Portraits of Maiko

Maiko San are Geiko (Kyoto Geisha) in training, learning advanced skills in music, dance, conversation, and other traditional Japanese arts. This project documents a fast-disappearing facet of traditional Japanese culture. It is estimated that there are only about 1,000 geisha remaining in Japan today, from an estimated 80,000 a hundred years ago. I’ve been traveling to Kyoto several times a year since 2023 to photograph these iconic figures of traditional Japanese culture.

A selection of hand-made silver gelatin prints from “Portraits of Maiko” is available here, with more being added as I print them. A limited edition book will be released in 2026. Stay tuned for more information coming soon.