Gion After Dark – Kyoto
A few weeks ago I spent a weekend in Kyoto and took the chance to explore one of my favorite neighborhoods in the world – the Kyoto Gion districts. Despite this being one of the foremost tourist spots in the world it is still possible to get some fairly quiet moments on these narrow streets, as you’ll see in these photos. It’s always baffled my why other Japanese cities, many of whom used to have areas more or less similar to the Kyoto Gion, don’t try and recreate them, if for nothing else than the tourism. These photos are from the narrow, less traditional streets of Tominagacho, which might technically be outside of the proper Gion district, but still part of the same spirit and the same sort of traditional tiny restaurants and drinking holes. It’s is also where many of Japan’s last remaining geisha houses are located, and it is not rare to see the tiny maiko girls hurry off to their appointments, as in the first picture. Note the make up of her neck, isn’t it fantastic? Some day in a few years she will be fully trained geisha.
The entrances to the restaurants are often covered in beautiful printed cloth, I tried to catch a few of them but the low light made it difficult. I particularly love the tiny allies, such as the one in the second to last photo. Can you spot the warning sign saying “この路地は通り通りぬけはできまへん”? Meaning, this alley is a cul de sac, in perfect Kyoto dialect.
Wow love the shot of the maiko~~~ So pretty! I hope to visit Kyoto some day.
Thank you! I hope you can come back to visit some day – bring the little one!
Awww, now I wish I had gone to Gion at night! So cozy. Love the lighting, I wish I could learn how to shoot that sharp at night! And you saw your third geisha? (Or were the other two just Tokyo only?)
Seeing Geisha is no big thing here in Kyoto, I have seen and met quite a few. But in Tokyo it is a completely different matter. (^-^;) Gion is gorgeous any time of the day…!
You’ve met geisha? Cool! I didn’t know you can just talk with them…
BTW, I think you meant alleys, not allies. Although I guess a geisha is an ally in one’s life
You can’t, usually. I was at a dinner (as an interpreter)、many years ago, and had to chat with her. And thanks for keeping a look out for my English, but I am sure that you should avoid that as the blog is filled with bad English… you’d end up doing nothing else! (^-^;)
That would be a cool job tagline: Tokyobling, interpreter for the geishas! (^O^)
And you have fabulous Engelska! That was maybe the 2nd or 3rd typo I’ve seen. That’s pretty darn good, I’d say
Much too kind! I find errors every time I post! (^-^) …and that would be a fantastic job… how cool would it be?
I love this part of Kyoto – the geishas, maikos, and all of the quiet, traditional-looking alleyways. I’ve only been there once, but it was so beautiful and enjoyable just to walk and get lost in all of those small alleys looking for hidden treasures. You captured it so well – the low lighting of those places makes it really hard!
Thank you for your kind comment! I totally agree. I would love to live in Kyoto for a while, just to be able to spend more time in Gion! (^-^) I am also sure I still haven’t been able to capture the exact atmosphere of the place, but maybe that is an impossibility? At least one can try! (^-^;)
Great shots! Even with all the Lights and the tourists, walking through Gion at night always make me feel like I’m wandering about the alleys of the past..
Thanks! By the way, looking at your blog I can tell you are going to like tomorrow’s post… (^-^)
I’ll be waiting then
Feels like a piece of my dreams, it would feel somehow strange to be there, (in a good strange way
)
Amazing shots.. * . *
Thank you Timi! It does feel strange to be there. It is an unlikely tourist spot as it isn’t tourist friendly at all. You just soak up the atmosphere… (^-^;)
Nice work! I was there in 2009 and could feel the same you describe in your post. Have hundreds of pics, unfortunately still unedited…
Thank you! The good thing about digital photography is that it is easy to shoot too much..! (^-^;)
Indeed, it is! : )
わ～きれい！行きたいなあ～
いいでしょう？(^-^) コメントありがとう！
Great photos! I am going to be in kyoto for two days in December. Hopefully I can get some great pictures like yours! Keep up the great work!
Thanks Michelle! I am sure you will get even better photos, looking forward to seeing them online! And remember that Kyoto is devilishly cold in December!
The first photo just takes my breath away! I have chills down my spine! It brings me back to when I visited Kyoto with my little snap shot camera. I would love to see your photo on a huge print hanging on my wall!
Thank you! You are much too kind! I have been there many times but it is so hard to get nice photos… I was just lucky this time! (^-^;)
Kyoto is so beautiful… You’ve captured one of the prettiest parts of town so well. I love the second-to-last photo of the tiniest alley too : )
Thank you! I should have taken more (and better) photos of all the little allies, they are so tiny and so many things to see it is easy to miss them! (^-^;)