Geisha Training

I can tell you when my dream of becoming a geisha began.

It was James Clavell’s fault. If he had never written Shôgun and Richard Chamberlain had never brought Anjin-san to such vivid life, I’d have never made that vow to myself. The vow to one day go to Japan and learn how to become a geisha. Of course, I had to live the rest of my life, while keeping my dream alive. I graduated from high school, realized that I was gay and moved to San Francisco, deciding to attend college there. Four years later, I had a degree in Asian Studies and a minor in International Finance and I finally realized that my dream was within my grasp. It took another two years before I landed a job in Intel Corporation’s Tokyo office and I was off to the Land of the Rising Sun.

Life in Japan was much harder than I expected it to be. I found myself sticking with other co-workers, rather than mingle with countrymen that didn’t really like outsiders, especially Americans, and didn’t usually welcome them into their gilded circles. I made friends with one Japanese lady, though. A diminutive woman approaching forty, but looking twenty, named Tamiko Hotsubara, called Tamiko-san. Tamiko-san was the executive secretary to the CEO and we were always in close contact since I’d been assigned to work directly with her boss.

One day, she invited me to lunch and over bento boxes loaded with sushi and pickles, I took a leap of faith and told her of my dream. She gave me a traditional Japanese grunt and continued to eat, her chopsticks moving at the speed of light. I chewed, awaiting her response and when none came, I silently cursed myself for letting my resolve weaken. Finally, she set her chopsticks down and looked me squarely in the face.

“You really want to become geisha?”

“Yes, Tamiko-san. I have been dreaming about it for a long time.”

Tamiko-san pulled out a lidded bowl of chilled lychee fruit and a couple of sesame candies and we silently ate the sweet, pearl onion-sized fruit, following with the candies. “Are you busy on Saturday?”

“No.” I had planned on spending a few hours in the office to put the finishing touches on a report for her boss but I could tell that spending those hours with Tamiko-san was going to be a lot more interesting.

“I have a friend that owns an

o-chaya

. She might be willing to give you some training.”

“Oh, Tamiko-san, she could …

domo

!”

Tamiko-san just smiled, chewing her sesame candy and packing the bento box so that we could head back to work.

When Saturday came, I found myself awake at the break of dawn, meditating because I’d been unable to sleep. I dressed in khaki capris and a woven shirt and met Tamiko-san at the Tsukiji Fish Market. We had to pick up some friendly offerings to present to her friend, Hana-san. Stuffing our purchases into her shopping bag, we took a taxi to the Geisha District, also called

hana-machi

and found Hana-san’s

o-chaya

.

Hana-san met us at the door and gave Tamiko-san a hug. To me, she gave a small bow, calling me Nikki-san and escorting us into her private apartments. Her dark eyes met mine over cups of steaming green tea and I felt as if she were sizing me up and satisfying her curiosity about me.

“Tamiko-san tells me that you wish to become geisha.”

“Yes, Hana-san. That is my dearest wish.”

“Tamiko-san also tells me that you are a lesbian, that you prefer female company to male company.”

I felt heat creep into my cheeks and knew that my face had turned red, “Yes, Hana-san. That is also true.”

“The traditional geisha’s responsibility is to serve men. You would not wish to be of service to males?”

I glanced at Tamiko-san, who gave me a small nod of encouragement. “No, Hana-san. I do not wish to service males.”

“Is there such a thing as an

o-chaya

for females only?”

“Surprising that you would ask that, Tamiko-san.” Hana finished her tea and elegantly wiped her mouth. “One opened two years ago. Today, there are seven.”

“

Seven

?” Tamiko-san gasped. “Who knew that it would become so popular?”

“I did.” Hana-san gave her friend a guilty smile. “Three of them are mine.” She laughed at Tamiko-san’s expression. “I also own two that are for males only.”

“No wonder you’re doing so well!” Tamiko-san patted her friend’s hand, laughing. “Your father is truly blessed!”

“And so, we come back to Nikki-san’s request. I have a small

okiya

for the

maiko

that we train. The

maiko

live there but that is not a requirement. Would you like to go visit?”

“Oh, yes, Hana-san! I would love it!”

“All right. Let’s go.”

A short taxi ride later, we were at Hana-san’s first female only

o-chaya

. The coffeehouse was set on a small parcel of land with an adjacent parking area and taxi stand. Suki, her

okami

, welcomed us warmly and proceeded to give us a discreet guided tour of the house. Tatami crunched under our feet as we were swept past a busy kitchen, a spa area where two women were receiving mud baths and a hallway of wooden-doored rooms where customers who requested or required privacy were entertained.

Somehow, she knew why I was there and beckoned to me, to the exclusion of Tamiko and Hana-san. She led me up a secret set of stairs to a dark room, illuminated only by the light that poured in from the room below. It took me a moment to realize that I was looking down into one of the private rooms. A black woman with large breasts was on her hands and knees, a small Japanese girl behind her, slamming a thick pink strap-on into her black cunt. My mouth watered.

“We service every woman’s request here.” Suki said quietly. I hadn’t noticed right away, but she had moved closer to me, her voice silky in my ear. Her arm came around my waist, her hand flattening on my belly, fingers applying pressure towards my already overheated pussy. “Even women that haven’t requested anything yet.”

I shivered in her embrace, her coral pink lips lazily rubbing against the side of my neck as she stood behind me. I felt something hard in the cleft of my ass. “Is this part of the tour?”

“Only if you want it to be.” Her wet tongue stroked my ear, slipping inside and tracing the hard shell. “Free of charge, of course.”

She wouldn’t let me turn so that I could do a more proper job of kissing her so I had to settle for tasting her yummy mouth from the side, shivering and moaning as her hands slid down my sides, joining at the front to unbutton my capris, then separating again to push them down my hips. Those same hands made short work of my thong and her long fingers were pushing into my wet slit, her thumb working my rising clit.

The scene below partially mirrored our loving. I thrilled to the sight of the huge dildo drilling the black woman’s pussy and coming out glistening with her juices. Suki leaned forward and touched a button on a small console to the right and the sounds of lust filled the tiny alcove.

“Hear her cries?” I closed my eyes. Suki’s husky voice echoed in my ear, melding with the sounds of the couple fucking below. The Japanese woman was slapping the black woman’s ass as she pounded her snatch and the woman was clearly enjoying it. “Now, add yours to it.”

The hardness at my backside had been a strap-on which now skillfully made its way up inside me, stretching resting muscle and making me groan in pleasure. Her hands pushed me forward until I was holding onto the wooden ledge, looking down onto the scene with Suki pounding me ferociously, paralleling their actions. The black woman threw her head back, her mouth open in a perfect rictus of pain-etched pleasure and the Japanese woman shoved a thin dildo into the woman’s ass.

I felt Suki’s finger penetrating my anal passage and I came instantly, nearly shouting my climax as my pussy clenched around the dildo and my asshole around her finger. She whispered soft endearments to me as I came down, holding me against her body and only pulling out when I could stand again. She gave me a soft kiss on the cheek. “You were very tasty, Nikki-san. Please feel free to come again.”

We rejoined Tamiko and Hana-san, who threw me a knowing glance. I tried to ignore them and said, “When can I start?”

*****

I didn’t have to go through the usual protocol that a usual woman who pursues geisha training would go through. There were no parental interviews and no living requirements. Suki was to be my trainer and as manager of Hana-san’s top rated

o-chaya

, I knew I was going to be in good hands. The rest of the tour, Suki-san took every opportunity to touch me; a fleeting touch on my breast, a gentle squeeze of my buttocks or fingers on my cheek let me know that she was thinking about me.

Hana-san told me that a year would be sufficient for me to learn everything I needed to know to be able to competently service women. The first six months would be educational studies about everything a Japanese geisha should know. I would be expected to learn a few songs on the

shamisen

, learn

sadoh

, the tea ceremony, and learn some calligraphy. Other skills, such as

ikebana

(flower arranging) and conversation weren’t necessary in my case. And of course, everything hinged on the proper wearing of a kimono, which I would have to purchase myself.

Tamiko-san offered to take me to a

katsura

shop so that I could purchase some supplies and I was to report to the

o-chaya

first thing next Saturday morning. I could not be late or I would be penalized. Suki-san would call me with the requirements in a few days. My pussy still pleasurably throbbing, I bowed low to Suki-san and Hana-san and left, hoping that the next week would pass quickly.

Tamiko-san and I continued our lunch ritual, but instead of talking ledgers and invoices, we spoke about the history of geishas. She was a fountain of information and I soaked up every word, hungry sponge that I was. She stressed to me that geisha were not prostitutes of any sort, but provided cultural entertainment. She also told me that I could make my own choice as to what kind of geisha I wanted to be: traditional or sexual. She knew that I would choose sexual.

“Are you sure that’s what you want?”

“Yes, but only for select customers.”

“Select customers?”

“Ones that I feel comfortable with. That I want to provide service to. I don’t want this to be a ‘forced’ kind of situation, Tamiko-san. I want to maintain my cleanliness and I want to protect my heart.”

“You’re thinking to meet your lifelong partner out of this?”

“I don’t know, Tamiko-san. I will take what comes my way.”

She shrugged her tiny shoulders and smiled. “We will visit the shop after work on Friday. And make sure you’re not late on Saturday.”

Saturday morning, I arrived five minutes early, my first kimono in a bag over my arm and a makeup case in my hand. Suki-san allowed me in, giving me a long kiss of welcome, brushing my tingling nipples which hardened immediately.

“Am I being too forward?”

“Not at all.”

“Good.” Her Occidental features widened into a genuine smile. “Because I like being forward.”

“Me, too.” I whispered, moving a little closer. “I’d love to repay your favor.”

“You may get your chance, tasty one.” Suki-san gave me another kiss. “But first, I must set your feet on the path to enlightenment. I’ve prepared a room for your use whenever you’re here. You can stow your kimonos and personal items there.”

“Excellent.”

“Good. Well, stick your stuff in there and let’s get started.”

I didn’t know how important things were in the geisha world were but over the next six months, Suki and Hana-san put me through my paces. I bought ten other kimonos, each more elaborate than the other and kept them squirreled away in my little room. I practiced putting on the white foundation and painting perfect ruby lips. I plucked the

shamisen

for weeks on end, making Suki-san laugh when I played an AC/DC song on it. Hana-san sat stone-faced through my rendition of

Hell’s Bells

but applauded my traditional piece.

Six months and one week after my first visit, I was allowed to attend my first ‘sex’ class. I hadn’t known that there was such a thing but Hana-san had covered all the bases. Eight

maiko

and I sat in a half-circle around Suki-san as we prepared to take our first steps in the journey of how to please a woman.

“How many of you know how to pleasure a woman?” One hand shot up, a young woman named Shibumi. Everyone else giggled behind their hands and looked stunned. “What is the first test?” Shibumi sat speechless. “Do not raise your hand again until you have completed this course.” Suki-san’s keen eyes fell on each one of us, no love or friendship conveyed. “This is not a school for prostitutes, ladies. This is where you learn geisha-craft. If you cannot adhere to the seriousness of the teachings, then you may leave.”

A grave measure of silence passed before Shibumi politely spoke up. “Please forgive my impudence, Suki-san.”

Suki-san seemed pleased at her apology but she didn’t show it. “The first test is the finger test.” She glanced at each of us. “You can test by kiss and by sight as to the woman’s hygiene, but the body cannot lie. This is also known as fingering. What you want to look for is whether she cares for her pubic hair, if she’s wet and if she has an odor. The odor is first. If there is an unpleasant odor, it would be wise not to ingest any of the woman’s juices until she’s been checked. In a situation like that, rely on other ways to get her off, then let your

okami

know. The second is wetness. If you’re turning her on, she’ll be wetter than rain. If not, you’ll need to work harder. Ask her sexy questions about what she might like. The last is her pubic situation. Some people don’t like to trim or shave. An icebreaker might be to provide shaving or trimming service for the lady.”

I hadn’t thought of all that. I shaved because I liked being clean, especially during the monthlies. I never had any odor or lack of wetness problems so I had never imagined anyone else having a problem. I had only thought about the physical aspects of becoming a geisha. When no one offered any questions, Suki-san continued.

“I will assume that everyone knows about the female genitalia … “

Another woman’s hand shot up, her face reddening in embarrassment. “Suki-san, I - I do not know.”

“How can you not, Naoko? You possess female genitalia, do you not?”

The woman’s face darkened again. “No, ma’am.” A loud gasp went up and even I found myself staring at the young woman in astonishment. “I was born with male genitalia.”

Suki-san’s eyes widened. “And breasts?”

“Yes, Suki-san.”

“Interesting. Now I can see why Hana-san is so successful. I would not have thought to place you in a female only

o-chaya

. You will be a very rich woman when you finish your tutelage here.”

Naoko’s face turned red again. “Thank you, Suki-san.”

“All right. May I have a volunteer?” When no one else raised their hands, I stood up. A flurry of Japanese words arose behind me and instantly silenced under Suki-san’s eyes. “Do not think to disparage Nikki-san because she is an American. She has proved that she is committed to the further education of all geisha by this selfless act. The rest of you, except Naoko, should look to her shining example.” Again, more silence. “Nikki-san, will you remove your shorts and undies and sit at the edge of the chair?”

I did as she asked, the girls all beginning to crowd around to see my shaved snatch. Suki-san pushed them all back, allowing Naoko to kneel front and center between my legs. Her large brown eyes widened as she leaned closer. I felt myself getting turned on by her innocent appraisal and I gave her a gentle smile to help ease her nervousness.

“I am not going to go into great detail. I’ll just show you the sexual parts. These are the labia major and underneath, the labia minor.” Suki-san’s long fingernails scraped the inner edges of my outer lips, making me hiss in pleasure. “This large area, which can be covered by pubic hair is called the mons pubis and if you pull it back … “ Cool air assaulted my clit and she gave it a little flick. Naoko’s eyes widened even more as my clit arose in reaction. “That is the clit. Now down here, “ She pulled both lips back, exposing my weeping hole. “Is the vaginal opening.”

“That is where my penis goes?”

“Yes, Naoko. It is also where you will create babies if you’re not careful.”

“There can be no babies, Suki-san. My parents made me have a vasectomy. I have semen, but no sperm.”

Suki-san shook her head. “That was smart. You will be able to live a life of peaceful sex now.”

“Yes, Suki-san.”

“Well, since Nikki-san was such a willing volunteer, who would like to service her for the further education of all geisha?”

Again, a long measure of silence, then a shy voice, “I would like to try, Suki-san.”

I smiled down at Naoko and gave her a tiny nod. She crawled forward a few inches and gave my clit a long lick. I shuddered, feeling the rough texture of her tongue and enjoying every inch of it. Again and again, she licked until my swollen clit was the size of the tip of her pinky and my juices were leaking all over the chair.

“That’s very good, Naoko. Now slide a finger into her opening while you continue to lick her clit.”

I gritted my teeth in an effort not to cum yet. I wanted her to feel what a woman’s cunt felt like when she reached orgasm. Her lips curled around my clit and she started sucking it like a tiny dick. I started shaking like an earthquake awaiting eruption. Naoko’s eyes met mine and she slid another finger in and lengthened her strokes, pushing farther up into me. My skin tingled and my nipples hardened to painful nubs. I felt my orgasm creeping up my spine like a large, warm hand, its warmth streaking up my legs and boiling in my overheating pussy.

I gasped loudly as I came. I couldn’t scream like I wanted to; I couldn’t draw enough breath, the sensations were so fierce. Naoko released my clit with a soft kiss and slowed her hand’s movements until she could pull them out.

“Wow.” Naoko breathed, raising her fingers to her face and inhaling deeply. “She smells beautiful.”

While I recovered, the other girls crowded around Naoko, sniffing her fingers and even taking tentative licks. Suki-san used a washcloth to gently cleanse me and helped me back into my garments, allowing me to rejoin the circle. Naoko arose, her penis tenting the front of her robe and gazed into my eyes, licking her fingers with a delicate pink tongue. Just the sight brought another mini-orgasm streaking through me.

“I think that’s enough of lessons for today.”

I agreed. I went back to my room and fell into a deep sleep.