Miyagawa-cho (location,brief overview,events)

Miyagawa-cho

The information about Miyagawa-cho is presented here. Miyagawa-cho is located northeast of Kyoto Station, and its landmark is Yasaka Shrine. Miyagawa-cho is located on the west side of Yasaka Shrine and on the east bank of the Kamo-gawa River. Miyagawa-cho is Kyoto’s representative Hanamachi (Kagai) district, and its maiko and geiko (geisha) belong to Miyagawa-cho Kabukai. Miyagawa-cho Kabukai holds a Kyo Odori dance from early April to mid-April. Miyagawa-cho together with Gion-Koubu, Gion-Higashi, Kamishichiken, and Ponto-cho are, known as the “Go-Kagai (Five Hanamachi)”.

【Miyagawa-cho Location Map & Directions】

Address: Miyagawa-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
Access (How to get there): Kawaramachi Matsubara bus stop (about 5 minutes on foot), Keihan Gion-Shijo Station (about 7 minutes on foot), Hankyu Kyoto Kawaramachi Station (about 12 minutes on foot),

【Opening Hours & Closed (confirmation required)】

Opening Hours: 24 hours (Shops have different opening hours depending on the type of business.)
Closed: open year round (Shops are closed differently depending on the shop.)

【Entrance Fees & Tickets (confirmation required)】

Street is free

【Miyagawa-cho Brief Overview】

Miyagawa-cho (宮川町) is located on the east bank of the Kamo-gawa River, which originates from Mt. Sajigatake, 896 meters high, between Donguri Bridge on the north and Matsubara Bridge on the south. Miyagawa-cho is surrounded by Danguri-dori to the north, Matsubara-dori to the south, Yamato-oji-dori to the east, and Kawabata-dori to the west. Hanamachi (Kagai) district is located on Miyagawa-suji Street from 2-chome to 6-chome. The place name of Miyagawa-cho is said to have originated from the fact that the Kamo-gawa River (downstream of Shijo Ohashi Bridge), where mikoshi (portable shrines) are purified during the Gion Matsuri Festival held by Yasaka Shrine, was called “Miyagawa”. Incidentally, it is said that the emblem of the Mitsuwa (three-ring pattern) of Miyagawa-cho Kabukai represents the three mikoshi that are passed during Shinko-sai and Kanko-sai of the Gion Matsuri Festival.
Miyagawa-cho has a connection with Yasaka Shrine, and on Setsubun-sai in February, maiko perform a dance and throw beans. By the way, at Kyoto Ebisu Shrine adjacent to the east, maiko from Miyagawa-cho and Gion Kofu serve at Toka Ebisu-sai every January. It is said that Miyagawa-cho began around the time of Izumo no Okuni’s Kabuki Odori (Kabuki Dance), which became popular in the Edo period (1603-1868). Izumo no Okuni founded Kabuki Odori based on the Yayako Odori (Yayako Dance) and built a temporary hut on the Shijo riverbank to provide entertainment. Incidentally, in Kabuki Odori, the female Izumo no Okuni, a woman, dressed as a man, Sankuro, her husband, dressed as a woman, and the other performers also danced in attire opposite to their gender. Later, Kabuki Odori became so popular in Kyoto that Izumo no Okuni rented the Noh stage of Kitano Tenmangu Shrine and began to perform there permanently. Izumo no Okuni also danced frequently at Fushimi-Jo (Fushimi Castle), and is recorded as having danced at Nyoin Gosho (Nyoin Palace) on May 6th, 1603. Kabuki Odori is said to have undergone several changes and to have become the origin of today’s Oh-Kabuki. It is said that in the early days of Miyagawa-cho, wakashu kabuki huts and ocha-ya (tea houses) were lined up, and yujo (geisha) and teenage boys entertained visitors. It is said that ocha-ya (teahouses) were permitted in Miyagawa-cho in 1751 during the mid-Edo period (1603-1868). Due to the three major reforms of the Edo period, customs were often cracked down, and it is said that Miyagawa-cho was hit hard. In 1935, the Kyoto flood damaged the area along with the surrounding entertainment district. In 1968, the Higashiyama Joshi Gigei School was founded to train maiko and geiko (geisha), and in 1969, the Higashiyama Joshi Gakuen was established. Later in 1999, a portion of Miyagawa-suji (street) from 3-chome to 6-chome was designated as the Gionmachi Minami Historic Landscape Preservation Landscape District of Kyoto City. In 2006, Mizue-kai, a geiko performance that had been suspended due to the renovation of Kaburenjo, was revived for the first time in 31 years. Reconstruction of Kaburenjo will begin in 2022 and is scheduled to be completed in 2025.
*reference・・・Miyagawa-cho website

【Events (confirmation required)】

★Kyo Odori dance (京おどり) is held every year from early April to mid-April. In Kyo Odori, maiko and geiko (geish) perform their dances. Kyo Odori has been held since 1950. In Miyagawa-cho, Mizue-kai is also held every year in October.
★Miyagawa-cho Beer Garden used to be held from July to August. In Miyagawa-cho Beer Garden, a special covered place is set up next to Kaburenjo, where maiko and geiko (geish) dressed in yukata (summer kimono) perform dances and go around tables.

【Telephone (Please refrain from making phone calls.)】

Tel: +81-75-213-1717(Kyoto City Tourism Association)

【Recommended Walking Route】

The recommended walking route from Miyagawa-cho is via Gion to Yasaka Shrine. In Gion, you can experience the same atmosphere of Hanamachi (Kagai) district as in Miyagawa-cho. Yasaka Shrine is popular with domestic and foreign tourists, and you can receive benefits such as protection from bad luck. From Ponto-cho, it is also recommended to take a walk along the Kamo-gawa River.

【Remarks(access, parking, disclaimer, etc)】

If you plan to visit Miyagawa-cho, be sure to check the latest information.
Be aware of the etiquette of maiko and geiko.

京都観光おすすめ

  1. 錦市場(Nishiki Market)
  2. 竹林の道(Bamboo Forest Path)
  3. 嵐山
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