Maiko - Geisha in training

Apprentice geisha are called Maiko. Geisha are traditional, female Japanese entertainers, whose skills include performing various Japanese arts, such as classical music and dance. Contrary to popular belief, Geisha are not prostitutes.
You can recognize the Maiko to the orange/pink collored strip around the neck. A real Geisha only has a white stroke and wears a wig.

They say that there are only 1000 geisha's left in Japan. Geisha's appear on the street around 6 p.m. Photo taken in the Gion region in Kyoto last July.