Geisha Arts: Gion Cultural Walk

Embark on a captivating tour of Kyoto’s Gion district and delve into the enchanting world of geisha culture. Discover the living traditions, history, and lifestyle of geishas, and even meet an apprentice geisha for an unforgettable experience.

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Statue of Izumo-no-Okuni - Let’s learn what Kabuki is and the feminine beginning of the theater. You maybe know the current Kabuki is performed just by men but you wouldn’t know the beginning was just by women.
  • Minamiza : The Kabuki Theater of Kyoto - Look at the actual architecture of the oldest Kabuki theater and hear the story of the…
What's Included
  • 1.5-2 hours guiding in Gion, the geisha district
  • 45-min Geisha meeting and show (An apprentice geisha dance with one or two songs)
What's Not Included
  • Tip for Maiko, an apprentice geisha
Additional Information

Embark on a journey through Kyoto’s renowned Gion district and gain knowledge about the enigmatic geisha traditions prevalent in the region. Your local guide will impart insights about these traditions from a unique insider viewpoint on Geisha culture. Concurrently, you’ll traverse the picturesque lanes, temples, shrines, and shops of Gion, providing a…

Location
Statue of Izumo-no-Okuni
I'll be at the Exit 4 of Gion Shijo station aboveground right in front of Izumo-no-Okuni statue and right next to Shijo bridge. You will find me with a signboard "WALKING TOUR".
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(352 Ratings)
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Tracy_n
Oct 27, 2024
Well worth the small group choice and experience of the old town and interesting meeting the Mako. - The knowledge of our guide was impressive. I loved that our group was small and we weren’t hearded around in a group of 20+ with the guide using a microphone. Whilst i understand that all the walking tours take the same path it was very obvious we were all doing exactly the same thing leaving and arriving at exactly the same points every time. Its a shame they don’t stagger the departure times.
Review provided by Viator
Jeff_r
Oct 25, 2024
Goin to Gion - The tour was a lot of fun getting to see and learn about areas in the geisha/geiko district. Ken was a great guide with lots of knowledge of the area! The highlight, as you would expect, was meeting the meiko. She was beautiful and performed wonderfully! Definitely a great time and, for many of us, once in a lifetime type of opportunity.
Review provided by Viator
Theron_l
Oct 25, 2024
An enjoyable night in Gion - When i first planned on going to Japan, having dinner with a geisha was second on my list! Tokyo Disneyland was first. I’m happy to say that this tour satisfied my wish! This was a great way to experience the geisha district of Gion. We walked through different streets where Geisha entertained their clients. There were hardly any crowds, just other tour groups. We walked by a temple and then stepped into a small restaurant where we were led upstairs to a private dining room. Here, we sat on tatami mats and had an exquisite dinner. Then an apprentice geisha, a maiko, came and answered our questions about her lifestyle and then performed two songs for us. Afterwards, we got to take pictures with her. Everything about this experience was so professional and intriguing. Kevin spoke very clear English and was easy to hear even though he was worried we couldn’t hear him. He was very organized, friendly, and respectful to our group and the geisha. Thank you, Kevin, for such a fantastic experience. So glad we did this!!
Review provided by Viator
Irene_r
Oct 19, 2024
Highly recommend - Ken was great!! It was really interesting getting to know the real Giesha world. Having dinner and talking to a real Geisha a great experience.
Review provided by Viator
Ninomt5762jg
Oct 19, 2024
An Excellent Experience - We thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Kenta. He communicates very well and speaks loud enough for the small group to hear, which is sometimes lacking in other guides. The group size was small enough to allow everyone to gather around Kenta easily. Plus, it made it easy to view and take photos of the maiko (apprentice geisha) speaking and dancing. Most of all, Kenta's explanation about the geisha way of life was enlightening. We will recommend Kenta to our family and friends.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michael_b
Oct 19, 2024
A great way to spend an evening in Kyoto - First of all Kenta was an excellent tour guide. It was a concise history of the Geisha and their historical relevance. The dinner was delicious, served as small plates that hit on several dishes popular within the region. Finally having a chance to see a Maiko perform and ask questions was an awesome experience. Maybe the best overall thing I've experienced so far in my first week in Japan.
Review provided by Viator
Tony_k
Oct 12, 2024
Great Maiko experience - Being able to meet a Maiko, ask her questions and see her perform was a great experience. Our guide Ken was very knowledgeable, funny and personable. Small group size (8 people) made it more fun and not a "cattle call" of 20+ people being herded around by a flag raising leader.
Review provided by Viator
Tyler_b
Oct 12, 2024
Entertaining, informative, fun - Fun walk around Kyoto. The tour guide Kenta was really nice. The Meiko was also very skilled. We walked for a bit around Kyoto and then had a nice lunch before watching the Meiko. The lunch was a full lunch, not an appetizer. If you want to learn more about Geishas and be entertained try this tour
Review provided by Viator
Vanessa_f
Oct 10, 2024
Amazing tour! - Ken was really an amazing tour guide, I would rather say professor, because of his extensive knowledge of the Gion Geisha district of Tokyo. His fun personality made the night special too as well as the consummate performance of the apprentice Geisha, and the traditional restaurant with amazing food! Kyoto came to life for us in a special way.
Review provided by Viator
Christy_p
Oct 10, 2024
Unforgettable! - What an amazing experience from the tour to the food to the meeting with the Meiko. It was unforgettable, a must in Kyoto! Our guide Kent was a wonderful and personable and made sure everyone was taken care of during the tour.
Review provided by Viator
From $113
up to 8 guests
1 Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).