Mimosa 'Mineko Iwasaki''s definitions

-chan

Affectionate and personal Japanese suffix, attached to a shortened version of one's personal name. In Japan, one never does this to anyone above them, only those lower or equal.

My name is Mineko, but Okasan(Mother) calls me Mine-chan.

by Mimosa 'Mineko Iwasaki' January 16, 2007

atotori

Heir to an okiya. An okiya is a lodging house for maiko and geiko (geisha). The owner (Okasan, or Mother) of the okiya, must adopt or give birth to a girl qualified to take over ownership of the okiya. It is one of her duties as Okasan of the okiya. The girl she gives birth to or adopts becomes the heir, or atotori.

As Okasan become older, she was frantic to secure an atotori.

by Mimosa 'Mineko Iwasaki' December 12, 2008

Onesan

In the world of geisha, the word onesan (pronounced oh-neh-sahn) means 'older sister'. Every maiko (apprentice geisha) has an onesan. When a maiko has her misedashi (formal debut) she goes through san san kudo. San san kudo is a binding ceremony, where a maiko and geiko (geisha) are legally bound as sisters. A maiko's onesan gives her advice and helps her in the complicated world of geisha. A maiko's onesan is always in the same hanamachi (geisha district).

Right now I am only a minarai, but when I have my misedashi, I will be formally bound with my onesan.

by Mimosa 'Mineko Iwasaki' December 10, 2008

Satine and the Penniless Poet

1. True Love

2. Fictional Characters in the (2001) acclaimed film, Moulin Rouge.

Satine and the Penniless Poet fell in a deep love.

by Mimosa 'Mineko Iwasaki' January 16, 2007

Atotori

Heir to an okiya. An okiya is a lodging house for maiko and geiko (geisha). The owner (Okasan, or Mother) of the okiya, must adopt or give birth to a girl qualified to take over ownership of the okiya. It is one of her duties as Okasan of the okiya. The girl she gives birth to or adopts becomes the heir, or atotori.

As Okasan become older, she was frantic to secure an atotori.

by Mimosa 'Mineko Iwasaki' December 9, 2008

Iwasaki Mineko

The most famous geiko in all of Japan. She was raised to be the atotori. She had the most publicity, and the most customers. Her yearly salary broke a record for all the maiko and geiko. Young maiko today call her legend. Mineko-san retired when she was only 29, a shock to everyone around her. She is also know as the geisha, Memoirs of a Geisha is based on. But, Arthur Golden cruelly twisted her story. So, Mineko-san wrote her own memoir, Geisha a Life, also know as Geisha of Gion. Mineko-san lives with her artist husband in a Kyoto suburb, and the two have one adult daughter.

Iwasaki Mineko danced many years ago before Prince Charles.

by Mimosa 'Mineko Iwasaki' December 9, 2008

Maiko

Maiko literally means 'dancer'. A maiko is an apprentice geiko (geisha). Maiko exist in Kyoto only. Maiko have an older sister, bound to them. They call their older sisters onesan. The word maiko is pronounced: (my-koh)

I am a geiko of Gion Kobu, but last year I was still a maiko.

by Mimosa 'Mineko Iwasaki' December 12, 2008