Onsen geisha

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Onsen Geisha (温泉芸者) is a negative term which has come to be synonymous with prostitute. This is due to the abundance of prostitutes in onsen towns, like Atami who market themselves to tourists as "geisha", especially in the period following the Second World War. However, true onsen geisha are in fact accomplished dancers and musicians. In Atami, the official registry office regards long-time, proven geisha separate from those who have not yet completed their first year.

Geisha banquets in onsen towns are markedly different from geisha engagements in the traditional hanamachi of Kyoto and Tokyo. Whereas geisha parties in Kyoto are usually small affairs in teahouses with five or six geisha, onsen geisha entertain tourists in the banquet halls of large hotels, often with sixty or seventy geisha in attendance.

Prostitution in Japan