Memoirs of a Geisha

Article written by Jacob Campbell

The novel is a beautiful tale of one girl’s journey from a poor fisherman’s daughter to one of Japan’s most prominent Geisha. Chiyo’s life living in a poor fishing village makes a drastic transformation when she, along with her older sister, is sold into a geisha house and a brothel, respectively, and Chiyo becomes a geisha apprentice at the Nitta Okiya.

The reader follows her journey as she learns everything about the arts of the geisha, including learning tea ceremonies and how to dance, and discovers the far darker elements of Japanese traditions. Prior to debuting as a geisha, Golden reveals that the highest bidder will win a bidding war for the young girl’s virginity.

Arthur Golden, with the use of beautiful language and vivid imagery, weaves together the world around Chiyo/Sayuri, set between World War II (1929-1945) in Japan and the United States. In a story filled with hardship and sadness, the protagonist, Chiyo/Sayuri, always seems to overcome any obstacle thrown her way and find the light in every situation.

Key Facts about Memoirs of a Geisha

• Title: Memoirs of a Geisha
• When/Where Written: Arthur Golden wrote the book between 1991-1997 in Boston, Massachusetts
• Published: 1997
• Literary Period: Contemporary Fiction
• Genre: Historical Fiction, Bildungsroman
• Point-of-View: First-person
• Setting: Yoroido, Kyoto, and New York City; early to late 20th century
• Climax: When Sayuri, the protagonist, decides to betray Nobu.
• Antagonist: Hatsumomo

Arthur Golden and Memoirs of a Geisha

Arthur Golden was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1956. Golden graduated from Baylor School (middle and high school) in 1974 before attending Harvard University. There he received a degree in art history, focusing on Japanese art. In the 1980s, Golden earned a degree in Japanese history from Columbia University. After receiving his master’s, Golden spent a summer at Beijing University and then went to work in Tokyo, where he met a young man whose dad was a well-known businessman and whose mother was a geisha. He later earned a Master in Arts from Boston University.

The stories of this man’s family inspired him to return to the U.S. in the late 80s and begin to work on the first drafts of what would become ‘Memoirs of a Geisha.’ After six years of writing, in 1997, Arthur Golden would complete his first novel. A complete success, the novel was on the New York Times bestseller list for two years while selling more than four million copies. Arthur Golden currently lives in Brookline, Massachusetts, with his wife and kids.

Books Related to Memoirs of a Geisha

With such a popular genre as historical fiction, there are quite a few fantastic books similar to the story of  ‘Memoirs of a Geisha.’ The idea of creating new perspectives or realities for historical events or periods has captivated readers for a long time. The following list of novels relates to the journey and struggle of the protagonist Sayuri and the portrayal of the negatives of a particular cultural heritage.

An obvious and slightly controversial novel related to ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’ would be Mineko Iwasaki’s ‘Geisha, a Life.’ Arthur Golden interviewed Mineko Iwasaki for research purposes before writing the novel, and Mineko believed everything was said in confidence. She believed he exaggerated the profession of a geisha, comparing it closer to prostitution. She later sued Arthur Golden and wrote her memoirs, ‘Geisha, a Life.’

Other books with similar, strong female protagonists spanning different time periods include; Diana Gabaldon’s, ‘Outlander,’ which follows protagonist Claire Randall in a magical retelling of the past. Colson Whiteheads, ‘The Underground Railroad,’ a rewrite of the atrocities black people endured in America before the Civil War. Last on the list is Philippa Gregory’s ‘The Constant Princess.’ The similarities between Catherine of Aragon and Sayuri’s journeys are very much the same. 

The Lasting Impact of Memoirs of a Geisha