Miyagawacho Beer Garden

The Miyagawacho Beer Garden is a rare occasion where you can enjoy beer, daily specialties served by neighboring restaurants, and Classical Japanese dance by the Maiko (apprentice geisha) of Miyagawacho Kabukai. Miyagawacho Kabukai is one of the five famous groups of maiko and geiko along with Gion Kobu, Gion Higashi, Pontocho, and Kamishichiken. It is held at a specially-prepared tented hall adjacent to the main building of the Miyagawacho Kaburenjo for a month. Four maikos wearing yukata, a casual cotton kimono for summer, attend the beer garden and show traditional dance performances. They walk through the aisles to greet each of the visitors and hand them their name cards or small uchiwa-shaped stickers with their names on them. It is held twice a day: from 18:00 to 19:30 and 20:00 to 21:30. Entry is limited to 100 visitors for each period and reservations are required at Miyagawacho Ochaya Kumiai (phone: 075-561-1151). It may be difficult to make a reservation on weekends. The charge is 5,000 yen including a free drink and hors d’oeuvre.