Tayū

Tayū (太夫) are the highest class of traditional courtesan in Japan. Traditionally the highest class of Geisha,  were distinguished historically from other courtesans by the quality of their intensive training from a young age in numerous traditional artforms, and that they lived and worked in Kyoto, the capital of Japan, which remained the center of culture when the capital moved to Tokyo.

were known for their training in Japanese tea ceremony,, , Japanese calligraphy, poetry, dance, singing, and the playing of traditional instruments, such as the.

History
differed from lower ranks of oiran by the social class of their customers and the services they offer. Oiran, being prostitutes and Tayū, being high ranking Geisha. Traditionally, catered for the uppermost echelons of society, including the nobility and the imperial court. were recognised as a group in the beginning of the Edo period. Due to the limited size of their clientele, they were never numerous; during their peak there were approximately 40 working in Kyoto in the Shimabara district.

have survived into the modern day in Shimabara, Kyoto, having been allowed to continue practising the cultural and performing arts traditions of their profession.

The most famous in history was Yoshino (吉野太夫), who lived in the 17th century. Trained from the age of 7, she quickly mastered the many arts required to be a, and made her debut at the age of 14, immediately becoming a sensation. Yoshino was well-known for her beauty, skill and erudition. Yoshino is buried in the Jōshō-ji temple in Kyoto. Every year on the second Sunday in April, near the anniversary of her death, there is a procession of to the temple, where a ceremony is held.

Appearance
While entertaining, wear elaborate kimono and hair ornaments weighing more than 2 kg. Unlike modern-day  and geisha, but similarly to some apprentice geisha, they do not use wigs for their traditional hairstyles, but instead use their own hair.

wear white face makeup and blacken their teeth. are accompanied by an older female attendant and two (young girls wearing red livery bearing the 's name).

When outdoors, wear distinctive extremely high platform sandals, which require a special mode of walking in order to look elegant, and also an attendant for support. This and many other aspects of the 's appearance were copied by the, most notably in the , a procession where the processes to meet a customer.