Mikou at Umeno Hashi Bridge, carrying her wagasa—an umbrella made from bamboo and rice paper that protects her from sun and rain. There are five geisha districts in Kyoto where geisha work ...

It doesn’t take long to find the door I’m looking for — marked by tasselled red lanterns with the word ‘Ganrin-in’ written on them in kanji (Chinese characters used in Japanese writing).