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Kyoto isn't all about high culture. After you've finished tramping the streets, there are plenty of coffee houses and cosy bars where you can kick back and quench your thirst. And, if the aching feet can stand it, Kyoto's late-night scene offers a fair range of clubs , discos and live music venues. It may not compete with the likes of Osaka and Tokyo, but you should be able to find somewhere to party till the wee hours. The prime entertainment districts are Pontocho and Gion , both of which are stuffed to the gunnels with bars, clubs and much else besides. But be warned: even fairly innocuous-looking establishments can be astronomically expensive, so check first to make sure you know exactly what you're letting yourself in for. And don't be surprised if you get a frosty reception, or are even turned away. It may be because you're a foreigner or because you need a formal introduction - which is invariably the case with the exclusive geisha houses. Kyoto is famous for its performances of traditional geisha dances . Geisha and the maiko (trainee geisha ) from each of the city's former pleasure quarters have been putting on these Odori since the late nineteenth century, though the music and choreography are much older. By turns demure and coquettish, they glide round the stage in the most gorgeous kimono, straight out of an Edo-period woodblock print of Japan's seductive "floating world". If you're in Kyoto at the time, it's well worth going along. Performances take place several times a day, so it's usually possible to get hold of tickets; you can buy them from the theatre box offices, ticket agencies, travel agents and major hotels. The year kicks off with the Miyako Odori (April 1-30) performed by geisha from the Gion teahouses. These dances, on a seasonal theme, take place in the local theatre, Gion Kobu Kaburenjo (tel 075/541-3391; tickets from ¥1900). The ladies of Pontocho stage their Kamo-gawa Odori twice a year (May 1-24 & Oct 15-Nov 7) in Pontocho Kaburenjo, at the north end of Pontocho-dori (tel 075/221-2025; tickets from ¥2000). In fact, autumn brings a whole flurry of activity: the Onshukai dances are held between October 1 and 10 at the Gion Kaikan theatre, near Yasaka-jinja (tel 075/561-0224; from ¥4000), followed by Kotobukikai (Oct 8-12) in northwest Kyoto's Kitano Kami-shichiken Kaburenjo (tel 075/461-0148; ¥6000); finally, the Gion Odori wraps things up in early November (Nov 1-10; from ¥3300), again in the Gion Kaikan. If your visit doesn't coincide with any of these, you can see a rather disappointing sampler of traditional arts from March to November at Gion Corner ; (tel 075/561-1119). As well as a dance by maiko , there are short extracts from court dances, a puppet play (Bunraku) and kyogen theatre, and demonstrations of the tea ceremony and flower arranging ( ikebana ). Colourful and dramatic, Kabuki theatre is said to have originated in Kyoto. Unfortunately, performances these days are fairly sporadic, but in December there's a major Kabuki-fest at Gion's eye-catching Minami-za theatre ; tel 075/561-1155). During this kaomise , or "face-showing" (Dec 1-25), big-name actors give snippets from their most successful roles. No theatre is a far more stately affair - and often incomprehensible even to Japanese, though it can also be incredibly powerful. Kyoto's main venue is the Kanze Kaikan (tel 075/771-6114), south of Heian-jingu, with performances of No or kyogen most weekends (tickets from ¥2500; occasional free performances). Both the Kongo No-gakudo (tel 075/221-3049; around ¥6000), near west Kyoto's Karasuma Shijo junction, and Kawamura No Kaikan (tel 075/451-4513; from ¥4000), put on plays every month or so. The latter is a lovely old theatre run by the Kawamura family - a long line of famous No actors - located on Karasuma-dori near Doshisha University. For those with more contemporary tastes, Kyoto Connection deserves a special mention for its contribution to the local arts scene. On the last Saturday of every month (except Aug & Dec; 8.30-11.30pm; ¥500) up-and-coming musicians, dancers, poets, comedians, video artists and actors of all nationalities gather in northwest Kyoto. The "programme" varies from month to month, but there's usually something interesting happening. If you want to contribute, or simply watch, phone Ken Rodgers (tel 075/712-7129) for further information and directions. Alternatively, you can catch the latest Hollywood movies at the local cinema. These are mostly grouped along Kawaramachi-dori north of Shijo and in the backstreets immediately to the west. For art-house movies, try Asahi Kaikan, on Kawaramachi-dori south of the Royal Hotel , which often screens them in their original language, and Minami Kaikan, near the junction of Omiya and Kujo, southeast of Kyoto Station. The Japan Foundation, 8F Yasuda Kasai Building, Karasuma Nishikinokoji-agaru (tel 075/211-1312), hosts free showings of Japanese classics for foreigners only; films are subtitled in English and are usually on Wednesday at 2pm. Finally, the British Council occasionally puts on home-grown English-language films . Details of these and other events in Kyoto are available at the Tourist Information Centre , and also in the two monthly publications, the Kyoto Visitor's Guide and Kansai Time Out . Thanks to its central role in Japanese history, Kyoto is home to a number of important festivals , of which the major celebrations are listed below. The cherry-blossom season hits Kyoto in early April - famous viewing spots include the Imperial Park, Heian-jing and Arashiyama - while early November brings dramatic autumn colours . Many temples hold special openings in October and November to air their inner rooms during the fine, dry weather. This is a marvellous opportunity to see paintings, statues and other treasures not normally on public display; details are available in the free Kyoto Visitor's Guide . Note that Kyoto gets pretty busy during major festivals and national holidays (especially Golden Week - April 29-May 5). Feb 2-4 Setsubon . The annual bean-throwing festival is celebrated at shrines throughout the city. "Ogres" scatter beans and pray for good harvests at Yasaka-jinja, while Heian-jingu hosts performances of traditional kyogen theatre on Feb 3. April 1-30 Miyako Odori . Performances of traditional geisha dances held in Gion . May 15 Aoi Matsuri . The Hollyhock Festival dates back to when this plant was believed to ward off earthquakes and thunder. Now it's an occasion for a gorgeous parade of people dressed in Heian-period costume (794-1185). They accompany the imperial messenger and an ox cart decked in hollyhock leaves from the Imperial Palace to the Shimo-gamo and Kami-gamo shrines, in north Kyoto. May 1-24 Kamo-gawa Odori . Performances of traditional dances by geisha in Pontocho . June 1-2 Takigi No . No plays performed by torchlight at Heian-jingo. July 17 Gion Matsuri . One of Kyoto's great festivals, the Gion Matsuri also dates back to Heian times, when ceremonies were held to drive away epidemics of the plague - a curse of the hot, humid summer months. The festivities focus on Yasaka-jinja and culminate on July 17 with a grand parade of tall, pointy yama-boko floats, richly decorated with local Nishijin silk. Aug 16 Daimonji Gozan Okuribi . Five huge bonfires etch kanji characters on the hills around Kyoto; the most famous is the character for dai (big) on Daimonji-yama, northeast of the city. The practice originated from lighting fires after Obon , to guide the ancestral spirits back "home". Oct 22 Jidai Matsuri . A comparative newcomer, this "Festival of the Ages" was introduced in 1895 to mark the city's 1100th anniversary. More than 2000 people, wearing costumes representing all the intervening historical periods, parade from the Imperial Palace to Heian-jingu. Oct 22 Kurama-no-Himatsuri . After the Jidai parade, hop on a train north to see Kurama's more boisterous Fire Festival. In 940, Yuki-jinja, the local shrine, was moved here from central Kyoto, a journey which was accomplished by torchlight over three nights. To commemorate the event, the villagers light bonfires outside their houses and local lads carry giant, flaming torches (weighing up to 50kg) up to the shrine. Events climax around 9pm, after which there's heavy-duty drinking, drumming and chanting till dawn. It's primitive, exciting and extremely crowded. To get to Kurama, take the Eizan line from Kyoto's Demachiyanagi Station (30min); it's best to arrive early and leave around 10pm unless you want to see it through. Dec 1-25 Kabuki Kaomise . Grand Kabuki festival . Dec 31 Okera Mairi . The best place to see in the New Year is at Gion's Yasaka-jinja. Apart from the normal festivities , locals come here to light a flame from the sacred fire with which to rekindle their hearths back home. As well as general good luck, this supposedly prevents illness in the coming year. |