One of the most popular questions I get from tourists and photographers alike is, “Where can I see geisha?” There are two very big misconceptions about geisha, the first being that geisha are prostitutes and second is that geisha can be seen commonly all over Japan. Both of these are false. Actually, it is very rare that you will see a geisha in Japan. That being said I am going to give you the easiest way to find them; HOWEVER, even if you take my advice, there is still a chance you might be unsuccessful! I am not guaranteeing you will see geisha or maiko here, but from my experience, the odds are pretty good!

Details after the jump!
First thing you need to do is go to Kyoto. Almost all of the geisha that are left in Japan are in Kyoto. Second, you need to head to Gion district of Kyoto in the late afternoon or early evening (say 4:30pm to 6pm). The third thing and most important thing you need is patience! Many people will walk around Gion in hopes of catching a glimpse of a Geisha. If you do this and are successful, you are very lucky! I have done about 9 times and have only seen geisha twice. Instead my suggestion is to head to one place (the photo below) and just wait in this area.

I waited here 2 different days, from about 430-6pm and both days I saw multiple geisha and maiko. I talked to another person who was there and told me that this was her 4th time waiting there and 3 of the days she say geisha or maiko. I like these odds a lot better than my previous 2 for 9 that I had wondering around Gion! I was told that this place is actually one of the oldest and most famous geisha schools and back in the day, all the high up politicians, samurai and even shogunate used to frequent this place. Not only is it famous, but it is close to the main road so many geisha and maiko walk passed here to go to their jobs or to catch a taxi to get to their jobs. Below is a map showing where this place is. If you have some success stories or other tips please leave a comment! Click the map to open up a interactive one in a new window.

Here are the other photography tips and tricks.

If you are spending time in Tokyo, Asakusa is worth checking out and a lot of interesting photos can be made here. Also there are a lot of festivals in Asakusa throughout the year, these festivals, or “matsuri” in Japanese, always make for good photographs. Here is some information with short descriptions of the festivals in Asakusa and here is another list with the 2007 dates of festivals in Asakusa. Note that some of the dates may change from year to year. Perhaps one of the more interesting festivals is the annual Samba Festival, which takes place in late August. It is interesting because it is obviously very different from the usual traditional festival in Japan. Here is more information on the history of the samba festival in Asakusa. Below is a photo of the shopping arcade.

Another interesting area close by is Kappabashi Dori, a restaurant wholesale shopping street where you can buy anything you can think of related to Japanese cooking. Kappabashi is a great place to buy gifts for the cook in the family and because most places are wholesales, the prices can’t be beat. It is about a 8-10 minute walk from Sensoji. Here is another photo from a festival in Asakusa.

Geisha, which literally means “doer of art,” today is a Japanese female entertainer whose profession includes music, dancing, communication and entertainment. There is a common misconception that geisha are prostitutes, this is not true. Maiko refers to a geisha in training. Geisha perhaps the most iconic symbol of Japan and if you are lucky enough to see one, they make for wonderful photographs; however, they are not so common anymore and Kyoto is pretty much the only place you can still see geisha or maiko in Japan; however, occasionally you can see some in Tokyo in places like Asakusa, Shimbashi and Kagurazaka. Here is a somewhat informative site about Geisha in Asakusa.

Geisha originated as skilled professional entertainers; originally most were male. Geisha used their skills in traditional Japanese arts, music, dance, and storytelling. As the artistic skills of high-ranking courtesans declined, the skills of the geisha, who were both male and female, became more in demand. Male geisha (sometimes known as hōkan) gradually began to decline, and by 1800 female geisha (originally known as onna geisha, literally “woman geisha”) outnumbered them by three to one, and the term “geisha” came to be understood as referring to skilled female entertainers, as it does today.

Traditionally, geisha began their training at a very young age. Some girls were sold to geisha houses as children, and began their training in various traditional arts almost immediately. During their childhood, geisha sometimes worked first as maids or assistants to experienced geisha, and then as apprentice geisha (maiko) during their training. This tradition of apprentice training exists as well in other traditions in Japan, when a student lives at the home of a master, starting out doing housework and assisting the master, and eventually becoming a master himself or herself.

In modern Japan, geisha and maiko are now a rare sight outside Kyoto. In the 1920s there were over 80,000 geisha in Japan, but today there are far fewer – a commonly accepted estimate is 10,000. However, visitors to Kyoto’s Gion district are likely to catch a glimpse of a maiko on her way to or from an appointment. In Kyoto, for a fee of about 6000-15000 yen (about 50-130 USD) anyone (sometimes even men) can schedule an appointement to get made up as a geisha. I could only find one place that had an English website where you can be turned into a geisha but if you ask your hotel, they should be able to find many places for you.

Of couse, the best time to go to Kanazawa is in the Spring (cherry blossom season) or Fall (koyo leaves); however, the most famous place in Kanazawa is a garden called Kenrokuen. Kenrokuen (below, left, is the most famous latern and symbol of Kenrokuen) might be the most famous garden in all of Japan and is widely believed to be the most beautiful in Japan.

For more information see the Japan-Guide.com or the official homepage of Kanazawa City. Below is a photo outside of Kanazawa Station. From Tokyo it takes about 3.5 to 4 hours by train to get to Kanazawa.