The geiko and maiko of Kyoto, keepers of time-honored traditional dance and music, are concentrated in five kagai(geisha districts) across the city.  Each of the districts performs a large-scale dance for the public once a year, and Kamishichiken district’s Kitano Odori runs from March 25^th to April 7^th to usher in the spring.  Two performances are held each day, at 13:30 and 16:00, and tickets cost 4,300 yen.  For an additional 500 yen guests can enjoy a cup of green tea and a sweet before the play, which also comes with a commemorative plate.  Tickets can be purchased online for those with Japanese credit cards, procured through travel agents, or reserved with assistance at the Tourist Information Center in Kyoto Station.

The Kitano Odori usually consists of three sections: a multi-scene story play, a collection of themed dances, and the ever popular Kamishichiken Serenade finale piece.  With the exception of the finale, other performances change each year.  Recent story plays have included “Enishi no Miya”, a romance about two lovers trying to prove they are meant to be together, “Naniwa Utazaimon”, a comic adaptation of a classic love suicide tragedy, and “Shijō Kabuki”, a dramatic story about the woman who invented kabuki theater.

Having celebrated its 65^th year in 2017, Kitano Odori officially began in 1952 to commemorate the 1,050^thanniversary of the founding of Kitano Tenmangū, the shrine located next to the Kamishichiken geisha district.

Kamishichiken’s elegant geiko, charming maikoapprentices, and skilled musicians come together on this scale only once a year to put on the Kitano Odori, so don’t miss out during your spring trip to Kyoto!