Geisha and Maiko in Gion

My apartment is in the Gion District, Kyoto's traditional entertainment district. The guidebook puts this is one of the 10 best places to see in Kyoto. It suggests that this is, “the best place in the city to catch a glimpse of old Japan. With no fewer than 3 geisha districts scattered about, As you stand a good chance of spotting a geisha scurrying to an appointment."  A couple of blocks from here is an old street largely dedicated pedestrians. Sometimes I see the owner of the small liquor store driving his scooter to make a delivery, but otherwise it's largely pedestrian. Some folks seem to be Japanese  students and parents who live here, others are Japanese tourists.

 A few nights ago I had dinner at a small place near here; by small place I mean 4 tables with 4 chairs each, and 4 seats at the counter. After I finished my tempura udon (noodles and broth with green onions and a large battered shrimp),  and was heading home, I spotted a geisha or maiko (apprentice geisha)  ducking into a doorway.   She had on the very fancy kimono with very long sleeves, a white painted face, and hair ornaments.

Thinking this might've been a fluke, I wandered back on that street subsequent evenings, and have seen geisha a handful more times. This afternoon, in broad daylight I saw a geisha coming out of one door and into a door couple doors down. Then tonight a woman in a regular kimono was bowing deep to a geisha who walked down an alley and disappeared. This is why it really does feel like I'm living in a movie set of old Japan.