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Gion houses two hanamachi, or geisha districts: Gion Kobu (祇園甲部) and Gion Higashi (祇園東).The two were originally the same district, but split many years ago. Gion Kobu is larger, occupying most of the district including the famous street Hanamikoji, while Gion Higashi is smaller and occupies the northeast corner, centered on its rehearsal h
Miyagawa-chō (宮川町) is one of the hanamachi (花街, "flower towns") or geisha districts in Kyoto. [1] [2] 'Miya-gawa' means "Shrine River", referring to the nickname of the Kamo River just south of Shijō. During the Gion Festival the mikoshi (divine palanquin) of Yasaka Shrine used to be purified in the waters of this river.
For example, the Gion district of Kyoto is the only district wherein the kyo-mai style of Japanese traditional dance is taught. This style of dance is taught solely to the geisha within the district by the Inoue school, with the school's former head, Inoue Yachiyo , having been classified as a " Living National Treasure " by the Government of ...
The most notable and famous ochaya is the Ichiriki Chaya in the Gion district of Kyoto, considered one of the most exclusive ochaya in Japan. The Ichiriki features as a major setting in Arthur Golden's fictional portrayal of a Gion geisha's life, Memoirs of a Geisha.
The Ichiriki is more than 300 years old, and has been a major centerpiece of Gion since the beginning of the entertainment district. Like other ochaya in Gion, the Ichiriki is used to hold parties (ozashiki) by geisha, the Ichiriki in particular having traditionally entertained men of political and business power.
A summer tradition around the time of the Gion Festival among the hanamachi of Kyoto is to distribute personalized uchiwa (団扇, flat fans) to favored patrons and stores that both maiko and geisha frequent. These feature a crest of the geisha house on the front, and the geisha's name on the back (house name, then personal name).
The Shirakawa River (白川, Shirakawa) is a river in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan.The river originates in the foothills of Mount Hiei on the outskirts of Kyoto, winds through the Geisha district of Gion, and eventually flows into the Kamo River.
The geisha of this district are known for being subtle and demure, few in number but each highly accomplished dancers and musicians. [2] There are approximately 25 maiko (apprentice geisha) and geisha in Kamishichiken, along with 11 teahouses. [citation needed] The district crest is a ring of skewered dango (sweet dumplings). [3]