The first international ozashiki party

Usually our regular customers are only Japanese, in particular Hachioji’s residents.
The geisha world is a traditional and closed world and most geisha can’t speak a foreign language so it’s very rare that foreign customers can have an opportunity to organize an ozashiki party.

I had been working for an Internet company with some foreign colleagues before I became a geisha, and sometimes I guided foreign travelers around Tokyo as a volunteer. Communicating in English with foreigners was enjoyable and I have been studying English for a long time.

About half a year ago, one of my friends, Kenji, introduced me his Australian friend, Max’s colleague, John, who is living in London. John was planning to come to Japan on business with his colleagues and needed a full-time guide who had knowledge about traditional Japanese culture. They were prepared to pay for the guide’s services.
My friend Kenji said to me that my experience and knowledge would be valuable for them, however I couldn’t accept their proposal, because they needed a guide who could work for 4 days in succession.

Even though I couldn’t accept the job, I suggested to Kenji that they attend an ozashiki party in Hachioji.
Kenji quickly told John about my suggestion, which seemed to interested them. I emailed John directly about the details, however regrettably we couldn’t find a suitable day which fitted both our schedules.

In October, Kenji emailed me again that this time Max would visit Japan with some his colleagues for one week on business, and he wanted to attend an ozashiki party and experience Geisha culture. I quickly checked my schedule to see when I would be free.
I really wanted them to come to Hachioji and enjoy our culture.
I promptly contacted Max directly about the details.

Fortunately this time we could arrange a day in our schedules nevertheless there was not much time before the day on which they wanted to have the ozashiki party.

I was worried about some things.
Firstly, none of the geisha except for me could speak English well. Max and his colleagues weren’t going to bring an interpreter to Hachioji.
Secondly, maybe it was the first international ozashiki party to be held in Hachioji, so I thought that organizing such a party might be inappropriate for my level as a geisha in such a closed and hierarchical society.

At first, I consulted my geisha mother about it, and she suggested I call two of my geisha sisters who were good dancers to accompany me to the party.

Secondly I asked my geisha mother, who is the owner of a Japanese restaurant, whether it would be possible to pay by credit card at her restaurant.
However she said to me that customers can only pay by cash or bank transfer.
Therefore I asked some other Japanese restaurants, where it was possible to pay by credit card, whether we could make a reservation, and finally I found a nice sushi restaurant, which had a private tatami room.

I was also worried that Max and his colleagues could come to Hachioji without delay or catching the wrong train.
A geisha’s fee starts from the time of the reservation, so if my customers were delayed, it might be an inconvenience to my geisha sisters and the Japanese restaurant.
I worried that if an accident would happen, how I could contact them.
I worried that if an accident happened, it might be difficult to get in contact with them.

Generally a geisha doesn’t go out to pick up her customers if they don’t know the location of the restaurant where the ozashiki party will be held. If they need a geisha’s help to find the restaurant, they have to pay an additional fee. Nevertheless I promised to meet Max at Hachioji station.
For me it was the most important thing I did to make this international ozashiki party a success.

Despite my anxiety, Max and his colleagues arrived at Hachioji station earlier than the appointed time. When I saw them, I felt relieved.

Max and I introduced ourselves and Max introduced me to his colleagues and his clients who he had also brought along.

We arrived at the sushi restaurant on time. My geisha sisters were already waiting for us.
The international ozashiki party started.

Before the ozashiki party, I asked my geisha sisters whether they felt anxious because they couldn’t speak English well. They said to me that they would do their best to talk to the customers.

Indeed my geisha sisters talked to Max and his companions as well as they could. I sometimes interpreted their conversations.
Max and his companions asked us many questions about Japanese cuisine, and sometimes I had to use my electronic dictionary. For me their questions were very interesting.

Max and his companions were very friendly and polite. They also did their best to communicate with us, so the atmosphere became very amicable.

We performed two songs, and we also played Kompira-funefune ozashiki asobi, a typical Geisha asobi  game.
I tried to explain to them the lyrics of the songs and rules of the games.
However explaining the songs was very difficult because the songs were written a very long time ago.

The ozashiki party finished 2 hours later and we took a group photo.
Max gave us a box of chocolates and the book which the boss of his company had written.

Max sent me an email to express his appreciation soon after the ozashiki party while they were on their way home in the train.
I felt he was very sincere and I was also satisfied with how the party went.

My geisha sisters and I talked after the ozashiki party. They said that they were also glad to experience such an interesting ozashiki party.

The next day after the ozashiki party, my geisha sisters and I reported about the successful party to our geisha mother. My geisha mother said that we were now able to receive requests for international ozashiki parties. I felt very happy.