Brighten your day by experiencing ozashiki games and a candle-lit performance

The guests gathered that day were all meeting maiko for the first time. As they watched the maiko dance in front of them and listened to the entertaining explanations about the maiko way of life and Kyoto’s traditional industries, their nervousness gradually melted away. As they enjoyed the ozashiki games, the guests grew bold enough to ask the maiko some questions.
After settling down from all the games, they watched a maiko dance in the light of warosoku (Japanese candles).

In the past, when there was no electricity, people spent their nights by the light of Japanese candles. A warm orange color, Japanese candles have a large flame that flickers even in the absence of wind. The makeup said to look the most beautiful in this light is white makeup. The culture of maiko and geiko has a history of more than 400 years, and the white, full-face makeup is a tradition passed down from generation to generation.

Maiko’s dances appear even more beautiful and delicate in the flickering light of the Japanese candles. The swaying shadows reflecting on the folding screen combined with the ethereal beauty of the performance is breathtaking.