Shinkyogoku-dori Street (新京極通)
The Shinkyogoku-dori Street is a street running north-south in Kyoto City. It is relatively short, running from Sanjo-dori Street to Shijo-dori Street.
It is a relatively new street built in 1872 by Masanao MAKIMURA, then Kyoto Prefectural Councilor. Shinkyogoku-dori Street was built immediately east of Teramachi-dori Street by rearranging the precincts of the shrines and temples gathered on Teramachi-dori Street (Teramachi-Kyogoku) because fairs held in the precincts became popular and attracted many visitors. In the mid-Meiji period, the street was lined with show tents and playhouses, which was the progenitor of today's amusement center.
Once, unlike Teramachi-Kyogoku which had old-established shops visited by local people, Shinkyogoku-dori Street, which was included in a school trip course for junior and high school students, was so full of students that local people came to rarely visit this street; it was a tourist-oriented street just like Kokusai-dori Street in Naha City. Recently, however, the street have shown a mixture of restaurants and boutiques in addition to souvenir shops for tourists, with shops for young people increasing. Also Shochiku-za Theater, a typical old movie theater, has been finally rebuilt into a cinema complex. The district along the street is changing to meet new needs.
The street between the Sanjo-dori Street and the Shijo-dori Street is a Public Nonsmoking Area.
Main facilities along the Street
MOVIX Kyoto
Seishinin
Saiko-ji Temple
Eifuku-ji Temple (Kyoto City)
Yokodo
Kobaido
Anyo-ji Temple
Zencho-ji Temple
Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine
Shinkyogoku Koen Park
Kyogoku and Nishikyogoku of Heiankyo
Kyogoku literally means the edge of Kyo (capital) and Higasikyogoku-oji Street was laid out along the eastern edge and Nishikyogoku-oji Street was placed along the western edge in Heiankyo. The Teramachi-dori Street (Teramachi Kyogoku) corresponds to Higasikyogoku-oji Street. The Nishikyogoku-oji Street is considered to have lain to the west of today's Kadonooji-dori Street. Nishikyogoku Station is located at the intersection between Nishikyogoku-oji Street and Hankyu Kyoto Line, and around the station is Nishi Kyogoku, the area surrounded by Gojo-dori Street, Hachijo-dori Street, Katsura River, and Nishitakase-gawa River. The athletics facility and ball game ground, Nishikyogoku Sogo Undo Park is in Nishikyogoku.
Shopping street name
Some shopping streets have their names ending with Kyogoku, which was given in association with the lively Shinkyogoku-dori Street. This naming is unique in Kyoto and equivalent to the way the name Ginza is given to shopping streets found in cities across the country.
Nearest stations
Around Shijo-dori Street
Kawaramachi Station (Kyoto Prefecture), Hankyu Kyoto Line
Shijo Station (Keihan), Keihan Main Line
Closer to the Sanjo-dori Street
Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae Station, Tozai Line, Kyoto City Subway Line
Sanjo Station (Kyoto Prefecture), Keihan Main Line