Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Explore: Kyoto Station Area
For most travellers to Kyoto, the Kyoto Station Area serves as the entry point to the city.
Odds are, your first step in Kyoto will be onto one of the train platforms in Kyoto Station.
This being the case, we should warn you that your first glimpse of the city is likely to be
an anticlimax at best, a rude shock at worst: the area around the station is a sea of con-
crete, neon and billboards. But, rest assured, there is good stuff in every direction.
Like the areas around most train stations in Japan, the Kyoto Station Area is chock-a-
block with hotels. However, many people choose to stay in other parts of the city, so they
usually hightail it to their digs and skip sightseeing in the Kyoto Station area entirely. This
is a shame, since there are some worthwhile sights here, including two of Kyoto's largest
and most impressive temples: Higashi Hongan-ji and Nishi Hongan-ji.
Of course, this being the city's main transport hub, the focus here is less on sightseeing
and more on meeting your basic needs. The station building itself is packed with restaur-
ants and shops, as are the streets surrounding the buildings. There's a lot of good food
here, but few people would head here just to eat, given the offerings in other parts of the
city.
Local Life
the main concourse of Kyoto Station are where local youths congregate.
electronics and camera shops, is connected directly to Kyoto Station by the Nishinotō-in
gate.
station, is crammed with shops that sell take-away food.
