[Tsuwabuki]

I was actually looking for a thread more on where to see geisha, best times to see them, dances, and theatre in Kyoto, since I have some off time next weekend to explore the city, but I can add relevant information here:

"Iwasaki claims she would never have done such a thing, although Golden, rather ungallantly, has gone on record saying that Iwasaki told him that her mizuage had been sold for Y100 Million, and that he has taped conversations to prove it.

"Threats of legal action swirled for a while, but now that Iwasaki has had her say in print, they have been quietly forgotten, leaving some to conclude that what really upset the former geisha was how much money Golden had made on her story."

Dodd Jan, and Simon Richmond: A Rough Guide to Japan, Third Edition, January 2005, Rough Guides Press, New York, London, Dehli.

Seems to me that Iwasaki could not have successfully won that suit had she pursued it if Golden really could produce tapes, and vice versa, if she could have proven he was falsifying her history, then I doubt she'd have dropped the suit. Rather, I think Iwasaki's motivation was one of a good business woman, as most geisha were/are. She either expected a cut or she didn't realise fully what Golden's intentions were for the interviews she provided. She was brokering for a deal here, but she was at a severe disadvantage because of the tapes. In the end, it appears she had no leverage.