【 "GEIKO" at Gion, Kyoto Japan 】

Geiko and maiko are called the "flowers of Kyoto". These women dancing with such elegance are maiko and geiko―female entertainers who perform traditional Japanese music and dances at exclusive parties. Maiko and geiko are the terms used in Kyoto. Maiko are apprentice geiko, most of them between the ages of 15 and 20. The origins of maiko and geiko date back about 400 years, when women who worked at chaya rest houses served refreshments to people visiting Gion Shrine, which is now called Yasaka Shrine. A maiko is an apprentice, learning the geiko's trade. #kyoto #maiko #kimono #japan