Early
Aug
The first maiko arrives in Gion around 10 o'clock
The first maiko arrives in Gion around 10 o'clock (Photo: Julian Bohler)

Gion's Hassaku, Kyoto

Loyalty and courtesy on a hot summer day

Julian Bohler   - 1 min read
When : Early Aug 2024

The first of August is a very special day in Kyoto’s Gion neighbourhood. Named after a term which designates the first day of the eighth month of the ancient Japanese calendar, Gion’s hassaku is a very rare chance to see many of the geiko (a local term in Kyoto for geisha) and maiko from Japan’s most renowned geisha district. Despite the hot and muggy weather, they will parade down the streets of Gion to offer tea house owners who supported them during the previous year a word of thanks and a small gift as a token of their gratitude.

Julian Bohler

Julian Bohler @julian.bohler

Born in France, I was twenty years old when, passing by a local bookstore, a book about Japanese characters caught my attention. This was my first encounter with Japan, and one that would change my life in many ways. Earning a degree in Japanese Studies with a major in Japanese religions and f...