Hanamachi

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A hanamachi (花街) is a Japanese courtesan and geisha district. The word's literal meaning is "flower town". Such districts would host various Okiya (houses of Geisha). Nowadays, the term "hanamachi" refers to the areas where modern-day Geisha are still operating. The term Hanamachi (花街) is commonly used in modern Japan. In Kyoto's Gion (or Gion Kobu) district, however, the older term "Kagai" (花街) is still in use. Alternatively, "kagai" is used to refer to Sangyochi, as it hosted Ryoutei (restaurant), Geisha-Okiya (geisha 'family' houses), and Ochaya (tea houses where customers can reserve a tea room to be entertained by Geisha and other entertainers, with various cooked food brought in by neighbouring caterers).

Each hanamachi usually has okiya (the geisha families' houses), ochaya (tea houses, where geisha do most of their entertaining), a kaburenjo (a meeting place for geisha, usually with a theatre, rooms where geisha classes can be held, and the kenban offices, which deal with geisha's pay, regulation and similar matters). Gion Kobu also has the vocational school, the Nyokoba. Many of the teachers there are designated as Living National Treasures.