Kyoto's most famous geisha district comes alive at dusk when paper lanterns illuminate the wooden facades and you might catch a glimpse of a maiko in full regalia hurrying to an appointment. By day, Gion's main drag is lined with upmarket restaurants and exclusive teahouses whose doorways only open to those with the right connections. But the side streets reward aimless wandering — traditional machiya townhouses, willow-draped lanes, and the sound of shamisen drifting from behind closed doors. There's a theatrical quality to the whole neighborhood that makes it feel like walking through a woodblock print.