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We were in Kyoto, Japan during late November, 2017. We visited the famed Gion District to try and photograph Geishas and Maikos. They usually come out around 5:30-6:00pm and during this time of the year, it was dark. We are not allowed to use flash, so I tried to use street lights as my light source. Also, the place with packed with tourists like us who all wanted to photograph them and hence it was like a crazy melee whenever one Geisha or Maiko appeared. For the uninitiated, a Maiko is an apprentice Geisha. She can wear decorations in her hair. A Geisha wears a white collar with her kimono, and the initiation of Maiko into a Geisha is literally called the turning of the collar or erikae.
The hair decorations are hand crafted by local craftsmen and take days to make each one. So does almost every item that they wear. There is a local handicraft industry that caters to these ladies and it is amazing to see the labor that goes into crafting of each item.
Two Maikos
 Gion Two Maikosans_DSC2640 by _Maji_, on Flickr
Geisha on her way to tea house
 Kyoto Gion Maikosan Sayaka of Tsurui _DSC2526 by _Maji_, on Flickr
Chiyoko and Mikako - Mikako just had her erikae, and I had seen a TV documentary where it was mentioned. I feel pretty fortunate to see her in her green kimono, which she wore during that ceremony.
 Gion Two Geishasans Chiyoko and Mikako _DSC2624 by _Maji_, on Flickr
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