Japan · GION, GEISHA AND MAIKO EXPERIENCES
27 reviewed
Gion is a working district, not a set: the women crossing it at six are on their way to an appointment. These 15 bookings are the ones that handle that properly, with a guide who explains what you are looking at and where you may and may not stand. Prices, lengths and what each evening includes are below.
2-hour Gion Kyoto geiko and maiko walking tour, temple stops like Kennin-ji, and local food and shop tips for $25.
“Thoroughly enjoyed it and learned a lot. Thank you so much to Michael!”
Walk Gion by lantern light with an English guide, geisha trivia, shrine stops, and a small group vibe, plus included photography.
“The tour was excellent and the experience was something that I will never forget, the guide was very professional and knowledgeable of the area and I learned things I did not know before. I would and will definitely recommend this tour and guide to anyone that wants to go.”
Night walk through Gion and Pontocho in Kyoto, with stories, key shrine stops, and chances to spot geiko and maiko.
“Seeing authentic locations, hearing the history, seeing a Maiko!!!!”
2-hour guided night walk in Gion and Higashiyama, with shrines, lantern streets, a lit pagoda, and respectful geisha stories.
“Karim was wonderful! What a great tour! So informative and fun! Highly recommend!”
A 100-minute night walk in Kyoto’s Gion with a licensed English guide, geiko and maiko etiquette, and possible sightings.
“Great experience! It was beautiful at night, and we saw many geishas because our guide had previously taken us to a less crowded district.”
Kyoto’s Gion night foodie walk with 9+ dishes, 6 sake tastings, and small-group storytelling across river-side streets.
“Ok experience. The guide was knowledgeable about the area. Too much politics were discussed for my taste,”
A small-group after-dark walk through Kyoto’s Gion, with geisha-focused stories, lantern-lit streets, and key cultural stops in about 2 hours.
“Got an inside look that we never would have gotten or found on our own! So so worth it!! It was so cool learning about geisha culture and walking the old city streets.”
Walk Kyoto’s Gion in 2 hours, from Hanamikoji to 1,000-year-old Yasaka Shrine, with a small guide-led hunt for geisha sightings.
“Great experience with Dan who was very kind and knowledgeable about the history and a good storyteller. It was fun.”
Make Kyoto chopsticks in Gion: shape raw wood with a hand plane, sand and oil the finish, and optionally engrave your name in Japanese.
“We loved learning the process of making chopsticks. Our teacher was very patient. The engraving process was very neat! This will be our souvenir from Japan!”
Small-group Kyoto Gion night walk with Hanamikoji Street and Yasaka Shrine, plus private upgrades in multiple languages.
“Definitely worth it. Our tour guide Jasmine was very polite and professional. She was able to interact with the group and had us really connected. This tour is a must do when in Kyoto!”
Kyoto’s Gion kimono and matcha tea ceremony. Small group up to 10, expert dressing, optional calligraphy, $49, 90 min to 2 hours.
“It was an incredible experience. From the moment we arrived, the part of putting on the kimono and doing the hair, to the pre-ceremony, the ceremony itself and the post. All the staff were very kind and polite, they took pictures of us, gave tips and treated us very well. The time is ideal. The clothing part was made in a professional and effective way. The ceremony itself is all explained and very interesting. I recommend.”
Kyoto at night with a small group, Yasaka Shrine lights, Gion and Ponto-cho walks, plus a full dinner across two local restaurants.
“The tour was superb! Andres gave us first a tour around the Gion district, explained us about the geishas and added a lot of very interesting information. Then we went to two different restaurants in trendy and beautiful neighbourhoods. Both restaurants were delicious, diversity of dishes, flavours, he recommended drinks as well. One guest from our group was a vegetarian and he catered to that with delicious alternatives. Over all is a tour that I would 100% recommend.”
Walk Gion with a guide, meet a Maiko for Q&A and songs, then choose lunch, tea, or dinner. Small group, English.
“The tour was great, with very good explanations about the history of geisha culture, and a respectful tour of multiple geisha districts. Dinner with the maiko was very cool. She was engaging and delightful. The food and drink were good as well. Thanks Kenta for a great overall experience.”
Small-group Gion walk with Kabuki, shrines and Zen, ending in a 45-minute maiko dance show and Q&A, with optional dining.
“Akari was the sweetest and she made it a great experience! I wasn’t expecting to be the only solo traveler in the group but despite this, she made a lot of effort to make sure I feel included. It was really nice to see the maiko’s performance as well - it was so beautiful and nice to learn about their traditions.”
Kyoto’s night economy comes alive on a guided food walk from Gion to Pontocho, with two drinks included.
“Jamie was a great guide. We walked through the area and she shared a lot of interesting history. We then got to eat some local fare at one restaurant and then walked a bit more to the second restaurant to taste some other interesting bites!”
