Osaka's ochaya, however, suffered major setbacks as the hanamachi districts received significant bomb damage during World War Two. Tomitaya, for example, was a prestigious ochaya in Soemoncho, Nanchi. It was bombed out during the war and not reconstructed. With its passing, authentic ochaya traditions were also lost. Some ochaya managed to reopen after the war, rebuilding their businesses from the ground up. This included the reconstruction of facilities and the replacing equipment, everything from tableware to wall scrolls, through to the kimono worn by women.
The reason that maiko disappeared from Osaka's postwar hanamachi is that many ochaya focused their reestablishment efforts on furnishing the needs of established geiko rather than those of maiko, for whom the period of apprenticeship through to their graduation at the age of 20 years old was some way off.

Nanchi Yamatoya was first opened in 1875 (Meiji 8) as an okiya, or geiko management house, in Soemoncho, Nanchi. In 1910 (Meiji 43), the third-generation owner, Yuzaburo Sakaguchi, opened Yamatoya Geigi (Geiko) School to train future generations of geiko. A number of star geiko graduated from the school, including Han Takehara, who became a master performer of the jiuta-mai school of dance. Aiming to create more opportunities to present the geiko arts, Sakaguchi continued to expand his business by opening an ochaya and a ryotei (an upper-class restaurant). Along with its growing reputation as the top ochaya in Nanchi, a number of big names from both politics and business began to utilize Nanchi Yamatoya for social occasions. Imperial family members, celebrities from abroad; and state guests often visited and were entertained on the premises.
In 1965 (Showa 40), the fourth-generation owner, Kiku Sakaguchi, remodeled Yamatoya into a 5-story building, featuring a full-scale Noh stage on the 2nd floor. Kiku Sakaguchi hoped that, by upgrading Yamatoya to serve as a Kamigata Culture Hall of Fame, she could also help improve the status of geiko and revitalize the city of Osaka, which seemed to be losing its energy and appeal.
The movement to preserve kamigata culture was further supported by the establishment of the Kamigata Culture and Entertainment Association in 1983 (Showa 58). This organization was headed by the novelist, Ryotaro Shiba. Since 1984, the association has continuously been hosting a performance called "Kamigata Hanabutai" at the National Bunraku Theatre. This performance showcases various kamigata geiko entertainment forms, not normally presented outside ochaya.

(Left) A scene from "Kamigata Hanabutai" / (Right) "Hera-hera Odori," a special program of entertainment at Yamatoya. It incorporates elements from Meiji-era Tokyo vaudeville.

In 1996 (Heisei 8), with support from Kyoto Prefecture, a group comprised of Kyoto City, local business, the Kyoto City Tourist Association, and the Kyoto Hanamachi Association founded the Kyoto Traditional Musical Art Foundation, or "Ookini Zaidan." In addition to hosting an annual collaborative performance staged by the five hanamachi districts, the foundation has been making efforts to promote hanamachi as a highlight of Kyoto tourism. This has been done by providing training to future generations of traditional performing artists, recruiting potential maiko, and operating Gion Corner (Kyoto Traditional Art and Entertainment Center).
In contrast to the current national law that prohibits young girls under 18 years old from working in situations that would require them to serve alcoholic beverages, a Kyoto City ordinance allows for girls 15 or older to work as maiko.

Shimanouchi Tanigawa is the only ochaya still operating in Minami, Osaka. It was opened in 1969 (Showa 44) when the owner Mieko Tanigawa, a former geiko, bought a ryotei restaurant and opened it as ochaya. In 1988, Tanigawa's 2-story wooden house with traditional black wall was transformed into a modern 4-story building, which features sukiya-style zashiki, or tatami-matted guest rooms.

"Osaka's ozashiki culture is not just about showing singing and dancing skills to our guests," says Megumu. "Geiko have always been part of local traditions and ceremonies outside the ochaya culture, such as the Hoekago Parade at Toka Ebisu Festival in January of each year, the rice planting ceremony at Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine in June, the geiko boat at Tenjin Festival in July, and the Shinno Festival in Doshomachi in November. Today, not many people know about the hanamachi culture, or geiko entertainment being preserved in Osaka. My goal is to tell as many people as possible about this tradition."

Once supported by wealthy sponsors, Osaka's ochaya culture continues to lose its memories of glory days. It seems that finding both people and methods by which to sustain the culture will continue to be a challenging issue into the future.