Jan Bardsley Books
Jan Bardsley focuses on the study of Japanese women and their literary history. Her work examines key figures and movements that shaped women's writing and social standing in Japan. Through her research, she illuminates the complex social and cultural currents influencing the lives and voices of Japanese women. Her contribution to the field is significant, particularly for her deep exploration of early feminist authors and their legacies.
Maiko Masquerade
- 300 pages
- 11 hours of reading
Maiko Masquerade explores Japanese representations of the maiko, or apprentice geisha, in films, manga, and other popular media as an icon of exemplary girlhood. Jan Bardsley traces how the maiko, long stigmatized as a victim of sexual exploitation, emerges in the 2000s as the chaste keeper of Kyoto’s classical artistic traditions. Insider accounts by maiko and geisha, their leaders and fans, show pride in the training, challenges, and rewards maiko face. No longer viewed as a toy for men’s amusement, she serves as catalyst for women’s consumer fun. This change inspires stories of ordinary girls—and even one boy—striving to embody the maiko ideal, engaging in masquerades that highlight questions of personal choice, gender performance, and national identity.