There is a differnece, however, between an oiran and a geisha. A geisha would be hired as an entertainer at a party or another form of social gathering, not as a prostitute. Although they are similar in appearence - both wearing the white painted face and elaborate dress - an oiran's clothing and hairstlye would generally be more flamboyant than that of a geisha.

Have you noticed how Yumi wears her obi with the knot tied in the front? That's the way orian wore their obi (even though an orian's obi would be much larger than the little sash Yumi wears). Apparently, she never let go of her status as an oiran. The kimono-off-the-shoulder style, however, is a Yumi thing.

To learn more about geisha and their training, you may want to visit these sites:

~ Imortal Geisha ~

~ Karyukai ~