On December 13, 2023, Kyoto City held an annual event called ''Koto Hajime（Start of Things）,'' in which Kyoto's red-light districts and old houses begin preparations for New Year's greetings. In the red light district, geisha and maiko dressed in kimono went around greeting arts masters and teahouses, saying ''Omedetou Sandos（＝Congratulations）.''
Starting around 10 a.m., geishas and maikos from Gion Kobu began to visit the training studio of Yachiyo Inoue, head of the Kyomai Inoue family and Living National Treasure, in Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City.
The geishas and maikos bowed their heads in front of the kagami-mochi rice cakes lined up on the red hina stage, saying, ''Otano moushimasu.'' Yachiyo Inoue said to each person, ''Everything is going well,'' and ''Please give me your best,'' and handed out a fan with a dragon cloud pattern, which is a nod to next year's dragon.
