runs in the center of
Kyoto
Kyoto (; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin, Keihanshin metropolitan area along wi ...
,
Japan from east to west through the commercial center of the city. Shijō literally means ''Fourth Avenue'' of
Heian-kyō, the ancient capital.
History
The section between Shinkyōgoku street and the vicinity of the east side of the Tenjingawa river corresponds to the Shijō Ōji Avenue(四条大路)of the
Heian-kyō.
After the road was widened in 1911, it developed as an important traffic artery.
The
Shijō school
The , also known as the ''Maruyama–Shijō'' school, was a Japanese school of painting.
History
It was an offshoot school of the Maruyama school of Japanese painting founded by Maruyama Ōkyo, and his former student Matsumura Goshun in the ...
of art derives its name from this street, since many artists were located there.
Along the street
The eastern end of the street is
Yasaka Shrine
Kanpei-taisha
, once called , is a Shinto shrine in the Gion District of Kyoto, Japan. Situated at the east end of Shijō-dōri (Fourth Avenue), the shrine includes several buildings, including gates, a main hall and a stage. The Yasaka shrine is ...
and the western end is
Matsunoo Shrine
, formerly , is a Shinto shrine located at the far western end of Shijō Street, approximately 1.3 kilometers south of the Arashiyama district of Kyoto. It is home to a spring at the base of the mountain, Arashiyama, that is believed to be ble ...
. The street is particularly busy with pedestrians and traffic from the east end to
Karasuma Street
is a major south-north street in central Kyoto, Japan. It is part of National Route 24 and National Route 367. The Karasuma Line
The is one of the two lines of the Kyoto Municipal Subway operated by Kyoto Municipal Transportation Bureau i ...
. The east end passes through the
courtesan's district of
Gion
is a district of Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Japan, originating as an entertainment district in the Sengoku period, in front of Yasaka Shrine (Gion Shrine). The district was built to accommodate the needs of travellers and visitors to the shrine. ...
, with the historic street of
Hanami Lane branching off to the south, with the famous
Ichiriki Chaya
The , formerly , is an historic ("tea house") in Kyoto, Japan. It is located at the southeast corner of Shijō Street and Hanami Lane, its entrance right at the heart of the Gion Kobu district.
It is considered an exclusive and high-end estab ...
at the corner. It then crosses the
Kamo River
The is located in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. The riverbanks are popular walking spots for residents and tourists. In summer, restaurants open balconies looking out to the river. There are walkways running alongside the river, and some stepping ...
at Shijō Bridge, and from there to
Karasuma Street
is a major south-north street in central Kyoto, Japan. It is part of National Route 24 and National Route 367. The Karasuma Line
The is one of the two lines of the Kyoto Municipal Subway operated by Kyoto Municipal Transportation Bureau i ...
(Shijō Karasuma) the sidewalk is covered (except at major streets) and features several department stores, such as
Daimaru
is a Japanese department store chain, principally located in the Kansai region of Japan. The chain is operated by Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores, a subsidiary of J. Front Retailing. At one time Daimaru was an independent company, , he ...
and
Marui. The center of this area is the intersection with
Kawaramachi Street (
Shijō Kawaramachi), a very busy shopping area.
The city of Kyoto has enforced a
smoking ban on this street, on the busy section from Yasaka Shrine to Karasuma street, and in the surrounding districts.
During the
Gion Matsuri in the month of July, the Naginata-hoko, the Kanko-boko, Tsuki-hoko, Kakkyo-yama and Shijō-Kasa-Boko are built on the street. The street is also part of the route of the Yamaboko Junkō parade.
Relevant landmarks
*
Yasaka Shrine
Kanpei-taisha
, once called , is a Shinto shrine in the Gion District of Kyoto, Japan. Situated at the east end of Shijō-dōri (Fourth Avenue), the shrine includes several buildings, including gates, a main hall and a stage. The Yasaka shrine is ...
*
Ichiriki-tei
* Chūgen-ji Temple
*
Minami-za
is the primary kabuki theatre in Kyoto, Japan. It was founded in 1610 as . The current building, with a 1,086 seat capacity, was built in 1929.
History
The Minami-za is one of the earliest of the seven officially-licensed kabuki theatres built i ...
Theater
* Shijō Bridge
*
Kamo River
The is located in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. The riverbanks are popular walking spots for residents and tourists. In summer, restaurants open balconies looking out to the river. There are walkways running alongside the river, and some stepping ...
* Shinkyōgoku Street
*
Umenomiya Shrine
* Matsuo Bridge
*
Katsura River
*
Matsunoo-taisha
, formerly , is a Shinto shrine located at the far western end of Shijō Street, approximately 1.3 kilometers south of the Arashiyama district of Kyoto. It is home to a spring at the base of the mountain, Arashiyama, that is believed to be blesse ...
Public transport
The street is one of trunk routes of the
city bus. Beneath the street are the tracks of the
Hankyu Kyoto Line
The is a railway line in Japan operated by the private railway operator Hankyu Railway. It connects Osaka-umeda Station in Osaka and Kyoto-kawaramachi Station in Kyoto.
Definition
The Kyoto Main Line is often called the for short, and in a b ...
railway with the stations at Kawaramachi Street (
Kawaramachi Station), Karasuma Street (
Karasuma Station),
Ōmiya Street (
Ōmiya Station) and Nishiōji Street (
Saiin Station). The
Keihan Main Line
The is a railway line in Japan operated by Keihan Electric Railway. The line runs between Sanjō Station in Kyoto and Yodoyabashi Station in Osaka. There are through services to the Keihan Ōtō Line and the Keihan Nakanoshima Line. Trains fro ...
(
Gion-Shijō Station), the
Karasuma Line subway (
Shijō Station
is a train station on the Kyoto Municipal Subway Karasuma Line in Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
The station is located beneath Karasuma Street, at the intersection with Shijō Street. The underground concourse of Shijō Station is connected wi ...
), the
Keifuku Arashiyama Main Line (Shijo-Omiya Station and Sai Station), the
Sanin 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 Ky ...
(no nearby station) and the
Hankyu Arashiyama Line
The is a railway line in Kyoto, Japan, operated by private railway operator Hankyu Railway. It connects Katsura and Arashiyama on the west side of the city, linking the area along the line to the Hankyu Kyoto Main Line that extends east to cen ...
(
Matsuo-taisha Station) are the railways crossing the street.
The Shijō Line of
Kyoto City Tram operated on the street (between Gion and Shijō Ōmiya) from 1912 to 1972. The extension of the tram westward from Shijō Ōmiya was built as a
trolleybus
A trolleybus (also known as trolley bus, trolley coach, trackless trolley, trackless tramin the 1910s and 1920sJoyce, J.; King, J. S.; and Newman, A. G. (1986). ''British Trolleybus Systems'', pp. 9, 12. London: Ian Allan Publishing. .or trol ...
line to Nishiōji Shijō in 1932, to Umezu in 1958 (replacing existing Umezu Line tram) and to Matsuobashi in 1962. The trolleybus was discontinued in 1969.
References
External links
(Gion intersection, Higashioji Shijō, eastern end)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shijo Street
Streets in Kyoto
Tourist attractions in Kyoto Prefecture