Probably that, together with the samurai, geisha are the most distinctive symbol of Japan. Geisha are traditional Japanese female entertainers who act as hostesses and whose skills include performing various Japanese arts such as classical music, dance and games. Apprentice geisha in western Japan, especially Kyoto, are called maiko (literally "dance child") or hangyoku ("half-jewel" - meaning that they are paid half of the wage of a full geisha), or by the more generic term o-shaku (literally "one who pours (alcohol)"). A woman entering the geisha community doesn't have to begin as a maiko, having the opportunity to begin her career as a full geisha. A woman above 21 is considered too old to be a maiko and becomes a full geisha upon her initiation into the geisha community.
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