Those who maintain venerable traditions are highly valued in Kyoto. Even though maiko and the older geiko are part of an exclusive high society, there are not enough new recruits anymore. In the renowned Gion area they dart out of taxis into teahouses at twilight, so there is little chance to stop them for a photo.

After a handful of visitors made the journey overseas to visit me, I thought I would share the same 10 day itinerary I recommended them to follow.

In November 2015, I visited Kyoto to meet up with a friend who was now living in Shiga. She and I decided to try one of the many Maiko Makeover experiences on offer; after all, it's a once in a lifetime thing that you can only do in Japan.

Who are oiran? According to Wikipedia, the word originates from the Japanese phrase "oira no tokoro no nēsan", which translates into "my elder sister." The kanji characters are 花 meaning "flower" and 魁 meaning "leader" or "first". They were high-class courtesans that possessed entertainer’s skills, such as playing musical instruments, arranging ikebana, performing tea ceremonies, etc.

On February 25th, visitors to Kyoto have the chance to have Japanese green tea made and served to them by Geisha. At Kitano Tenmangu Shrine for their annual plum blossom festival, geisha from the local area come to perform an outdoor tea ceremony known as Baika-sai.

Kanazawa is a beautiful city that is rich in both culture and history. Located in Ishikawa Prefecture in the Chubu region of central Japan, it has one of the best preserved samurai and geisha districts in all of Japan.