The Galt Museum explores Japanese culture and pop culture with a new travelling exhibition “From Geisha to Diva: The Kimono of Ichimaru,” which runs Sept. 25- Jan. 9.

“It’s an exhibit from Barry Till from the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. It’s been travelling for two decades,” said Graham Ruttan, Galt Museum Marketing and Communications Officer.
“This exhibit tells the story of Ichimaru,” he continued, noting she transitioned from geisha to pop diva in the 1930s.
Geishas have a long and honourable history in Japan as entertainers and hostess/ courtesans. They were trained in many of the Japanese arts including music.
“ The local connection is there is a large Japanese Canadian community in Lethbridge,” he said, adding the Galt Museum has partnered with the Nikka Yuko Japanese Centre to bring this exhibit to Lethbridge.
Ichimaru (1906-1997) was one of Japan’s most famous geishas of the twentieth century, who mastered singing and shamanism. She began recording music in the 1930s. One of her songs is part of the exhibit in a motion activated box.
“She was quite active from the 1920s to the 1980s,” he said.
There are several kimonos and a few Obi, long sashes wrapped around the kimonos. There are also some wood cut paintings plus personal effects and wigs.