Geiko (芸妓) is the prefered term for a geisha in the Kansai area. This term is used so that they are not confused with onsen geisha and the geisha in Kyoto insist on being called geiko. Women dressed as maiko (apprentice geisha) in Kyoto, Japan Characters for Geisha, lit. ... The Kansai (Japanese: 関西) region of Japan, also known as the Kinki region (近畿地方, Kinki-chihō), lies in the middle of Japans main island, Honshu. ... Women dressed as maiko (apprentice geisha) in Kyoto, Japan Characters for Geisha, lit. ... This page is about the city Kyoto. ...