Kamishichiken District

Kamishichiken is Kyoto's oldest geiko district, named for seven teahouses built here during the Muromachi period using materials left over from the reconstruction of Kitano Tenmangu Shrine. The district's reputation was cemented in 1587 when warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi praised the dango served here at his Grand Kitano Tea Ceremony. Even today, maiko can occasionally be spotted making their way through lanes lined with traditional storefronts and teahouses. The geiko houses themselves remain private, open only to invited guests. The Kamishichiken Kaburenjo Theater holds the public Kitano Odori showcase each spring, performed annually since 1952.