Pontochyo 2

Posted by Stu (Kyoto, Japan) on 1 May 2008 in Cityscape & Urban and Portfolio.

The second in a series looking at some of the sights on this famous street in Kyoto. Many (almost pitch black) little alleys run off the street, containing restaurants and bars.
Pontochō (先斗町) is a district in Kyoto, Japan, known for geisha and home to many geisha houses and traditional tea houses. Pontochō centres around one long, narrow, cobbled alley. Geisha have existed in Pontochō since at least the 1500s, as have prostitution and other forms of entertainment. Today the area, lit by traditional lanterns at night, contains a mix of very expensive restaurants—often featuring outdoor riverside dining on wooden patios—geisha houses and tea houses, brothels, bars, and cheap eateries.
Wikipedia

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