The Beginnings of The Idea of an American Geisha (zang zi yi)

Arthur Golden’s 1997 book, Memoirs of a Geisha, and the 2005 movie it inspired, teased non-Asian women, making them curious about the beauty secrets and powerfully attractive qualities of geisha, of Japanese women, and perhaps of Asian women in general. Many Japanese-inspired fashion and beauty products were introduced immediately before the movie reached the theaters. Coach offered a Japanese silk-and-mink kimono hobo bag. Cole Haan featured stiletto boots covered in antique Japanese silk. Banana Republic launched a limited-edition holiday collection inspired by the movie’s wardrobe, including a silk floral kimono sash-tie top, a quilted geisha bag, an Asian-style tassel necklace, and a satin kimono dress. Facial and body creams featured cherry-blossom-themed packaging and the same image of the movie’s star, Zhang Ziyi, that graced billboards, newspaper ads, and even the cover of a special edition of the book.

In late 2005 American women heard a lot about the Japanese geisha. Yet what relevance could the geisha have for American women beyond a book to read, a movie to watch, and some expensive boots to wear? My investigation into the history of the geisha in both Japan and Korea, combined with my research with over four hundred Asian and American single women and men, convinced me that the Asian Geisha (my term for the blending of the Japanese geisha and the Korean kisaeng) offers many lessons for American women who want to be married, soon, to their Good Men. The golden age of the Japanese geisha and her attitude toward men dates from 1841, when she was accorded by law the status of “entertainer” or “artist.”

In "Sex Secrets of an American Geisha" I have adapted Asian Geisha practices somewhat to fit twenty-first-century Western/American culture while continuing to emphasize the geisha’s performance or entertainment skills. In particular, I have upheld the concept of the Asian Geisha, as embodying the archetypes of beauty and femininity.