Kyoto's Gion district hit by devastating fire: 5 buildings on Hanamikoji Street partially destroyed

By MOOK Scenic Spots Family, compiled report
 
A major fire broke out in Kyoto, Japan, around 7:00 PM Taiwan time on July 8. A traditional Japanese restaurant located on Hanamikoji Street was engulfed in flames, with a large number of tourists at the scene, causing temporary chaos. The smoke rose up to 15 meters, burning five wooden buildings. Firefighters deployed a total of 20 fire engines and eventually brought the fire under control, fortunately with no reported casualties.

The buildings on both sides of Hanamikoji Street in Kyoto’s Gion district are all wooden and interconnected; had the fire spread, the damage could have been catastrophic. The blaze was finally extinguished after three and a half hours, destroying five wooden structures, while the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Gion was once Kyoto’s entertainment district, home to many high-end traditional restaurants. The architecture here mostly features classic Kyoto-style lattice windows and bamboo fences, with geisha and maiko frequently spotted — the epitome of traditional Japan lives on in this area.

Hanamikoji Street is a representative of Japan’s traditional entertainment districts, dotted with tea houses and high-end restaurants where you can enjoy geisha performances. Its architecture is truly worth appreciating in detail — most of the buildings are elegant traditional Japanese gardens. At night, lanterns lining the pathways cast a soft glow against the historic, subdued ambiance, exuding full traditional Japanese charm.
 
[Info]
Gion
Address: Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan

 

Dotonbori Thousand Lantern Festival: Osaka’s Top 10 Summer Festivals Are Extremely Lively

》https://www.mook.com.tw/article.php?op=articleinfo&articleid=21194