Photo Shooting in Gion
by Eva Lechner
Title
Photo Shooting in Gion
Artist
Eva Lechner
Medium
Photograph - Photograph/selective Color
Description
This neighborhood in Kyoto has two hanamachi (geiko communities. There are five hanamachi in Kyoto): Gion Kobu (祇園甲部) and Gion Higashi (祇園東), which split many years ago; Kobu is larger, occupying most of the district, while Higashi is smaller and occupies the northeast corner, centered on its rehearsal hall. Despite the considerable decline in the number of geisha in Gion in the last one hundred years, it is still famous for the preservation of forms of traditional architecture and entertainment.
Part of this district has been declared a national historical preservation district. Recently, the City of Kyoto completed a project to restore the streets of Gion, which included such plans as moving all overhead utilities underground as part of the ongoing effort to preserve the original beauty of Gion.
Gion remains dotted with old-style Japanese houses called machiya, which roughly translated means "townhouse", some of which are ochaya or "tea houses". These are traditional establishments where the patrons of Gion—from the samurai of old to modern-day businessmen—have been entertained by geiko in an exclusive manner for centuries.
Copyright 2017 Eva Lechner
Inside the ochaya is a private and closed world where the evening's entertainment may include cocktails, conversation, and games as well as traditional Japanese music, singing and dancing. To this day, geiko and maiko (geisha in training) in full regalia can still be seen in the evenings as they move about through the streets of Gion to and from their various engagements at the ochaya. They dance and sing and they entertain for everyone.
Contest winner:1st place tie in the Contest SELECTIVE COLOR ONLY on CLOTHING and APPAREL-November 2018
Uploaded
November 25th, 2018
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