Gion is the famed area of Kyoto close to and surrounding Yasaka Shrine. The neighborhood was originally developed to serve the needs of pilgrims to the shrine – mainly inns and restaurants – but ultimately came to be home to the tea houses, geisha, and night culture that have made the name of the neighborhood [...]

Gion  is a district of Kyoto, Japan, originally developed in the Middle Ages, in front of Yasaka Shrine. The district was built to accommodate the needs of travelers and visitors to the shrine. It eventually evolved to become one of the most exclusive and well-known geisha districts in all of Japan. The geisha in the [...]

Yasaka Shrine is commonly known as “Gion-san,” and its festival, “Gion-Matsuri,” is well-known and popular throughout Japan.1. Sairo-monFirst, your eyes will be caught by a big, splendid, vermilion, lacquered gate.  It’s called “Sairo-mon” in Japanese; also some people call it “Goryu-mon.”  During the War of Onin (1467-77), the first gate was burned down.  This gate, [...]