What pictures do a lot of people have in mind when they think of Japan? I think that many would say that they see the painted white faces of beautiful, shy Geisha - and such lovely women can be found in Kyōto, especially in the evenings in the suburb of Gion.

In Gion we did not just see Maiko (Geisha in training) but we also had a fantastic dinner of Shabu-Shabu, which comprises of thinly sliced beef and various types of vegetables.