Went to Kanki Inari Shrine Yoimiya in May, and thought I'd share a video/impressions. A very interesting event, probably the best opportunity to see geiko and maiko up close and in a "natural environment." Actually, I know maiko do meet and greets, but what about geiko? I think not? There is of course also Kitano's beer garden, but I didn't get the chance to visit it, so if anybody wants to share their experience, I'd love to hear it.

Personally, the highlight of the event was the flute and shamisen ensemble. I didn't expect there'd be a musical performance, and definitely didn't expect it to be what sounds to my unaccustomed ear like dance music. It's also a little surprising that for the dances they've used audio recordings, when musicians were right there.

Why the event includes White Heron dance (not in this recording) remains a mystery, because the heron crew flew away literally as soon, as they have finished the dance.

In case people are considering going next year, I'll say that the event is a bit crowded, but not as bad as, say, Yasaka on Setsubun, which is a much more famous appearance by geiko and maiko (this year's crowd was especially awful, if I'm honest). And I would go for the laid back atmosphere and a chance to take a photo together (if you are into that), if you are just interested in the dances, something like Kitano Odori may be a better choice.

Kanki Inari Shrine Yoimiya 26