Erikae

Erikae (襟替え, the turning of the collar) is a ceremony where a maiko (an apprentice geisha) becomes a geisha and begins to wear the white collar of a geisha instead of the red worn by apprentices. Her hairstyle would also be changed from the ofuku-style to the shimada worn by older women.

References

• Melissa Hope Ditmore (2006). Encyclopedia of prostitution and sex work. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-32969-9., page 184 [1]
• Reynolds, Wayne; Gallagher, John (2003). Geisha : A Unique World of Tradition, Elegance and Art. PRC Publishing. ISBN 1-85648-697-4. page 159