In 1929 an impoverished nine-year-old named Chiyo from a fishing village is sold to a geisha house in Kyoto's Gion district and subjected to cruel treatment from the owners and the head geisha Hatsumomo. Her stunning beauty attracts the vindictive jealousy of Hatsumomo, until she is rescued by and taken under the wing of Hatsumomo's bitter rival, Mameha. Under Mameha's mentorship, Chiyo becomes the geisha named Sayuri, trained in all the artistic and social skills a geisha must master in order to survive in her society. As a renowned geisha she enters a society of wealth, privilege, and political intrigue. As World War II looms Japan and the geisha's world are forever changed by the onslaught of history.
Written by dumpster_cakes
The film was banned in China because Chinese actresses play Japanese geisha. The national film board and the Office for the Administration of Radio, Film and Television claimed that it was banned because the storyline is "too sensitive".
See more »
Goofs
Continuity:
When Mameha cuts Sayuri's leg, during the dialogue Sayuri has a red ribbon and a pink comb in her hair. The pink comb disappears and reappears throughout the shots.
See more »
Quotes
Mameha:
[while teaching Sayuri]
You cannot call yourself a truse geisha until you can stop a man in his tracks with a single look. See more »