The crisp winter air, still tinged with the lingering scent of pine and incense from the New Year's festivities, carried a unique energy as the Maiko and Geiko returned to the heart of Gion. During this special period, my geisha friends are all dressed up in their most formal way, wearing a luxurious black kimono called kuromontsuki, a golden obi, red under-kimono, and having a special hairstyle especially for this occasion and the formal Sanbon-Ashi makeup (three lines on the back of their neck). During this festive period, they also wear signature hair ornaments made of turtle shells and a real rice stalk, signifying a long life of abundance.