About Maiko & Zen Kyoto

Maiko & Zen Kyoto is operated by MindFree Inc., a company based in Kyoto, Japan.

What We Offer

We run a 90-minute session at Ikka-in, a sub-temple of Tofuku-ji near Tofukuji Station, one stop from Kyoto Station on the JR Nara Line. With an English-speaking guide, guests create patterns in the gravel of the Zen garden, watch two dances by a maiko while enjoying fragrant sencha green tea and a delicate Japanese sweet, and spend time talking with her and taking photos. Ikka-in is not usually open to the public, and guests share the temple with a small group of fellow travelers. Sessions start at 2:00 pm and 3:30 pm. See current session times and prices.

About Our Guides

Our Kyoto guides are written for travelers who want to see geiko and maiko respectfully and understand what they are seeing. Read how we check them in our editorial policy.

• Sources: For our new guides, we check dates, prices, and rules against official sources, such as the Kyoto Traditional Musical Art Foundation, the official sites of each dance, and the Kyoto City Tourism Association. Each article lists its sources at the end.
• Dates: Each article shows when it was last updated.
• Our own experience: When a guide mentions our session, a short note at the top of the page says that we operate it. Where the guide describes the session, we do so factually so you can judge whether it suits you.
• Respect for the people we write about: We do not publish where or when to wait for geiko and maiko in the street, and we do not name the district of the maiko who appear in our session.

If you spot something that has changed or seems inaccurate, please let us know through the MindFree website.