Yasaka Nyokoba Gakuen (八坂女紅場学園)

Yasaka Nyokoba Gakuen (Gion Joshi Gigei School) is an educational institution of Maiko and Geiko located in Kobu Gion, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City.

Summary
In 1951, the school was established based on Yasaka Nyokoba, which was founded in 1916.

The billboard is attached to Gionkobu Kaburenjo, which is famous in regard to the Miyako dance.
It is commonly known as 'Nyokoba.'

The required subjects are Inoue-ryu, Narimono, Sado and Shamisen. One can also learn Nogaku, Nagauta, Icchubushi, Tokiwazu, Kiyomoto, Jiuta, Joruri, Kouta, Fue (flute), Kado (flower arrangement), Shodo (calligraphy) and Nihonga (Japanese painting). It is called 'Gakuen (school)' but it isn't an educational institution. The students of Geiko and Maiko of Gion range from 15 to over 80 years of age.

The Yasaka Nyokouba Gakuen is Zaidan-hojin (foundation) and also the 'landowner' of the neighborhood of Minami-gawa Gion-machi, in which the Ochaya are located.

Reference book: “Local Area Commons: For a New Way of Living,” by Kozo HIRATAKE (2002)

Jokoba' was the class in which girls of the early Meiji period could receive instruction. This word eventually became obsolete.

[Original Japanese]