花街(かがい)

かがい
noun
geisha district; pleasure quarter
culturegeography
1. geisha district; entertainment quarter
A district or neighborhood where geisha houses, teahouses, and traditional entertainment establishments are concentrated. Historically the center of traditional Japanese performing arts and hospitality.
京都(きょうと)には有名(ゆうめい)な花街(かがい)がある。
Kyoto has famous geisha districts.
花街(かがい)の文化(ぶんか)を守(まも)る活動(かつどう)が続(つづ)いている。
Efforts to preserve the culture of the geisha districts continue.
祇園(ぎおん)は日本(にほん)で最(もっと)も有名(ゆうめい)な花街(かがい)で、舞妓(まいこ)さんの姿(すがた)を見(み)ることができる。
Gion is Japan's most famous geisha district, where you can see apprentice geisha.

Forms

花(か) (flower) + 街(がい) (district, quarter). The 'flower' metaphor refers to the beauty and refinement of the arts practiced there.

Cultural note

Kyoto's five major 花街(かがい) are 祇園甲部(ぎおんこうぶ), 祇園東(ぎおんひがし), 先斗町(ぽんとちょう), 上七軒(かみしちけん), and 宮川町(みやがわちょう). Tokyo also had its own 花街(かがい), such as 新橋(しんばし) and 赤坂(あかさか). These districts are associated with traditional arts including 日本舞踊(にほんぶよう), 三味線(しゃみせん), and the tea ceremony.

Alternate reading

Also read as はなまち, which is more colloquial.

Common collocations

Related Words

Related: 置屋(おきや) (geisha house)
Compare: 廓(くるわ) (pleasure quarter)
general
Added 2026.3.17 9:13 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
17000/17224_kagai