Gion

Gion is a must-visit neighborhood in Kyoto, known for its vibrant streets and cultural significance as a historic geisha district. Located about a 15-20 minute bus ride from Kyoto Station, this area offers a mix of traditional charm and modern conveniences, making it a favorite among tourists. Walking through Gion feels like stepping into a piece of Kyoto's history. The streets are adorned with traditional lanterns, and the area is bustling with small restaurants, food stalls, and shops. It's a lively yet picturesque spot that captures the spirit of Kyoto. While you may occasionally spot geishas or maikos here, it's important to observe them respectfully from a distance. The food scene in Gion is fantastic. During my visit, I indulged in a variety of delicious treats, including melon bread, curry, tempura, and teppanyaki. The prices are fair, reflecting the area's popularity with tourists. From street food to sit-down meals, there's something for everyone to enjoy. Gion is not just about food--it's also home to several temples and shrines that are worth exploring. I particularly enjoyed walking around the Shirakawa Canal, which offers a quieter, more peaceful side of the district. Overall, Gion is a vibrant and culturally rich area that's perfect for exploring. Between the delicious food, historic ambiance, and chance to experience Kyoto's traditional culture, it's a destination I highly recommend. Whether you're there for the food, the history, or just to wander the lantern-lit streets, Gion has something for everyone.

Gion, ah, where do I begin? It's like stepping into a dream of old Kyoto, where every corner whispers tales of tradition and grace. What truly captivates me about Gion is its commitment to preserving Japanese culture. Don't forget to go through Hanamikoji Street, the heartbeat of Gion. It's alive with energy, bustling with teahouses, restaurants, and boutiques. Walking down this iconic street is like taking a journey through time, where the past and present dance. Gion isn't just a district; it's an experience. Whether you're a history buff, a foodie, or simply seeking a slice of serenity, Gion delivers. It's a timeless escape that leaves a lasting imprint on your heart.

Very cool place to visit. A lot of tourists. Be sure to be respectful of the small alleys' no photo policy. And keep a respectful distance from local residents. Be a good tourist here is a good thing.

Where do I begin to describe how beautiful and traditional this place is? If you have seen the popular memoir of a geisha, this is the place it is based off of. Geisha, tea ceremony, temples, shrines, can't miss if you're in Japan. Quiet city compared to Tokyo. You must walk the little streets here, it's like you walked into another era. Food here is okay affordable unless you are doing the set menu offered by exclusive restaurants. If you have money, book yourself a session with a geisha... Dress up in kimono/yukata! Must do activity. No judgement here.

Cool area in Kyoto. If you want to experience that small streets with many small shops lined and have that old Japan feel then this is a great place. So many restaurants and bars it's hard to decide where to go. Great place for nightlife.

I thought the street was underwhelming and really a tourist trap. No geisha visible and honestly, westerners glamorize their lives quite a bit. Many have their virginity put on auction by their houses; they owe debts. It's less "pretty" than it seems. I'd skip this next trip. Not very fun or educational; time waster

A district with a lot of buildings that make it look like you are being transported to another time. Lots of tourists and overpriced food, but it's expected. Some of the views are really amazing. Be prepared to be transported to another time and place.

One of the most beautiful places I've been. A perfect combination of history and culture.

02/20 - I am a 3rd generation Japanese American or Sansei. I was born and lived in Chicago my entire life and this was my first time to Japan. Kyoto was a place of special interest to me because of the old world tradition. This was our first stop in Japan Gion is Kyoto's geisha district, with hostesses in colorful kimonos often sighted on the wooden Tatsumi Bridge, or amid upscale Japanese restaurants and boutiques on Hanamikoji Street. Gion Corner hosts traditional Kyomai dances, while Kennin-ji Temple is known for its Zen garden and Yasaka Shrine has seasonal festivals in a lantern-lit courtyard. Nightlife ranges from quiet sake bars to buzzing, pub-like izakayas. The architecture reminds me of the old world samurai towns that I use to see in the movies. When I go back to Japan I would like to spend more time in Kyoto 3 days isn't enough time, but it gave me a mini preview of the city. There is so much more to see.

I've read Memoirs of a Geisha at least 10 times over and every time, I am absolutely awestruck at how beautiful this world sounds. Credit to the author for having a way of words, but even more so to the actual setting this book was set in. Gion is truly a world of its own, somehow evoking both the calm and the rush of those who live here. The water in the canal trickles on as affluent patrons sit waterside enjoying a Kaiseki meal. A flurry of colourful cloth and elaborate hairstyles pass by you. A Maiko hurries to her taxi and disappears with a door slam. Being a casual tourist here almost feels voyeuristic. All we can do is watch the beauty, but never really participate. Gion's architecture is something to behold. It's wonderfully preserved and a stroll by the Kamo River demonstrates that perfectly. Beautiful old teahouses and trees line the sides. If you're lucky enough and willing to spend the money, you may be able to step into the secluded world inside the historic teahouses. This is where the Geisha entertain, and I'm not even sure how you'd get in. I feel like it's reserved for the big wealthy businessmen or politicians. In the evening, we found a beautiful street to wander down which turned out to be a major entertainment hub. We even caught glimpses of Geisha rushing from one engagement to the next, their chaperones fending away foreigners with cameras. There was a mini Geisha museum attached to a grand theater where apprentices practice dancing. I saw fees to watch the "show" but I'm not sure what exactly it entails, since Geisha/Maiko performances are notoriously secretive. Totally unrelated, but there was also a mini Yayoi Kusama art project. If you're looking for something more lively and public, taking a walk along the popular Shijo Street provides lots of dining and entertainment options. The most unique activity: rent Geisha regalia and take in the sights! When you're tired, you'll find all kinds of traditional snacks to refuel on like Anmitsu (agar jelly dessert with fruit), Kakigori (shaved ice), and squishy soy-powder mochi on a stick. And when you're ready to go, specialty souvenir shops will give you some pretty great gift ideas, like decorated coin-purses and origami style earrings. As outsiders, we may be barred from a lot of the more exclusive aspects of Gion, but that doesn't mean you can't appreciate the beauty within it. With all the tourist-friendly elements, there is still a lot to enjoy. Rent a Kimono, grab Dango on a stick, and immerse yourself in one of the greatest local flavours Kyoto has to offer. (15/100) - 2019

Wow this is truly a tourist attraction place. You will see people dress in Kimono walking up and down the streets. You can even rent Kimono and have your picture taken for a fee. There are so many tourist here everyday. Note that food prices in the area are a lot more expensive compared Ōsaka but again food here are mostly geared toward tourists. I have even noticed a lot of the restaurants here don't serve meat or a lot of meat. I am not a big fan of noodles but Kyoto is know for their noodles and ramen so most restaurants in the area serve noodle. Also there are so many souvenir stores here. Yes and they are not cheap but that is again geared toward tourists. The streets here are great for picture taking. The area is so historically rich. Definitely a must visit if you are in Kyoto.

It's really a three and half depending on what you're trying to do. If you're looking for geshia ladies, you may or may not see them. They're the ones running towards a cab to go to work. If anyone says yes to photos and says $10 please, they are the fake ones. Random fact: most of the girls you see walking about in kimonos are foreigners. You can text the girls and they'll do your hair and makeup for the day. Guys, don't feel left out. You too can borrow traditional attire to keep the geshia ladies company. I went there to look at the architecture of the buildings and I happen to see over walking at an alarmingly fast pace and another already in a taxi. Talk about luck! It was fun and I now can day, I saw they m two instead of one. Cool. Lots of restaurants and tea House. Try to stay on the main path and remember, share the road with the cars. Had a great time.

Gotta check it out if you're in Kyoto...you might even see a geisha or maiko? (I'm reasonably sure we saw a maiko in daytime attire, on the street of ochaya just south of Shijo dori. How do I know It wasn't a regular person in a rental? Well, she had the momoware split peach hairstyle, no makeup, a kimono of classic komon (all-over) pattern rather than the bold, big patterns on all the rental wearers, plus she was alone (no friends or photographer) and was also booking it down the street rather than a leisurely stroll on vacation.) The part of Hanamimoji-dori that is lined with tea houses (ochaya) looks very much like it is from another time (except for all the tour groups, each identified by its own flag or in one case, a stuffed animal on a stick held aloft). The Yasaka shrine is at the Eastern edge of Gion and is worth a look as well.

VERY Touristy, but don't let that deter you. Having been in Japan for a while now, one thing I constantly reiterate to people is that there is really no such thing as a place for locals and a place for tourists in Japan. Locals go to all the same spots that the tourists do and really Japanese people are the biggest tourists themselves. Gion is no exception. There's really something for everyone here and it has that traditional Japanese charm that many people come to Kyoto for. If you're looking for a non touristy version of Kyoto's Gion, I recommend checking out Kanazawa on the west side of Honshu.

Gion: Let me play my pedal steel guitar while I sing one of my all-time favorites about a little porcelain doll I left back in the motherland... "Have you ever heard a love song that you didn't understand? Where you met her in a teahouse on the island of Jay-pan And have you ever traveled over many thousand miles To see a pretty geisha girl dressed in Oriental style" Oriental style? Sheesh, that's a real country song by someone named Hank Locklin. You can hear it on YouTube. Yeah, it's awful, but that was recorded way back when red-blooded American males had images of Japanese women as exotic, inscrutable and subservient. Obviously they never met my mother. However, if you're lucky, you may spot a geisha or a maiko (an apprentice geisha) clip-clopping down the cobblestone alleys on their geta. Gion is where they reside in old wooden machiya buildings amid the teahouses and exclusive Japanese restaurants. Like most tourists, Jamie W. and I walked down from Kiyomizu-dera through the Higashiyama shopping area. Minutes later, we found ourselves at Yasaka Shrine, the popular entry point for Gion (photo: http://bit.ly/1R7usSN). Once we immersed ourselves into the district, we came upon Shirakawa Canal where wedding portraits are frequently taken given how photogenic the setting is with the babbling brook, the weeping willow trees and the frenzy of cherry blossoms in the spring (photo: http://bit.ly/1KVL3tp). Hanamikoji dori is the main thoroughfare where the most expensive kaiseki ryori restaurants are, It was here we caught a maiko scurrying to a cab with her dresser...or was it her mother? (photo: http://bit.ly/2183FdL). At the end of the street is Gion Corner where you can see geisha perform nightly along with a lot of traditional Japanese arts (photo: http://bit.ly/1VmikOU). And just remember... "They read it in the tea leaves and it's written in the sand I found love by the heart full in a foreign distant land Tell the home folks that I'm happy with someone that's true I know I love a pretty geisha girl where the ocean breezes blow."

I have a picture of me standing in the middle of such picturesque Japanese buildings on the side of this street. It felt like I had stepped into a movie or like a documentary. You can truly feel the layers of history seep everywhere as you walk around Kyoto. Especially at night, there's a mild sad ghostly like of air that follows you around as if though hundreds of years of spirits are visiting each other and you are now but a guest in their midst. This street had coffee shops and various noodle places and pottery stands. I love Japanese pottery especially with their cute polka dots set against an earthly hue. The street is cobble path and the buildings are all mustard, yellows, and browns. Go at sunset and I think you'll have the best view and sensation walking with the sunset coming up from the end of the street. These streets wind and there's many of them so it may take a while for you to cover all the streets but I think going down 1-2 main ones is good enough to get the main idea of what's going on here as Kyoto has so much to offer! Try either stopping in for good Japanese green tea or some traditional Japanese cuisine to truly embody the Japanese traditional experience unlike anywhere else. If you're lucky you may see some geishas scuttling about!

Think of all those geisha movies you've watched -- they were either based in Gion or Kawaramachi. Remember Memoirs of a Geisha? If you happen to visit Gion on a weekend, be ready to be suffocated by the crowds. Both Gion and Kawaramachi are very very popular with both locals and tourists! Plan ahead an come on a weekday if you're like me and dislike huge crowds. Luckily, we had a few days in Kyoto so we had the flexibility to avoid this area. If you're in Kyoto, this area is a must and there are kimono rental places everywhere for the "full" experience. Some of them require reservations but even if you're unable to make one, there's almost one on every block so you'll be able to find someone to accommodate you as long as it's not crazy busy. There are a number of "Touristy" site within walking distance -- kiyomizudera, yasakusa shrine, the big buddha (that's not actually THAT big) the picturesque water, just to name a few. So everything here is a bit more expensive, but there's also less of a language barrier. One fun thing to do in kyoto is trying all of the foods. There are a lot of Wagashi shops ( japanese tea desserts ), pickled foods, and tea shops. TL;DR: 1 Don't come on a weekend 2 Rent a kimono for the day 3 Eat lots of sweats and 4 Take lots of pictures.

A visit to Gion district when in Kyoto is a must. Such beautiful, charming, and historic place! It's like being in a different time or era while walking around this place! I had the chance to visit this place during the day and at night and it was such a great experienced. So if you have the time, I suggest you do the same and you won't regret it!

Great area to experience in Kyoto! It has a busy area and you can spot a Geisha walking down the street like we did! It is pretty tourist-sy but you can't afford to miss it! Modern and traditional shops, restaurants, and infrastructure were all here so you get a taste of both worlds. Stop by!

Supposedly this is the Geisha area of Kyoto, but I read they are stealthy as ninjas, and indeed they were because I didn't see a single one during my very late afternoon visit. And I was too cheap to pay for a formal Geisha dinner show...oh well... Admittedly I only wandered a small part of this area and stuck to the area near the stream, which is an absolutely lovely place to visit late in the afternoon when you can see both the area both in day light and at night, especially if its cherry blossom season. The shops and restaurants along the river all looked lovely but touristy and noticeably more expensive than the rest of Kyoto. Wander out a bit and you'll find better food prices...though some of the bars looked a bit sketchy. Tourists are everywhere here, so it seems that everything was at tourist trap...good luck looking for Geishas!

Gion is famous for two iconic forms of traditional Japanese entertainment, the kabuki and the geisha. Sometimes, you'll encounter on the streets.

A must do while you're in Kyoto! Gion is apparently one of the most famous and historic Geisha districts in Japan! Here you can walk around and explore traditional merchant houses and restaurants, explore the little ally ways, and even (if you're lucky) see a Maiko or Geisha! I got really lucky and saw four of them - we will get to that in a bit. I really loved the earthy colors and style of the buildings in this area. The dark browns, the bamboo finishes, the orange and red accents, all complimented by various plants as decor. It was all perfect! During the golden hour you can have some serious photo shoots if you want! See my pictures for what I'm talking about. Like I said earlier, I got lucky and saw a couple Maiko (red collars) and Geishas (white collar and more extravagant hair). It was around 5-7pm, probably the time their obligations started. Dude. They were super fast, literally disappearing with the blink of an eye! So you're if you're fumbling with your phone or camera you're most likely gonna miss them. After snapping a pic of two of them, I decided to just patiently wait and enjoy the moments of seeing them. But! Please be respectful and don't harass or touch them. Some tourist were literally up in their face with huge DSLRs and lenses! Side note. There's a lot of food and green tea shops along the main street. Souvenirs everywhere as well. Super cool and fun place to see! Quick Tip: 1. Temple at the end of the main street is also worth seeing! Head on over, even in the evening if you have time. 2. Near train station as well. Taxis are easy to catch if needed.

This is my favorite part of Kyoto, in fact, it made Kyoto one of my favorite cities to visit in Japan. You can find maikos and geishas here but they're very hard to spot since they're always scurrying along. I love how the buildings here are kept in an older design which gives it character and lots of history. In fact, the entire time I was here, I thought Memoirs of a Geisha since it was filmed here. I love that they keep this area traditional, it made my trip to Japan feel complete.

There's specific hours when you're more likely to spot a maiko/geiko. They're not just casually strolling through the block throughout the day, which makes spotting one all more memorable. We came here two separate days, the first having no sightings, whereas the second time around, spotted just one. You can take pictures, but be respectful to their personal space and don't get in the way of their journey. Remember that they are commuting.

We were fortunate enough to see 3 Geishas when we visited the Gion District during our 2 days in the Kyoto area of Japan. Perhaps it's the timing in which we went to Gion (around dusk), which meant more geishas were getting ready to attend social functions in the evening, around dinner. It was fascinating to see them, and then hear about the geisha history / context in current day Japan. Brings me back to some of the text I read in "Memoirs of a Geisha" book. :) You'll also find some great souvenir shops, and pastry / ice cream shops in the area. In fact, I bought a tofu ice cream and the famous matcha green tea ice cream while browsing the shops in Gion! More photos here: https://ourwelltraveledlife.wordpress.com/2015/06/10/lovely-kyoto-%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E5%B8%82/

what an experience to travel to japan get on a subway from one point to the next then walk up some stairs and standing in front of Minamiza Kabuki Theatre in Gion WOW! I had a 3hr stop late in the afternoon walking up and down the streets looking at shops, cafes, shrines, and sit down for some hot pot sukiyaki which was wonderful. The one stop was to purchase green tea from Tsujiri sooooo good. I love all the shrines and little walk ways thinking I might catch a glimpse of a geisha. standing on Ohashi bridge overlooking the river seeing families ejoying their day out and a fella playing the shamisen across the street . Gion, I have to travel back it's a place to visit.

The Gion district of Kyoto, Japan is a small area rich in history. However, it is now almost as touristy as Epcot's World Showcase. Japan has still maintained some of the same practices and culture from years past. Basically, walking the streets of Gion will almost feel the same as walking those same streets before any bombings took place, due to rebuilding and maintaining tradition. The main paved street is filled with restaurant and department stores chains, as well as tons of overpriced souvenir shops. But, walk deeper inside of Gion and along the back alleys and you can have a different experience entirely. I was there at night, and could hear the geisha inside the restaurants and bars laughing and entertaining clients. Along the main cobblestone roads, you will have to dodge taxis driving rich tourists and geisha (separately) to their destinations. By rich tourists, I am referring to a wild pack of annoying and culturally profound Bonakers and Boston Brahmins that were drunk on expensive wine. There are also many overpriced, but locally owned, Americanized steakhouses along this road. To be honest, there is better food had along the west side of the river or even at the train station. There are large shrines at both ends of Gion, as well as the main geisha/maiko performance hall in the middle. During the day, you will find actresses dressed like and pretending to be geisha for tourists to take photos. Staying at a hotel in the Gion district of Kyoto, Japan is not affordable. So we stayed across town in a cheap guesthouse, hopped on the #12 bus to get here. The #12 bus will take you all over Kyoto on a tour, but that is for another review.

Interesting neighborhood of Kyoto to explore. Located next to the old district, if you're lucky, you'll spot a geisha. We didn't. A lot of fun to navigate the narrow streets which allow you to take a step back in time. Only problem is that it's mayhem with herds of stampeding tourists and locals. Best to explore at night when the lamps are all lit up. Certainly worth a stop over if you're visiting Kyoto.

Gion District is definitely one of the must-visit areas for all Kyoto tourists of all tastes! This is where you can experience both the traditional and modern Japan on the same street and fulfill your sightseeing, dining, or shopping needs! Although Gion is famous for its geisha, anyone can enjoy this historic district without having to splurge on hiring a geisha. The whole district is full of both traditional and modern shops and restaurants of various types. Gion is a great place to grab a meal, do some shopping, or simply stroll around. While the Shijo Dori road immediately in front of Yasaka Shrine is modernized, the off-branch Hanamikoji Dori street provides a nice look of the traditional street. Sadly while it's more beautiful to see the dimly-lit Hanamikoji at nighttime, there isn't much to see in this historic street and it was nearly deserted already at 8 PM. However, Shijo Dori remains bustling even at late night, so go check out the smaller historic street near sunset and stroll around and indulge in food or shopping on the well-lit Shijo Dori at nighttime!

Love this part of Kyoto, though it is somewhat touristy. Gion has lots of small alleys and roads lined with malls, traditional shops, and even small restaurants known only to locals. The restaurants can be pretty pricey, and not many cater to a foreign crowd. You might also catch a geisha or maiko out on the streets. Definitely worth visiting!

If you wanna see many typical images of Kyoto for real, this is the spot. Also there are many shops and restaurants who have a rule of ichigensanokotowari:refuse first-time customers, saying that customers without introduction from somebody are not allowed to enter their facilities. You gotta hang out with local people! I wanna try the maikosan:an apprentice geiko (not exactly same as geisha) kimono dress up and take fabulous pictures;)

A beautiful blend of tradition and modernity We walked through the traditional part of Gion (wooden homes/restaurants) after dinner one night and came back the next day to check out the shopping on the main street. If you want to experience a "geisha sighting", we were told to wander around Gion street around 5.00p or 5.30p. Around this time, you could see a geisha on her way out for an appointment. The "old town" is a great place to just people-watch. Gion is also a great place to start a self-guided walking tour that leads through Yasaka shrine, towarks Kodaiji temple, through Sannenzaka Ninenzaka shopping alleys, and ending at Kiyomizudera temple. It's a wonderful way to explore Kyoto on foot.

If you want to see a girl with nice kimonos and a good hairdo this is the place. The district is full of lovely girls and women in colourfull dressing and flowers in their hair. If I lived in Japan this would be my daily wearing. Its blose to maruyama park also so go on and do bouth! But remember its very crowded a sunny day.

Beautiful part of Kyoto with lots of restaurants, including many exclusive ones. Nice by both day and night. I didn't spot any geisha though.

Gion has a special air about it. You will see traditional building styles and narrow, picturesque streets. You will also see lots of options for food. I had a meeting here once and was eating kaiseki-style food in a traditional Tatami room with servers clad in yukata. If you explore in the evening hours or very early morning, you will have a better chance of spotting real Maiko and Geiko (NOT Geisha, since Maiko and Geiko are only entertainers. Big difference here. Somewhat disrespectful to call them Geisha. Look it up.) I enjoy talking to the locals and are always friendly and open to crazy gaijin Americans poking about!

You must go to Gion when in Kyoto. I recommend eating a traditional meal on the Main Street while here too. It's rather touristy but still worth seeing, especially if you want to see a Geisha. I saw 2 on the Main Street after walking around for only 20 minutes.

The area of Gion comes up as a top attraction in Kyoto and when you wander through you can definitely see why. There is no one thing that sets it apart it is a mix of several things in one area. You can see impressive shrines, huge pagodas, winding alleys of small streets with lots old style Japanese houses. If your very lucky you might even see a geisha girl wandering the street. This is seemingly one of the few areas that this is still possible. As well as the old there is plenty of new as well. Cool tea and coffee shops, restaurants with queues into the street and souvenir shops. If your in Kyoto you will certainly be missing out if you don't take a wander around Gion.

Great shopping, shrines everywhere, nishiki market is in this area, clean, some seedy redlight streets with hostess bars around but no biggie, and a calming river to walk along as you survey the suburban life here.

Gion District is old style Japan come to life with numerous temples,shrines pagoda, shops and restaurants as well as homes dating back to ancient Japan times. I was walking around the Gion area in the early evening but unfortunately I did not see a Japanese geisha/ "geiko" is the word in for geisha in Kyoto dialect or maiko whom are geisha apprentices. There are a number of female tourists who dress up in a kimono and walk around the streets or in the temple/shrine areas but they are not true geisha. I saw a shop which sells or rents out kimonos and I believe that there are several of these shops in the area. There are tea houses as well as performances of buddokhan that was advertised which I saw tour groups attend by I myself did not go. A must see if you want a taste of old time Japan.