When I first spotted my first geisha, I had to be careful not to seem like a stalker. Obviously, I wanted to shout, “omg it’s a geisha!” But, I had to play it cool.
The true geishas in Gion are super secretive and I almost never see them. Some of them arrive in black cars with black tinted windows. Though, I did see a geisha in very traditional clothing with full make up carrying a Dior bag in these old Kyoto streets. If that isn’t a mix of old and new, I don’t know what is.
Gion’s architecture was the beauty here and the old-style buildings invoked such a feeling of “Japan” to me. I could imagine walking through here at night in a kimono and being transported back in time. The side streets are the real treat, as they are not crowded like the main road with tourists, and that is when you really feel like an explorer because you really don’t know where these windy, narrow roads will take you.
Sandy Somewhere 