Interactive Geisha Experience in Nara

I was traveling Japan with my husband and brother, and we knew we wanted to book an experience like this one from the beginning stages of planning the trip. As the Vocal Performance Major, I was put in charge of booking the right experience for us. I obviously knew we could do something in Kyoto, but I didn’t want to limit my search to one city, so I looked at what options there were in Nara and Kanazawa. When I came across Kikuno-San’s biography in National Geographic I knew that we had to book this particular experience. We took the time to scout the location of the Tea House earlier in the day to make sure we could find it. Fortunately, the location given on the map was very accurate, so it was easy to find. I loved that the street it is located on is still permeated with that “old world” feel that seems to be fading out of many of the more modernized cities in Japan. As for the experience, it certainly is not inexpensive, but it was worth every penny. The session was private, so only my brother, husband, and I were in attendance. We received a package of mixed nuts as a light snack, and had both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (which I appreciated as I do not drink alcohol) to choose from. Our cups were never empty. You could get as many free refills of any drink on the menu as you wanted. I regret that I didn’t get the names of all the wonderful ladies assisting in the experience. They were all so kind and welcoming, and they did a great job of walking us through the history/culture of Maiko/Gekio and their connection to Tea Houses, explaining the rules to all of the games we played, and translating for Kikuno-San (who will only communicate in Japanese). Five stars for these wonderful ladies! During the experience we got to watch Kikuno-San perform a traditional piece on the shamisan and two traditional dances. If you are not accustomed to traditional Japanese song and dance this might be a little jarring for you at first as it is very different from musical and dance styles found in Europe and the America’s, but don’t let that deter you! I assure you that you will quickly see the beauty and skill of these performances. We learned how to hold and open a fan properly in Japan (again, different from the Western styles of doing so), got an up close look at a styled Maiko wig, played three different games with Kikuno-San, and then we got the chance to sit down with her to ask questions about Geisha culture and training. We ended the experience with a brief calligraphy lesson and surprise gift. Kikuno-San is the only practicing Geiko in Nara, which made this experience all the more special. She has a passion for reigniting Geisha culture in the city, and it shows. This was an incredible experience that really resonated with me as a performer. I highly recommend this wonderful experience!

I've had a lifetime of travel and been to over 50 countries (multiple visits to them all) and having new experiences that inspire me and touch my heart and memories doesn't happen often these days. This experience is in my top 5. It was authentic and personal and special. I will do it again! Kikuno-San is a true artist and full of grace and openness and really helps spread the culture of geisha which has been so secretive for centuries. The team there is first class.

Excellent, informative, relaxing and very funny, very well organised. Recommend to everybody-culture & entertainment.

Amazing experience where you can meet a real life geisha in Japan! It was fun and I learnt a lot about Japanese culture. The performance and traditional teahouse games made me understand more about Japan back in its old days. There were translations so you don’t have to worry about not understanding Japanese. Definitely a once in a lifetime thing to do when you visit Japan!

I really enjoyed watching Kikuno-san perform. The best part is that we get to interact with her by playing games and chatting! I learnt a lot about Kikuno-san herself and also the maiko-geiko culture. The hosts played a big part in ensuring an enjoyable experience too. They are super nice and friendly, and really good with the English translation! I definitely recommend anyone who's interested in meeting a geisha face-to-face to go for this! Thank you Nara Gala for making this rare opportunity of meeting a geisha so much more accessible to the general public. I also pray that Kikuno-san shall remain healthy and strong all the days of her life, and that her dreams of expanding maiko-geiko culture will see great success.