A young girl is rigorously trained in the feminine arts so that she can become a geisha. As she struggles through life, she learns to live not just as a woman but as a complete person.
Acting
Ayako Wakao's eyes contain multitudes.
Direction
Kawashima balances cruelty and warmth like a tightrope.
Writing
Co-written by Shōhei Imamura — that explains the bite.
Director
Yūzō Kawashima
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Kawashima filmed this during his own decline from illness; he died two years later at 45.
The film subtly critiques the 1958 Prostitution Prevention Law's failures — geisha work became one of few paths for displaced sex workers.
JP
