Geisha dances
If you’ve read “Memoirs of a Geisha” or seen the film you may understand what this means, though what the film interpreted this event as was beyond my recognition. Each year each hanamachi puts on a set of public performances and for a very reasonable sum you can see the best of the best perform for an hour or so.
Be warned that the pamphlets and program are often all in Japanese so if you don’t know Japanese folk tales you are unlikely to be able to follow the story. The Japanese are very seasonal and the performances follow a strict cycle of seasons starting with Spring and either ending in Winter or with the birthing of a new year; watch for the change of scenery and the different types of flowers.
Seeing the odori (dances) is much like seeing a ballet or opera in the West and while the maiko may be the most flamboyant they are also the least trained in dance and likely to only appear briefly so don’t go expecting a wild affair full of young girls. Some of the performances can be very funny but being Japanese many of them are tragedies of the Romeo and Juliet style.
Picture is the 2008 Kamogawa Odori poster, copyright Amaya Booker please do not use without permission
Kyoto Geisha Dances
Tickets can be purchased either at the theatre listed or in person at the Kyoto Tourist Information Centre which is on the second floor of the Kyoto Train Station. It is advised to attempt to book tickets on the first day you are in Kyoto and attempt to get a seat 2 or 3 days later. Cheap tickets for the backpackers can usually be had for around 1500 Yen but you will be sitting on the floor in the dress circle with a lot of other gaijin, for around 4500 Yen you can get tickets in the stalls and a brief stint to watch a geisha and maiko perform tea ceremony.
Picture is the 2007 Miyako Odori poster, copyright Amaya Booker please do not use without permission
Gion Odori – Gion-Higashi Geisha
Dances of Gion
1st to 10th November
Gion Kaikan Theatre
Higashiyama-ku-Gion
Performances at 1pm and 3:30pm
Kamogawa Odori – Pontocho Geisha
Dances of the Kamogawa River
1st to 24th May
Ponto-Cho Kaburen-jo Theatre
Ponto-cho-sanjo-kudaru, Nakagyo-ku Kyoto-city
Performances at 12:30pm, 2:20pm and 4:10pm
Telephone 075-221-2025
http://www1.odn.ne.jp/~adw58490/english7.html
Kitano Odori – Kamishichiken Geisha
Dances of the Kitano Shrine
15th to 25th April
Kamishichiken Kaburen-jo Theatre
Imadegawa-dori-Nishihonmatsu nishi iru
(East of the Kitano-Tenman-gu Shinto Shrine)
Performances at 1pm and 3pm
Phone 075-461-0148
http://www.maiko3.com/
Kyo Odori – Miyagawa-cho Geisha
Kyoto Dances
First to Third Sunday in April
Miyagawa-cho Kaburen-jo Theatre
Kawabata-dori-Shijo Kudaru
East of the Kamogawa between Shijo Dori and Gojo Dori
Telephone 075-561-1151
http://www.eonet.ne.jp/~miyagawacho/index.html
Miyako Odori – Gion Kobu Geisha
Dances of the Old Capital
1st – 30th April
Gion Kobu Kaburen-jo Theatre
Higashiyama-ku-Gion-Cho South
Follow the paved pedestrian mall into Gion past the Ichiriki Teahouse, the Kaburenjo has large gates which cannot be missed.
Kyoto Go Kagai Godo Dento Geino Tokubetsu Koen – All 5 Kyoto Hanamachi
Kyoto Hanamachi Traditional Arts Special Program
Due to the treat of seeing all the 5 hanamachi in one event tickets for this show are around 9000 Yen
One weekend in Mid June
Kyoto Kaikan Daiichi Hall
13 Okazaki Saishoji-cho Sakyo-ku, Kyoto-city
Telephone 075-561-3901
http://www.ookinizaidan.com/event/index.html
Tokyo Geisha Dances
The Tokyo geisha dances are a little less accessible and a lot more expensive than those in Kyoto. If you wish to attend you will need to plan around the dates very carefully and have a Japanese speaking friend ring the theatre on your behalf. Expect to pay around 8000 – 10 000 Yen for seats if you can get them.
For those with some cash to throw around the Mandarin Oriental offers a package for tickets and accommodation from 85 000 Yen (around $800) http://www.mandarinoriental.com/about_mo/media/press_releases/property/Azuma.aspx
Azuma Odori – Shinbashi Geisha
Dances of the East
May 29th - 1st June
Shinbashi Enbujo Theatre
6-18-2 Ginza Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Telephone 03-5565-6000
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/shinbashikumiai/azumaodori.html
Kagurazaka Odori - Kagurazaka Geisha
Dances of Kagurazaka
April 4th
Kagurazaka Gekijo Theater
15 Tansu-machi Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Performances 12pm, 2pm and 4pm
Telephone 3260-3291
http://www.hana-kagura.net/index.html
Asakusa Geisha Kumi-Odori – Asakusa Geisha
Dances of the Asakusa Sanja Matsuri
Asakusa Kenban Theatre
3-33-5 Asakusa Taito-ku, Tokyo
Telephone 03-3874-3131
http://www.asakusageisha.com/gyoji.html
Other geisha districts
Atami Odori – Atami Geisha
Dances of Atami
April 28th and 29th
Atami Geiko Kenban Kaburen-jo
17-13 Chuo Atami-city, Shizuoka
Telephone 0557-81-3575
http://atami-geigi.jp/06.html
Furumachi Niigata Odori – Furumachi Geisha
Dances of Niigata
June 21st
Ryutopia Niigata Shimin Geijuku Bunkakaikan Theatre
3-2 Ichibanbori-dori-cho
Chuo-ku Niigata-city
Telephone: 025-222-7080
http://www.ryutopia.or.jp/schedule/09/0621t.html