The new geishas

AT first blush Azuha and Seiko, two geishas in Tokyo’s Asakusa neighbourhood, are paragons of Japanese decorum. With white-painted faces and silky black hair, they dance elegantly in silk kimonos for a small crowd. But then they slip into relaxed goofiness. During a drinking game, Azuha crawls like a tiger. Seiko pretends to be an old crone with a walking stick. When they lose, they down glasses of beer.