Tokyo: Kagurazaka Bar Geisha Interaction Experience & 100-Year-Old Restaurant Yakiniku Set Menu
- Interact with geishas up close in a bar run by a current geisha owner, highly recommended for travelers with extensive experience visiting Japan and tourists seeking special experiences.
- Communicate with geishas in Japanese or using a translation app on your phone, and experience an unusual and different cultural atmosphere!
- Enjoy a delicious yakiniku (grilled meat) set menu at "Irori Yakiniku Gion," a high-end yakiniku restaurant renovated from a nearly century-old traditional Japanese restaurant in Kagurazaka!
- At "Irori Yakiniku Gion," you can choose from different menu levels to suit your budget!
What to expect
Kagurazaka: One of Tokyo’s Six Hanamachi (Geisha Districts)
Kagurazaka, located near JR Iidabashi Station, is one of "Tokyo's Six Hanamachi," beloved by Japan's upper class. The stone-paved streets in the alleys are filled with various hanamachi (geisha district) charms, scattered with quiet, intimate restaurants. Kagurazaka has also been home to many writers and artists since the Meiji era, and the Tokyo Arts Association was once located here. In contrast to Gion in Kyoto, Kagurazaka, Shinbashi, Akasaka, Yoshicho, Asakusa, and Tsukudajima together constitute the "Tokyo Six Hanamachi." Compared to its heyday, the number of geisha in Kagurazaka has decreased, from over 200 to only about 20 active geisha today. This tour offers a special opportunity to interact with geisha up close, not through performances, but in a more free-flowing manner. Recommended for travelers who love traditional Japanese culture.
A Japanese Feast Weaving Tradition and Taste: “Irori Yakiniku Gion”
"Irori Yakiniku Gion" is located in Kagurazaka, a historic area of Tokyo. It is a meticulously renovated 80-year-old traditional house that combines the name of Kyoto's Gion with a Japanese aesthetic, creating a space where you can escape the hustle and bustle and immerse yourself in Japanese beauty and exquisite cuisine. This land was once home to the long-established restaurant "Tachibana," inheriting a deep-rooted Japanese hospitality that welcomes both local and international travelers with the utmost sincerity.
The restaurant's main feature is a dining experience centered around the "irori" (sunken hearth). It uses Japanese domestic beef, pork, and chicken, including premium "Kuroge Wagyu" (Japanese Black cattle) and "Kobe Beef." Paired with carefully selected seasonal vegetables and seafood from various regions, each dish conveys the craftsman's respect and attention to the ingredients.
As for drinks, the restaurant has a rich collection of Japanese whiskies, including well-known brands such as Yamazaki, Hibiki, Hakushu, and Chita, including rare varieties, and features an impressive "Japanese Whisky Wall" that is a feast for the eyes.
In addition, Gion showcases a unique taste in its choice of tableware, using original Mashiko ware for all dishes, paired with wooden trays to enhance the overall dining aesthetic. The interior decor cleverly uses framed kimono sashes and Japanese ink paintings “Moon” and “Red Fuji,” perfectly blending art and dining. “Kagurazaka Irori Yakiniku Gion” is not just a yakiniku restaurant, but a Japanese cultural experience that combines history, art, and top-quality ingredients. ※The cost of alcoholic beverages and other drinks are to be paid separately on site and are not included in the product price.
Good to know
- As the product itself does not include a guide, we recommend using a translation app on your phone to communicate with the geisha. Of course, guests who can speak Japanese can communicate with the geisha more directly.
- The cost of alcoholic beverages and other drinks at "Irori Yakiniku Gion" restaurant must be paid separately on-site and is not included in the price of this product.
- In Japan, after the geisha finishes her service, the customer (per group) is required to pay a tip of at least 3,000 yen to the geisha personally. The bar will prepare an envelope and teach the customer how to pay the tip in the style of the geisha world, which is a very special cultural experience.
[Set Menu Reference]
《Arashiyama Set Menu》 Meat Appetizer Platter: Exquisitely presented with Wagyu beef and sea urchin sushi, Kobe beef prosciutto and fruit rolls, and seasonal dishes Soup: Yamato Corbicula clam soup, with ginger and vegetables. Signature Dish: Gion’s special Kobe beef croquette, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, served with rock salt and homemade tartar sauce. Irori Grilled Main Course: Black Wagyu Sirloin Skewer Homemade Hinata Chicken Meatball and Char Siu Skewer Chef’s Recommended Seafood Skewer of the Day Tochio Fried Tofu Seasonal Vegetable Skewer ※ Served with a variety of Japanese sauces and condiments Main Course (Choose One): Akita Inaniwa Udon Noodles with Meat Sauce for Dipping / Original Beef Tendon Curry Mini Rice Bowl Dessert: Special Ice Cream of the Day / Kyoto Green Tea
《Gion Set Menu》 Meat Appetizer Platter: Exquisitely presented with Wagyu beef and sea urchin sushi, Kobe beef prosciutto and fruit rolls, and seasonal dishes Soup: Yamato Corbicula clam soup, with ginger and vegetables. Signature Dish: Gion’s special Kobe beef croquette, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, served with rock salt and homemade tartar sauce. Irori Grilled Main Course: Black Wagyu Sirloin Skewer Hirado Large Shiitake Mushroom Skewer Chef’s Recommended Seafood Skewer of the Day Tochio Fried Tofu Seasonal Vegetable Skewer ※ Served with a variety of Japanese sauces and condiments Black Wagyu Sukiyaki: Using Black Wagyu Sirloin (50g) and Kyoto vegetables, with a special broth blended with five types of dashi (including sea urchin flavor) ※Additional Black Wagyu Sirloin (50g) (+1,980 yen, order and pay on-site) Main Course (Choose One): Rice in Broth with Soft-Boiled Egg / Akita Inaniwa Udon Noodles with Hot Pot Dipping Sauce Dessert: Special Ice Cream of the Day / Kyoto Green Tea
《Kinkaku Set Menu》 Meat Appetizer Platter: Exquisitely presented with Wagyu beef and sea urchin sushi, Kobe beef prosciutto and fruit rolls, and seasonal dishes Soup: Yamato Corbicula clam soup, with ginger and vegetables. Signature Dish: Gion’s special Kobe beef croquette, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, served with rock salt and homemade tartar sauce. Irori Grilled Main Course: Black Wagyu Fillet Skewer Steamed Ezo Abalone Skewer Chef’s Recommended Seafood Skewer of the Day Tochio Fried Tofu Seasonal Vegetable Skewer ※ Served with a variety of Japanese sauces and condiments Kobe Beef Sukiyaki: Using Kobe Beef Sirloin (50g) and Kyoto vegetables, with a special broth blended with five types of dashi (including sea urchin flavor) ※Additional Kobe Beef Sirloin (50g) (+4,180 yen, order and pay on-site) Main Course (Choose One): Rice in Broth with Soft-Boiled Egg / Akita Inaniwa Udon Noodles with Hot Pot Dipping Sauce Dessert: Special Ice Cream of the Day / Kyoto Green Tea ※Menu contents are subject to change depending on availability.