Visitors to Japan who were curious about geishas were brought to see her.

ECONOMIST: Kiharu Nakamura, a geisha, died on January 5th, aged 90

But after the sun goes down, geishas recede behind closed doors and teahouses shut down for the night, Kyoto offers spectacular nighttime charms.

BBC: Where to find Kyoto��s glow

She was fascinated by Tokyo's apprentice geishas as they paraded around town, and she copied their fancy costumes and heavy make-up.

ECONOMIST: Kiharu Nakamura, a geisha, died on January 5th, aged 90

She was one of the few geishas to learn English.

ECONOMIST: Kiharu Nakamura, a geisha, died on January 5th, aged 90

Historically, nightingale bird droppings were used to remove stains from delicate silk garments in Japan, as well as by geishas to whiten and even skin marred by frequent and heavy use of makeup, Pacheco says.

CNN: Try a placenta or bird poop facial

In 1929, a country girl, Chiyo, is sold into bondage at a Kyoto training house for geishas, a house ruled by the foul-tempered Mother (Kaori Momoi) and a nasty top geisha, Hatsumomo (Gong Li) the equivalents of a wicked step-mother and stepsister.

NEWYORKER: Memoirs of a Geisha