Maikos, apprentice Geishas, are a source of fascination to everyone who visits Kyoto in Japan.
You may catch a glimpse of one on her way to work in the Gion (the Geisha district in Kyoto) in the evening. When she is on her way to work, it’s not appropriate to stop her for a photo or engage her in conversation but there are places where you can meet a real Maiko face to face and learn more about her world free of charge.
Kyoto Museum of Traditional Crafts (Fureaikan) offers three meet and greet sessions at 2pm, 2.30pm and 3pm on the third Sunday of the month. Visit the museum to enjoy a Maiko performance with an explanation in English.
Hosted Maiko and Geisha experiences can be arranged through Alison Roberts-Brown at Tourism Garden in Australia. For more information, visit the Kyoto Convention Bureau website.
