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Subsidies aim to help graying geishas

Group wants to preserve Japanese tradition

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updated 4:31 p.m. ET March 18, 2005

TOKYO - Aging geisha in Japan’s ancient capital of Kyoto may soon have a new reason to sing and dance.

Worried about the increasing hardship faced by the kimono-clad professional entertainers, a geisha support group is planning a system of financial aid as the traditional method of support — paying patrons — dwindles.

“Many geisha are getting on a bit but they still have to study and buy kimonos,” said Osamu Ito, deputy head of the Kyoto Traditional Musical Art Promotion Foundation.

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“The older they get, the less work they have. We want to offer them support so they can carry on.”

Practitioners of Japan’s centuries-old art, which is soon to be the subject of a Hollywood movie, Geisha traditionally make their living by securing a patron who pays for their lessons, clothing and other expenses.

© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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