Ozashiki Asobi is a traditional gathering party where Maiko and Geiko entertain guests with exquisite dances, fun filled games, and enchanting conversation.
It grants the participants a chance to peek into the life of a Maiko and Geiko and we want to open this amazing style of party to the rest of the world!
We need YOUR help to help create chances for not just Japanese people but also foreigners to come and take part in Ozashiki Asobi!

Kyoto, the traditional capital of Japan, whose name even means capital.
With this it is home to a number of traditional cultural points, with maybe one of the most famous being Geisha. In Japanese, these performers are known as Maiko (舞妓 まいこ) and Geiko (芸子　げいこ) and can be found wandering around the old capital as well as performing at restaurants doing Ozashiki Asobi.

What is Ozashiki Asobi?

Ozashiki Asobi (お座敷遊び おざしきあそび) is a tradition were the Maiko and Geiko entertain guests with music and dances as well as talking with the guests. While the name is the name of a game played during these parties, the whole dinner is also known as such. With drinks and food flowing, it is a great way to learn about Maiko and Geiko culture in a rather relaxed fashion. What's more each session lasts about 2 to 2 and a half hours which means you have plenty of time to talk to a Maiko!
By getting this chance to talk in a relaxed manner with these beautiful Maiko and Geiko, it is an opportunity to learn about them and the age-old traditional culture!

With Japan's population being only 3% foreigners and the remaining 97% being Japanese nationals, it's obvious it has a long way to go in terms of accommodating foreigners. Kyoto alone had over 53.6 million people visit the area in 2017, but even with this only 27% that stayed overnight were from North America and Europe compared to the 58% from Asia. This leads to a rather large gap in what accommodations are made for visitors from English speaking countries.

No Experience, No Entrance

As well as this, many establishments that deal with Maiko and Geiko aren't fond of welcoming those that have never had the experience of Ozashiki Asobi before, leaving even many Japanese people in the dark about how to enjoy this amazing traditional part of Japanese culture.
This idea of 一見さんお断り or Refusal of First Timers, is quite prominent, and while it might seem harsh, it is mainly due to the reasoning that many don't know the manners or how to act during Ozashiki Asobi.

Kaoru Wasa - Maiko Club Manager

Hello everyone, my name is Kaoru Wasa (和佐 薫), and I help with the running of Maiko Club (舞子倶楽部) and Geisha Japan. Our aim is to bring the wonderful and beautiful traditional culture of Geisha to the world. As well as this, we run events like no other company in Japan. We're looking to not only carry on this work but expand it so that people from all over the world can enjoy this amazing traditional part of Japanese Culture. We can only do this by bringing in English speaking staff!

Maiko Club Introduction

↑Click to go to the Maiko Club Facebook page

Maiko Club was made with the idea to allow for many people to enjoy the culture of the Hanamachi (or Kagai to locals) area , in particular the Maiko culture, and to allow people from all over.
Since then we had a massive call from people from overseas, with comments such as:

[I would love to join one of your events in the future!]

[I'll be in Kyoto in the near future, but where should I go to meet Maiko?]

[I can't speak Japanese but I would love to join in with Ozashiki Asobi!]

After seeing these comments, we realised that the amount of people that are visiting Kyoto already have a large interest in Japanese culture, and they wish to be able to not just learn about this culture but also be able to participate in it.

However, at the moment with the culture of refusing first timers to the many different shops, it's hard for Japanese and even harder for foreigners to experience the area.

Creation of Geisha Japan

↑Click to go to the Geisha Japan Facebook page

From then, Maiko Club had the aim of not opening up Japanese Maiko culture to just Japanese people but everyone all over the world!

Current Members of Maiko Club ー　From the left: Ms. Kodoka・Kelsey・Kaoru Wasa・Mr. Sukemoto

Currently we have one amazing member of staff that is helping us, Kelsey, but she is only part time and will be leaving us in August to go back home after finishing up her study abroad. We are so grateful for her help over the past few months, and it's been a pleasure to have her. Since she started we have been able to reach a larger audience in English and slowly spread this beautiful part of Japanese culture just a little bit further.

At the current situation we are looking at bringing in full time English Speaking staff to help with multiple parts of our operation.
They would be needed to help with the translation of the events that we hold, which would mean that they would need to be taught and made to understood all the intricacies of the Maiko performances, as well as having a good understanding of the life of Maiko and Geiko.
As well as this, we need to have them help with the creation of the English side of the Maiko Club Website, and also with helping with the inquiries we receive via SNS.

An example of an event we could hold because we had the wonderful Kelsey helping.

By having members of staff that can help with guiding guests through the events we hold, as well as helping with SNS, we hope that we can help to reach visitors from overseas that have a fondness for Kyoto and Maiko/Geisha culture and wish to learn more! We want people from all over the world to be able to join in and learn about this amazing part of Japanese culture!

The Maiko and Geiko in Kyoto have intensive training, devoting their lives to this superb craft. One misconception is that this profession is still linked to prostitution in the modern age, while in fact it is not. Maiko join the ranks at an early age and works their way up, learning intricate dances, how to play the shamisen, and learning how to speak the Kyoto Dialect. After mastering these skills, they can graduate to become a fully-fledged Geiko, and it can take up to 6 years to get to this stage.

With such a hard path to follow through with, the numbers of Japanese girls becoming Maiko and Geiko have drastically decreased over the past decade. From its peak in 1925 of 1929 Maiko and Geiko living in Kyoto to the current number of 260 (80 Maiko and 180 Geiko), the number of Geiko in Kyoto are slowly in decline.

※Honkawa Data Tribune

Each year, there are girls all over Japan that wish to become Geiko, and they enter knowing that they won't be allowed to use mobile phones, or to watch TV or to be a part of the digital age. Knowing all of this, they still enter, and it is this part that attracts a large number of fans. People wish to support and cheer on these amazing individuals that devote themselves to an art that is in essence a lifelong performance.
It is this part of the culture that we also want people to see, to let the world know of the effort that is put in to keeping this art alive.

A number of returns have been prepared for both those that want to participate in the events we wish to hold and those that have an interest but aren't able to come to watch.
Some of the experience type of events also are focused towards our Japanese fans, so they don't have a translator attached to them. Please be careful when choosing your return!

Special Bonus to all tiers!

As a special bonus, all backers will receive access to the Facebook group, that will give you access to see special photos and video interviews that can't be seen otherwise! As well as this we will send you a thanks email as well as reports on updates on things after the project finishes as well events that we plan to hold! Finally your name will be displayed as a supporter on our homepage!

Dates for the Ozashiki Asobi

The dates for several Ozashiki Asobi have been set for if the project is successful! If you're visiting Kyoto and have a Wednesday free from August 7th, and you back the special return, you will get the chance to participate with a translator and enjoy this amazing culture! The dates are as follows:

August: 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th
September: 4th,11th,18th 25th

If you're planning to come later, please don't hesitate to send us an email via Japankuru Funding! You can contact via this address info@japankurufunding.com

Special Returns!

[Limited Edition] Special Hand-Illustrustrated Cleaning Cloth and Hand-drawn Postcard Set! - 5000 Yen

＜This return contains＞

★1 Cleaning Cloth that have been illustrated by a Maiko! !
★6 Maiko hand-drawn postcards and a senjafuda signed by a Maiko!
△Access to the special Facebook group
△Thanks email and updates!
△Name on the homepage!

Have Your Name Written in Japanese on a set of Traditional Senjafuda by a Maiko! - 5000 Yen

＜This return contains＞

★Receive a special name card with your name written in Japanese
★6 Maiko hand-drawn postcards and a senjafuda signed by a Maiko!
△Access to the special Facebook group
△Thanks email and updates!
△Name on the homepage!

[Limited to 5 backers only/ Early Bird Return!] Invitation to watch Ozashiki Asobi (translator provided)! - 13,000 Yen

＜This return contains＞

★An invitation to a special Ozashiki Asobi created after the end of the crowdfunding period! The dates are as follows:

August: 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th
September: 4th,11th,18th 25th
Up to 30 people can join each session! If you wish to confirm a date, please don't hesitate to contact us via Japankuru Funding.
★A maiko hand-drawn postcard signed by a Maiko!
△Access to the special Facebook group
△Thanks email and updates!
△Name on the homepage!

Returns

Supporters Plan - 1000 Yen

＜This return contains＞

★A special picture of a Maiko that you can use as a phone or PC background!
△Access to the special Facebook group
△Thanks email and updates!
△Name on the homepage!

Set of 6 Maiko Drawn Postcards - 3000 Yen

＜This return contains＞

★6 Maiko hand-drawn postcards and a senjafuda signed by a Maiko!
△Access to the special Facebook group
△Thanks email and updates!
△Name on the homepage!

Maiko's Favour - Get a Small Hairpin that is the same as those used by a Maiko! - 5000 Yen

＜This return contains＞

★Receive a special hairpin that is the same as those used by a Maiko (tell us in the remarks section which colour you would like Red pin and Red bead/ Black pin and Green bead / Red and Blue bead)!
△Access to the special Facebook group
△Thanks email and updates!
△Name on the homepage!

Traditionally made Hand Towel and Postcard Set - 10000 Yen

＜This return contains＞

★Receive a specially made hand towel with a hand drawn image! Size:91×36cm
★6 Maiko hand-drawn postcards and a senjafuda signed by a Maiko!
△Access to the special Facebook group
△Thanks email and updates!
△Name on the homepage!

Traditional Fan with a Picture Hand-drawn by a Maiko Set - 12500 Yen

＜This return contains＞

★An invitation to a special Ozashiki Asobi created after the end of the crowdfunding period!
★6 Maiko hand-drawn postcards and a senjafuda signed by a Maiko!
△Access to the special Facebook group
△Thanks email and updates!
△Name on the homepage!

A Full Set of Specially Made Traditional Goods

＜This return contains＞

★A maiko hand-drawn fan specially made for you!
★Receive a specially made hand towel called a Tengui with a hand-drawn image!
★Receive a special hairpin that has been used by a Maiko (tell us in the remarks section which colour you would like Red pin and Red bead/ Black pin and Green bead / Red and Blue bead)!
★6 Maiko hand-drawn postcards and a senjafuda signed by a Maiko!
★A Cleaning Cloth that has been illustrated by a Maiko! !
△Access to the special Facebook group
△Thanks email and updates!
△Name on the homepage!

Experience based Returns

Invitation to watch Ozashiki Asobi (translator provided) - 15000 Yen

＜This return contains＞

★An invitation to a special Ozashiki Asobi created after the end of the crowdfunding period! The dates are as follows:

August: 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th
September: 4th,11th,18th 25th
Up to 30 people can join each session! If you wish to confirm a date, please don't hesitate to contact us via Japankuru Funding.
★A commemorative picture of your time at the event!
△Access to the special Facebook group
△Thanks email and updates!
△Name on the homepage!

Invitation to join in a Photo Shoot (NO Translator is provided, open to those who understand Japanese only) - 15000 Yen

＜This return contains＞

★(Japanese Language only)An invitation to a special photoshoot after the end of the crowdfunding period!
★A commemorative picture of your time at the event!
△Access to the special Facebook group
△Thanks email and updates!
△Name on the homepage!

Invitation to join in a Special Maiko Club Event such as Maiko gradutation and so on (NO Translator is provided, open to those who understand Japanese only) - 35000 Yen

＜This return contains＞

★(Japanese Language only)An invitation to a special Maiko event such as Maiko Graduation to Geiko after the end of the crowdfunding period!
For August the schedule has events such as:
Banquet at a Beer Garden in Kamishichiken or Miyakawacho!

★A commemorative picture of your time at the event!
△Access to the special Facebook group
△Thanks email and updates!
△Name on the homepage!

Invitation to participate in a Tousenkyo (投扇興 a fan tossing game) event (translator provided) - 50000 Yen

＜This return contains＞

★An invitation to an fun and interesting traditional game after the end of the crowdfunding period!
★A commemorative picture of your time at the event!
△Access to the special Facebook group
△Thanks email and updates!
△Name on the homepage!

Private Party for two Plan! (translator provided) - 100000 Yen

＜This return contains＞

★An invitation to a once in a lifetime private party for two after the end of the crowdfunding period!
★A commemorative picture of your time at the event!
△Access to the special Facebook group
△Thanks email and updates!
△Name on the homepage!

Private Party for two at a Michelin Star Restaurant Plan! (translator provided) - 200000 Yen

＜This return contains＞

★An invitation to a once in a lifetime private party for two held at a Michelin Star Japanese Style Restaurant after the end of the crowdfunding period!
★A commemorative picture of your time at the event!
△Access to the special Facebook group
△Thanks email and updates!
△Name on the homepage!

Donation tiers

Maiko Level plan - Donation of 5000 Yen

＜This return contains＞

★Get a special thank you video message from a Maiko working in Kyoto!!! ※Let us know what name you wish for them to use in the remark section!
★A special picture of a Maiko that you can use as a phone or PC background!
△Access to the special Facebook group
△Thanks email and updates!
△Name on the homepage!

Geiko Level Plan - Donation of 10000 Yen

＜This return contains＞

★Get a special thank you video message from a Maiko working in Kyoto!!! ※Let us know what name you wish for them to use in the remark section!
★Get a handwritten message card from a Maiko included!
★A special picture of a Maiko that you can use as a phone or PC background!
△Access to the special Facebook group
△Thanks email and updates!
△Name on the homepage!