Kanazawa has three hanamachi, the most famous being the historic “Higashi Chaya.” Amongst these old streets is “Ochaya Shima,” a beautiful old teahouse built in 1820 that once hosted geisha performances and is now open to the public. The narrow, atmospheric alley of Ponto-cho and Kamishichiken in the northwest are two of Kyoto’s other remaining hanamachi. The area is popular with tourists and is one of the best places to see the modern geisha. The most famous hanamachi in Japan is Gion in Kyoto, where a number of “okiya” geisha lodging houses remain. Geisha districts are known as “hanamachi,” meaning “flower town,” and were established during the 17th century when laws were passed to contain certain forms of entertainment within specific neighborhoods. Today, around half of Japan's geisha live and work in Kyoto, though there are still a few geisha districts remaining in Tokyo, Kanazawa, Niigata, and Hachioji. Despite more stable career paths available, some young women are still drawn to the allure of becoming a geisha. Though the number of geisha in Japan has steadily declined since the golden age of the late Edo Period (1603-1867), it's estimated that there are still around 600 geisha working in Japan today.
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