Gion District

Gion (祇園) is Kyoto’s most famous geisha district, located around Shijo Avenue between Yasaka Shrine in the east and the Kamo River in the west. It is filled with shops, restaurants, and ochaya (teahouses), where geiko (Kyoto dialect for geisha) and maiko (geiko apprentices) entertain.

Traditional Architecture

Gion attracts visitors with its high concentration of traditional wooden machiya merchant houses. Due to the fact that property taxes were formerly based upon street frontage, the houses were built with narrow facades only five to six meters wide, but extend up to twenty meters in from the street.

Key Areas

Hanami-koji Street from Shijo Avenue to Kenninji Temple is the most popular area. A nice (and expensive) place to dine, the street and its side alleys are lined with preserved machiya houses, many of which now function as restaurants serving Kyoto-style kaiseki ryori (Japanese haute cuisine) and other types of local and international meals. Interspersed among the restaurants are a number of ochaya, the most exclusive and expensive of Kyoto’s dining establishments, where guests are entertained by maiko and geiko.

The Shirakawa area runs along the Shirakawa Canal parallel to Shijo Avenue. The canal is lined by willow trees, high-class restaurants, and ochaya, many of which have rooms overlooking the canal. The Shirakawa area is typically somewhat quieter than Hanami-koji Street.

Geiko and Maiko

Many tourists visit Gion hoping to catch a glimpse of a geiko or maiko on their way to or from an engagement in the evenings or while running errands during the day. The ultimate experience is being entertained by a maiko or geiko while dining at an ochaya. As expert hostesses, they ensure everyone’s enjoyment through light conversation, serving drinks, leading drinking games, and performing traditional dance. Their services are expensive and exclusive, traditionally requiring an introduction from an existing customer, though some travel agencies and hotels now offer lunch or dinner packages.

Gion Corner

A more accessible cultural experience is the show held daily at Gion Corner at the end of Hanami-koji. Aimed at foreign tourists, the show introduces several traditional Japanese arts including short performances of tea ceremony, ikebana, bunraku, Kyogen comic plays, and dances performed by real maiko. Shows at 18:00 and 19:00; admission 5500 yen. Closed on national holidays, weekends and Mondays from December to mid-March.

Shopping and Events

Shijo Avenue, which bisects the Gion district, is a popular shopping area with stores selling local products including sweets, tsukemono, and crafts. Gion is also known for the Gion Matsuri (held in July), the most famous festival in Japan — ironically, its most spectacular events are held outside of Gion on the opposite side of the Kamo River.

Getting There

From Kyoto Station by bus number 206 (20 minutes, 230 yen), get off at Gion bus stop. Alternatively, Gion-Shijo Station on the Keihan Line or Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station on the Hankyu Line are the closest train stations. Best combined with a stroll through the nearby Higashiyama District between Yasaka Shrine and Kiyomizudera.