You may recall from a previous post I reported nicking off into neighbouring Arima Onsen for a cuppa with a couple of ladies one morning before work. I now provide you with photographic evidence. When I say ladies, they were a geisha and a maiko, no less! Above is the maiko, who I'm guessing would be 20 or 21, as she said she's been an apprentice for 2 years - they usually start at age 19 these days.

I stumbled upon them by complete accident. My aim in going to Arima was to see more autumn colours. From the station, the river forks into 2 as you walk uphill, so I opted for the side I hadn't yet explored, which leads you to Zuihoji Park. Once inside after a little while I came upon a long striped curtain - the side of a pavilion in which tea was being served. I popped my head over the top and saw a geisha! Needless to say I eventually paid my money and went inside to be served tea... expensive for a cup of tea and a sweet, but definitely worth it!

This just seemed to be for show. The tea I drank may well have come from an electric urn! It came from behind a screen anyway.

After I finished sipping and munching I asked for photos and the fact that I was foreign became more obvious. So, we got chatting. An old lady that was collecting the entrance fee was the intermediary - I think generally you don't converse directly to geisha/maikosan. Perhaps she was the maiko's minder - the obaasan (mother figure) of her okiya (house). Maiko become geisha when they either marry or get a sponsor - a rich patron who sets them up on their own.

I really don't know if these ladies were traditional to that degree, but the old lady was insistent that I was speaking to genuine Arima geishasan. I apologised for my ignorance and said that I thought only Kyoto had geisha. They replied that there are about 20 places in Japan that have them. The apprentice was wearing a wig, which differs from what I've read. In Kyoto they style and adorn their own hair and start using a wig only once they become geisha. They are definitely more accessible than their Old Capital counterparts, that's for sure. The old lady asked if I was single and I nodded enthusiastically "hai hai! shinguru!" I said, which is Japanese English for single. I'm pretty sure she was just teasing. Darn. I said that I'd actually met the maiko before, at Arima's summer dance festival. They were surprised I'd been to Arima before and was back again so soon, and so I fessed up that I live within walking distance (a long, hard walk, but nevertheless...), but I said yes, I really like Arima.

I said that I had to go to work and quickly made my way back down to the station, pretty stoked with myself. Perfect weather, perfect timing for the trees, perfect encounter. On days like this it makes any nasty experiences here all seem worth it.

Once inside the train I again saw a poster about which I'd previously been thinking "that looks cool, I should check that out". I then realised it was what I'd just been to. Happy with that!

Arima's history is loooonnnggg. It's Japan's oldest onsen, or hot spring town. The Emperor Jomei enjoyed a September to December bathing holiday here in the year 631! I would have enjoyed views of autumn similar to those he did.

In 1097 a "flood" struck the onsen and the spa collapsed. The source of the spring lay hidden for 95 years until a monk came and restored it, according to legend, obeying a dream he'd had...

The Japanese take their baths very seriously!