It refers to a well-known style of entertainment from Kyoto that is enjoyed with geiko (what geisha are called in Kansai) or maiko (an apprentice geiko). These entertainers are expertly trained in a variety of arts including music, conversation and hospitality. They traditionally provide the asobi or amusement in an ochaya or teahouse provided with tatami rooms. Activities during ochaya asobi include dance appreciation, eating and drinking, refined entertainment that is a unique part of the culture in Kyoto culture.
Despite being a symbol of the tourist-magnet city of Kyoto, the geiko world is not readily accessible to casual visitors in Kyoto. The Kyoto proverb says “no service without an introduction,” and that continues to hold true today for ochaya. Although there are some ryokan inns and restaurants that have connections to an ochaya and may be willing to provide an introduction, the bar to entering this world remains very high.
At Gion Hatanaka, it is our desire to provide access to this special tradition to as many people as we can, particularly to people from overseas, to spread Kyoto culture around the world.
Kyoto is home to five hanamachi or geiko districts, where ochaya and okiya (houses where geiko prepare for calls) are located.
The world of the geiko as well as the culture of Kyoto in general is filled with nuance and esoteric details. The determination as to whether someone is fit to enjoy ochaya asobi is based on their familiarity with such knowledge.
Without an introduction, the okiya has no way of knowing what sort of person the requester is. This custom grew naturally as a way for the women’s world of the geiko to protect itself from undesirable men. That is the reason for the strict insistence on introductions.
We would therefore like to introduce you to a program where you can appreciate the dancing of Kyoto maiko and enjoy Kyoto cuisine with its refined sense over a pleasant conversation at an elegant restaurant inn. It is the Gion Hatanaka, located next to Yasaka Jinja (shrine) in the Gion district of Kyoto.
Address: Yasaka Jinja Minamimon-mae, Gion, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto
Gion Hatanaka is about a 10-minute walk from Kawaramachi station on the Hankyu Kyoto Main line or Gion-Shijo station on the Keihan Main line.
