We bought our Tokyo-Kyoto Bidirectional Shinkansen+hotel 1-day package from Japanican and they were delivered to our hotel the previous day. Hence we reached Tokyo Station this morning to take the Tokaido Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto. It will take about 3 hours, so we bought our lunch… the famous Ekiben! Looks great but the food is quite cold so not very appetising… anyway we boarded the train.
The toilet on board the train looks so high-tech that I can’t help myself not to take photo of it haha…
Woah! Finally, we reached Kyoto Station and took the subway to our hotel. Checkin Karasuma Kyoto Hotel and collect the Miyako Odori exchange voucher for tickets (JPY4,500) from Concierge, which I have asked them to book beforehand, just in case it’s fully booked because today is the first day of their performance.
After checking in hotel, we head to Gion Kobu Kaburenjo Theater for Miyako Odori Spring Geiko Dance Performance. Passed by Nishiki Market, Teramachi Shopping Arcade, Shijo Kawaramachi and Hanami-koji Preserved Street.
Gorgeous cherry blossoms along the way, near Shijo Kawaramachi, a crossway street where Shijō and Kawaramachi Streets intersect…
The Hanami-koji Preserved Street… a lot of authentic and expensive restaurant along this cobblestone street…
Finally, reached Gion Kobu Kaburenjo Theater. Just in time for the tea ceremony (need to arrive 1 hour before performance).
The ticket counter and our tickets…
Tea ceremony starts… the lady in black kimono will demonstrate the traditional japanese way of preparing green tea, after that, the lady in blue kimono will serve the tea to the VIPs sitting in front, and then the ladies in red kimono will serve the rest of the audience with tea and red bean mochi. The extreme sweetness of the mochi is used to complement the bitterness of the green tea, and they indeed blend very well with each other.
Tea ceremony ends quickly and we move to the waiting area for the dance performance…
Met this really nice maiko who is willing to take photo with us 
Too bad no photo-taking during performance, so some sneak pics before the dance…
Some more photos after the performance ends…
Next, head on to Yasaka Shrine to eat dinner at the night market and see the night illumination of cherry blossom, night-hanami 
The correct method to pray in Japanese shrine, i supposed… throw the coin into the donation box, shake the rope and ring the bell, clap twice, bow twice with palms together, pray silently for your wish (HUAT AH!), then finally bow one more time. Done! Hopefully it works haha…
Continue…
Crowd at the sitting corner…
Nostalgic feeling of the olden days in Japan… catching little balls using net made of paper…
Highlight of the day… the large central weeping cherry tree (shidarezakura) in Maruyama Park (reachable directly from Yasaka Shrine)
Our last stop and another must-go for night hanami… Shirakawa Canal, Gorgeous Cherry Blossom with willow trees… even japanese couples are having wedding shots there…
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