The Pontocho Kobu Kaburenjo sits at the northern edge of one of Kyoto’s five historic hanamachi districts, hosting Kamogawa Odori performances each May since 1927. This venue preserves and showcases traditional Japanese dance in a setting where geiko and maiko…
You’re planning a Kyoto trip for spring. You’ve seen photos of geisha in flowing kimonos, but where can you actually watch them perform? The Kamogawa Odori, held May 1-24 annually at the Pontocho Kaburenjo Theatre, offers the most accessible way…
Pontocho sushi represents the full spectrum of Japanese sushi-making philosophy, from strictly traditional Edomae techniques to bold contemporary fusion. This narrow alley in Kyoto offers both purists and adventurous eaters a chance to experience how centuries-old methods coexist with modern…
Pontocho Kaiseki represents Japan’s highest form of culinary artistry—a meticulously choreographed dining experience where each course tells a story through seasonal ingredients, precise technique, and centuries-old traditions. In Pontocho, Kyoto’s atmospheric riverside dining district, this culinary art form reaches its…
Pontocho is a narrow alley running parallel to the Kamogawa River where you’ll find some of Kyoto’s best yakitori tucked into traditional wooden machiya buildings. This 500-meter lane transforms each evening into a dining destination where grilled chicken skewers, cold…
Walk down Pontocho Alley in Kyoto at dusk, and you’ll see something most visitors miss: wooden townhouses standing exactly as they did 150 years ago. These are machiya—traditional Japanese merchant houses that shaped how people lived in old Kyoto. Pontocho…
Pontocho sits in downtown Kyoto, running parallel to the Kamo River between Shijo and Sanjo streets. You can reach this 500-meter alley from Kyoto Station in under 15 minutes by train or bus, with multiple stations within walking distance. More…
Picture this: You’re standing on the western bank of the Kamogawa River, where a narrow alley barely wider than two people walking side by side stretches before you. Traditional wooden buildings press close on either side, their paper lanterns swaying…
Walk down Pontocho on any evening and you might catch a glimpse of something magical: a maiko hurrying to an appointment in her bright kimono, her elaborate hairpins catching the lantern light. It looks like a scene from another century.…
Summer in Kyoto brings Kawayuka: wooden platforms suspended over the Kamo River where you eat kaiseki while cool air rises through floorboards. This riverside dining Kyoto tradition runs from May 1st to September 30th, with over forty Pontocho restaurants building…