Kafu Nagai

Geisha in Rivalry, first published in 1918, is set against the backdrop of Tokyo's Shimbashi geisha district. The story of three geisha, imperious Rikiji, gaudy Kikuchiyo, and the nalve heroine Komayo, Geisha in Rivalry follows them in their search for a place in a world that offers no easy route of escape from their profession. With a full cast of vivid characters playing out their dramas of illi...

First published in 1937, this is a book both modern and nostalgic. It shows a changing city, its slums, backstreets, temples and shrines, a city filled with erudite establishments and riverside brothels. It shows a man trying to justify his life and a glimpse into the creative process, and is, as well, a gentle eulogy on things passing.