Do geisha still blacken their teeth?

Does Ohaguro Still Exist in Modern Japan?

Ohaguro, the ancient practice of blackening teeth, may sound strange to modern ears, but it was once a widespread beauty tradition in Japan. Today, it's no longer part of everyday life, yet it hasn’t vanished entirely. You won’t see women on the streets of Tokyo with darkened teeth, but ohaguro lingers in pockets of tradition where history and aesthetics intertwine.

The custom was especially common among married women and members of the aristocracy during the Edo period. For geisha, however, blackened teeth were a symbol of maturity and status. While full-time geisha no longer practice ohaguro regularly, it makes a rare and symbolic appearance during erikae—the ceremonial transition when an apprentice geisha, or maiko, officially becomes a full-fledged geisha. This rite of passage marks the end of training and the beginning of a new chapter, and in some traditional hanamachi (geisha districts), teeth blackening is still part of the ritual.

Beyond geisha culture, ohaguro is mostly confined to the stage and screen. You’ll spot it in kabuki theater, historical dramas, and during certain festivals where performers dress in period attire. These moments offer a glimpse into a bygone aesthetic—one where beauty was defined not by natural teeth, but by ritual, refinement, and social transformation.

Though the practice has faded, its survival in symbolic forms shows how deeply tradition is preserved in Japanese performing arts and cultural ceremonies. Ohaguro is no longer a norm, but in its quiet persistence, it reminds us that some customs, though rare, are never truly forgotten.