Shimabara, Kyoto
 Map of Shimabara
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Shimabara (嶋原, often simplified to 島原, sometimes styled 嶌原) was the designated courtesans' district (yūkaku) in Kyoto, from 1640, and later also a geisha district (hanamachi). It is now defunct, both as a courtesans' district (prostitution was outlawed in Japan in 1958) and as a geisha district (since the 1970s), and thus is often excluded from the list of Kyoto hanamachi. It continues to operate as a tourist area, however, and does have one operating ochaya.
Before the establishment of Shimabara, earlier courtesan districts were established: first 二条柳町 (Second street willow town) in 二条万里小路 (nijō made no kōji) in 1589 with the permission of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, which was moved to 六条三筋町 in 六条 (Sixth street) when the Edo period started, which was then moved to Shimabara in 1640/41.
Shimabara was established in 1640 for a brothel owned by Hara Saburoemon and was closed (as a prostitution district) in 1958, when prostitution was outlawed in Japan, though it continued as a geisha district into the 1970s. There are many explanations for the name "Shimabara"; it may refer to the large gate (Ōmon) that resembled the gate of Shimabara Castle in Hizen, or may be a reference to the then-recent Shimabara Rebellion (1637–38) (which was provoked by the construction of the castle), due to the chaotic founding of Shimabara. In the Tokugawa period, it was also called "the licensed quarter" (go-men no ocho) or simply "the quarter" to distinguish the higher-class residents within from the unlicensed women who operated throughout the cities.
Shimbara was one of the three districts known as yūkaku (遊廓、遊郭?, pleasure quarter) established in the major cities of Japan by the Tokugawa shogunate to restrict prostitution to designated districts. These districts were Shimabara in Kyoto (est. 1640), Shinmachi in Ōsaka (est. 1624–1644) and Yoshiwara in Edo (est. 1617). These restrictions and controls were designed to control the widespread male and female prostitution of the Edo period (1603–1868). They did not derive from a moral opposition to prostitution but out of a desire to compartmentalize certain types of activity within the cities. Kabuki and jōruri theatres, and other related entertainment establishments were similarly controlled. When geisha subsequently developed in the mid-1700s, some operated in Shimabara, and hence it also became a hanamachi (geisha district).
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