The Gion District is just about a 7 minutes bus ride away from Mitsui Garden Hotel., and perhaps 20 minutes walk. The district is Kyoto’s best-known geisha quarter, and is filled with private inns and teahouses that for centuries have been the haunts of Japanese men reveling in the company of professional geishas.
It’s not just private inns and teahouses today of course. The district also features gigantic department stores, numerous eateries, fastfood and Western-inspired, and even – surprise – an Indian restaurant, artisan shops and so on.
The district today also is a popular area to try spotting for geikos and maikos. However, by the time of our visitation on Day 4 – Christmas Day – late afternoon, we’d already spotted maikos and gone near-papparazi on them earlier at Hagashimaya. Which was great, because we didn’t feel nearly so stressed out and could really enjoy the leisurely, if extremely cold, walk as we explored the area on foot for about 5 hours; we started at about 2:15 PM, and by the time we were back in the hotel was at 7:30 PM, stopping for tea and also dinner in the district, both of which deserve their own posts (see next!).
The old alongside the new in Kyoto City, as seen from across Kamo River.Waiting at a juncture point intersecting Shijo and Kawaramachi Streets. Ling wondered several times how do the Japanese kimono-clad women survive outdoors in winter.One of the numerous alleyways in the Gion district.The busier parts of the district were crowded with locals and camera totting tourists that a lot of traffic wardens had to be deployed to make sure that vehicles wouldn't run over pedestrians.You can't tell what this establishment offers unless you speak Japanese, or go closer to look at possible pictures displayed at its façade.This we knew was a tea house; because the sign in front said so.:)These two we couldn't figure out.This one's a restaurant - I think!More traffic wardens guiding human and vehicular traffic at the intersection between Shijo Street and a smaller lane.More like home here! :)The post office.Ling spotted a heron as we were walking along one of the side lanes near Kamo River.I had to go real close in for pictures like these as I was using the 18-55mm (left the 18-250mm back in the hotel). The hero was alerted to my presence shortly after this, and relocated itself.Lots of old-styled houses!Another colorful late bloomer.Mandarin oranges!
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