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The Life of a Geisha

Watch, Listen and Read

Book 1, Unit 6

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Culture Salon Kyoto

京都often called “Japan’s heartland”

considered the mother of culture within Japan

natural scenery

old traditions and culture: temples, shrines, geisha

IT and electronics as key industry

tourism

traditional Japanese crafts

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Culture Salon geisha

芸者 （歌妓）芸（ gei） + 者（ sha） = art + person / doer

“artist / performing artist”

traditional, female Japanese entertainers

芸子 / geiko, 芸妓 / geigi

whose skills include performing various Japanese arts such as classical music and dance

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Culture Salon maiko

麻衣子（舞子 / 舞妓）

apprentice geiko

“dance child”

usually 15 to 20 years old

Their jobs are performing song, dance, and shamisen (three-stringed Japanese instrument) to visitors at a feast.

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Culture Salon kabuki

歌舞伎（歌舞妓）

歌（ ka） + 舞（ bu） + 伎 （ ki） = sing + dance + skill

the highly stylized classical Japanese dance-drama

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Culture Salon kimono

着物（和服）着（ ki） + 物（ mono） = wear + thing

“a thing to wear”

a Japanese traditional garment worn by women, men and children a T-shaped, straight-lined robe with the hem falling to the ankle, and attached collars, and long, wide sleeves

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Culture Salon chado

茶道“tea ceremony” / “way of tea”

a Japanese cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of matcha ( 抹茶 ), powdered green tea

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Warming up I Old and New

1. D

2. B

3. G

4. A

5. C

6. E

7. F

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Warming up II Becoming a Geisha

(1) apprentice

(2) discipline

(3) retired

(4) strict

(5) master

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Part 1 Word Bank

symbol

discipline

adjust

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Part 1 Watch Part 1

1. a calling

2. her real identity

3. certain parts

4. too old

5. had the face

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Part 1 Watch Again

1. mysterious

2. symbol

3. adjusting

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Part 1 Listen and Repeat

1. As a symbol of female beauty, the geisha fascinates the modern world.

2. Being a geisha is a calling to a traditional way of life.

3. I realized this geisha world is so different from the world I used to know.

4. Once in Kyoto, Umechika had difficulties locating a place to train her.

5. Umeno took one look at Umechika and decided she had the face of a geisha.

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Part 2 Word Bank

entertain

apply

make up make-up

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Part 2 Watch Part 2

1. D

2. C

3. E

4. B

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Part 2 Watch Again

(1) routine

(2) pattern

(3) go through

(4) transform

(5) meaningless

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Part 3 Word Bank

involve

incredible

sacrifice

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Part 3 Watch Part 3

1. T

2. F

3. F

4. T

5. T

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Part 3 Watch Again

1. traditional dances

2. playing musical instruments

3. conversation

4. literature

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Follow-up Watch the Entire Video

1. F

2. T

3. F

4. T

5. F

6. T

7. F

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Reading Reading Comprehension

1. C

2. C

3. A

4. B

5. D

6. A

7. C

8. sacrifice

9. show off

10. beautiful traditions

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Home Listening Listen to the Passage

1. D

2. B

3. A

4. B

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Home Listening Listen Again

(1) traditional

(2) stylized

(3) slowly

(4) unusual

(5) extends into

(6) surrounded

(7) a circle

(8) a master

(9) his replacement

(10) retires

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Home Listening Listen and Repeat

1. Kabuki is a traditional form of Japanese theater that involves acting, singing, and dancing.

2. The tradition is 400 years old and the movement of the actors are very stylized.

3. The actors often wear extraordinary and expensive kimonos and their faces are sometimes painted.

4. Part of the stage is a long, narrow raised area that extends into the audience.

5. He specializes in women’s roles and appears on stages all over the world.

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