Mika did her research carefully. She spent endless hours checking the different okiya in Gion--the entertainment district of Kyoto. She found out the age and health of the Madams and who had daughters or would soon. She gauged the profitability of the okiya and which geisha worked where and to which tea houses they had affiliations. After nearly a month of investigations, Mika made her decision.
Mika approached Madam Yokinaki with her proposal. It took some convincing, but eventually Mika won through. Whether it was her startling eyes, soft, musical voice, or determination, no one could say. Mika started as a maid in the Yokinaki okiya the following day. For six months she worked hard and learned the ropes. Mika worked on adopting a Kyoto accent and followed orders. Much of her time was spent looking after Raiha, the okiya's only geisha.
At the end of six months, Mika was allowed to start her training. Mika dressed in a blue and white robe--the symbol of a student--and Raiha took her to school, which was part of a complex, which included the theater. Mika signed up for classes and Raiha introduced her to her techers. After school on the first day, Raiha took Mika to the Gion Registry Office, which was located on the second floor of the school.
When Mika returned from school, Mama took her to the baths. Then, refreshed and clean, they returned to the okiya and Mika wore her first silk kimono. It was orange and red, with leaves falling from trees toward the soft ground at the bottom hem. Mika then went to Raiha's room to watch the older geisha put on her makeup.
Raiha started by warming a bar of wax and applying it as a foundation to her face, neck, and chest. Next, she added some water to her makeup and stirred it into a chalky paste, which she applied to her face with a wooden brush. She used a smaller brush to cover around her eyes and mouth. Next, she used pigment sticks to apply a blush to her cheeks and then Mama painted the back of Raiha's neck.
At this point, Mr. Rikki entered and assisted Raiha with her kimono and obi. Although they appeared simple from the outside, numerous catches, cords, and clasps were required to keep the kimono and obi in place. When everything was properly adjusted, Mr. Rikki left and Raiha returned to finish the final touches on her makeup. With a match, she lit a dry piece of paulownia wood and then put it out, let it cool, and then used it to paint on her eyebrows. Finally, she used rouge to paint her lower lip and her makeup was complete. Raiha placed a couple of ornaments in her hair and she was ready to go out for the night.
Mika looked forward to the day when she would go out as Raiha did. But that day was still a long way off. Mika continued to go to school, where she learned to play several instruments, sing, dance, perform the tea ceremony, and a host of other skill necessary to becoming a successful geisha. After school she had to practice her skills, do her chores, and run errands. Mika made it a point to make a good impression on her instructors and on some of the working geisha.
Even the most popular geisha still attended school, even if not as often as the students, like Mika, who were not yet apprentice geisha yet. Mika knew that she would need someone to act as her older sister, and the best way to get a good older sister was to make a good impression. Her naturally musical voice helped greatly with her singing classes, and her strength and endurance assisted with many of the skills. It was not long before a lot of people were talking about the green-eyed beauty.
Even so, it was another year and a half until everything worked out. It was when Mika was approximately twelve that Mama came to an agreement with Mametsuka, possibly the most famous geisha of the time. Mametsuka would accept Mika as her younger sister and help guide Mika into the world of the geisha.
For the next two years, Mika continued her studies and added to her other work the added tasks required by Mametsuka. These included lessons on etiquette as well as dressing up in one of Mametsuka's kimonos and following her older sister-to-be around. These outings were used to get people to associate the young student with Mametsuka and increase Mika's chances of success at her coming out.
After two years, Mika performed a simple ceremony with Mametsuka that bound the two together as sisters. It was at this time that Mika took on her geisha name: Mamemitsu. It was this name that her customers and the other players in Gion would know her. After the ceremony, Mametsuka took Mamemitsu out to her first party. Mamemitsu was dressed in a green and gold kimono, with fish that seemed to jump about as she moved. Her hair was done up in a momoware [split peach] that was the style for apprentice geisha.
The party was held at the Komoriya teahouse and included about a dozen business men and a half-dozen geisha. As a novice, Mamemitsu had few duties. She merely introduced herself as a novice and poured sake for the gentlemen when required. Mametsuka entertained the group with an off-color story, and after an hour they left. Although it was not the most exciting affair, it was Mamemitsu's first experience as a geisha and yet another step on her road to following in her older sister's illustrious footsteps.