But this misunderstanding of the geisha strips them of a centuries-long history rooted in culture and art. Shichiha poses ... Shichiha sits for another portrait before she puts on her wig.

Okinawa Soba said of the Naruse: 'He obviously considered his portraits to be ... Traditional geisha begin training at a very young age and when the art form first emerged many children were ...

But this stunning collection of photographs of geisha during the second half of the 20th century shows how the ancient Japanese art found its place in a more modern world full of businessmen ...