Separated from Gion Kobu in the Meiji period, Gion Higashi became an independent hanamachi and was called "Gion Otsubu" against Kobu ('ko' and 'otsu' in Japanese are equivalent to a and b in English).
明治に入り祇園甲部から分離独立し、甲部に対し『祇園乙部』と称された。