Maiko Haaaan!!! April 15, 2009

Last year, the Embassy of Japan was pleased to welcome geisha from Tokyo’s famous Shimbashi district to the JICC stage. This year, we’re bringing these elegantly elusive entertainers to the big screen. From acclaimed screenwriter Kankuro Kudo of Go (2001), for which he won a Japan Academy Award, and Ping Pong (2002), this slapstick comedy offers a colorfully entertaining glimpse into the mysterious world of the maiko (or apprentice geisha), complete with a twist of Kyoto humor.
Unlike most businessmen, Kumihiko Onizuka is thrilled to learn he’s being demoted, because that means he’ll be transferred to Kyoto. With the hopes of finally realizing his lifelong dream of meeting and falling in love with a real maiko, he promptly dumps his girlfriend and heads for the “flower districts” of Kyoto. When his rival, a famous professional baseball player, stands in the way, Onizuka vows to take revenge by going pro himself. Little does he know his jilted ex-girlfriend has a plan of her own!

Official Website: http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/jicc/index.htm