Okiya

An okiya is a geisha house in Japan, a business and residence where geisha and their apprentices, known as maiko, are trained, housed, and managed. The term literally means “little house,” and the okiya is typically run by an experienced proprietor called the okami or okami-san, often with other staff handling administration and daily operations.

Within an okiya, geisha are employed and live on site. The okami organizes training in traditional arts such as singing, dancing, and playing the shamisen, as well as instruction in etiquette, language, and social skills. The okiya also oversees wardrobe, hairstyling, and makeup, and coordinates the geisha’s schedule of engagements at ochaya (tea houses) or other venues. Earnings from performances or appearances tend to go through the okiya, which provides living costs, training, and a share of earnings to the geisha.

Geisha candidates are typically recruited by an okiya and enter a period of apprenticeship as maiko. They reside in the okiya during training and gradually acquire skills, dress, and reputation to advance within the geisha world. The okiya serves as a career‑building hub, organizing client introductions and guiding career progression within the local entertainment district.

Today, okiya remain a central feature of traditional geisha districts in cities such as Kyoto and continue to operate within modern labor and business practices while preserving cultural performances as part of the karyukai, the broader geisha world.