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View all Kyoto toursGion Walking Tour, Geisha Show and Japanese Game in Kyoto by Local Operator
2-hour tour in Kyoto, taking in Gion and Finish at. Run by GuideMe Japan, booked direct rather than through a reseller.
Highlights
- Gion
- Runs 2 hours
- Tea and Japanese snack
- 1-hour walking tour of Gion and 1-hour geisha apprentice show
- Traditional Japanese fan game with geisha apprentice
Gion Walking Tour, Geisha Show and Japanese Game in Kyoto by Local Operator: Key Facts
| Price | From $173.5 per person |
|---|---|
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Languages | English |
| Tour type | Guided Tour |
| Booking | Direct with the local operator — no OTA markup |
Full description
This is a 2-hour experience from Kyoto, built around Gion. It is run by GuideMe Japan, an operator we book with directly rather than through a reseller, which is why we can hold your place with them before we treat your booking as final.
Gion is Kyoto's historic entertainment district, the streets of wooden machiya houses around Hanamikoji where the geiko and maiko of the Gion Kobu district still work. They are working professionals on their way to engagements, not performers for the street, and Kyoto has banned photography in the private lanes; an evening walk with a guide who explains the ochaya system is the respectful way to see it. Tea ceremony sessions in Gion teach the basic form of matcha preparation in an hour. Kimono rental for a day, with dressing and hair, is an established business around the district and is welcomed rather than resented.
The price covers Tea and Japanese snack, 1-hour walking tour of Gion and 1-hour geisha apprentice and Traditional Japanese fan game with geisha apprentice. It does not cover Additional expenses such as food, so budget for those separately. Everything included is listed in full on this page; if something is not on that list, assume it is not in the price.
Statue of Izumo-no-Okuni. We need at least one day's notice, and we confirm the date with GuideMe Japan before treating your booking as final. If they cannot take your date we tell you and refund you rather than leave you waiting.
Tour Itinerary
The schedule below is a suggested plan and can be adjusted to suit your preferences.
Starting location
Statue of Izumo-no-Okuni
Gion
Guided tour (1 hour)
Gion
Traditional dance show (1 hour)
Finish at
Hangesho
Detailed Itinerary
Starting location: Statue of Izumo-no-Okuni
Gion: Guided tour (1 hour)
Gion: Traditional dance show (1 hour)
Finish at: Hangesho
Includes
- Tea and Japanese snack
- 1-hour walking tour of Gion and 1-hour geisha apprentice show
- Traditional Japanese fan game with geisha apprentice
Excludes
- Additional expenses such as food
Important information
Meeting point
Statue of Izumo-no-Okuni
Know before you go
- Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the activity starts
About this activity
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Traveler Reviews
Ai was so knowledgeable about the Gion geiko area and made the tour wonderful.
Ai was such a lovely guide. She showed me spots I didn't find even after doing my own research. And the maiko show was amazing and fun. I will cherish this memory forever.
Loved everything except the pit stops at designated shops
The tour guide Lin is very nice and friendly. He took us to streets we would never find by ourselves in Kyoto. Maika was amazingly beautifully captivating!. Keeping this tour group small, 5 of us, made it a very personal experience which we will never forget.
Loved our experience! Our guide, Soichiro, was a local and had a wealth of knowledge. He was flexible in modifying our route to accommodate an injury I had. The Maiko performed a beautiful dance for us. I loved the opportunity for a Q & A afterwards. Our 13 year old son enjoyed it too. The game was fun and we purchased a set as our souvenir. Overall, a great experience. The shop owner was very kind and gracious as well. I’m glad I chose this! Our guide even gave us suggestions for dinner after I asked.
The tour was fantastic, our guide was very nice and we had a great time! Seeing the performance of the maiko and asking questions to her was very very interesting. We also play with her a traditional game we had so much fun. We recommend this tour!
One of the best experiences of my life. The maiko was captivating. Soichiro was a wonderful guide and gave recommendations for dinner afterwards. the soba place he recommended was very good, a hit with the locals who were queuing up outside! zgion is incredible, like taking a step back in time. He gave important context for things we would have otherwise missed. What a wonderful day we had! Unforgettable.
I loved having the wonderful walk through Gion with our sweet guide Ai Iwata. Then we had a wonderful maiko show and played a fun game!! I was mesmerized by the elegance of the maiko and I am so glad we did this. Might have been the best activity we did during our entire Japan trip :)
Rin was an excellent guide. Our whole family (including a tween and teen) thoroughly enjoyed the Geisha show and game. It was informative and fun, and we had the joy of seeing a geiko in Gion on our way back to the hotel!
This tour was one of the most cherished memories of our Japan trip. Our guide Ms. Ai made sure we had an amazing experience and translated very patiently for us. The Maiko-san was an absolute gem. She very elegantly showed off her dancing skills and answered all of our questions about the life of Maiko and Geiko gracefully. We were able to take plenty of pictures together and played a traditional game with her. If you have a genuine interest in the arts, the culture and the history of the Maiko / Geiko of Kyoto you should definitely book this tour.
It was a great and specialized tour. Tour guide was very sweet and answered all of our questions in details. Her English was also very good. I highly recommend this tour. 11/10 for this once in a lifetime experience.
Our guide Tang was great and the whole evening was so special. Absolutely recommend this to anyone. Our Maiko was stunning and memorizing 🙏