I guess it can be difficult to find a connection between the Valentine’s Day and Maiko (舞妓).

However, the Valentine’s Day is a very important event for Maiko for two reasons. First, we have a difficult task of handing the box of chocolates only to the selected customers while many other customers are around. Secondly, buying chocolate is a rare opportunity for Maiko to go shopping with colleagues.

As for handing the chocolates to the selected, most of the time, the frequent customer, you have to wait until he leaves the Ozashiki (お座敷, Maiko banquet) for the rest room.

There is a peculiar task for newly debuted Maiko that she has to follow the customers and wait at the door of the rest room to give them a hand towel. Keeping this peculiar task, chocolates can be passed while nobody knows.

When I was a Maiko trainee, my Okasan (お母さん, the female owner of Maiko dwelling) used to teach me: No matter how happy the customer look, he thinks about his job and returns to the reality while he's using the rest room. Waiting for him outside the door of the rest room is a part of our entertainment in order to keep our customers out of the reality.

Some customers didn't like the service at all, but some enjoyed. Some even spoke to me from inside. It's bizarre, but still a tradition of our Hanamachi (花街, Maiko and Geiko district).

Thank you very much.

Talk to you soon.

Beniko