While having a cozy walking tour during your Japan holiday, especially in some aging cities like Kyoto and Kanazawa, you may encounter some beautiful ladies dressed in layers of delicately patterned kimonos, with painted white faces and reddish lips, walking along cobbled streets with their wooden clogs clicking. They are geisha and maiko, mysterious and often misunderstood professions, full of fascinating stories and hidden facts to be discovered.
What Exactly Does A Geisha Do
As entertainers in traditional art, a geisha visiting can be one of the best ways to experience Japanese culture. Geisha is not a concubine. However, there is a long misunderstanding between geisha and courtesan, it should be noted that geisha do not sleep with their clients.
A geisha is responsible for every detail of her teahouse service. The work usually starts in the afternoon. Pouring drinks and tea, making flower arrangements, playing Japanese instruments such as the shamisen and taiko, dancing, singing or even composing poetry. Most importantly, she engages her guests with captivating conversation, ensuring their attention and enjoyment.
The lady can also be the main heroine of some public and festive celebrations, from shrines and temples to parades and shops, as well as a popular host at traditional weddings and tea ceremonies.
Where to Encounter Geisha in Japan
To encounter geisha ladies, you can visit some Japanese geisha districts, like Gion in Kyoto, a well-known place with relatively higher opportunities to meet those artists walking to and from their works(as well as a high chance to capture some kimono-experiencing visitors), a popular geisha walking tour destination.
Those districts, also known as hanamachi, are usually historic areas that still retain their wooden houses and old flavors. There are boarding houses (okiya) for geisha and maiko, tea houses (ochaya), restaurants (gohanya), and dance halls (kaburenjo) for their performances and training, making these areas the best places for all kinds of geisha experiences, from tea ceremonies to dance shows.
Best Places for Geisha Experiences
There are several hanamachi throughout Japan, especially in some of the old cities such as Tokyo, Kyoto, and Kanazawa, which are the best places for your ideal geisha experience.
Gion District – Miyako & Gion Odori Shows
A must-visit destination during your April spring break or November vacation in Japan, the public performances there offer not only a rare opportunity to see geisha and maiko without needing an introduction but also a glimpse of classical Japanese culture and folklore through their exquisite dances and songs. In April, you can book the Miyako Odori (Cherry Blossom Dances) at Gion Kobu Kaburenjo, a month-long spring show making an ideal addition to your cherry blossom trip; or the Gion Odori in Gion Higashi during your early November journey from 1st to 10th, one of the best companions of the fall foliage season.
Recommended Tour Itinerary
