Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment."

- Buddha

As night falls, warmth fills up the street lamps with velvet light that breaks through the darkness, illuminating the wooden walls of the ancestral houses in Gion.

These mesmerizing lights announce the presence of one or more geishas inside the tea house.

They come prepared to offer their guests an experience that in Japanese philosophy is denominated as Ichi-go Ichi-e [一期一会] which translates to "one opportunity, one encounter" rooted in the idea that each meeting, everything we experience, is a unique treasure that will never be repeated in the same way again. So if we let it slip away without enjoying it, the moment will be lost forever.