Talk:Maiko

Comments

Sorry, I don't understand the difference between Maiko (geiko) and Maiko. Both are spelled まいこ or マイコ. In the articles, Maiko is explained as apprentice Geisha and Maiko (geiko) as apprentice Geiko. However, Geiko redirects to Geisha and Geisha states that "[a]nother name for geisha used in Japan is geiko, which is usually used to refer to geisha from Western Japan, including Kyoto". Is there really a need for two different Maiko articles? --Cyfal (talk) 18:51, 4 March 2011 (UTC)

Maybe the point was to make a separate article for a more detailed section? Actually I don't think that was reasonable, but that action might have had some thought beneath it. Kf8 (talk) 17:09, 2 April 2011 (UTC)

I wonder if there could be more information about origin and jobs of Maiko and also reliable sources of the information. There aren't much information about them, so people reading this page might have hard time understanding about Maiko clearly. Tokoman (talk) 22:11, 26 January 2017 (UTC)

Requested move 1

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section.

Please see discussion at Talk:Maiko Nick Number (talk) 18:50, 26 June 2012 (UTC)

• Comment this is an improperly formatted multimove request.70.49.127.65 (talk) 23:10, 26 June 2012 (UTC)
• Support: Don't know about the format or propriety thereof, but the term maiko, as an apprentice geisha/geiko, seems to be the term of notability. The content currently at Maikoshould be placed under the heading Maiko (disambiguation). A hatnote, or other notice, directing the reader to the disambiguation page should be placed at the top of the Maikopage.Boneyard90 (talk) 16:43, 27 June 2012 (UTC) This was comment moved to Talk:Maiko#Requested move

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Move discussion in progress

There is a move discussion in progress which affects this page. Please participate at Talk:Maiko - Requested move and not in this talk page section. Thank you. —RM bot 08:41, 28 June 2012 (UTC)

== Proposal: Add section on labor exploitation and abuse of maiko

== Proposal: Add section on labor exploitation and abuse of maiko ==I would like to propose adding a brief section under "Contemporary issues" about recent allegations regarding the working conditions of maiko (apprentice geisha) in Kyoto.=== Background ===Recent reports and first-hand accounts have surfaced indicating that some maiko, particularly minors, have faced coercive working conditions, including long hours, forced alcohol consumption, and sexual harassment. A former maiko, Kiyoha Kiritaka, has publicly detailed these experiences and has helped establish a network advocating for labor protections and human rights reforms in Kyoto's hanamachi districts.This issue has been covered in multiple reliable Japanese sources, including national newspapers and reputable news websites, and represents a contemporary human rights concern within the traditional geisha industry. The purpose of adding this section is to provide a balanced, verifiable account of these modern controversies, without making unsourced or generalized claims.=== Proposed content (neutral summary) ===* In recent years, allegations have emerged regarding the working conditions of maiko in Kyoto's hanamachi districts, particularly concerning underage apprentices.* Former maiko Kiyoha Kiritaka has reported forced alcohol consumption, coercion in mixed bathing with customers ("ofuro-iri"), and other forms of harassment.* She and a group of lawyers founded the "Network to Rethink Maiko and Entertaining Culture" to advocate for labor protections and reforms.* These reports have prompted discussions on balancing the preservation of cultural tradition with human rights protections.=== Sources ===* [TV Asahi news report on Kiritaka's allegations](https://news.tv-asahi.co.jp/news_society/articles/900027622.html)* [Bunshun Online: Former maiko speaks out](https://bunshun.jp/articles/-/76776)* [Bengo4.com report on the advocacy network](https://www.ben54.jp/news/2338)* [Asahi Shimbun article on human rights discussion](https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15582925) HaikuMaster75 (talk) 18:22, 24 November 2025 (UTC)