Wow! I found this site through immortalgeisha.com and I love every single one of your geisha/maiko pictures. You are lucky to have these lovely women for neighbors. :) One day I hope to go to Kyoto and take Peter's geisha tour!

Rice wearing? What does that mean? Where's the rice man? :) Forgive my ignorance...Please enlighten me!

There are a few stalks of rice protruding above the ornamental hairpin on her right side. It's a tradition for them to wear rice tops at New Year's. You'll be seeing rice all over the place in summer (planting is around Golden Week) when the stalks "head out" and begin to bend over.