Gojō Street (五条通ごじょうどおり ''Gojō dōri'') is a major street that crosses the center of the city of

Kyoto Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...

from east to west, running from Higashi Ōji Street (east) to Kadononishi Street (west).

History

Horikawa-Karasuma Gojo street aerial photo 19461002

During the period of the

Heian-kyō Heian-kyō was one of several former names for the city now known as Kyoto. It was the official capital of Japan for over one thousand years, from 794 to 1868 with an interruption in 1180. Emperor Kanmu established it as the capital in 794, mo ...

, it was a narrow street known as Rokujō Bōmon Kōji (六条坊門小路). The road that was formerly known as Gojō Ōji was actually located where Matsubara Street stands today and for this reason, the bridge now known as Matsubara-bashi supposedly was the Gojō Ōhashi of that time. During

WWII World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, houses and buildings along the street were removed to create a firewall, making the street 50 meters wide.

Present Day

Nowadays Gojō Street is located between Manjuji street (north) and Settayamachi street (south). East from its intersection with

Horikawa Street Horikawa Street (堀川通ほりかわどおり ''Horikawa dōri'') is one of the major streets running from north to south in the city of Kyoto, Japan. It extends about 8 km from the Misono-bashi bridge near the Kamigamo Shrine (north) to Hac ...

it becomes the

Japan National Route 1 is a major highway on the island of Honshū in Japan. It connects Chūō, Tokyo in the Kantō region with the city of Osaka, Osaka Prefecture in the Kansai region, passing through the Chūbu region en route. It follows the old Tōkaidō we ...

and west of its intersection with

Karasuma Street is a major south-north street in central Kyoto, Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends fr ...

it becomes

Japan National Route 9 is an important highway in the Kansai and Chūgoku regions. It connects the prefectural capitals of Kyoto, Tottori, Matsue ( Shimane Prefecture), and Yamaguchi. Other significant cities along the route include Yonago, Tottori and Shimo ...

. From its east end at the intersection with Higashi Ōji Street it becomes Gojōzaka, a narrow street that leads to the

Kiyomizu-dera is a Buddhist temple located in eastern Kyoto, Japan. The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto UNESCO World Heritage Site. History The temple was established in 778, during the late Nara period, by Enchin Shonin, who ...

temple. Every year in August, the famous Gojozaka Pottery Festival is held at the east end of the street. On the west side of the Gojō Ōhashi Bridge a statue of

Benkei , popularly known by the mononym Benkei (), was a Japanese warrior monk (''sōhei'') who lived in the latter years of the Heian Period (794–1185). Benkei led a varied life, first becoming a monk, then a mountain ascetic, and then a rogue war ...

and

Ushiwakamaru was a commander of the Minamoto clan of Japan in the late Heian and early Kamakura periods. During the Genpei War, he led a series of battles that toppled the Ise-Heishi branch of the Taira clan, helping his half-brother Yoritomo consolidate pow ...

stands.

Relevant landmarks along the Street

Source: *

* Gojō Ōhashi Bridge * Kyoto Tokyu Hotel * Kyoto Koka Women's University * Kyoto City Hospital

Train Stations

Subway

* Gojō Station

Keihan Electric Railway The , known colloquially as the , , or simply , is a major Japanese private railway operator in Osaka, Kyoto, and Shiga Prefectures. The transit network includes seven lines; four main lines with heavy rolling stock, two interurban lines, and a ...

* Kiyomizu- Gojō Station

JR
San'in Main Line The is a railway line in western Japan, which connects Kyoto and Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). It is the major railway line of the San'in region, approximately paralleling the Japan Sea, crossing Kyot ...

* Tanbaguchi Station

References

External links

Kiyomizu-dera

Kyoto Koka Women's University

Kyoto City Hospital
kyoto

{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808200137/http://www.toukimaturi.gr.jp/en.html , date=2020-08-08 Streets in Kyoto