Maiko Meet-and-Greet with Dance Performance & Photos Kyoto

Who are the Maiko of Kyoto?

A Maiko is a young apprentice geisha, known as a geiko in Kyoto, and the Maiko tradition belongs only to this city. During several years of strict training she studies dance, traditional music and the tea ceremony, as well as conversation, etiquette and hospitality, while entertaining guests at teahouses and banquets. Only after this apprenticeship does she become a geiko.

Her appearance is unmistakable: an intricately designed kimono with long sleeves, a long hanging obi, a glamorous hairstyle with distinctive ornaments that change with the seasons, and white face makeup set off by red and black accents. Seeing a Maiko on the street in Gion is a matter of luck; this show is a reliable and respectful way to meet one, learn the meaning behind what she wears and ask how she lives.

The show: dances, interview and photos

The host opens the programme and invites the Maiko to the stage. She performs two traditional dances, eight to ten minutes in total, each gesture of the fan and sleeves telling part of a story about the seasons or love. Then the English-speaking host gives a short background on Maiko culture and her attire, from the hair ornaments to the way the obi is tied.

Next comes an informative interview, in which the host asks the Maiko about her training, her daily routine and her art, translating everything into English. The final ten to fifteen minutes are dedicated to photos: guests come forward to take commemorative pictures with her using their own cameras or phones. Photography is allowed throughout, so this Maiko show in Kyoto is ideal if you want great pictures as well as understanding.

The Kyoto Handicraft Center venue

The show is held on the second floor of the West Building of the Kyoto Handicraft Center, a large store of Japanese crafts on Marutamachi-dori, a short walk north of Heian Shrine. You take the elevator from the first floor and find the reception, which opens thirty minutes before the show. The hall seats up to thirty guests with free seating, so everyone has a place and a good view.

The venue is wheelchair accessible, and if you arrive late you can still enter during the show. After the performance you receive a small gift and have the chance to browse the store below for quality Japanese goods, such as ceramics, lacquerware, textiles and woodblock prints, which makes it easy to find thoughtful souvenirs on your way out.

Okazaki and the Heian Shrine area

The Handicraft Center sits on the edge of Okazaki, one of the most pleasant cultural districts of Kyoto. A few minutes south rise the vermilion halls of Heian Shrine and its giant torii gate, built in 1895 to celebrate the city's eleven centuries as capital, surrounded by museums, the zoo and canal-side paths lined with cherry trees.

Because the show starts at 17:00, it makes a perfect end to an afternoon in eastern Kyoto: walk the Philosopher's Path, visit Nanzen-ji temple or the Heian Shrine garden, and arrive at the reception by 16:50. To get there, take a bus to the Kumano-jinja-mae stop or walk about ten minutes from Jingu-Marutamachi Station. Afterwards, Gion and the Kamo River are a short taxi ride away for dinner.