adapted and have continued to this day, Shimabara entered a slow decline over the following hundred years, finally ceasing as a geisha district in the 1970s, though traditional activities continue at a low level to the present. This decline is largely attributed to Shimabara's isolation — it was originally established on the outskirts of town and remains relatively isolated and inconvenient, compared to the other districts, which are more centrally located. As with other Kyoto geisha districts, from the late 19th century Shimabara had a dance hall and an annual dance show, known as . This was staged from 1873 to 1880 but ceased in 1881, together with a general decline in the dancing of the district. The dance hall was established in 1873, moved to another location in 1927, but after World War II (post-1945) it was instead used as offices and was eventually torn down in 1996. Status While it remained active as a until the 1970s, it is now largely defunct, without a resident geisha population and with no active ; where the district's dance hall once stood is now a nursing home. Today, it is mostly a tourist attraction and historical site; two teahouses remain, conserved as Cultural Assets: the , established in 1641, and the , established in 1688. Sights The main gate at the east and the two tea houses (Wachigaiya and Sumiya) form the three main attractions; though a few additional sights remain – a shrine, a historical ginkgo tree (and associated shrine), and stone markers (seven in all), mostly indicating ruins (such as the remains of the former west gate, where the dance hall once stood, etc.). A map is available in front of Sumiya. Sumiya Sumiya is the center of tourism in the area and is operated as a museum , showing the secular culture of the Edo period. Sumiya is one of the very few non-temple, non-shrine and non-palace buildings in Kyoto to survive from the Edo period. It is the only remaining former (a restaurant and establishment for entertainment in the pleasure quarters) and is the largest in Kyoto. Unlike most , which are generally narrow, Sumiya has a large frontage on the street. This is because it consists of three buildings, purchased over the years. The middle is the oldest, dating to the founding in 1641 (or rather relocation of existing business to Shimabara), while the north part