Shimabara, Kyoto

About

Shimabara (嶋原; often simplified to 島原, sometimes styled 嶌原), established in 1640, was the designated red light district (yūkaku) in Kyoto. Following the outlawing of sex work in Japan, it went defunct as a red-light district in the 1950s but continued as a geisha district (hanamachi) for a few more years. By the 1970s, geisha were no longer registered in Shimabara. Tayū, who never disappeared entirely from Shimabara, were allowed to register as a special type of geisha following the outlawing of prostitution, and continue to perform in the district to this day. Shimabara continues to operate as a tourist district, and operates one ochaya.