Geisha can be considered a very distinctive cultural feature of Japan. However, if we''re talking about ancient traditions, it''s not exactly all that old. The geisha industry, originating from the Warring States period, has only a history of a few hundred years.


    But the geisha culture, which started as entertainment for nobles and high-ranking officials and has now be a form of cultural industry, indeed possesses its unique charm.


    A geisha is not the same as a courtesan or a prostitute; this is fundamentally different from Yoshiwara.


    Although it''s not unheard of for geisha to develop personal rtionships with their clients, during the Meiji Restoration era, figures such as Okubo Toshimichi and Hirobumi Ito married geisha. Their wives, taking advantage of the geisha''s unique ability to interact with a wide range of people, contributed significantly to the reform efforts of that time. However, such matters were never truly the primary duties of a geisha.


    The role of a geisha is simply to apany guests during banquets.


    They are highly skilled; beyond chatting and drinking with guests, they excel in singing and dancing, adding a festive atmosphere to the gatherings.


    This is somewhat simr to the hostesses in Ginza. Ginza hostesses also merely apany guests for drinks and conversation, without engaging in any other physical interactions.


    As for wealthy patrons taking hostesses out—well, that''s just a private arrangement.


    But none of this has much to do with Chen Yu. Today, he''s merely apanying his friends to experience what geisha culture is and to gain an understanding of this traditional art form.


    As for why Chen Yu didn''t simply join a tourist group to watch a daytime geisha performance, it''s because he wanted to savor the most authentic taste of Kyoto''s geisha culture.


    Tonight, three geisha were performing for Chen Yu and hispanions. One was evidently much younger, merely ying an instrument, while the other two, in both attire and hairstyle, clearly belonged to a higher rank. One was dancing, while the other sat beside Chen Yu and Hiromi Jounouchi, pouring drinks and chatting with them.


    "Sir, may I ask what your profession is?" The geisha sitting beside Chen Yu and Hiromi was wearing a deep purple kimono. Its serene and elegant hue conveyed an air of nobility without being overly ostentatious. Even as she initiated the conversation to warm up the atmosphere, her tone remained gentle and soft, causing no difort whatsoever.


    In response to the geisha''s question, Chen Yu took a sip from his cup, exchanged a nce with Hiromi Jounouchi, and then replied with a smile, "Why don''t you guess what I do?"


    "Your posture is very upright, suggesting a certain discipline in your regr demeanor. There''s also an air of schrliness about you,bined with a sense of authority thates from upying a high position, though without a trace of arrogance..." The geisha carefully observed Chen Yu as she spoke, disying the refined ability to assess guests that is fundamental to her profession. She made her guesses while speaking: "Could it be that you''re a doctor or a teacher? I''d wager you''re a doctor, and not just any doctor, but a renowned one at a prestigious hospital! However, I don''t think you''re a doctor here in Kyoto, because if such a handsome doctor existed here, I''d surely have heard of him."


    Having concluded her spection, the geisha smiled, her expression betraying a certain confidence in her guess.


    Hearing the geisha''s observations, Chen Yu and Hiromi Jounouchi bothughed. Chen Yu addressed the geisha with an amused grin, "If you think I''m a doctor, why not try guessing how many doctors there are in this group? If you get it right, I''ll tell you what I actually do."


    The geisha didn''t find Chen Yu''s challenge inappropriate at all. It''smon for geisha to chat with guests at the table, enliven the atmosphere, and serve their patrons. Thus, Chen Yu''s suggestion that she guess the professions of the group was merely a tabletop game.


    For a geisha, this sort of thing is second nature and amon entertainment during banquets. Guests often challenge geisha to guess their professions, and identifying the upations of people at the table is a fundamental skill for geisha.


    After all, to bond with guests, being able to guess their professions and engage them in topics of interestes naturally and leaves a great impression.


    So, when Chen Yu asked her to guess the professions of everyone in the group, the geisha simply poured more sake into Chen Yu''s cup, set the bottle down, and swept her gaze around the room to observe the others.


    At that moment, the other geisha''s dance had reached its most dazzling segment. Inomata Naoki and Kube Rokuro were watching intently, while Kohinata Kaori and Misumi Mikoto were equally captivated by the exquisite performance. Minami, however, seemed more absorbed in observing the young geisha ying the shamisen, her interest evidently drawn to the musician''s skill with the instrument.


    Only Qingdai, owing to her prestigious upbringing, seemed to approach the geisha performance in a rtively detached manner. Although she appreciated the dance, her gaze was not as fixated as the others.


    The geisha beside Chen Yu took in everyone''s expressions and demeanor, pondered briefly, and then offered her thoughts to Chen Yu: "Among you, I''d say only the youngdy over there isn''t a doctor. The rest all seem connected to the medical profession in one way or another. Am I correct?"


    "Haha, can you share your reasoning?" Chen Yu, intrigued by her assessment, looked at her with great interest, eager to hear her exnation for such a conclusion.


    Faced with Chen Yu''s questioning, the geisha yfully withheld her reasoning. She shed a coy smile and said to Chen Yu, "Sir, you haven''t told me if I''m correct yet! Why don''t you confirm whether I got it right first, and then I''ll tell you how I figured it out."


    Before Chen Yu could respond, Hiromi Jounouchi interjected, "You''re mostly correct. Among everyone here, aside from that youngdy, there are three forensic pathologists, and the rest are hospital doctors. But one of the forensic pathologists has already passed the medical licensing exams and will soon officially be a doctor too."


    "I see. It seems I wasn''t mistaken." The geisha chuckled softly at Hiromi Jounouchi''s confirmation, before exining further: "I initially deduced that you two were doctors. Since the others apanying you weren''t rtives or close family friends, they''re likely colleagues.


    However, judging by your interactions, you don''t seem like rtives. Your mannerisms are a bit more reserved than close friends would be, which makes the likelihood of being colleagues quite high. But given how amicable your rtionships appear, it''s clear you all get along well, which is why you decided to travel to Kyoto together.


    As for deducing that many of you are connected to the medical profession, it was based on the overall demeanor of the group. Doctors have a certain distinct air about them, different from ordinary people."