Kyoto Walking Tour: Gion Shirakawa, Geisha Culture & Hanamikoji Street
by Local Guide Stars
Choose from 1 available option
How do you want to book?
✓Confirmation before Wed, 9 Sept - card's only charged if it's a yes. If it's a no, still time to book on Viator.
Book on Viator Confirmed right away, but you pay full price.¥6,000Overview
The tour lasts about two hours and includes a local guide. It begins with a 20-minute walk along Gion Shirakawa, a riverside area with willow trees, traditional tea houses, stone-paved paths, and Edo-period wooden townhouses. Next, the group visits Yasaka Shrine for about 20 minutes; this shrine has over 1,000 years of history. The tour continues with a 15-minute stop at Pontocho, a historic street known for its variety of food options. After that, there is a brief visit to Shijo Bridge, a popular local spot by the Kamogawa River. The route then passes through a street famous for photographs and local shops, where the guide explains a local superstition about falling on the street. The group spends 20 minutes at Hokan-ji Temple, known as one of Kyoto’s most photogenic locations. Following this, there is a 15-minute visit to Yasui-Konpiragu Shrine, where participants can observe Shinto worship practices. The tour concludes with a 15-minute walk along Hanamikoji Street, the center of the geisha district. Here, there is a chance to see a geisha on her way to work, and the guide provides detailed information about geisha training, traditional dances, and the making of their kimonos and hairstyles, covering important aspects of geisha culture.
Highlights
What's included
Itinerary
Pontocho
A historic street known for its variety of dining options, visited for about 15 minutes during the tour.
15 min
Shijo Bridge
A well-liked local resting place by the Kamogawa River, included as a brief stop on the route.
Gion Shirakawa
This area features Edo-period wooden townhouses along a riverside lined with willow trees, tea houses, and stone paths; the tour spends about 20 minutes here.
20 min
Yasaka Shrine
A shrine with a history of over 1,000 years; visitors spend around 20 minutes exploring the grounds.
20 min
Photo Street
A well-known street for photos and local shops; the guide explains a local superstition about falling here during a 15-minute stop.
15 min
Hokan-ji Temple
Known as Kyoto’s most photogenic spot, the tour pauses here for about 20 minutes.
20 min
Yasui-Konpiragu
A Shinto shrine where visitors spend 15 minutes experiencing aspects of Shinto worship.
15 min
Hanamikoji Street
The main street in the geisha district where there is a chance to see a geisha; the guide shares details about geisha training, dances, and costume craftsmanship during a 15-minute stop.
15 min
Meeting point
Our guide will be ready to meet you at the side road of McDonald's Shijo Ohashi Store.（As the front of Macdonald gets very busy) They will be holding a sign with our logo “Local Guide Stars”, so it will be easy to find.
End point
Our guide will be ready to meet you at the side road of McDonald's Shijo Ohashi Store.（As the front of Macdonald gets very busy) They will be holding a sign with our logo “Local Guide Stars”, so it will be easy to find.
Languages
Cancellation policy
- Cancel at least 24 hours before start for a full refund.
Additional info
Kyoto Walking Tour: Gion Shirakawa, Geisha Culture & Hanamikoji Street
by Local Guide Stars
Choose from 1 available option
How do you want to book?
✓Confirmation before Wed, 9 Sept - card's only charged if it's a yes. If it's a no, still time to book on Viator.
Book on Viator Confirmed right away, but you pay full price.¥6,000Overview
The tour lasts about two hours and includes a local guide. It begins with a 20-minute walk along Gion Shirakawa, a riverside area with willow trees, traditional tea houses, stone-paved paths, and Edo-period wooden townhouses. Next, the group visits Yasaka Shrine for about 20 minutes; this shrine has over 1,000 years of history. The tour continues with a 15-minute stop at Pontocho, a historic street known for its variety of food options. After that, there is a brief visit to Shijo Bridge, a popular local spot by the Kamogawa River. The route then passes through a street famous for photographs and local shops, where the guide explains a local superstition about falling on the street. The group spends 20 minutes at Hokan-ji Temple, known as one of Kyoto’s most photogenic locations. Following this, there is a 15-minute visit to Yasui-Konpiragu Shrine, where participants can observe Shinto worship practices. The tour concludes with a 15-minute walk along Hanamikoji Street, the center of the geisha district. Here, there is a chance to see a geisha on her way to work, and the guide provides detailed information about geisha training, traditional dances, and the making of their kimonos and hairstyles, covering important aspects of geisha culture.
Highlights
What's included
Itinerary
Pontocho
A historic street known for its variety of dining options, visited for about 15 minutes during the tour.
15 min
Shijo Bridge
A well-liked local resting place by the Kamogawa River, included as a brief stop on the route.
Gion Shirakawa
This area features Edo-period wooden townhouses along a riverside lined with willow trees, tea houses, and stone paths; the tour spends about 20 minutes here.
20 min
Yasaka Shrine
A shrine with a history of over 1,000 years; visitors spend around 20 minutes exploring the grounds.
20 min
Photo Street
A well-known street for photos and local shops; the guide explains a local superstition about falling here during a 15-minute stop.
15 min
Hokan-ji Temple
Known as Kyoto’s most photogenic spot, the tour pauses here for about 20 minutes.
20 min
Yasui-Konpiragu
A Shinto shrine where visitors spend 15 minutes experiencing aspects of Shinto worship.
15 min
Hanamikoji Street
The main street in the geisha district where there is a chance to see a geisha; the guide shares details about geisha training, dances, and costume craftsmanship during a 15-minute stop.
15 min
Meeting point
Our guide will be ready to meet you at the side road of McDonald's Shijo Ohashi Store.（As the front of Macdonald gets very busy) They will be holding a sign with our logo “Local Guide Stars”, so it will be easy to find.
End point
Our guide will be ready to meet you at the side road of McDonald's Shijo Ohashi Store.（As the front of Macdonald gets very busy) They will be holding a sign with our logo “Local Guide Stars”, so it will be easy to find.
Languages
Cancellation policy
- Cancel at least 24 hours before start for a full refund.