Geiko and Maiko Celebrate 150th Miyako Odori

Since 1872: Gion Kobu’s public dance performance

Iris Reinbacher
4 min readApr 21, 2024
150th Miyako Odori, 2024 (image courtesy of Gion Kobu)

Geiko and maiko are part of Kyoto’s cityscape wherever they go. Mostly, that means to private, invitation-only gatherings at Kyoto’s ochaya tea houses within their respective kagai. However, each of these five geisha districts of Kyoto also has annual large-scale public performances. And one of them, the Miyako Odori of Gion Kobu, celebrates its 150th performance in 2024.

In 1872 (Meiji 5), the World Exposition (Exhibition of Arts and Manufactures) was held in Kyoto to revitalize the city after the Meiji Emperor and his government had moved to Tokyo. At the time, Jiroemon Sugiura, the owner of the Ichirikitei tea house, and renowned dance master Yochiyo Inoue created the very first Miyako Odori as part of the exhibition. This unprecedented public performance of geiko and maiko proved so popular, that it has been held every spring since then, with very few exceptions.

To this day, each performance of the Miyako Odori starts with the lively call “yo-i yasa” before the first set of maiko, dressed in identical kimono, walk down the hanamichi at both sides of the auditorium to their first group dance. They are accompanied by maiko to the left of the stage who play drums, and by geiko to the right of the stage who sing and play shamisen…

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Iris Reinbacher

Scientist by training. Writer by choice. Japanophile by calling. What Kyoto is up to: whatsupinkyoto.com