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A hanamachi (花街) is a Japanese courtesan and geisha district. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. A courtesan in mid-16th century usage referred to a mistress or trained artisan of dance and singing especially one associated with wealthy powerful or upper-class or are traditional female Japanese Entertainers whose skills include performing various Japanese arts such as classical music and dance The word's literal meaning is "flower town". Such districts would contain various okiya (geisha houses). An is the lodging house a Maiko or Geisha lives in during the length of her nenki or contract or career as a geisha Nowadays, the term hanamachi is commonly used in modern Japan to refer to the areas where modern-day geisha are still operating. In Kyoto's Gion district, however, the older term kagai [1] is still in use. Gion (祇園 is a district of Kyoto, Japan, originally developed in the Middle Ages in front of Yasaka Shrine. Alternatively, kagai can be used to refer to licensed red-light districts, which contained restaurants, okiya, and ochaya (tea houses where geisha would entertain customers). A red-light district is a neighborhood where Prostitution and other businesses in the Sex industry flourish

Hanamachi typically contained a number of okiya and ochaya, along with a kaburenjo; the kabunrenjo was a meeting place for geisha, usually with a theatre, rooms where geisha classes can be held, and the kenban offices, which dealt with geisha's pay, regulation and similar matters. Gion also has a vocational school, called Nyokoba. Many of the teachers there are designated as Living National Treasures. Living National Treasure ( 人間[[wikt 国|国]] 宝, Ningen Kokuhō) is a title awarded in Japan to certain masters of crafts such as Woodblock Today, hanamachi are rare outside of Kyoto.

Contents

Hanamachi

Kyoto hanamachi

Tokyo hanamachi

Hanamachi near Tokyo

Areas historically renowned as hanamachi/kagai

Yoshiwara was the Tokyo courtesans' district and is sometimes referred to as a hanamachi. (IPA /kʲoːto / is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. Gion (祇園 is a district of Kyoto, Japan, originally developed in the Middle Ages in front of Yasaka Shrine. Miyagawachō (宮川町 is one of the Hanamachi (花街 “flower towns” or Geisha districts in Kyoto. is a district of Kyoto, Japan. It is the oldest Hanamachi ( Geisha district in northwest Kyoto just east of the Kitano Tenman-gū Shrine Pontochō (先斗町 is a district in Kyoto, Japan, known for Geisha and home to many geisha houses and traditional tea houses Shimabara (嶋原 was a courtesan's district in Kyoto. It was established in 1640 for a brothel owned by Hara Saburoemon and was closed in 1958 when prostitution officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. Shinbashi (新橋 is a district of Minato Tokyo, Japan, located south of Ginza, west of Tsukiji, east of Toranomon and north of Akasaka can refer to Akasaka Palace, which functions today as the State Guest-House Akasaka Tokyo, a district of Minato Tokyo is a district in Taitō Tokyo, Japan, most famous for the Sensō-ji, a Buddhist temple dedicated to the Bodhisattva Kannon. Kagurazaka (Japanese神楽坂 is a trendy neighbourhood in Tokyo near Iidabashi Station. officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. is a city located in Tokyo, Japan, about 40 kilometers west of the center of the special wards of Tokyo. is a city located in Sorachi, Hokkaidō, Japan. As of 2008 the city has an estimated Population of 24448 and the density of For the Yoshiwara nightclub in the 1927 Fritz Lang film see Metropolis.

Hanamachi in Osaka

Hanamachi in Kanazawa

References

  1. ^ 花街, an alternate pronunciation of the same kanji. is a city in Japan, located at the mouth of the Yodo River on Osaka Bay, in the Kansai region of the main island of Honshū Shinmachi (新町 was a courtesan's district in Osaka, built between 1615 and 1623, and operating until its destruction in World War II is the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan. Geography climate and population Kanazawa sits on the Sea of Japan, bordered are the Chinese characters that are used in the modern Japanese logographic writing system along with Hiragana (ひらがな 平仮名 Katakana


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