Higashiyama Joshi Gigei Gakko (東山女子技芸学校)
Located at Miyagawa-cho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City, Higashiyama Joshi Gigei Gakko (Higashiyama Girls School of performance arts) is an educational organization for maiko (apprentice geisha) and geisha girls.
It was founded in 1968.
It was licensed as an educational corporation in 1969 under the name of the Higashiyama Joshi Gakuen
Five years are required for completing a course of study.
(Maiko and geisha can continue registration over five years.)
Subjects taught there are classical Japanese dance (Wakayagi school), nagauta (long epic song with shamisen accompaniment), Tokiwazu (a performance of Joruri (the Japanese-type puppet play)), fue (Japanese flute), tea ceremony, narimono (musical instrument), jiuta and koto music, kouta (a ballad sung to samisen accompaniment/hauta (a Japanese traditional song or ballad sung to the accompaniment of the samisen).
(Compulsory subjects are classical Japanese dance, shamisen [a three-stringed Japanese banjo], hayashi [musical accompaniment played on traditional Japanese instruments] [narimono and fue], and tea ceremony.)
The results of this education can be seen in their routine ozashiki (banquets in which guests are attended by geisha) as well as on stage at the "Kyo Odori (Kyoto Dance)" held every April at Miyagawa-cho Kaburenjo Theater and "Mizuekai dance performance" held every October.
Extra meetings are held to study dance and narimono, although it is not known if their performances are made available to the public