The Furumachi district of Niigata is considered one of the three most prestigious areas in Japan for geisha, along with Gion in Kyoto and Shinbashi in Tokyo. Furumachi means “old city,” and the spirit of the old entertainment district is still much alive here, where even today geisha continue to charm visitors with their hospitality and traditional arts. Geisha have been active in Furumachi since the Edo period, when Niigata was bustling as the most frequented port on the Sea of Japan coast, and it is said they numbered over 300 at their peak.