こんにちは。dandelion216 です。
最近は、ガイドレッスンで「ならまち」を学んでいます。
「ならまち」は、もともと「東大寺」や「興福寺」に引けをとらない隆盛を極めた「元興寺」の
境内に位置します。
今回は、「ならまち」内に位置する「花街」と「芸者・舞子」について、まとめてみますね。
（奈良の花街「元林院町」の位置）
Hana-machi is located approximately 50 meters to the southwest of Sarusawa pond.
This area belongs to Ganrinin-cho (元林院町) and is popularly known as hana-machi,
where Geishas (geikos) and Maikos live and work.
（「置屋」と「お茶屋」の説明）
Here you will still see some okiyas (置屋) and ochayas (お茶屋).
Okiya means a boarding house where geishas (geikos) and maikos live.
Sometimes it also means a contract holder who runs such boarding houses.
Ochaya means a traditional tea-house where geishas (geikos) and maikos work.
If you are lucky, you might come across a geisha (geiko) and a maiko around there
in the evening before they attend a banquet.
（「芸者」と「舞子」の定義）
A Geisha (Geiko) and a Maiko are professional female entertainers at a banquet,
trained in singing, dancing, the art of conversation and other arts.
Some people might be under the impression that they are prostitutes.
Actually a geisha (geiko) and a maiko are to serve their guests as hired companions.
They sit beside their guests, serving dishes, pouring sake into cups, and keeping the conversation going.
After dinner they also entertain their guests and even play games with them.
（「舞子」の説明）
A Junior geisha (geiko) or an apprentice geisha (geiko) is called a maiko.
A maiko starts her career at the age of sixteen, after finishing her junior high school.
This is the minimum age you can work in Japan.
During the maiko period, she must attend a geisha training school in the daytime for her professional training.
A maiko receives intensive training in singing, dancing, etiquettes, flower arrangement, tea ceremony and so on.
（「芸者」と「舞子」の見分け方）
In the evening a maiko goes to work with an adult geisha.
A Geisha plays the shamisen (a three-stringed musical instrument) and a maiko performs dances for their guests.
You can tell the difference between a geisha and a maiko by their appearances.
A Maiko wears ornaments in her hair, while a geisha doesn’t.
A Maiko’s obi sash droops down (だらりの帯), but a geisha’s obi sash only has a hump on the back.
A Maiko’s kimono has long sleeves but a geisha’s kimono has short sleeves.
（「お茶屋」の客になるための方法）
To become a customer of the traditional tea-house, you must be introduced to the house by a regular guest.
The person who introduces a new customer to his tea-house must risk his reputation and take responsibility for how this new customer behaves.
〇「芸者」・「芸妓」・「芸子」 について
いずれも大きな違いはなく、三味線や舞、唄などの芸を酒席で披露してゲストを楽しませるほか、
茶道・華道などの修行を積んだ「芸達者な女性」のことを指します。
呼び名については明確な定義は定められていないものの、一般的な考え方としては「地域によって変わる」とされ、
京都以外の地域では「芸者(geisha)」、京都では「芸妓」または「芸子」と書いて読み方はいずれも「げいこ(geiko)」
と呼ぶのがポピュラーだそうです。
「芸妓」と「芸子」の区別は微妙で、京都でもお店によって違いがあるそうです。
また、「芸妓」は「げいぎ(geigi)」と読むこともあります。
いずれにしても基本的にはすべて同義と考えて良いようです。