2012 Nov: Japan: Kyoto: Gion

Gion (祇園) is Kyoto's most famous geisha (performing artist) district, located around Shijo Avenue between Yasaka Shrine in the east and the Kamo River in the west. It is filled with shops, restaurants and ochaya (teahouses), where geiko (Kyoto dialect for geisha) and maiko (geiko apprentices) entertain. [Read more]

It’s already late lunch time and we are too hungry due to lots of walking.  Uh oh, not yet done of walking, we moved from corner to corner, crossing the streets just to find a good restaurant with a bit cheaper menu.  Until we found JRA Matsuba restaurant near the Minami-za Kabuki Theatre.  Traditional seating on the floor restaurant and of course since it is a soba restaurant a lot of noisy sipping all around the area.

We ordered for tempura and soba for 2000yen (1000php, 2012).

Now, we are ready for another round of walking in Gion.  Passing the alleys will left you a feeling of like you are passing by those scenes in one of the anime or Japanese dramas.

What to hunt?  I’m not after to see a real geisha or geiko, because if I wanted it to it means I have to stay there until late night.  So to make things simpler, will just take photos of those locals wearing traditional kimonos.  I wonder how can they wore those white socks where it is 10.6 degrees Celsius on the mean temperature (min: 7.1, max: 14.9 on Nov 30, 2012)

That’s the only target we have on this area, until we came across another park full of autumn leaves – Kenninji Temple