“Those were the good old times of refined elegance.”

The people who lived in Nishiura during its prime fondly remember when it was filled with over 250 geisha. They’d often spot them readying themselves at the local bathhouse or beauty parlors, or on their way to the geisha call office to start their shift.

While the ryotei Kikuzumi was a usual site visited by geisha back then, these days few can attest to such experiences. They say the ryotei was grand in design and size, with 100 tatami mats, arched bridges over a pond… just a wonderfully extravagant restaurant that cannot be described in words alone.

In 1945, Kikuzumi had no choice but to close its doors as luxury was frowned upon during times of war, but neighboring stores were persistent in maintaining the atmosphere of the place and its sheer grandness.
It was common back then to see geisha passing by in Nishiura, visiting different households and playing their shamisen along the way. Even the children casually called out to the geisha by first name “Metora-san” or “Kimika-san” with fondness.

“Those were the good old times of refined elegance.”

You can hear them murmur under their breath as they recall their memories of growing up in the town of geisha.