Authentic Kyoto: Maiko and Gion Cultural Walking Tour
4.9
146 Ratings
Kyoto
Immerse yourself in the enchanting world of Kyoto's Maiko and Geiko on this cultural walking tour of Gion. Meet these fascinating artists in person and learn about the rich history of the renowned Geisha district.
Duration: 1 hour
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Gion - Gain insight into one of Kyoto’s must-visit spots, Gion, by walking with one of our local expert guides. Immerse yourself in the rich Geisha culture of Gion and venture off the beaten path to discover the charm of historic neighborhoods.
What's Included
  • Professional guide
  • Live performance by Maiko and Geiko
What's Not Included
  • Personal expense
  • Transportation fees to and from the meeting spot
Additional Information

Embark on an intimate group exploration of Gion, where you will experience firsthand the way of life of Maiko (a Geisha trainee in Kyoto) and Geisha (known as Geiko in Kyoto), by meeting them directly. You will also delve into the rich history of the famed Geisha district (Kagai 花街) in Kyoto. Initially, we guide you along the stunning streets of Gion, providing insights into its cultural context via our local guide. In the latter part of the trip, we will escort you to an unique private residence in Gion where you will be greeted by Maiko and Geiko, with a light meal available as you delight in their incredible live show.

  • No children under 6 years
  • You MUST wear socks at the venue of the performance.
  • Refundable for cancellations due to organisers’ reasons; no refunds for incidental hotel or bullet train costs.
  • No photography and video recording are allowed at the venue apart from the photo session at the end of the performance
  • *Please check your tour start time. The performance starts on time. If you are later than 10 minutes from the meeting time, you are NOT allowed to enter the tea house. No refunds available in such case either.
  • On rainy days, entry to the tea house may be refused if you are heavily wet. Please use an umbrella and if your cloth and feet are wet, please wipe them with a towel at the entrance and change to clean socks to enter the room. This is due to prevent damaging the tatami mat in the room.
Location
Japan Kanji Museum & Library
[Meet up] In front of the Japan Kanji Museum & Library (Outside). Find your guide who holds a green "Japan Wonder Travel" board. *Please check your tour start time. Please be at the meeting point no later than 10 minutes the start time. If you are later than 10 minutes, you are NOT allowed to join.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(146 Ratings)
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N5196rhricardop
Jun 12, 2024
Amazing experience - Excellent experience, we recommend! Both geiko and making made us fell at home. The show was amazing and the conversation wonderful.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Meredith_g
Jun 9, 2024
Awesome - This was the highlight of our trip to Kyoto. It was a very relaxed encounter that included a Q&A session.
Review provided by Viator
Melanie_e
Jun 1, 2024
Fantastic experience with Maiko and Geiko; the Gion Tour was a bit odd. - Fantastic experience with Maiko and Geiko. We go to watch dance with music accompaniment and tea mixing. The best part was that we could ask any questions that we wanted. It was a fascinating to learn more about their world. The only bad thing was that the Gion Tour was a bit odd. The tour guide gave us very little education about the things that we were seeing and most of the time was spent standing around while were supposed to be running around taking photos. It seemed that the guide was supposed to take us from the starting point to the destination of meeting Maiko and Geiko and maybe thought that they were not giving us a tour? I suggest giving the "tour guides" a script so that we could learn more about the Gion area.
Review provided by Viator
Brandonhz1790wf
May 29, 2024
Amazing - One of, if not the most, interesting, informative, unique and coolest activities of any vacation we've taken. A highlight of our trip to Japan.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
879elizabethy
May 23, 2024
Lovely learning experience in Kyoto - Chikako guided us through a visit to a tea house. Talented geiko and maiko provided us with tea and performances. Small group experience was a lovely retreat from busy Kyoto. Chikako made sure the experience was good for all attendees.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Adinatravels
May 20, 2024
Geisha up-close - We enjoyed the experience very much. It was very nice to be able to meet a geisha in real life, ask questions, and experience a tea ceremony and a song/dance show.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Patryk_k
May 14, 2024
Fantastic and truly unique experience - This tour met my expectations 100%. The performance by Maiko and Geiko is truly beautiful and it allows you to immerse yourself in the pure Japanese culture. I can certainly recommend this trip to everyone!
Review provided by Viator
Crystal_s
May 6, 2024
So Beautiful and Magical - Absolutely loved this tour! Our guide Machiko took us through Gion and explained important spots to us. She also educated us on the difference between a geiko and maiko and showed us where they go to learn their skills. We saw quite a few maikos whilst exploring the area. We then went into a beautiful wooden teahouse to experience a tea ceremony. Both the geiko who owned the teahouse, and her maiko served the tea. After this the geiko played the shamisen and sang whilst the maiko danced. It was magical. The geiko had a great sense of humour and the maiko was just so sweet. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Mamiemc
Apr 30, 2024
Great geisha experience - Excellent tour… learnt a lot and saw a lot including some backstreets of Gion. Wonderful geisha show, tea ceremony. Guide was informative
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Fatemah_a
May 12, 2024
exceptional performance - I highly recommend this experience to anyone like to see the Japanese culture. We faced difficulties in finding the guide in the location provided but overall wonderful experience
Review provided by Viator
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