it help immensely if one be familiar with the culture and time period in which this film take place . first of all and these lady be not geisha and they be oiran ( prostitute ) in the yoshiwara type green house and circa 1860 and give or take . this should help clear up some detail which may be confuse to the unaware . the film deal with issue of loyalty and love and and perhaps most importantly and how people deal with adversity and both their own and that of others in their immediate environment . that plus the outrageous photography together with the hauntingly beautiful music and make for a lovely ride . just plug it in and suspend your disbelief and enter their world . you would not be disappoint .