Blending Traditions: Organizing Maiko Events in a Kyoto Guesthouse

During my time working at Mosaic Machiya, a guesthouse in Kamishichiken — the oldest geisha district in Kyoto — I began my journey handling front desk operations: managing room reservations, creating personalized travel itineraries, and giving guests recommendations on what to see and do in Kyoto and across Japan. I also prepared breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and took care of housekeeping — from cleaning rooms to maintaining the entire home.

At the bar and front desk of the guesthouse, during my first month on the job

Grateful to our guests — every stay turned into a meaningful connection

But as I settled into the rhythm of the house, I began thinking about how I could contribute more. To increase guest engagement and support the financial growth of the guesthouse, I proposed and started organizing cultural events.

That’s how I had the unique opportunity to curate and host a series of experiences featuring maikos — not in a traditional ochaya, but in a more casual and unexpected setting: the guesthouse itself.

Umehina, Kamishichiken’s most iconic maiko, stepping into the guesthouse for an unforgettable evening I had the honor to produce.

From start to finish, I was responsible for every detail — from selecting the maikos to handling all logistics. I managed budgets, ordered food and drinks, and handled all guest reservations and payments. I crafted engaging, persuasive descriptions to promote each event and convert interest into actual bookings. I also defined the event format, timeline, music, and special attractions — always tailoring the experience to the audience. 

The first event - inside one of our ozashiki (traditional tatami room) 

The very first event — which started as a kind of test — turned out to be such a success that we were able to design and host several others, each with its own style and atmosphere. Naturally, none of this would have been possible without the support of an incredible team — collaboration was at the heart of every success.

The dream team 

We organized traditional dance showcases, played classic ozashiki parlor games, and even hosted photo sessions with maikos in full kimono beneath the trees in the garden. One evening, we went a step further — holding a relaxed backyard barbecue with a maiko appearance, creating an unexpected yet harmonious blend of refinement and informality.

After each event, I also managed post-event tasks such as guest follow-up, feedback collection, and content updates for future promotions.

One of my original experiencies: A barbecue in the garden with maikos 

My kind of event was always a little out of the box: bringing geishas into unexpected contexts — like playing traditional games in a backyard

These experiences became more than just events. They embodied something I deeply believe about Kyoto — and about Japan itself: that its magic lies in the artful coexistence of opposites. The ancient and the modern. The ceremonial and the everyday.

With one of the maikos during an event I organized at the guesthouse

Bringing maikos into such a setting — casual, international, and welcoming — was a way of reimagining how cultural heritage can be experienced and shared. And for me, it was also a personal reminder of the beauty of building bridges between worlds.