Special Experience
Kyoto
Private Geisha Entertainment and Drinks at Traditional Ochaya in Gion, Kyoto
Overview
As one of Kyoto’s five historic entertainment districts, Gion Higashi has long been a center for leisure and relaxation for weary temple and shrine visitors, and a mecca for the merchant class to gather socially. Here, geiko (as full-fledged geisha are referred to in correct Kyoto parlance) and maiko (young apprentice geiko) regale and delight their clientele with song, dance, conversation, and ozashiki-asobi (traditional party games). These elegant entertainers remain beloved embodiments of Japan’s traditional culture and history, and in this experience you can enjoy their charms yourself while enjoying a refreshing tipple at the teahouse Ochaya Man.
Key Features
・Enjoy watching traditional dance performance by a maiko accompanied by shamisen lute played by a geiko
・Experience traditional party games (ozashiki-asobi) with geiko and maiko at an ochaya private banquet house in the historic nightlife entertainment district of Gion Higashi
・Enjoy bottomless drinks while chatting with geiko and maiko and enjoying their sophisticated traditional hospitality (alcoholic and non-alcoholic options both available)
*Please note that requests for specific geiko and maiko cannot be accommodated
*Visitors may also be interested in these other similar plans:
・Private Geisha Entertainment and Delicious Japanese Cuisine at a Traditional Ochaya, in Gion, Kyoto
・A Joyful Bar Night with Geisha in Gion, Kyoto
Kyoto
120mins
from ¥421,000 /group
1 - 10 participants
Available in English
No cancellations after booking
Details
A Teahouse Carrying Traditional Leisure into a New Era
The Ochaya Man teahouse, designed by international interior designer Yasumichi Morita, sits in a corner of Kyoto’s Gion Higashi district. Its first and second floors feature a bar and a traditional tatami room, while the third floor houses a ryotei restaurant, which is an unusual luxury for an entertainment district teahouse.
Traditional entertainment districts are very exclusive by nature, turning away all first-time visitors without a referral. Ochaya Man however exclusively accepts Wabunka customers through Exclusive Kyoto.
Masami Ueyanagi is the fourth-generation okami, or proprietress, of Ochaya Man. As such, she was raised to be a maiko from as far back as she could remember, and made her debut as a dancer at age four and as a singer at age nineteen. After extensive performance experience, she became a full-fledged geiko to train as successor to her family teahouse, and currently runs it along with its okiya residence for maiko and geiko, and its ryotei restaurant. She has also made it her life’s work to train maiko to carry on traditional Japanese culture, as living symbols of Kyoto and its history.
An Evening with Geiko and Maiko
Enjoy watching maiko dancing accompanied by shamisen lute played by geiko, savoring delicious drink and rich conversation with the geiko and maiko alongside ozashiki-asobi traditional party games and entertainment. This is a rare opportunity to interact with real geiko and maiko up close.
Geiko and maiko are distinct roles. A maiko is a young apprentice geiko, and is distinguished by youthful flashy kimono designs, elaborate traditional Japanese coiffures, white-painted skin with red and black eye makeup and crimson lipstick – a unique and unmistakable beguiling look. Geiko on the other hand are full-fledged masters of their craft who dress in more muted kimono colors with more modest make-up, with an overall aura of calm and refinement.
Exclusive Geisha Experience in Private Luxury
The highlight of this plan is the chance to experience the traditional banquet entertainment culture of Japan, replete with song, dance, and ozashiki-asobi traditional party games and entertainment. This is a rare opportunity to interact with these traditional entertainers up close after taking in their dances, in a luxurious tatami space with the feel of a cozy hideout, a world apart from the ordinary.
The elegance of traditional Nihon-buyo dance is a highlight of ozashiki-asobi merrymaking. Geiko and maiko dress in sumptuous kimonos and obi sashes that highlight their allure. Close attention to their gestures and every movement – from their facial expressions to how they sit to how they walk and wield their fans – reveals a supple grace that can only be earned by daily training.
A Quaff and A Conversation
This plan centers around the unique opportunity to enjoy close interactions with geiko and maiko and enjoy lively conversation with them. Sate your curiosity by asking them about the life of a maiko or geiko, their daily training, the joys of the profession, and more. An evening spent accompanied by the lovely, warm company of a geiko and maiko is a priceless opportunity to discover the unique culture of Kyoto’s nightlife entertainment districts.
Rhythm games that follow the sound of the shamisen lute are addictive in their trickiness, and you may get hooked. The demure charms of your geiko and maiko party companions will soothe your weary heart. Enjoy the mellifluent melodies and the harmony of song and dance, and the chance to take photos with geiko and maiko.
The “200 Points” – an Experience of the Depth of Japanese Hospitality Culture
“Feel free to ask any questions you may have,” says Mistress Ueyanagi, “such as about the background or reasons behind the three centuries of customs and manners of our entertainment district, or the lives of geiko and maiko. We strike for hospitality where a perfect score is 200, not 100, to bring joy to our guests. Many say the experience has changed their whole outlook.
Ueyanagi’s hope is for guests to immerse themselves in the atmosphere and the flow of the experience with all five senses, enjoying the depth of Japanese aesthetics and culture through their interactions with geiko and maiko. Sophisticated company and expert hospitality are sure to be a balm for the soul. Enjoy a special evening engrossed in the hospitality culture unique to Kyoto’s historic entertainment districts.
Ochaya Man / Exclusive Kyoto
Ochaya Man / Exclusive Kyoto
Ochaya Man
Located in Gion Higashi near Kyoto’s famous sightseeing destination Yasaka Shrine, Ochaya Man’s proprietress Masami Ueyanagi was raised to take over as the fourth generation head, training as a maiko and making her debut as a dancer at age four and as a singer at age nineteen. Today, she helms the family business as proprietress while continuing to work as a singer and dancer herself.
She is passionate about passing on the traditional arts of dance, nagauta singing, and ohayashi instrumental accompaniment to the next generation of traditional entertainers.
Exclusive Kyoto
To both preserve the historic traditions of Kyoto’s nightlife entertainment districts and provide guests with a deeper experience of local culture, Exclusive Kyoto offers a variety of experiences to interact with geiko and maiko.
Traditionally, ochaya private banquet houses do not accept first-time visitors without a referral, but Exclusive Kyoto makes it possible for Japanese and overseas visitors alike to enjoy an authentic and luxury geisha experience at one.
Location
Ochaya Man
Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto
Request for booking
* Required
January 2025
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
17
Available
17
Full
17
No Events
Additional Options
For parties with 3 or more participants, please select this option.
Additional Participant Fee / person
JPY 82,500
0
Experience fee
Group fee (1 participants)
JPY 421,000
Price may change after date is selected.
Additional options fee
Interpretation in English
JPY 0
Other
Service fee (5%)
JPY 21,050
Total Price
JPY 442,050
tax & service fee incl.
Extra charges may apply for the following
- ・Interpretation / Dependant on experience schedule and language
- ・Optional add-ons / Souvenirs, delivery, etc.
Kyoto
120mins
from ¥421,000 /group
1 - 10 participants
Available in English
No cancellations after booking
Things to know
Contact Us
If you have any questions, please contact us using the form below.
We also accept bookings from corporate clients and travel agencies.