Women of the Pleasure Quarters: The Secret History of the Geisha » (Reprint)

An authority on Japanese history and culture, LESLEY DOWNER is the author of several acclaimed works on Japan, including a travel book, On the Narrow Road, and The Brothers: The Hidden World of Japan’s Richest Family, selected as a New York Times Notable Book. Having lived in Japan for a decade, she now divides her time between London and New York.

From critically acclaimed author and Japanese scholar Lesley Downer, an enchanting portrait of the mysterious world of the geisha.

Ever since Westerners arrived in Japan, they have been intrigued by Japanese womanhood and, above all, by geisha.

New York Times Book Review - Janice P. Nimura

[Downer] is not a safari guide, leading us on a wild geisha hunt. She is intelligent and curious and modest, and the results of her very personal research are deeply satisfying.