TOKYO — Japan’s ancient capital of Kyoto, long a popular destination for tourists, is closing off some private-property alleys in its famous geisha district because of complaints about misbehaving ...

A lack of cultural awareness and subsequently bad behavior by tourists is leading local officials in Kyoto’s popular geisha district, Gion, to ban them from the alleys and streets of the area.

Gion, a historic district in Kyoto, Japan, is set to bar tourists from entering its private streets from April. Residents have complained about tourists misbehaving. Gion is famed for its traditional ...

Geisha and maiko (teenage apprentices training to become geisha) are women who perform Japanese traditional arts such as singing, dancing and playing instruments to entertain customers while they dine ...

Feb. 15, 1965, was the first day of Mineko Iwasaki’s life as a geisha. Wrapped in a turquoise-and-orange satin kimono, hair piled atop her head and secured with red silk bands, face covered in a wash ...

Misconceptions about geisha that stem from highly sensationalized stories from Western perspectives flatten the complex cultural artistry of the profession. Detail of a Katsura, a geisha wig. Before ...