Kanazawa Geiko Experience

The Kanazawa Geiko Experience opens the teahouses of Kanazawa's geisha districts to anyone. The city has three teahouse districts, Higashi, Nishi and Kazuemachi, where about 40 geiko, as geisha are called in Kanazawa, carry on the local tradition of hospitality. The teahouses normally receive only regular patrons and the guests they introduce. The City of Kanazawa and the Kanazawa City Tourism Association run this programme with the teahouses' special help, to keep that culture alive.

What happens

Each session lasts about an hour in a teahouse in one of the three districts, for 10 to 20 guests. The geiko dance and play ozashiki-daiko, drumming performed in the banquet room, and guests join in ozashiki asobi, traditional teahouse games. Tea and sweets are served.

In the teahouse

The banquet rooms are tatami rooms on the upper floor, reached by stairs with no lift. Guests sit on cushions, and formal kneeling is not expected. Bare feet are not allowed, so socks are worn throughout, and children below school age cannot take part. Guests who disturb the geiko, the teahouse or other guests may be asked to leave.