Geisha Book Recommendations: Learn about a Japanese Tradition

The beloved story of Sayuri, a young Japanese girl sent away at a young age to become a Geisha in Kyoto.

This novel was written by Arthur Golden, something that seems hard to believe as you read a novel told by Sayuri of a life that was hidden and virtually unknown to foreigners.

This novel became even more well-known following the release of the movie starring popular Chinese actress Ziyi Zhang.

The movie is beautiful and is worth seeing, but can't capture the great depth of detail that you will discover in the pages of the novel itself, as you witness Sayuri transforming from an abandoned and mistreated girl into a beautiful and highly skilled Geisha. You learn through her eyes and experiences about each stage a girl must pass through, from obedient servant (whether willing or not) of the established Geisha, to Maiko with an 'older sister' and then a fully-fledged Geisha herself.

This book is a collaboration between a young Geisha, who starts her journey as a 15 year old schoolgirl, and a photographer who documents her journey.

The young Japanese girl who has grown up in China takes on the name Komomo as she is takes her place in one of the country's most cherished and rare traditions. This is no overnight transformation, but takes 7 years, during which she is captured at key moments by a Mexican photographer who shares her fascination and affinity for the world of the Geisha.

Primarily a photo book, it has gorgeous visuals. However, Komomo adds commentary of her own -- in a voice that is not only contemporary but also more modest and charming than that of some Geisha (real and fictional alike) of other books.

Anthropologist Liza Dalby is famous for being the first -- and for a long time, the only -- non-Japanese Geisha. The American entered the world of the Geisha while studying them, and at their invitation, in the 1970s. Dalby spoke Japanese fluently, and had already gained detailed knowledge of their lifestyle.

Her insider's view is a rare one for someone of non-Japanese birth. This 25th anniversary edition of her book, Geisha, shares that world with us. It goes beyond the mystery and lets us see something of the women behind the doll-like exterior of the Geisha.

Behind Arthur Golden's fictional Sayuri was the real Geisha Mineko Iwasaki. It was largely her own recollections that provided Golden with detail and true life experiences for his novel.

This book is Mineko Iwasaki's own story, in her own words. A proud and strong-willed character, she became a leading Geisha, highly-paid and much sought-after.

Although some readers have found her difficult to relate to, the autobiography is worth a read for the details it gives of the actual training and life of a Geisha during the 1960s and 1970s.