Geishas in Japan have an enigmatic charm about them. They are so revered that a teacher of the art was once declared a “living national treasure” in the country.

Seeing a real geisha is not that easy, however. Ann Kang, general manager of the DoubleTree by Hilton Kyoto Higashiyama hotel, explains how much they can cost a venue that hires them.

“They charge per hour, you have to pay for round-trip taxi fees. If you want them to perform you have to pay for a space that has a tatami stage, equipped with instruments, and all of that costs thousands of [US] dollars.”

Then there’s the problem of even getting into a venue that has hired one. A considerable number of such shops and restaurants refuse entry to first-time customers unless they have introductions.

In Kyoto, this particularly applies to ozashiki bars, kimono shops and exclusive sushi restaurants.

“The ichigensan okotowari [no entry without introduction] culture requires an introduction before entry for first-time guests,” says Kang.

Hence, spotting a geisha or geiko (as they are called in western Japan, in cities like Kyoto and Kanazawa) in the streets is always something special, and even local Japanese get excited about taking pictures of or with one.

We were lucky enough to have hosts in Kyoto who pulled strings and treated us to an exclusive evening.

First, we were asked not to disturb the performance and not to touch the geiko and her maiko (apprentice geiko) at any time.

We were allowed to take pictures with them after the performance and when my arm grazed their kimonos I understood the caution – they were made with pure silk and probably cost a fortune.

One geiko introduced herself as Nanoha as she sat down and poured sake for everyone at the table. Her maiko was called Kozakura.

Nanoha said it usually takes four to five years of training to graduate from maiko to geiko.

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10 fun facts about geishas:

• Geishas use safflower lipstick to colour their lips red and add sugar to create a shine.
• The mother of a Geisha house is called an Okasan. She is responsible for the education and the career of the Geishas of the house.
• It can take up to 2 hours (or even more) for a Geisha to get ready.
• Geishas are paid according to time consumption.
• Apprentice Geishas will dye their teeth black before becoming a fully qualified Geisha.
• A Geisha’s kimono can take up to three years to manufacture.
• Many Geishas prefer not to wear any kimono more than once.
• Traditional Geisha hairstyles can cause the hair to recede. This is why wigs are commonly worn by many Geishas.
• Many gestures performed by Geishas have a hidden meaning.
• The first Geisha were actually men, and they were known as Honko.