Matsumoto Sata (松本佐多)
Sata MATSUMOTO (real first name was Aiko, 1873 - 1955) was a geigi (another term for geisha) in the Gion Kobu district and a master of the Classical Japanese dance of the Inoue school of Kamigatamai.
Sata, whose father was Torajiro and whose mother was Tomi, was born at the geisha house 'Masutomi' near the Ichiriki-tei tea house, lost both parents in her infancy and was adopted by Komiyu, a geigi at 'Masutomi.'
At the age of six, she started training in the Inoue school. There she polished her dancing and her skills got her noticed by master teacher Yachiyo INOUE III. At the age of 15, she debuted as a geigi, and obtained her license at the age of 18, which was unprecedented. She gave many performances and became highly evaluated.
She developed close friendships with many famous people, including Kabuki actor Sadanji ICHIKAWA II and novelist Junichiro TANIZAKI. In particular, she remained friends with Sadanji for a long time, and opened the tea house "Kyoka," named after his pen name.
Sata also worked hard as Yachiyo INOUE's right hand, training younger dancers and, in 1948, successfully gave a performance of Inoue school dance in Tokyo, the first time it had been performed outside the district; and for those achievements, she was awarded the Culture Prize by the Kyoto Culture Academy in 1950, and the Art Prize in 1952. In 1955, she passed away at the age of 88.