusion. Kei (京) of Nagoya had her danpatsu shiki today, ending her time as a maiko before she becomes a geiko. Over in Nara, Kikukame (菊亀) has switched to the sakkō style ahead of her January 11th erikae. Both women are keeping the tradition alive in their respected cities and deserve to have the spotlight at such an important time! In Nagoya and Nara, geisha are referred to as geiko, just like in Kyoto.
Images are courtesy of Koji Shibata and Kikukame.