Busy season

This season we are very busy because many companies, associations and other types of groups hold their new year parties.

To give you an example, several days ago, I had to work 9 hours.
My day started in the early morning I had a "Narimono", Japanese drum lesson.
After that, I had 3 ozashiki parties, and in addition, after the third ozashiki party. my customers took me along to an after party.

Usually, on Sundays and public holidays, I'm off. However this month, I worked almost every Sunday.

Nevertheless, my geisha sisters said to me that this year is not so busy compared with previous years.
They said that until last year, they even worked at afternoon ozashiki parties everyday, not only evening ozashiki parties.
However this year we have been working mostly in the evening.
In addition, they said that the number of occasions, in which customers gave us tips is decreasing.

I think there are 2 reasons for this.
First, it's one influence of the economic downturn.
Second, it's a result of the aging of our customers.

Some customers said to me that these days, when their company held end of year parties, they didn't hold new year parties.
Also, some of them said to me that when they were younger, they had after parties in which they also called geisha.
However now that they are old men they go home straight after the main parties.

Certainly in January I was very busy, however in February my service haven't been reserved everyday. So I'm a bit worried.

This season I handed my "Senzya-fuda"(千社札), geisha name card, to many customers.
I hope they will remember me, and call me to their ozashiki parties.