June is here in all her finery!

June heralds the start of the new season. Time to dust off your lacquered shoes, change your tama and unfold your yukata collection. Small hints of change that let us know summer is here and fireworks are in the near future.

As always this also is the time for our new shikomi to join us. You must be wondering why shikomi is given such an importance at the Blue Lotus when in real life they are helpers and new faces of geisha trainees. In our virtual hanamachi there are needs to adapt and create new traditions. To better convey the aesthetic in this medium.

Our first rank is Okiya Hopeful. A four to six week period that allows an applicant to get to know the Blue Lotus and people there to see if the geisha path here is for them. They are also sent on a pilgrimage to visit other okiya and geisha establishments. The goal of this is to get these applicants to see the varied options and interpretations of geisha in SL and choose one that works for them.

Then an applicant is invited into our geisha group once she has completed the hopeful stage. She becomes a shikomi. For us this is a celebration of a new seed planted in our world we make a little more fuss than normal.

I would like to present the shikomi of this season. Hopefully many of them make it to minarai. Best wishes ladies and happy journey.

You can meet these ladies at our weekly Lotus Blossoms events on Monday's at 10 am SLT and Tuesdays 7 pm SLT at our Ochaya. These are introductory events to help the ladies acclimate to being a SL performer and to meet our honored patrons and friends.

Bryony - Aya - Sushie - Stefy - Klaire - Lorea - Mushroom - Etsuko - Antonia - Sigona - Laianna - Bellefille - Kyla - Princess - Kari - Elora - Fujiko

Things to do at the Blue Lotus Okiya: Ozashiki Asobi

Konnichiwa patrons and followers of the Blue Lotus Okiya!

As you all know, there are plenty of ways to kick back and have an enjoyable time at Blue Lotus. You can take a stroll around the markets, enjoy the blossoms in the cherry path gardens, or spend a relaxing few hours just sitting under the trees and fishing. But while you are here there is one thing you shouldn't miss doing, arguably the reason why the sim is here in the first place: taking part in an ozashiki asobi with the geisha of Blue Lotus!

The words "ozashiki asobi" (御座敷 遊び) roughly translate to "tatami room party," which explains the idea simply enough- guests and geisha assemble in an ochaya (teahouse), where the geisha entertain the guests with convivial conversation, music, dancing and often sake or tea. In RL, just getting into an ozashiki can be difficult and expensive. Guests can't just walk into an ochaya and book a maiko or geiko- they must already be a trusted customer of the ochaya, or invited by someone who is... then the fee itself for hiring the geisha can be the equivalent of thousands of dollars! However many consider it worth the effort to get a glimpse of the exclusive and mysterious world of the geisha, and to witness the skill of these ladies who have honed their artform to a level of detailed perfection.

Here at Blue Lotus we do things a bit differently. You don't have to be formally invited into our ochaya, or even to have been before, to experience the entertainment we offer- we often hold public ozashiki asobi where anyone is welcome to participate and have a good time. Additionally, you don't have to pay a fee to enjoy your time with us (although tips are always humbly appreciated). If you would like the guarantee of uninterrupted time with one of our maiko or geiko, we will give you our undivided attention for a time-based fee, which is marked by the burning of sticks of incense for each interval.

We always enjoy having a good ozashiki asobi, whether with longtime patrons or guests who are new to the entire experience, so please come by the ochaya at any time and we will be more than happy to welcome you into the experience of an ozashiki with the geisha of Blue Lotus. Ookini arigatou-san doshita, we look forward to seeing you in-world!

Maiko Umeha

Hatsuyo's Debut

Friday 24th of April, 2009. A new Blue Lotus Okiya maiko emerged into the second life geisha world.

Hatsuyo, Solariad Babenco, debuted amongst much fanfare at the SS Galaxy Cruise Ship. Her first performance as a maiko featured a dark tale with deep meaning and reflected her complex nature. The performance was packed and extra seating was quickly resolved by our gracious hosts at the SS Galaxy. In attendance amongst many honored guests and patrons also were our fellow Kenban sisters there to wish her the best.

At the Blue Lotus Okiya a misedashi is often the reward after months of tutelage, hard work, and dedication. We celebrate it over the course of 7 days. Much like a real life debut the maiko visits other venues that we normally perform at and other okiya and introduce herself to everyone as her new professional self. We also celebrate with performances scattered over the next 7 days ranging from stage shows to quiet conversational opportunities with the debuting maiko.

Hatsuyo is one of our shining stars and a greatly honored addition to the Blue Lotus Okiya. Come by and get to know her.

Miyako Odori ~ Dance of the Capital

Miyako Odori, or the Dance of the old Capital, is a month long series of dances and cultural events performed by the geiko and maiko of Gion Kobu annually throughout April. The month is a plethora of dances, plays, ceremonial services, and displays of art and ikebana most created by the geisha themselves. A cultural celebration of Japanese traditions and history.

The SL Miyako Odori 2009 hosted at the Blue Lotus Okiya features several okiya of the SL Geisha Kenban. We hope to uphold the spirit of these traditions and the Kyoto Hanamachi as well as create new traditions unique to the SL Geisha Community.

The opening ceremonies commenced on April 1st 9:00 am SLT with an encore at 7:00pm SLT. Both shows were well recieved and attended by members of the SL community. A group dance performance to the sakura song preceded the Tea ceremony Demonstration. Everyone was dressed as traditionally as SL possible with, Hair and kanzashi provided by Hana Katsuraya, Kimono by Geisha Dreams and Fans by Tenran. Our main Poster this year features Blue Lotus maiko Ichisumi and soon to debut maiko Umeha, Hana.

We would like to thank out performers:

geisha Ichiwaka of Mitsuba Okiya

Ichisumi, Megumi, Nariko, Hatsuyo, Umeha, Aika, Eva, Zeek, Angela, Mig and Vera of Blue Lotus Okiya

Chelsea, Callidora, and Koyuki of Pontocho Okiya