Hanamachi

Hanamachi (花街, hanamachi?) is a Japanese courtesan and geisha district. The word's literal meaning is "flower street". Such districts would contain various okiya (geisha houses). Nowadays, the term hanamachi is commonly used in modern Japan to refer to the areas where modern-day okiya are still operating. In Kyoto's Gion district, however, the older term kagai is still in use. Alternatively, kagai can be used to refer to licensed red-light districts, which contained restaurants, okiya, and ochaya ("tea houses" where geisha would entertain customers).