Shirakawa ("white river") is a small canal running east–west through the northern part of Gion, lined with cherry trees, willows, and a row of two-storey wooden tea houses with low stone walls. It is more atmospheric and considerably less crowded than the main Hanamikōji a few blocks south, and the views down the canal in cherry-blossom season are some of the most photographed in Kyoto.
The atmospheric short bridge of Tatsumi — Tatsumibashi — with the small Tatsumi-Daimyōjin shrine on its corner is the canonical scene. The area is at its best at twilight when the lanterns come on. A handful of restaurants along the canal serve excellent kaiseki at high prices; for an evening's drink, several small bars have terraces directly above the water.