Gion District

KyotoÍs most famous geisha district, it is a beautiful glance into old, traditional Japan.

Gion district is KyotoÍs most popular district, for it is a reflection of old Japan, and many of its streets have buildings with the old-world charm. It is filled with shops, restaurants and its highlights are the old teahouses, where traditionally-dressed Japanese geisha host tea ceremonies. It has a large number of traditionally built wooden houses called machiya which are popular tourist attractions. The most popular area of the Gion district is the Hanami-Koji Street, lined with beautiful preserved machiya houses, which are popular haunts for Japanese cuisine. Among these are the ochaya which are the exclusive and expensive teahouses, where geishas conduct tea ceremonies. Another beautiful route in Gion is the Shirakawa Area, lined with willows, and home to many more expensive restaurants and teahouses, with sprawling gardens. Tourists may also visit the nearby Maruyama Park, which is particularly picturesque during the spring. There are a few services in the Gion district, that give interested tourists a geisha make-over and rentable kimonos for a full cultural experience. Tourists may also go to the Minami-Za for kabuki theatre, the traditional Japanese theatre form.