Kamishichiken

is a district of Kyoto, Japan. It is the oldest hanamachi (geisha district) in northwest Kyoto, just east of the Kitano Tenman-gū Shrine. The name Kamishichiken literally means "Seven Upper Houses." These refer to the seven teahouses built from the equipment and material leftover from the rebuilding of the Kitano Shrine in Muromachi era (1333 - 1573).

Kamishichiken is located in Kyoto’s Nishijin area, which is known for traditional hand-woven textiles. The quiet streets of Kamigyo-ku are made up of dark, wooden buildings, mainly o-chaya (teahouses) and okiya (geisha houses). [Downer, Lesley. (2001). "Women of the Pleasure Quarters: The Secret History of the Geisha". Broadway Books. ISBN 0-7679-0489-3] The geisha of this district are known for being subtle and demure, few in number but each highly accomplished dancers and musicians. [Dalby, Liza Crihfield (1983). "Geisha". Berkeley, California, United States: University of California Press. ISBN 0-965-88126-1] There are approximately 25 maiko and geiko in Kamishichiken, along with 11 teahouses.

The district crest is a ring of skewered dango (sweet dumplings). On lanterns they appear as red circles on white paper (as opposed to Gion, which uses white dango on a red background).

On February 25th the "Baika Sai" (Plum Festival) is held at Kitano Tenman-gū featuring geisha and maiko. The annual district-wide dance, Nihongo|Kitano Odori|北野をどり is performed in April in the distinctive Hanayagi-ryu style of Kyo-mai dance, sometimes called Kitano Kabuki. [Sohara, Miyuki (Director). [http://www.hannari.info.com Hannari: Geisha Modern] [Film-Documentary, Foreign] . Japan: Hannari Geisha Modern, LLC.] A beer garden is open to the public during summer months and offers a unique chance to be served by maiko and geiko from July 1 until August 31st (from 6pm until 10pm).

Maiko & Geiko of Kamishichiken

The most common geisha lines of descent in this district are Ume-, Katsu-, Nao- Ichi-, etc.

The Ichi teahouse in Kamishichiken district maintains an extremely popular blog written by Ichimame [http://ichi.dreamblog.jp/] , an 18-year-old maiko at the teahouse. Now translated into English, the Ichi teahouse web site also intends to promote district which is not as well-known because it is not located near the busy Yasaka Shrine area.

ee also

*Hanamachi in Kyoto ("Gokagai")
**Gion-Kobu
**Gion-Higashi
**Kamishichiken
**Pontocho
**Miyagawacho
*Another in Kyoto
**Shimabara

External links

* [http://ichi.dreamblog.jp/ Kamishichiken maiko Ichimame's blog]
* [http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200611290171.html/ Asahi Shimbun: Hits keep coming for Web-savvy 'maiko']
* [http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/culture/20061019TDY16001.htm/ Daily Yomiuri: Kyoto's maiko promote culture via Web]
* [http://www.kitanotenmangu.or.jp/ Kitano Tenman-gū (北野天満宮)]
* [http://www.nakazato.net/ Nakazato Ochaya, operated by the Kamishichiken geiko Naosuzu]
* [http://www.city.kyoto.jp/sankan/kankoshinko/ta_news/eng/06/ Flower Towns and Maiko]

References