One Hour Geisha Show Experience Kyoto

Overview

This one-hour geisha experience puts you in a small traditional tea house in Kyoto, close to a maiko or geiko, an apprentice or full geisha. You watch a short dance, then take part in a question-and-answer session, photos and a traditional game, with tea and Japanese sweets served. In our default option a guide then walks you to Kitano Tenmangu Shrine for a 30-minute session with the maiko. It is a rare, friendly look at living Kyoto culture for adults and families.

Highlights

• Watch a live traditional dance by a maiko or geiko in a small Kyoto tea house
• Ask questions, take photos and play a traditional game with the performer
• Enjoy tea and traditional Japanese sweets during the session
• Walk with the maiko to Kitano Tenmangu Shrine for a 30-minute guided visit (default option)
• English-speaking guide explains the customs of the geisha world
• Photos and videos are welcome; small groups in the tea house option

Itinerary

1. Meet at the tea houseThe meeting point is sent with your confirmation; the default session starts at 3:00 p.m.
2. Tea and sweetsSettle in, receive tea and traditional Japanese sweets, and hear a short introduction from the guide.
3. Traditional danceThe maiko or geiko performs two dances of about five minutes each.
4. Questions, photos and a gameTime to talk with the performer, take pictures and play a traditional game.
5. Kitano Tenmangu ShrineA guided visit of about thirty minutes with the maiko (default option only).

What's included

• One-hour geisha show and interactive session
• Games, photos and question-and-answer time with the geisha
• Tea and traditional Japanese sweets
• English-speaking guide

Not suitable for

• Baby strollers cannot be brought into the tea house
• Guests who cannot sit comfortably on the floor for a while (the tea house option is not wheelchair accessible)

Meeting point

The exact meeting point, a tea house or a theatre in Kyoto depending on your option, is sent with your booking confirmation. Please provide a phone number that works during your stay in Japan when you book, so we can send clear instructions before the day. The default option starts at 3:00 p.m. and ends at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine after about one hour and forty-five minutes.

Important information

• Please wear socks, or bring a pair; guests without socks must buy a pair at the venue to enter.
• The performer is a maiko or a geiko depending on the day, and the dance itself is short, so this is not a continuous one-hour show.
• The tea house option has a small group limit, and the Gion theatre option has a larger one, so it is not a private show.
• The tea house is not wheelchair accessible; the Gion theatre option is.
• Baby strollers cannot be brought into the venue.
• Photos and videos are welcome, and the guide will tell you when it is best to take them.
• Only tea and sweets are included; any additional food or drink is paid on the spot.