Century-old Tokyo geisha festival revives dying art

Shinbashi geishas rehearsing at the Shinbashi Enbujo Theatre before the 100th Azuma Odori festival in Tokyo. Photo: AFP

The geishas glide with measured steps across a wooden stage, offering a glimpse of a long-misunderstood tradition that is becoming a rare sight in Japan.

Dancing with paper fans and dressed in kimonos, the entertainers were rehearsing without the striking white make-up and sculpted hairstyles they are famous for.