Mapping Kyoto Streets

Shirakawa-dori is a main thoroughfare in the very east of Kyoto city. Running north-south for five kilometers, it has been instrumental in nurturing the arts and culture since long before it was surfaced, half a century ago. Kyotoites create innovative culture through new collaborations, while continuing to follow in the footsteps of tradition. Along this street, we will see just how adept they have been at recreating themselves throughout history. Shirakawa-dori is an ideal place to view the beautiful fall foliage in the mountains of Kyoto.

Kawaramachi-dori runs parallel to Kamo River from Aoi Bridge in the north for 7 km to Jujo-dori in the south. In this episode, we explore this main thoroughfare and two other parallel streets to the east - Kiyamachi-dori and Pontocho-dori. The zone around Sanjo-dori and Shijo-dori is Kyoto's busiest district. This wonderland has many attractions and surprises in its maze of lanes. A renovated machiya-style Kyoto townhouse houses a famous Chinese restaurant. A labyrinth-come-restaurant features ninja performances. Walk through a gate and find an esthetic salon behind the temple. This entertainment-oriented area is also home to skilled craftsmen who preserve Kyoto's traditions. We will also visit the renovated residence of a man instrumental to the Meiji Restoration, which ended the samurai era. Enjoy this trip along Kawaramachi-dori.

In this episode, we map two streets. Yasaka-dori, which runs for 1.5 kilometers, begins at Yamato'oji-dori in the west, passes long the southern boundary of Kennin-ji, and crosses Higashioji-dori on through to Sannen-zaka in the east. Yasaka Pagoda has immense presence and towers over you as you cross Higashioji-dori. To reach Kiyomizu-dera we should continue on through Sannen-zaka - literally, Three-year Slope - but we take a slight detour to Ninen-zaka (Two-year Slope) and visit a location connected to artist, Yumeji Takehisa, an icon of Taisho-era culture. Kiyomizu-zaka is in actual fact called Matsubara-dori. The stretch ascending from Higashioji-dori is called Kiyomizu-zaka, because it is the approach to World Heritage Site Kiyomizu-dera, a tourist symbol of Kyoto. With more than 5 million visitors annually, the approach is always teeming and is lined with souvenir shops and restaurants serving Kyoto cuisine.

Imadegawa-dori runs east-west for about 7 kilometers. We start at the eastern end in an area referred to as students' town, where Kyoto University and several others of Kyoto's many universities are located. We visit facilities, where we can feel history, and shops along the street nearby, which have their own distinctive characters. Further to the west, we find a concentration of weavers in Nishijin, who gave birth to a dazzling textile culture. This area, which has many reminders of days gone by, is home to well-established businesses that keep traditional methods alive and craftsmen who are particular about producing authentic products. We map this street and look at its diverse faces.