Image: Andreas Tack · Public domain

Geisha district in Kyoto, Japan

Gion (祇園) is a district of Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Japan, originating as an entertainment district in the Sengoku period, in front of Yasaka Shrine. The district was built to accommodate the needs of travellers and visitors to the shrine. It eventually evolved to become one of the most exclusive and well-known geisha districts in all of Japan. Gion is the Japanese translation of the Buddhist term Jetavana. Yasaka Shrine, located in this district is the center of the Gion faith.

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