Kaguwa, Oiran-Za, and The Courtesan Dance of Today

Before Geisha rose into prominence in Edo, the ancient capital of Japan, Oiran were the most sought-after type of courtesan. Times were different, then; and it was a standard to employ courtesans for entertainment. But Oiran differed from Geisha in that the former dressed extravagantly, with hairstyles to match, whereas the latter were often more modest in their demeanor. This later on became the downfall of Oiran, who became associated with the dwindling top bracket of society, whereas the Geisha culture would continue to strive within the middle-class. Traditional Oiran can still be found in Kyoto today, but this article isn't about that.

 While routinely searching for things to do while out and about in Tokyo, I stumbled upon a venue which aimed to resurrect the art of Oiran while modernizing it. And though the place in question, named Kaguwa, in Roppongi, is nowhere as popular with tourists as, say, the Robot Restaurant in Shinjuku, the performance delivered there is quite something to behold.
 With its 3500¥ admission fee and one-drink, one-food policy, Kaguwa isn't exactly cheap, but the moment you enter, you get a pretty good idea of what you're paying for. The venue itself doesn't seat such a ludicrous amount of people - the stage upon which the dancers perform is quite close. Prior to the show's start, the dancers, resplendent in ornate kimonos, mingle freely with the patrons, sharing their business cards and giving their thanks.
 But when the show begins, it's a whirlwind of dazzling lights, a shifting stage and dance performances both powerful and graceful. The opening act of the one hour show was everything I had expected of Kaguwa's fabled modernized Oiran-za, and felt as authentic as it was mystifying, closing with the two lead dancers hooking themselves up to cables and flying off the stage, like some kind of Broadway production of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

Except for the curtain-call, pictures were sadly forbidden.

But the show then proceeded to deliver a couple of performances I did not expect. Every subsequent act was completely different from the last - flowing from the aforementioned first act to a very strange and upbeat take on Ricky Martin's Vida Loca to acrobatic swordplay to appearances from famous manga characters to a strong closing act in the same vein as the opening one. Kaguwa's Oiran-za transitioned from captivating, to exciting, to bizarre, to sexy, to emotional, and was often a blend of several of those things at once. I had the strong feeling, throughout, that I'd probably miss something if I blinked.
 In a way that harkens, intentionally or not, to the ancient courtesan-culture, patrons graced the performers with money at the end of the show, holding out money for the performers to receive. It was at that point, too, that we were revealed which were actually women and which were transvestites. Whoa.
 Altogether, my hour had gone by way too fast, and I found myself wishing the show was twice as long. But it was an amazing rush, and my friends agreed that it was worth the money we had spent, and exceeded expectations.