During the Edo Period, when Niigata was a flourishing port town, the Furumachi district was a center for geisha entertainment. This traditional art form continues today and you'll meet and interact with "geigi" as they're known in Furumachi and watch them perform. See old geisha houses where geisha once entertained and walk to the renowned Niigata Saito Villa. Set atop a sand hill near the sea, the grounds were designed to suggest a mountain ambiance, complete with artificial waterfalls and natural pine groves. Here, you'll enjoy green tea while admiring the views followed by a Japanese lunch. Refreshed, you'll be entertained by beautifully costumed women performing graceful dances accompanied by a three-string guitar called a "shamisen" and songs. Then, you're invited to play a fun game called "taruken" that dates back over 300 years. Finally, you can take a commemorative photograph with the geigi before returning to Niigata.