u/kumikoneko

There's an Inari shrine in East Gion called Kankame Inari (観亀稲荷), where geiko and maiko have an event in mid May. Based on the videos I've found, there's a little walk around the district, a short dance, a beer counter. Personally, I think it would be very interesting to see hanamachi natives socialize, maybe even chat to a few. Understandably, the event is not widely advertised, I couldn't find any definitive information online, and when I went to the shrine last night, all I saw were two strips of paper saying

"May 15th, 11am execution" (as in performance, 執行) and

"May 14th, 5-9:30pm"

Without any extrapolation. And then some of the videos I found have the recording date as May 13th, 2025, which is a bit worrying.

Hence my two questions:

1. Does anybody know for sure when the event is held? Apparently last year they held Shirasagi-no-Mai, and the proper version at that, so I'm mentally prepared to come every evening just in case, but I'd rather avoid that.

2. Does anybody else plan on going? I don't know much about geiko culture and will mainly be there for photo/video (and white herons!), but it would be nice to have company, especially if it's somebody who can offer some insight into the ways of Gion.

PS

I find it very interesting that this small shrine uses the word Yoimiya to describe the night before the festival, I think I have only seen that word in relation to Gion matsuri, but maybe I just haven't been paying attention. Still, I can't be the only one who sees the festival's connection to Gion matsuri, since (according to unverified sources, https://youtu.be/au5o01MIVGQ?t=183) in 1956 the organizers have began arranging a white heron dance, which has historically been a part of the float procession. And unlike the heron dance performed by children during the Mikoshi purification procession (and the analogous dance performed in Asakusa), this one seems to be recreated based on the Tsuwano tradition, which seems to match the historical depictions of the heron dance much closer (the dance was originally transmitted from Kyoto to Tsuwano).

Here's a rather long read, if you are curious:
https://hosei.ecats-library.jp/da/repository/00024135/20_thesis_kahlow.pdf

Hi everybody,

I'm editing a recording of a performance by Aoi-tayuu (yes, not a geisha, but I think this sub is my best chance), and I'm hoping somebody can help me identify the songs used in the performance. Since the performance used recordings, I'm tempted to look for open license recordings rather than deal with depressingly bad sound that I've got, but even just having the lyrics and knowing the names of the songs would make me happy.

1. The first one was inishie (いにしえ), which I found on youtube and managed to get the lyrics from this blog (so thanks to whoever left a link in this sub) (https://andrewosbourn.wordpress.com/2013/07/21/inishie-いにしえ/)

2. Was a dance performed by two girls using hand towels

Edit: this one seems to be yugure (夕ぐれ), the lyrics match at least, but in the videos I'm finding the dance is performed with fans (though it's not performed by a tayuu's apprentices)

3. A group dance by the tayuu, a girl with kagura suzu, and a kamuro, who I believe was playing the protagonist's (tayuu's) lover

Edit: I think I can make out the announcer saying that this song was passed down within Shinozuka-ryu

Edit 2: after looking at Aoi-tayuu's instagram, I see the dance is Shimabara Sanbasō (嶋原三番叟), and given that the piece seems to have a lot of regional variations and Aoi-tayuu herself mentions in the post that it's hard to make out the lyrics, good luck to me I guess.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DS2VX7ZFC3P/?img_index=9

Here's a link to my audio or, alternatively, a video somebody put on youtube

https://pixeldrain.com/l/m6QgrbpR

https://youtu.be/kS2NeWdGxAA?t=669

Any help is much appreciated