Maiko Masquerade

Crafting Geisha Girlhood in Japan

By: Jan Bardsley

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Hardcover | 9 March 2021 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Hardcover
300 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
2.29 x 1.52 x 0.15

Hardcover

$161.70

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Maiko Masquerade explores Japanese representations of the maiko, or apprentice geisha, in films, manga, and other popular media as an icon of exemplary girlhood. Jan Bardsley traces how the maiko, long stigmatized as a victim of sexual exploitation, emerges in the 2000s as the chaste keeper of Kyoto's classical artistic traditions. Insider accounts by maiko and geisha, their leaders and fans, show pride in the training, challenges, and rewards maiko face. No longer viewed as a toy for men's amusement, she serves as catalyst for women's consumer fun. This change inspires stories of ordinary girls—and even one boy—striving to embody the maiko ideal, engaging in masquerades that highlight questions of personal choice, gender performance, and national identity.

Industry Reviews

"[An] informative and stimulating book. . . .Maiko Masquerade... highlights a complex and relatively unknown world." * Monumenta Nipponica *
"Bardsley presents a provocative, comprehensive look at the representation of maiko and girl culture in Maiko Masquerade. Not only is it a great contribution to scholarship on maiko, but it also demonstrates the politics and power of representation." * Journal of Asian Studies *
"Bardsley's deep and thoughtful analysis also draws our attention to the elements of maiko life and work that are not publicly discussed. . . .an ideal resource for teachers of undergraduate and postgraduate Japanese Studies and Gender Studies...The provocative and perceptive questions that the volume raises will inform future scholarship on this fascinating topic." * Journal of Gender Studies *
"Deeply researched and carefully constructed. . . .Maiko Masquerade is full of many surprising discoveries. Bardsley writes with a light touch that successfully draws the reader in to her analytic project. Even to one who lives here, Kyoto and Japan appear different now." * Journal of Gender Studies/Jenda Kenkyu *
"Maiko Masquerade...should be read by anyone with an interest in millennial Japanese culture and society. . . .Bardsley provides a nuanced and detailed account of how the maiko came to be this beloved and iconic Kyoto cultural figure of the 2000s." * Journal of Japanese Studies *

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