Bonzer Words!: A Night At A Geisha House
Peggy Mitchell tells of the night when she was a guest of honour in the usually male preserve of a Japanese geisha house.
Peggy writes for Bonzer! magazine. Please do visit www.bonzer.org.au
Business success in Japan was traditionally celebrated with an evening at a geisha house, so when Mrs Yomiura topped the sales quotas for Coca-Cola and was named 'Bottler of the Year', she demanded her night of celebration at a geisha house, not just any geisha house but the most expensive one in Tokyo.
This was an awkward situation for the Coca-Cola executives. Mrs Yomiura was a widow in her mid-fifties. Her husband had owned the bottling plant in Nagoya and she took over the running of the business after his death.
Traditionally women were barred from geisha houses. Perhaps she would prefer a trip to Singapore?
With a twinkle in her eye, Mrs Yomiura replied that she would invite Mitchell-San's wife as her guest of honour.
'Then there will be two businesswomen at the table with all the other businessmen,' she said.
So it was agreed. A traditional celebration evening at the geisha house with 30 to 40 employees including sales managers and office staff with Mrs Yomiura and myself as the guests of honour.
I was intrigued at the prospect of seeing at first hand the traditional celebrations of a geisha house especially at the most exclusive house in Tokyo, frequented by members of the Diet (Parliament) and wealthy businessmen.
The Geisha House was very impressive from the outside. Set in a landscaped garden in the middle of the Ginza residential area, it was a three storeyed building with balconies and a columned entrance.
We were met at the entrance by two smiling geishas dressed in traditional silk kimonos and ornate head-dress.
As custom decreed, the men walked ahead of us down the long wooden hallway leading to the main dining room. We had discarded our street shoes at the door and were given soft velvet slippers to wear.
Long wooden tables with beautiful floral arrangements had been prepared and we were seated in order of importance.
Mrs Yomiura as the principal guest of honour sat in the middle of one side of the main table facing the raised dais where the geishas would later dance, sing and play music to entertain us. As her special guest I sat directly opposite her. We were both assigned two geisha hand-maidens, one on either side of us—as were all the male guests who were then given seats in order of their importance to the company.
My husband as senior marketing manager was seated at a table further down the room.
Luckily for me this geisha house had spaces beneath the tables where legs could be spread out comfortably and cushioned back-rests to lean against. Those who could, sat cross-legged in the Japanese fashion.
The Momma-San appeared with a bevy of young girls who would wait on us, and they began setting out dishes of sushi, bowls of rice, raw vegetables cut into shapes of roses and other flowers, bowls of sauces and other entrees.
Mrs Yomiura's favourite beverage was Johnny Walker red label whisky and it was rumoured that she could drink the average Coca-Cola executive 'under the table' at regional meetings without batting an eyelid.
To my dismay I saw that she had ordered four bottles of whisky. two for her and two for me.
Whisky, traditional Japanese sake and beer were placed on the other tables.
© Peggy Mitchell
