Hello,I have a question.I am very curious if anyone could tell me the answer to. I consider myself fairly knowledgeable about the hanamachi and floating world culture,but there is something I can never figure out. We know that to become a geisha one first must be a maiko and then before that a shikomi. But how does one become a shikomi? How do these girls actually get in touch with Okiyas despite living in other areas of Japan? How do Okiyas accept them and what do you think they look for?

Many okiya and ochaya have websites  or their emails and phone numbers on some Japanese forums , however, I heard there is also  someone like a  ”contact person” who the interested girl calls for informations and to get introducted to an okiya.