Gion & Pontocho – A Night Stroll Through Kyoto’s Geisha District

We are walking through narrow alleys and brick-stone covered streets, surrounded by old wooden teahouses in the classic Japanese style. Our walk takes us along romantic canals with charming bridges and it feels like we have stepped back in time to the Edo period (1603 – 1868). Back when Geishas and Samurais walked these streets and Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country’s 300 daimyō, the regional feudal lords.

This is Gion and Pontocho, Kyoto’s famous Geisha entertainment districts, filled with well-preserved tea houses, restaurants, and bars. Sometimes referred to as the “Flower Districts” as it was here that all the tea houses were located, with music and dance performances by Kyoto’s famous Geishas.

Going for a night stroll through the streets of Gion and Pontocho is a highlight of any visit to Kyoto. It is a fantastic area to explore and get an insight into the traditional architecture and Geisha culture of Japan. And if you are lucky,…