Gion Corner

Gion Corner opened in 1962 in order to attract international visitors to the first Tokyo Olympics. Although Kyoto is full of temples, shrines and other attractions, most of them are closed in the evening. Gion Corner serves as an evening destination for Kyoto's tourists. At Gion Corner, you can enjoy seven traditional performing arts in around an hour, making it perfect for visitors who want a taste of Japanese culture in a limited time. As well as kyomai dancing performed by maiko, the show includes chanoyu (tea ceremony), ikebana flower arrangement, koto music, bugaku dance, kyogen comedy, and a noh play (or bunraku puppet theater). Performances are held every day, and the guaranteed sight of maiko makes this a very popular experience, attracting around 80,000 tourists a year.