DATE:		June 16 & 17, 2007, from 14:00 to 16:20
PLACE:		12 Okazaki Saishoji-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto (In front of Heian-jingu Shrine)
DIRECTION:		City bus #5, #57 or #100 to Kyoto Kaikan/Bijutsukan-mae
TEL:		81-75-561-3901 (Kyoto Traditional Musical Art Foundation 'Ookini Zaidan')
ADMISSION:		By reservation only First floor seat: 9,000 yen Second floor seat: 5,000 yen
TEXT:		There are five hanamachi (traditional entertainment districts), generally called gokagai, in Kyoto: Gion Kobu, Miyagawacho, Gion Higashi, Kamishichiken and Pontocho. With their signature dances, such as the Miyako Odori of Gion Kobu, the Kyo Odori of Miyagawacho, the Kitano Odori of Kamishichiken in spring, the Kamogawa Odori of Pontocho in May and the Gion Odori of Gion Higashi in autumn, the five districts compete in a show of stylishness and elegance. Developed and perfected through competitions, the skills of the hanamachi geisha and maiko(apprentice geisha) have been praised as a flower of Japanese culture.   This event is an annual joint performance by five hanamachi hosting Kyoto’s traditional performing arts. “Maiko no Nigiwai,” a joint repertoire performed by 20 maiko from all five districts, offers the only occasion when each individual dance style can be appreciated together. Program (in order of appearance) Kamishichiken: Nagauta “Horai” Pontocho: Tokiwazu “Matsu no Hagoromo” Gion Kobu: Kamigata Uta “Sagamiama” Miyagawacho: Nagauta “Funazoroe” Gion Higashi: Nagauta “Niwaka Jishi” Gokagai joint performance “Kyo-kouta” Finale “Gion-kouta”