Katsumi Nemoto

Why I Paint Maiko

“I admired Maiko from the time I was an elementary school student. The moment I graduated from junior high school, I became one. This is the only life I can live... the only one...”

These were the quiet words spoken by a seventeen-year-old Maiko in 2022, during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the future of Kyoto’s Gion district and its traditional culture seemed uncertain.

To many people, the world of Gion appears elegant and glamorous. Yet behind the beauty lies a life of discipline, sacrifice, and constant dedication. Beneath every smile are moments of anxiety, struggle, and determination. Every performance, every gesture, and every dance is the result of unwavering commitment.

That is why I am drawn to Maiko.

What I seek to portray is not merely their beauty, but their spirit—the courage of a young girl who makes a life-changing decision at the age of twelve and devotes herself completely to the world of the hanamachi by the age of fifteen.

Through my paintings, I hope to capture the dignity, resolve, and quiet strength that exist behind the traditional image of the Maiko. Their lives embody a rare combination of grace and determination, and it is this human story that continues to inspire my work.

June 2026...

- Dropped out of Kogakuin University, Department of Architecture
- Graduated from Chuo Technical School, Department of Architecture
- I have been painting in oils for over 30 years.


Currently, all of my work is created using the grisaille technique, a method used in European solo exhibitions.

[Awards and Recognition]
* Associate Member of Nitten (Japan Fine Arts Exhibition): Selected 8 times
* Member of Kofukai: Received the Kofukai Member Award
* Special Prize Winner in the Western Painting Section of the Ibaraki Prefectural Art Exhibition
* Solo and Group Exhibitions: More than 10 times