Crossword-Solution: GEISHAS 7 letters, 25 clues 🏆 scrabble score: 11

Drums, tom-toms, and cymbals were beaten; _kotos_ and _samisens_ screeched and twanged; _geishas_ (professional women with the accomplishments of dancing, singing, and playing) danced,—accompanied by songs whose jerking discords were most laughable; story-tellers recited tales in a high key, and the running about and splashing close to my room never ceased.

There is one covered boat for excursions on the lake, and a few _geishas_ were playing the _samisen_; but, as gaming is illegal, and there is no place of public resort except the bathing-sheds, people must spend nearly all their time in bathing, sleeping, smoking, and eating.

Tea-houses with many balconies studded the river-side, and pleasure-parties were enjoying themselves with _geishas_ and _saké_, but, on the whole, the water-side streets are shabby and tumble down, and the landward side of the great city of western Japan is certainly disappointing; and it was difficult to believe it a Treaty Port, for the sea was not in sight, and there were no consular flags flying.

Cooking, bathing, eating, and, worst of all, perpetual drawing water from a well with a creaking hoisting apparatus, are going on from 4.30 in the morning till 11.30 at night, and on both evenings noisy mirth, of alcoholic inspiration, and dissonant performances by _geishas_ have added to the din.

Last night the inn was very noisy, as some travellers in the next room to mine hired _geishas_, who played, sang, and danced till two in the morning, and the whole party imbibed _saké_ freely.