{"id":18055,"date":"2024-11-28T12:00:43","date_gmt":"2024-11-28T03:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/minnano-rakuraku.com\/contents\/?p=18055"},"modified":"2025-04-02T13:23:17","modified_gmt":"2025-04-02T04:23:17","slug":"what-is-gion-famous-for-en","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/minnano-rakuraku.com\/contents\/en\/what-is-gion-famous-for-en-18055\/","title":{"rendered":"What Makes Gion So Famous? How Long Does It Take to Walk Around Gion?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gion is known as the “flower district”(\u82b1\u8857 = Hanamachi, an olden Japanese word that roughly equates to “red light district”) of Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan.<\/p>\n

Gion is one of the most popular sightseeing spots in Kyoto, especially as an area where you can feel the atmosphere of the ancient capital.<\/p>\n

The area is dotted with attractive spots such as \u201cochaya\u201d (\u304a\u8336\u5c4b = teahouses) where maiko and geiko entertain visitors, restaurants, matcha (powdered green tea) sweets stores, and the \u201cGion Corner\u201d where visitors can easily enjoy traditional Japanese performing arts.<\/p>\n

In this article, I, a Kyoto resident, will tell you about the charms of the Gion area and how long it takes to stroll around.
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2025.02.20<\/span>
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What is Gion famous for?<\/h2>\n

\"Maiko<\/p>\n

Gion refers to the area in Kyoto City between Gion-Shijo Station on the Keihan Line and Yasaka Shrine, along Shijo Street.<\/p>\n

Gion is especially famous for its ochaya (teahouses), where maiko and geiko entertain their customers, and the rows of wooden buildings with red lanterns create a unique atmosphere.<\/p>\n

\u25bc One of the ochayas in Gion<\/p>\n

\"One<\/p>\n

The area is also dotted with Michelin-starred kaiseki restaurants and eateries, where visitors can enjoy authentic, upscale Japanese cuisine.<\/p>\n

There are also numerous matcha sweets stores, mainly along Shijo Street. Cafes offer soft-serve ice cream and parfaits made with matcha green tea. Purchasing matcha sweets as souvenirs is also recommended.<\/p>\n

The Gion Kobu Kaburenjo is a theater where maiko and geiko perform dances. The \u201cMiyako Odori\u201d dance performance in spring and the \u201cOnjuku-kai\u201d dance performance in autumn are very popular.<\/p>\n

\u25bc Gion Kobu Kaburenjo<\/p>\n

\"Gion<\/p>\n

The Yasaka Shrine, known for the Gion Festival in summer, and the Kenninji Zen temple are also located in the area.<\/p>\n

How long does it take to walk around Gion?<\/h2>\n

It depends on your interests, but a solid stroll through Gion should take a good 4 hours.<\/p>\n

It takes about one hour to taste the matcha sweets and buy souvenirs in the Gion shopping street.
\nAbout 40 minutes to stroll along Hanamikoji Street.
\nAbout 30 minutes to 1 hour to visit Kenninji Temple.
\nApproximately 30 minutes to stroll through the grounds of Yasaka Shrine.
\n20 minutes to photograph or walk around the Gion-Shirakawa area.<\/p>\n

If you want to enjoy Gion to the fullest, you should allow 4 to 5 hours, when you consider other activities like dining, attending theaters, taking zen lessons, etc.<\/p>\n

From here, I will introduce the attractions of each area in detail.<\/p>\n

The Gion Shopping Street is lined with matcha green tea sweets stores!<\/h2>\n

\"Shijo<\/p>\n

Shijo Street, which runs from Gion-Shijo Station on the Keihan Line to Yasaka Shrine, is named Gion Shopping Street.<\/p>\n

Starting with the \u201cMinami-za\u201d theater where you can enjoy Kabuki, restaurants, green tea sweets stores, and souvenir stores line the street. The arcade is a popular sightseeing spot where visitors can enjoy strolling even when it rains.<\/p>\n

Especially recommended is a long-established matcha sweets store. Visitors can enjoy a variety of parfaits and soft-serve ice cream made with matcha green tea, as well as buy matcha green tea sweets as souvenirs.<\/p>\n

We hope you will try the matcha sweets unique to Kyoto.
\n\"matcha<\/p>\n

“Hanamikoji\u201d is where you will find \u2018ochaya\u2019 (teahouses) with maiko and geiko<\/h2>\n

As mentioned above, Gion is famous as a \u201cHanamachi\u201d (flower district) with \u201cochaya\u201d (teahouses) where maiko and geiko entertain their customers.<\/p>\n

Naturally, when sightseeing, you will want to visit an ochaya, but the \u201cozashiki\u201d (tatami room) where you can enjoy the geisha and maiko’s performances and savor their cuisine is not usually open to the general public.<\/p>\n

The ochayas are highly exclusive clubs that only allows special members.<\/p>\n

\"Maiko<\/p>\n

\u305dTherefore, when sightseeing, it is recommended to have a \u201cmaiko experience\u201d where you dress up as a maiko or geiko, or enjoy an \u201cozashiki play experience\u201d for tourists.<\/p>\n

For example, the official website of \u201cMaiko Ozashiki Experience – Banquet UTAGE -\u201d for foreigners visiting Japan can be accessed below:
\nhttps:\/\/www.travel-kyoto-maiko.net\/utagekaigai<\/a><\/div>
\nIf you go along the Gion Shopping Street for a while, you will see a historical and magnificent teahouse called \u201cIchiriki Chaya\u201d on Hanamikoji Street on the south side of the street. The teahouse is located on Hanamikoji Street in the south of the Gion shopping district.<\/p>\n

\u25bc Ichiriki Chaya<\/p>\n

\"Ichiriki<\/p>\n

In this area, there is a row of \u201cteahouses\u201d with red lanterns in wooden \u201cmachiya\u201d houses, which are unique to Kyoto and create a unique atmosphere of Gion. It is a good place to take a stroll and have your picture taken.<\/p>\n

You can sometimes see maiko and geiko walking along the streets, so you can enjoy the unique atmosphere of Gion.<\/p>\n

\"No<\/p>\n

There are signs posted in this area that say \u201cNo photography on private roads\u201d and other etiquette-related signs.<\/p>\n

One of the most common violations of etiquette is following maiko and geiko around and taking pictures of them.<\/p>\n

Since this is an area where local people live and work, please enjoy sightseeing while respecting them.<\/p>\n

Gion Kobu Kaburenjo is where the maiko and geiko perform<\/h2>\n

\"Gion<\/p>\n

Going south on Hanamikoji Street, you will see the Gion Kobu Kaburenjo Theater on the left, where maiko and geiko perform their dances.<\/p>\n

You can see performances of \u201cMiyako Odori\u201d in spring and \u201cOnjuku-kai\u201d in autumn. The building was completed in 1913 and is designated as a Tangible Registered Cultural Property of Japan, so you can also marvel at the architecture as well.<\/p>\n

\u25bc The official website of Gion Kobu Kaburenjo
\nhttps:\/\/miyako-odori.jp\/kabukai\/<\/a>
\n(* Tickets can be reserved on the web.)<\/div>\n

In the adjacent Yasaka Kaikan, there is a spot called \u201cGion Corner\u201d where you can watch traditional Japanese performing arts.<\/p>\n

You can enjoy \u201cKyomai,\u201d a dance originating in Kyoto, \u201cGagaku,\u201d a type of classical Japanese music, and \u201cKyogen,\u201d a traditional Japanese performing art that combines satire and humor, in about 1 hour. The best way to experience traditional performing arts is to come and see them up close.<\/p>\n

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\u2014 \u30c8\u30ed\u30c3\u30b389\u53f7 (@Tramno89) October 5, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n