It's more about dedication and commitment, I think. Picture your average teenage girls. If they all lived together with cellphones they wouldn't be half as friendly or half as dedicated to practicing moves. That way, the apprentices can be fully focused on what they want to do - those who can't survive without the tech drop out.
That seems to be the case. I had a Japanese friend who is Kyoto origin. He told me once that one of his friends was a maiko. He said even in modern world there are still a lot of restrictions for maiko. I already forgot what they are all that he told me, but 1 that i keep remember is about the hairstyle that they have to wear for days Σ( ￣□￣||) And i agree about that cellphone things. Maybe the reason is to keep the girls dedicated to their works. You know how most teenage girls with their cellphones tend to be. By reading this manga i gain more information about the world of maiko. A jewel!
isn't it kind of weird that they're not allowed cellphones? I mean, even if some of them are not adults, they're already working. And it's not about them living traditionally or refusing technology, they have a TV.