Gion

Kyoto

Gion which includes cycling, street scenes and night scenes
Gion featuring street scenes and a city
Gion showing a house
Gion which includes night scenes and signage
Gion featuring night scenes and signage

Experience a traditional tea ceremony or a night of cultural entertainment within the historic wooden teahouses of this well-preserved Kyoto district.

Gion is a historic district in Kyoto, known for its geisha culture, wooden teahouses, shops and restaurants. Situated between the beautiful Yasaka Shrine and the Kamo River, Gion is characterized by its historic teahouses, many of which have been transformed into boutique shops and fine-dining restaurants. Explore this district by day to shop for local items like candy, pickles and handmade souvenirs, or by night for a chance to catch a glimpse of the elusive geisha experience.

Begin your exploration of Gion in Hanamikoji Street, a strip with side alleys filled with preserved teahouses and traditional wooden façades. Shirakawa is another interesting area alongside the canal of the same name. This quiet canal-side district is near Shijo Avenue and has a selection of upscale restaurants and bars that look out onto the canal’s willow trees.

A good way to experience some of Gion’s cultural attractions is to see a show at Gion Corner. These foreigner-friendly shows demonstrate a selection of traditional Japanese arts, including tea ceremonies, puppet theater, flower arranging, dance performances and comedy plays.

Visitors with Japanese connections or a ticket with a tour company may be able to spend an evening in a traditional teahouse with entertainment lead by a geisha. Geishas, or Japanese hostesses, traditionally provide the evening’s drinks and performances of music and dance.

Gion is also the home of the Yasaka Shrine and its Gion Matsuri Festival, a popular festival that takes place every July at the famous Shinto shrine and other sites on the opposite banks of the Kamo River.

Reach Gion by bus from Kyoto Station within 20 minutes. You can also catch a train to Gion Shijo Station or Kawaramachi Station. Spend a day or two exploring Gion and its surrounding districts of Kiyomizudera and Higashiyama. A leisurely 30-minute walking route connects these areas via historic alleys and the Yasaka Shrine.


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Gion Hotel Deals

Nohga Hotel Kiyomizu Kyoto
Nohga Hotel Kiyomizu Kyoto
4 out of 5
4-450-1 Gojobashi-Higashi, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto
The price is ¥17,526 per night from Aug 4 to Aug 5
¥17,526
per night
Aug 4 - Aug 5
Stay at this 4-star hotel in Kyoto. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and a fitness center. Our guests praise the breakfast and the restaurant in our reviews. ...
9.6/10 Exceptional! (1,142 reviews)
Friendly, relaxed, upscale, and world class bakery
"The bakery and restaurant was one of the highlights of the hotel. Literally the best sourdough I've ever had at this hotel. The bathroom was also one of the nicest bathrooms I've ever had in a hotel. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful and the hotel's location was only 0.25 miles from the ..."

Reviewed on Jul 9, 2025

Nohga Hotel Kiyomizu Kyoto
Minn Gion
Minn Gion
4 out of 5
342-3 Miyoshicho Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto
The price is ¥9,927 per night from Jul 28 to Jul 29
¥9,927
per night
Jul 28 - Jul 29
Stay at this 4-star apartment in Kyoto. Enjoy free WiFi, onsite spa services, and laundry facilities. Our guests praise the clean rooms in our reviews. Popular ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (282 reviews)
"great location"

Reviewed on Jul 8, 2025

Minn Gion
JR WEST GROUP VIA INN PRIME KYOTOEKI HACHIJOGUCHI
JR WEST GROUP VIA INN PRIME KYOTOEKI HACHIJOGUCHI
3 out of 5
44-1 Higashikujo Kamitonodacho, Minami-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto
The price is ¥7,697 per night from Jul 29 to Jul 30
¥7,697
per night
Jul 29 - Jul 30
Stay at this 3-star hotel in Kyoto. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and a 24-hour front desk. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff in ...
9/10 Wonderful! (1,691 reviews)
"Very well maintained"

Reviewed on Jul 9, 2025

JR WEST GROUP VIA INN PRIME KYOTOEKI HACHIJOGUCHI
Onyado Nono Kyotoshichijo Natural Hot Springs
Onyado Nono Kyotoshichijo Natural Hot Springs
3 out of 5
491 Zaimokucho, Shimogyo, Kyoto, Kyoto
The price is ¥12,905 per night from Jul 21 to Jul 22
¥12,905
per night
Jul 21 - Jul 22
Stay at this 3-star hotel in Kyoto. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and a sauna. Our guests praise the breakfast and the pool in our reviews. Popular ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (3,244 reviews)
"We loved this hotel. Rooms are nice and loved the welcome treats in the fridge. Liked the idea of no shoes in hotel. Felt really homey. We enjoyed the onsen, free yakult and ice cream, massage chairs. Definitely get the breakfast buffet. It’s so good."

Reviewed on Jul 9, 2025

Onyado Nono Kyotoshichijo Natural Hot Springs
Hotel Vischio Kyoto by GRANVIA 
Hotel Vischio Kyoto by GRANVIA 
4 out of 5
44-1, Kamitonodacho, Higashikujo, Minami-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto
The price is ¥12,556 per night from Jul 13 to Jul 14
¥12,556
per night
Jul 13 - Jul 14
Stay at this 4-star hotel in Kyoto. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and a fitness center. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff in our ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (1,070 reviews)
"Great location. Very nice and helpful staff"

Reviewed on Jul 10, 2025

Hotel Vischio Kyoto by GRANVIA 
THE BLOSSOM KYOTO
THE BLOSSOM KYOTO
4 out of 5
140-2 Manjujicho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto
The price is ¥12,570 per night from Jul 28 to Jul 29
¥12,570
per night
Jul 28 - Jul 29
Stay at this 4-star hotel in Kyoto. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and a fitness center. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff in our ...
9.6/10 Exceptional! (2,091 reviews)
Great hotel in Kyoto
"Good location in Kyoto. You can visit most tourist attractions using public transportation from this hotel. Many good restaurants around the hotel also."

Reviewed on Jul 8, 2025

THE BLOSSOM KYOTO
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Other neighborhoods around Gion

Shoren-in Temple which includes a temple or place of worship and signage

Higashiyama Ward

4.5/5(29 area reviews)

Traditional-style buildings and protected status define this part of Kyoto, with entertainment in Gion near Yasaka Shrine. Must-see attractions include Kiyomizu Temple, Kyoto National Museum, and Namikawa Cloisonne Museum.

Higashiyama Ward
Kenninji Temple featuring interior views, religious aspects and a temple or place of worship

Komatsucho

5/5(8 area reviews)

If you're spending some time in Komatsucho, Kenninji Temple and Hanamikoji Street are top sights worth seeing.

Komatsucho
Sannenzaka Ninenzaka which includes street scenes and a small town or village as well as a large group of people

Sannenzaka Ninenzaka

5/5(17 area reviews)

You'll enjoy the gardens and monuments in Sannenzaka Ninenzaka. You might want to make time for a stop at Kiyomizu Temple or Hokanji Temple.

Sannenzaka Ninenzaka
Eikando Temple showing religious aspects, a temple or place of worship and a garden

Okazaki

4.5/5(16 area reviews)

Gardens and mountain views are highlights of Okazaki. Make a stop by Kyoto Municipal Zoo or Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art while you're visiting, and jump aboard the metro at Keage Station to get around town.

Okazaki
Central Kyoto

Karasuma

Visitors to Karasuma love its popular shops, and you can check out Nishiki Market and Rokakkudo Temple. If you want to see more in the area, you can get around town on the metro at Karasuma Oike Station.

Karasuma
Kyōto showing a river or creek and mountains

Downtown Kyoto

If you're spending time in Downtown Kyoto, check out sights like Kyoto International Manga Museum or Rokakkudo Temple and hop on the metro to see more the city at Karasuma Oike Station or Marutamachi Station.

Downtown Kyoto


Gion