I'm always interested to see articles on Japan because of my time there. Having been lucky enough to live near Kyoto, I've been fascinated by the whole tradition of geisha. These women were not only beautiful but educated and visually intellectual in a time that the average woman was not.

Since my time living there, I've found on subsequent visits that the country is becoming more and more Western and that is something that saddens me deeply. The tradition is what makes it a magical place and to lose that to a more America-centric model is simply motainai (a waste).

I then stumbled on this article about the movement to popularize and create renewed respect for this form of entertainment. It takes me back to a time, long ago, that I wandered the same pavements trying to find myself amongst the sea of humanity there. It also makes me happy that, in a country so technologically advanced, that tradition is once again paramount and not falling by the wayside.

That is the beauty of the small city of Kyoto.

I can only hope that it spreads throughout the rest of the country...