Japanese society always tried to keep a line for dividing them from others, trying to avoid contaminations and influences from other cultures. One of the few figures which was only slightly affected by these influences was the geisha, and today women and girls continue to choose this path, even if their number is negatively affected. The rite of passage happens from maiko, geisha apprentice, the girl of the left , to geiko, professional geisha, the girl on the right.