"Memoirs of a Geisha" seems destined to win an Oscar. A side of Japanese culture that is grossly misunderstood by the West becomes a bit clearer with this film. Geishas are shown to specialize in more spiritual matters than what is commonly thought. As if to confirm this, a geisha declares, "We create a place only of beauty" before adding that a geisha is "a moving work of art."

The story opens with two young sisters being sold into servitude. The older sister goes to a common brothel, while the young girl Chiyo (Suzuka Ohgo) finds residence in a geisha household. The madam of the establishment (a commanding Kaori Momoi), thinks Chiyo could eventually become a full-fledged geisha.

When young, Chiyo is reluctant to accept her life of bondage. She tries to escape a number of times, only to earn the wrath of Mother and the scorn of Hatsumomo (Gong Li), the reigning geisha-diva of Kyoto. Hatsumomo is a tragic figure, a woman who, despite her fame, realizes her physical allure will dim soon. Chiyo grows up to become Sayuri (played by Zhang Ziyi), who grows to accept her fate.

At its heart, "Memoirs of a Geisha" is a traditional love story, complete with betrayals and a final pairing of lovers after many years of separation.