February 2, 2004
Kiharu Nakamura
Kiharu Ihara Nakamura, the Japanese geisha who wrote a best-selling book about her experiences, died on Jan. 5. Cause of death was not released. She was 90.
Born to a privileged and educated family, Nakamura decided to become a geisha when she was 15 years old. Although Japanese culture embraces the artistic entertainment provided by geisha, her parents resisted this plan. The following year, however, she entered the Shimbashi Geisha Association, an elite geisha sect, and studied the arts of dance, repartee, music and song. She learned English as well, which made her a favorite of foreign dignitaries who visited the tea houses of Tokyo.
In the course of her career, Nakamura entertained scores of men, including Charlie Chaplin, William Randolph Hearst and Babe Ruth. Her experiences were later chronicled in the 1983 biography, "Edokko Geisha Ichidai-ki" (Biography of a Tokyo Geisha), a best-seller that was translated into eight languages.
During World War II, Nakamura was asked to spy on one of her foreign clients. Instead she married Japanese diplomat Shintaro Ota and moved to Calcutta, India. They later divorced, and when a second marriage to photographer Masaya Nakamura ended, Kiharu immigrated to America, and settled in Queens, N.Y.
For the next 30 years, Nakamura taught music students to play the samisen, a Japanese stringed instrument. She also consulted on movies and theater productions, such as "M. Butterfly" and "Pacific Overtures." Author Arthur Golden included her in the acknowledgments of his 1997 bestseller, "Memoirs of a Geisha." And Jean Cocteau made her his muse when he wrote the poem, "Geisha."
Pobrecilla.
Pero ms pobrecillo yo que llevo 1 ao sin chuparla. FEr
Poor woman. She was like a cherry tree flower. The world is is empty without her beauty. The gods will bless her. She was a the most sofisticated wore ive never seen in Japan and in the whole earth except Madonna of course.
Posted by Fernando Vidal on April 16, 2004 11:18 AMThe world has lost one of the most celebrated geisha of the past.May let her rest in peace.
Posted by franko on November 27, 2005 2:41 PMNo solo japon sino el mundo perdio una de sus flores y sause.La seora Nakamura fue en vida siempre un ejemplo.Que descanse en paz.
may she rest in peace.
i was related to her
she will be missed.
I am at page 266 in her book, and I wonder - what about her son??? Did she care? When she left Japan,she wished that N would not suffer... but what about her son? She doesnt mention him as much as she mention her beauty, and so on... narcissism at a high level... as a Corinne Hoffman, but in a another form,,, makes me crazy. Did she do anything at all, without thinking of how extremely beautiful it would sound n her biography? It feels like if she only wants to make up for giving up what a real mother wouldnt. or maybe the rest of the book will tell... but it doesnt look promising.
Posted by Karin on January 21, 2006 8:54 PMKiharu was a wonderful woman and a great friend. As a resident of New York, she was an ambassador of everything good about Japan. She wore a Kimono daily and often spoke of her desire that the younger generation embrace and maintain Japans culture and traditions. I believe her writings and teachings will be referred to for years to come, both in Japan and the US. She will be missed.
Posted by Clark Griffith on February 19, 2006 12:55 PMIf you were beautiful as she was wouldn't you be narcissistic
i pray that the famly is ok with such a great lost.i give my petty to the famly.
Posted by shinji ikari on May 2, 2006 8:37 PMI, as a former visiting professor at the Tokyo University of foreign Studies, Tokyo, feel thrilled by reading the articles written by Kiharu Nakamura, and enjoy looking at the photos taken by her. She should have lived loger to serve the cause of Geisha. As a tribute to her wonderful work on Geisha of Japan, I would like to write an article on Geisha of Japan, in Kannada language of India, in which I intend to use the information contained in the web site Geisha of Japan, and some of te photos by Kiharu Nakamura. The article would be published in Taranga Weekly magazine, and I would acknowledge Kiharu Nakamura thankfully. Concerned person may please permit me to do so.
Posted by Prof B B Rajapurohit on May 7, 2006 3:35 AM"Poor woman. She was like a cherry tree flower. The world is is empty without her beauty. The gods will bless her. She was a the most sofisticated wore ive never seen in Japan and in the whole earth except Madonna of course."
For your information Kiharu Nakamura was not a prostitute she was a geisha, an upper class geisha. Upper class geisha were not prostitutes.
Posted by yiannii on September 13, 2006 9:27 AMTerminé de leer el libro hace 2 días. Quedé fascinada, era una gran persona. No sabía que había muerto. Recién me enteré por la web, mientras decidí buscar acerca de ella. Lindo libro, me encantó.
Posted by annribertt on February 18, 2007 1:09 PMЯ прочитала її книгу, глибоко вражена, яке велике серце мала ця жінка.
(I have read her book. I was so amazed. She had a big loving heart.)
He terminado su libro y me parece una persona que vivió plenamente, inconformista no se dejó llevar por la vida, ella la decidió paso a paso. Espero que sus últimos momentos los pasara en compañia de sus amigos y se sintiera muy querida.
De todos los libros que he leido sobre Geishas, me parece el más autentico de todos, por su sinceridad y valentia ante la vida, teniendo en cuenta la epoca en que se desarrolla.
Descanse en Paz y viva en el recuerdo de sus seres queridos.