Kyoto's iconic Gion district holds secrets that only emerge when the sun sets, and most tourists head back to their hotels. While thousands flood these historic streets during daylight hours, snapping ...

KYOTO--A geisha community here will put on its annual “Gion Odori” dance performance in November for the first time in three years. The Gion Higashi Kabukai association, based in one of Kyoto’s five ...

Every July tourists flock to the Gion Festival in Kyoto for the chance to see a parade of sumptuously decorated floats pass through the heart of the city. Nippon.com takes a look at the history and ...

Kyoto’s historic Gion neighborhood is cracking down on photography in response to ongoing issues with bad tourist behavior. As Japan’s tourism has grown exponentially, Kyoto has struggled to maintain ...

Enjoy Kyoto's iconic summer float parades in comfort: seats from ¥6,000, with upper tiers offering English live commentary ...

KYOTO--Tourism officials here are offering premium seats for 400,000 yen ($2,870) each that provide an up-close view of the traditional Gion Festival’s massive float parade on July 17. The Kyoto City ...

A close-up look at one of Japan's largest and most popular festivals, the Gion Matsuri. Experience a 1000 year old three-night-long event filled with traditional Japanese cuisine, music, folklore and ...

Kyoto – Before the maiko starts to dance, the woman tuning up her three-stringed shamisen instructs me to focus on the teenage girl’s hands. The older woman, once an apprentice geisha herself, says it ...

Gion is a historic Kyoto neighborhood known for its willow-lined streets, wooden ryokan (traditional inns), antique shops, kaiseki (Japanese haute cuisine) restaurants, and centuries-old tea houses.