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Todokyoto
A traditional wooden machiya-lined street in Gion, Kyoto, at dusk
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Gion

Kyoto Neighbourhood Guide

Historic, atmospheric, quietly formal

Kyoto's most famous geisha (geiko) district, with wooden machiya teahouses along Hanamikoji-dori, the willow-lined Shirakawa canal, and a real chance of seeing a maiko hurrying between appointments at dusk. Yasaka Shrine anchors its eastern edge.

Best for: geisha cultureBest for: traditional teahousesBest for: evening walksBest for: historic architecture

Day Trips from Kyoto

Nara · Uji · Osaka · Kobe

Pick up at Kansai International Airport. Free cancellation on most cars.

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Explore Gion

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A traditional matcha tea ceremony set being prepared on tatami mats

Traditional Tea Ceremony Experience

A hands-on introduction to chado, the way of tea: learning the etiquette of preparing and receiving whisked matcha in a traditional tatami-room setting, usually alongside a short explanation of the ceremony's Zen-influenced philosophy.

Bottles of Japanese sake lined up at a small Gion bar

Sake Bar Yoramu

A small, wood-panelled Gion sake bar with a rotating list made up entirely of Japanese sake, run by an owner happy to talk visitors through unfamiliar regional styles.

A dimly lit cocktail bar interior in Gion, Kyoto

Gion Aoi

A Gion cocktail bar with an unusually wide spirits selection, including rare whiskies, in a calm, low-lit room a short walk from Hanamikoji-dori.

The red-lacquered Yasaka Pagoda rising above a traditional Kyoto street

Yasaka Shrine

A vermilion Shinto shrine marking the boundary between Gion and Higashiyama, founded over 1,350 years ago and the home of the Gion Matsuri, one of Japan's most famous festivals every July. Lit by hundreds of hanging lanterns after dark.