Taste of seduction

Life is a journey and just as we have many not-so-exciting moments, we have many cliches. Kyoto is one of those cliches: a history stretching thousands of years witnessed by its thousands of temples and shrines, the grandeur of the Imperial Palace, the mysterious geisha culture - the glorious past we expect.

I accept without hesitation an invitation to attend a dinner with a geisha. I know it is a cliche, but I am an ordinary tourist who is keen to embrace anything that I have not experienced before.

In Kyoto, young apprentice geisha are called maiko, becoming geiko when they turn 21. Both are expensive. Before the economy nosedived, two hours with one maiko and one geiko used to cost 70,000 yen (HK$6,900) to 100,000 yen, so only wealthy families and businessmen with expense accounts could afford such exclusive entertainment. Now, even the moneyed classes and corporations economise and the business of geishas has changed accordingly.

Savvy market-sensitive restaurants, such as Gion Hatanaka, offer more affordable versions of geisha nights which include Kyoto cuisine. For 18,000 yen per person, a guest can enjoy a traditional dinner, unlimited supply of drinks and the service of two maiko and one geiko - with 40 other guests. By sharing the bill with others, it is opening this age-old tradition to a wider public. "It feels like a Groupon promotion," I say to fellow diners. "In bad times, everything can be 'Groupon-ised'."

The night starts with a performance of two maiko dancing and a geiko playing shamisen, a three-stringed Japanese musical instrument. I enjoy every second of the performance. The simple, slow reserved movements of the maiko exude beauty. My mind drifts with the ancient music, to a time when beauty was more than just skin deep.

This is not that crazy Snow Dance portrayed in Zhang Ziyi's Hollywood movie from the book Memoirs of a Geisha and is far removed from the hypersexual choreography of Lady Gaga or Beyonce.