Hanayo

Hanayo
Background information
Born	1970
Origin	Japan
Genres	Electronica, experimental, noise, alternative rock
Occupation(s)	Musician, artist, photographer, actress
Years active	1989 – present
Website	www.hanayo.com

Hanayo (花代), born Hanayo Nakajima (中島 花代, Nakajima Hanayo^?, born 1970), is a Japanese musician and artist. She is known for her playful and subversive artwork, often deeply rooted in Japanese culture. Hanayo currently lives and works in Japan.

In 1989 Hanayo began training as a junior geisha in Tokyo, publishing an account of the experience in her 1991 book, Oshakuchan No. 1. Together with Japanese noise musicians Masami Akita (Merzbow) and Masaya Nakahara (Violent Onsen Geisha) she formed the band Muscats in 1992. Later that year Hanayo was featured on the cover of The Face magazine's December issue in full geisha attire. In 1993 she modeled for a Jean Paul Gaultier advertising campaign.

In 1995 Hanayo finished her geisha work and moved to Europe. In 1997 she joined German director/performance artist Christoph Schlingensief for several projects: She portrayed Yoko Ono in the performance Mein Filz, mein Fett, mein Hase (English: My Felt, My Fat, My Hare) at documenta X in Kassel. She took part in Schlingensief's performance Passion Impossible at the Deutsches Schauspielhaus in Hamburg and had a role in his theatre play Die letzten Tage der Rosa Luxemburg (English: The Last Days of Rosa Luxemburg) at the Berliner Ensemble. In 2000 Hanayo starred in Shane O'Sullivan's film Second Generation.

...
Wikipedia