The best preserved geiko district in Kyoto, from an architectural point of view, is the Gion Hanamachi. Around the Hanami-koji street, we can still admire the old-style Japanese houses called machiya, some of them being used as okiya (geisha houses), while others are ochaya (tea-houses) and restaurants.

This is one of the most beautiful, but also one of the most crowded places in Kyoto, especially after sunset…

Hanami-koji Street, Gion, Kyoto

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Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Japanese spiritual architecture, Founder’s Hall