Gion Exclusive restaurants line the streets of Gion . Gion ( 祇園 or 祇をん ) is a district of Kyoto , Japan , originally developed in the middle ages , in front of Yasaka Shrine . This part of Kyoto has two hanamachi ( geisha districts ) : Gion Kobu ( 祇園甲部 ) and Gion Higashi ( 祇園東 ) . Despite the considerable decline in the number of geisha in Gion in the last one hundred years , it is still famous for the preservation of forms of traditional architecture and entertainment . Part of this district has been declared a national historical preservation district . There is a popular misconception that Gion was a red-light district . However , as it was a geisha district , and as geisha are entertainers , not prostitutes , Gion is not , and never was , a red-light district . Shimabara was Kyoto 's red-light district .  This Kyoto location article is a stub . You can help Wikipedia by expanding it . Categories : Kyoto | Kyoto geography stubs In other languages : Français | 日本語 | Suomi | Español 