A street that brings together culture and history, people and their stories, and the old and the new Kyoto.

when the city expanded to Kamo-gawa river under the rule of Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

The city continued to develop through the Meiji period,
and in the Taisho period, the tram “Kawaramachi line" opened.

Kawaramachi has become central to the city's flow.
Since then, we have witnessed many historic events and births of new cultures on this street.

As the main street of Kyoto,
Kawaramachi Shopping Street has always been where tradition and vitality coexists.

We take pride in the history, the culture, and the people who make this city what it is today.
We continue to create a street where everyone can visit and experience these unique qualities of Kyoto.

The History of Kawaramachi Dori – Almost 300 years!

The exact opening period of Kawaramachi Dori is unknown but because it runs parallel to “odoi”, the Kamogawa breakwater, it is thought to have opened after Hideyoshi Toyotomi’s major reform of Kyoto. At the end of the Edo period, samurai residences occupied the east side and temples filled the west side. The basic form of Kawaramachi that we see today was completed during the Meiji period’s city amendment plans to maintenance the streets.

Trams used to run the street!

In 1926 (Showa 1), the city-run Kawaramachi line running from Imadegawa to Shiokouji Dori opened. Then with the transportation infrastructure in place, many shops opened and soon blossomed into the liveliest downtown district in Kyoto. In 1962 (Showa 37), the first shopping district promotion association in Kyoto was established. This allowed Kawaramachi Dori to develop into the main street by securing a good spirit of helping each other and facilitating the shifting of shops.
*courtesy of The Kyoto Shimbun Newspaper Co.,Ltd.

Today, even Yamahoko runs the street during the Gion Festival!

The Yamahoko procession in the Gion Festival that used to run Teramachi Dori north, from Shijo Dori to Oike Dori, was changed in 1961 to run Teramachi Dori up north. The “atomatsuri” (literally, after-festival, i.e. the festival taking place after the main event) that was combined with the July 17th “sakimatsuri” (literally, before-festival, i.e. the festival taking place before the main event) since 1966 (Showa 41) was brought back in 2014 (Heisei 26). The atomatsuri will be taking place on July 24th and this allows us to enjoy the procession twice! During the Festival, the whole street is full of people eager to take a look at the Yamahoko.

Store Search -Japanese Text Only-

  • KYOTO
  • GOURMET
  • FASHION
  • LIFE
  • AMUSEMENT
  • SERVICE
  • あ
  • か
  • さ
  • た
  • な
  • は
  • ま
  • や
  • ら
  • わ

Access

Area Map DOWNLOAD(PDF)

PDF Download

Bus

Bus
From JR Kyoto Station

City Bus 4, 5, 17, 205 system
Shijo Kawaramachi get off (about 15 minutes travel time)

City Bus / Keihan bus / Kyoto bus

Shijo Kawaramachi / Kawaramachi Sanjo and get off at about a 1-minute walk

Train

Train
Keihan

Walk from Gion Shijo Station / Sanjo Station
about 5 minutes

Hankyu

Kawaramachi Station and get off soon

Kyoto Municipal Subway

Shijo Subway from Kyoto Station Sta walk about 10 minutes

Taxi

Taxi

About 15 minutes, and from Kyoto Station by taxi.

Bicycle

Bicycle

Thank you a parked in the vicinity of the parking lot. Kawaramachi Street, roadway between from Shijo Oike is 21 hour travel ban from 8:00, sidewalk all day traveling prohibited.Thank you for your cooperation.