Hey everyone!
Just asking if any bachido members from Kyoto? I love Kyoto (even though I haven’t been there) and am looking forward to going someday. The main thing I want to do is go to the Gion district to see maiko and geiko.
Anywho, just wondering about bachido members from there and maybe get a chance to talk about the shamisen community there in general.
Thanks 
Ookini
I have been to Kyoto to visit. That was back in 1992 or 1993. A long time ago. But I still remember seeing geisha like costumes being worn in public view and I actually also remember people playing Shamisen as well. No one was playing Tsugaru though as far as I can remember. Chuzao or hosozao players mostly. I was into it back then but had not started playing it yet so I just enjoyed it as a spectator . Apparently my family on my Mom’s side was originally from Kyoto so my family members have taken time out once in a while to visit . Kyoto is beautiful. The scenery and all the temples. Only thing I had a problem with was I was treated like crap just for being a gaijin kid.
I studied abroad in Kyoto for about 8 months from 2007-2008, then from 2009-2011 I lived in the prefecture next door. Kyoto’s an amazing place.
You’re gonna need to be pretty lucky if you wanna see maiko and geiko, though. You may catch a few glances of them walking around the entertainment districts, but if you want to actually enjoy their company, you better hope you meet the right people (and have the money to shell out for the privilege, too!). Each district does put on an annual show, though, and that’s pretty much the only way the general public gets to see them perform. When you do visit, you should try to plan your trip around one of those shows!
@Kevin-san thanks for the reply. I have listened to some god of Shamisen by the way. VERY AWESOME! so awesome it needed cap lock lol And yes I love hosozao shamisen especially nagauta and kouta. O thats cool except the part about being treated bad 
Kyoto is beautiful in a google image view lol but I bet it would be mind blowing in reality.
@Jamie thats nice that you got to study there. It had to be a great experience. LOL yes! plus you have to be invited to an ochaya and even then its almost $1000 a person to be entertained by maiko and geiko. I doubt I’ll ever meet someone who will bring me to an ochaya lol. But I am looking at Miyako Odori which is the whole month of April and the Gion Odori in November. The dances are ways tourists can experience the dances of the geisha district so that will be the highlight of my future trip.
Hello,Jeremiah! I am Japanese in Aichi prefecture. Still Kyoto is a very special place to visit even if you are a Japanese.
I visited Kyoto several times with Australian students and chaperoning teachers. Thanks to a good arrangement by a native Japanese teacher who is now in Australia, we stayed at a certain youth hostel in Kyoto. They offered us entertainment by some Geiko and Maiko. This was a free event for the customers mainly guests from abroad.
Thank God, I missed the name of the youth hostel somewhere, but let me post here when I hopefully find one. I left their name card or something at home for my next visit.
Keep thinking of visiting Kyoto. It really is a wonderful spot in Japan.
@Kyoko-san Thank you for the reply That sounds like a great experience. yes let me know when you can.
Kyoto is my dream location to visit one day
I found the name, Utano youth hostel! You can visit at
yh-kyoto.or.jp/utano/index.html
Good luck!
Thank you @Kyoko-san