I couldn't for the life of me stop crying in the end. I'm truly happy for her that she was able to follow her dream. I hope they do a follow up doc of her being a full geisha. And I hope her sister was able to find a purpose in life. I have 3 sisters and know how easy it is to get jealous of the others success especially if there is constant praising and criticism going on.

7:49 *Everybody has a dream. The fact that I realized my dream is what has made me happiest.* This spoke to me. This is what I'm searching for. My spark. My dream.

I love Japan and their loyalty to their traditions!

Fascinating. I love that they are considered "live flowers." So beautiful.

Inspiring story to see a young gal follow her dream with steadfast determination. Well done documentary!

Kikuyu san had her erikae (became a fully fledged geiko) on 22nd December 2009. UNFORTUNATELY she left the profession in December 2012

Truly a remarkable story of a young lady finding her path in life despite the times we live in.

I just saw her as a Geisha and I must say... she is very beautiful. After all these year..

this documentary made me respect the geisha and maiko even more than I already did. Thank you very much for uploading this.

Yukina's maiko sister is gorgeus ....

Wow I felt really proud of her. I wish they would continue the documentary on her path to become a geiko or geisha.

This was very good! She really kept strong. Did anyone else think that when wearing her makeup and dressed up in her kimono, she really looked like from an old Japanese painting? Ahh, this was so good.

This was a fascinating documentary to watch, thank you for posting it! I think I would have liked to be a Geisha. It's a shame we don't know more about it in western countries, but I feel a lot of its charm comes from the mystery around it too.

I became all teary eyed when Kikyu had her misedashi but I was so happy for her and I'm glad that she seems to enjoy her work.

thank you very much for sharing this wonderful and stunning documentary :)

I'll admit I cried at the end. This is a great documentary!

This is the most fascinating series of videos I've seen on KZfaq. Thank you.

Im so sorry to see this beautiful documentary end :(

omfg i googled her and saw that she fulfilled her dream and became a geisha !! im so happy for her

I stumbled upon this documentary by mistake, yet I found it so fascinating! It's so astonishing to open your eyes & mind unto a new world and culture.

It was filmed in 2005, now we're in 2013. I wonder how she is now, as over 5 years have passed. It would be nice if they made an update on her ^^

I am sooo happy for her that I could cry. She is sooo beautiful and I wish her the best in her Geisha life.

I had so much pride and joy for her at her passing! YAY!!!!!!!

Also I just realized.....Yukina and her Big Sister are in my Geisha book! How cool is that!

Just because you think its stupid, it doesn't mean she does. People have their own interests in life. This was hers. Respect it.

OMG how wonderful......i was searching for this doumentary for a while and im sooo pleased....this really opened my eyes and geisha are even more so interesting to me.....thx a bunch woohoo go yukina

I'm proud of her and teary eyed and I'm not even her family or friends.

Thank you; I was just commenting in an earlier segment that it would be nice to hear how she's doing now. :-)

Thanks for the upload.

who's watching this in 2020 bc they have time now? and they fell into the youtube rabbit hole

Thanks for that! :D

Oh, she did a great job and she is so lovely. If I was her mother, I would be so proud and cry, too. I wish Yukina (aka Kikuyu) the best of luck. I wish the same for her sister back in her home village, too. I hope her life turned out to be a happy one.

thanks for the replay!

Ah, thank you! Glad to see it all worked out for her, she was determined.

The b est video I have seen in you tube. Congrat. Yukina. This is an example that all dreams can become true if really try hard.

She is so brave to follow her heart and fullfill her dream

I so loved watching this~ SO amazing~

I can respect the formalness of the Maiko, because I know I'd never be able to do what they do. It really is amazing and fascinating!! I'd love to see it in person some day.

Good luck young one! Way to live your dream, all the best from America

(",) Truly Intriguing, Captivating & Entertaining Documentary, Thank You ~!!~

a very interesting documentary indeed, I've always been fascinated with Geisha, now i know what a difficult life they actually haveI'm impressed with this young lady's determination.

she's so cute haha :) i love her dimples!

very very interesting thank you

what a beautiful young lady, in heart and outside. may her career bring her happiness.

i agree. it would be awesome if they did a story on her when she becomes a geiko!

Elegant, graceful and inspiring.

i like how she kept to her goal and didnt lose her focus :) it must have been hard on her not seeing her family for a long while

I saw her erikae pictures and she's just gorgeus. I'm so happy for her.

that was really nice :)

I really envy her. She is working so hard for her DREAM - not just in daily life when no one cares about what they are doing. Kind of.

Ahh, it's so awesome to see Kikutsuru-san and Kimumaru-san as well! Adorable! They're all lovely geiko now. Kikuyu-san has done well!

anyone else get sad when all her friends were leaving her video messages at the end? i mean she picked that life and followed her dreams, but it seems strangely lonely in a way. wishing her the best!

i wanna watch Memoirs of a Geisha now . . . such a good movie.

japan has such an astonishingly beautiful culture! If reincarnation exists I am making a special note to come back as a Japanese person :)

I wanna learn that cute little drinking game/song they were playing....it looked like fun! ^^

@DevilShroom That is brilliant! Thank you for that comment. It makes me very glad she keeps going.

Such fascinating, graceful arts people, these ladies. All my life I have treasured a geisha doll with three wigs I wanted as a little girl. It was three dollars and 50 cents in the US about 45 years ago. I eventually got it for being good and I enjoy passing on my valuables to worthy people who I think will appreciate them and care for them. Greetings from France, where I have had to learn many new things. I fear for us and Japan!

@XxLevynxX I agree, it's a beautiful view into the world of Maiko's and I wish this young lady all the best

Amazing

She quit in 2012 though to marry but if you look at the pictures of her being a Geiko, she was so pretty and mature. No comparison to when she started!

I am so happy for Yukina because she reached her dream and geisha are very beautiful indiviuals

She chose it she wanted so its not stupid its her free will she knew what she was getting into and went through with it till the end, be more respectful and have an open mind the world does not revolve around your wishes and needs.

Amazing 💚❤️💜 Sophisticated 💚❤️💜

@Ebbs1204 Oh know I was getting a little misty eyed at that moment. but I heard its not uncommon for the maiko at to shed tears at that event. I saw one where a maiko was becoming a geiko she began to to cry. She was trying so hard not to as well.

I'm so happy for her!!!

She married into a tea house it opens her up to help young maiko after her.

So what's the etiquette when you're doing all that kneeling bad you get a dead leg?

The 3 strips (sanbonashi) are used for more formal occasions, while 2 strips (eriashi) are used for regular parties.

Cool, thanks! :)

How beautiful and interesting is this culture. I just love the diversity of beautiful cultures in our world, don't you think?

@eburel506 this really puts things in perspective for what its like to become a geisha. They are beautiful and talented but the have to work really hard for it. So GOOD FOR YOU YUKINA.

Thiis the time to realize to be who you are, funny or funky or just be you with your charisma

Beautiful documentary. I wounder how she is doing now :)

she is breath taking

that song in the background at 3:00 something is cherry tree :| First music sheet we learned during band 0.o

The aura were different. Very elegant. Years of training worth it.

I am so happy for her

I read that as well, she retired last year.

She is so beautiful...

Around 2:45 sakura song is playing, it is my favorite song.

Such a lucky girl, being a Geisha would be my dream job.

Although I don't quite like the whole Geisha thing, this girl has drive, and I'm very glad that she made it. It would be nice if there was another documentary, now that her 5 years are probably up.

Way to go, Yukina! :)

I hope she's living it up as a geisha now!

I believe its called 'Konpira fune fune' :) There are some more videos of geiko/maiko playing it here on yt.

Well done Yukina. :-)))

I'm really proud of Japan.

Today in Japanese society many young men and women do not have dreams. Kikuyuu is an incredible example of the power of a dream; she is a geiko and has been a senior maiko to Kikune, a more recent addition to the Hanafusa okiya. It will be a very sad day when she retires.

@NextSuperstar88 yes, striking the flint is for good luck, strike it no more than twice, and usually over the shoulder.

Isn't the song in the background at 2:37 called Sakura?? I think i heard it on a song website it's really pretty!! Also Congrats to Kikuyu!! She's probably a very sucessful Geisha now!!! XD

i wanna see an update!

Nine times out of ten, if they are entertaining, they hold it until they go home.

I wonder if Yukina finally became a geisha. They should make another documentary showing her life as a geisha now. That would be interesting.

She did. If you search for 'hanafusa kikuyu' in google you can see a bunch of pictures of her as geiko. The first links to tumblr searches show some of her with her 'younger sister' (Kikune, I believe, although it may be Kikushino), too. :3

Hello there, I was wondering if you are connected to the world of the geiko / hanamachi districts of Kyoto ? You seem to be very educated on this subject. I have done a lot of personal research into the world of the Geiko and the Japanese theater, so I am very interested in learning more if I can. Thank you, I hope to hear back from you!

I cried happy tears for Kikuyu ;_;

i like geisha there so cool

Yup yup. As the okasan stated earlier in the documentary the face paint is highly reflective. Thus causing a darker tinge to her teeth.

preserving traditional japanese arts doh!

Yukina's older sister reminds me of Hastumomo from Memoirs of a Geisha...does anybody else notice this?