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Geisha appeal for help as business plummets

Mar 27, 2021 (NHK) - Geisha entertainers at a hot spring resort near Tokyo are asking for financial aid as demand for their performances plummets due to the pandemic.

A group of the traditional entertainers presented a letter to officials of the Kanagawa prefectural government on Thursday.

There is usually high demand for their performances at gatherings at local inns in the Hakone area. But geisha associations there say revenue dropped 80 percent in 2020 compared to the previous year.

In addition to the financial assistance, the geisha are asking the local government to organize events where they can display their skills.

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