Podcast Cohost Lauren 5/25/2023

Chatting with an MMO alliance member the other day, I learned that a new Japanese food related drama was out on Netflix. We (myself and alliance member) had both completed the series Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories and she was recommending Kantaro: The Sweet Tooth Salaryman to me (I had not committed to watching but it is now on my list) when she added that there was now also The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House (January 2023). I thought, “Oh, that sounds similar to anime Kiyo in Kyoto: From the Maiko House (2021) that I watched on Crunchyroll,” and indeed they are adaptations of the same manga which is sadly not licensed in English. Since I was so charmed by the anime, I asked Izzy to rewatch the first three episodes with me so we could then watch and compare them with the first episode of the drama.

The anime and live action shows for Kiyo in Kyoto have a different organization, purpose and tone. Both shows follow principle characters high-school aged Kiyo and her childhood best friend Sumire, called Su-chan by Kiyo, from the prefecture Aomori on their journey to the maiko house as apprentices. It soon becomes evident that Sumire is a standout talent, while Kiyo is too clumsy with rhythm and etiquette to become an elegant dancer and entertainer. However, when the original makanai (chef who prepares the meals for the girls living in the maiko house) throws out her back, Kiyo steps in with her special interest for cooking and is asked to stay as the new makanai. In the anime, we are introduced to these characters in media res: Sumire is just about to be promoted from apprentice to Maiko, and Kiyo is already the live-in chef. Briefly, Sumire’s expression blanches when she gives her best friend the news; this is the same goal Kiyo came to the Maiko house for and could not achieve. But Kiyo never shows and ounce of regret, only excitement for her friend’s accomplishment, so Sumire resolves to be the greatest maiko to fulfill both of their dreams. In the live-action drama, the girls are being seen off at the train from Aomori to Kyoto by Kiyo’s grandmother and the girls’ classmate Kenta. The story of how Kiyo becomes a makanai instead of a maiko is told in a linear format. The difference is likely because the anime episodes each feature a couple of short slice-of-life scenes that illustrate what goes in to becoming a maiko as well as cooking segments that feature a dish eaten by the girls during the story. It is more of a comedy and cultural education program. The drama chooses to tell an episode length narrative with more time to spend on how the girls’ paths diverged.

While holding the same plot, I imagine the anime and drama to be intended for different audiences. The anime is so friendly that I almost read it as a tourist advertisement for Kyoto. The food and culture segments seem aimed at reminding teen girls to eat nutrient dense foods. Meanwhile, the drama hints that as well as the strictness of living in the house and the training regimen, there are other difficulties girls becoming maiko and then geisha may have to contend with such as over-stepping fans and the jealousy of their peers. The friendly variety show is more for me.

Q: Izzy, when we started Kiyo in Kyoto, you voiced skepticism that the girls’ guardians would be thrilled that they entered training to become maiko with becoming geisha ostensibly in their future. This was, in fact, corroborated when Kenta mentioned to Kiyo’s grandmother at the train station that Sumire’s father wished she would have chosen high school instead. What arguments do you think he might have had against her vocational aspirations?

A: Ok so I looked into it and I think its a combination of a few things. Watching it a first I thought MAYBE it was due to like Mizuage (tradition of selling a Maiko’s virginity) but that was outlawed in 1956 under the Prostitution prevention law.

I then found an article by the Tokyo Weekender about the problem of “Geisha Hunting” in Kyoto where Geisha and Maikoes were regularly harassed by tourists for photos, getting swarmed and sometimes even grabbed. There are laws against photography in private alleys around Hanamikoji  with large fines attached, but we see someone taking a photo of Sumire without permission within the context of the show. Soo it does seem to be a problem still to some extent. So that forever lack of privacy could be a factor.

There also isn’t a lot of privacy in the house, with all the apprentices sharing rooms, and honestly the job is really taxing and apparently only half of Maiko continuing on so as a career it is a gamble. Plus its a distance away and the apprentices are not allowed cell phones and only get 2 days off a month, so communication would be rare and very hard. Add to that that Geisha are not allowed to marry until they retire and you end up with your child far away, with a 50 percent chance of failure, with minimal contact, and unlikely to get grandchildren in the future; I think a lot of parents would be worried. I think not seeing her off is harsh though. But that could be a cultural thing, I know that there is a lot more expectation of your children caring for you in you old age in Japan, so that could also be a factor. Especially if she is an only child.