The Gion District is one of the oldest districts of Kyoto and was created to accommodate visitors to the Yasaka Shrine.

This district is now one of the most exclusive geiko districts in Japan – geisha are referred to as geiko in Kyoto.

Traditional establishments called machiya (townhouses) or ochaya (tea houses) where patrons have been entertained by geiko since the times of the samurai still exist in Gion.

There are numerous modern restaurants, clubs, bars and tourist-orientated establishments that are also popular with the locals.

A walking tour of Gion is a great experience and highly recommended to gain an insight into this historic district of the city.