Last updated on September 14th, 2024
We’ve gathered helpful information in this Kyoto Station guide, covering transportation, dining, accommodations, shopping, and more!
Kyoto is a city with a long history spanning over 1,000 years. Its primary train station, connected to travelers from both local and around the world. Designed by acclaimed architect Hara Hiroshi, the beautiful Kyoto Station boasts a futuristic and modern design, making it one of the largest buildings in Japan.
Kyoto Station (京都駅, Kyōto-eki) serves as a vital connection point for travelers. It is the city’s most important transportation hub. For visitors to Kyoto, the JR Kyoto station is a must-visit and offering visitors a wide range of experiences. It is not only the busiest stations, it is also home to various restaurant, cafes, department stores, a theater, and boutique stores within the station, keeping visitors occupied for hours.
Here, we share the Kyoto Station Guide – from getting around, things to do, where to stay, and even tips on where to find the best food in Kyoto Station!
Kyoto Station Orientation
The Kyoto Station complex is incredibly large and features numerous shops and eateries, all interconnected either underground or in buildings directly adjacent to the station. Generally, the station is divided into two sides: the north and the south, each with entrances.
The north side of the Kyoto Station is known as the Karasuma side.
This side faces the Kyoto Tower, the city’s tallest structure and the Kyoto Bus terminal, connected to the downtown area. The Central Gate (also called Chuo Gate) that connects with the JR train lines is located on this side.
The south side of Kyoto Station is known as the Hachijo side, named after the adjacent Hachijo street.
This area is lined with various hotels and a shopping mall, Avanti. In this direction, you can also find the Shinkansen platforms and the Kintetsu Kyoto Station.
Inside Kyoto Station
To connect the north and south sides of the Kyoto Station building, there are two main routes that travelers can use.
The first route is the pedestrian walkway on the second floor that runs from the Isetan department store and past the West Gate for the JR Lines, all the way to the Shinkansen tracks and Kintetsu Kyoto Station. Alternatively, you can use the underground passage linked with the Shinkansen tracks, the JR Lines, and Kyoto Subway Station, and finally end at the Porta underground shopping complex.
Coin lockers are also available throughout the station if you wish to leave heavy luggage behind when getting around Kyoto.
How To Get to Kyoto Station
There are various transportation options available from Kansai International Airport, Tokyo, Osaka, and other locations to reach Kyoto Station.
To reach Kyoto Station from Kansai International Airport (KIX), you have two main options. The first option is to take the Haruka Limited Express, which takes around 1.5 hours. The second option is to take the Kansai Limousine Bus, with the drop-off point in front of Hotel Keihan Kyoto Grande on the Hachijoguchi Exit.
Book your Kansai Limosine Bus from Klook
READ MORE: Step-By-Step Guide on How To Travel from Kansai Airport To Kyoto By Limousine Bus.
For travel from Tokyo to Kyoto Station, the quickest route is to take the Tokaido Shinkansen (bullet train), which takes approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes. Trains depart from Tokyo every 10 minutes between 6:00 and 21:00, offering flexible travel options throughout the week.
When traveling from Osaka to Kyoto Station, there are several transportation options available. Depending on the departure station, you can take the JR Rapid Train or the Tokaido Shinkansen.
Kyoto Station Guide Tips: There are more transportation options to Kyoto, read our documentation: How To Get To Kyoto From Kansai Airport, Osaka, Tokyo.
Kyoto Tourist Information Center
For first-timers in Kyoto, we suggest you visit the Tourist Information Center on the second floor of Kyoto Station upon your arrival. The multilingual staff is ready to help and can provide you with all the information you need, including train and convenient bus transportation within the city.
Kyoto Station Big Staircase
Kyoto Station is a fascinating and unique place to visit, especially at night! It is highly recommended to explore the station in the evening as there are many attractions to see.
There are 3 to 4 sections of escalators from the 1st floor up to the highest 11th floor. You can step out from the escalator at any time. It’s wonderful to look down or at the top of the station’s architecture while you are on the escalator or standing on the stairs.
Start at the Central Gate and look for the escalators leading to the Kyoto Station Big Staircase. The staircase is adorned with illuminating lights and music during the evenings. It is truly impressive, consisting of 125 steps and over 15,000 LED lights. The message displayed on the staircase changes with the season, and it is illuminated from 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
After that, take the high ascending escalators, which ascend up to 12 levels, to reach the Kyoto Station Observation Deck. The observation deck is an open-air area located on the top floor of the station, providing a great free view over Kyoto. On either end of the observation deck, there is a Sky Garden.
Additionally, there is a Skyway located on the 11th floor, which spans 45 meters above the central hall, connecting the two ends at roof level. The Skyway is equipped with a light show that looks spectacular after dark.
Where To Stay in Kyoto Station
Kyoto Station serves as the city’s primary transportation hub, providing convenient access to transportation within the city and to other parts of Japan. Staying in the Kyoto Station area will allow for easy access to trains and buses, making it more convenient to travel to various destinations both within Kyoto and beyond.
Hotel Granvia Kyoto is a deluxe hotel with comfortable, tastefully designed rooms, some of which have superb views overlooking nearby Kyoto Tower and the city skyline. The hotel is directly in the Kyoto Station building, with its lobby connected to the station floor by an escalator. It is an unbeatable location for travelers looking for accommodation near Kyoto Station.
Stay at Kyoto Station South Exit
Kyoto Station Hotel located to the south of the Station (Hachijoguchi Exit):
- Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo is conveniently situated right next to Kyoto Station, offering great value for the price. It is ideal for tourists looking to take the train to Osaka, Nara, and other places outside Kyoto.
- Hotel Keihan Kyoto Grande is a modern hotel directly connected to the station by an underground tunnel. It is also located right beside the Avanti shopping mall, providing immediate access to the mall’s retail and restaurant facilities. Additionally, limousine buses for Kansai International Airport stop in front of the hotel building.
- Sotetsu Fresa Inn Kyoto Hachijoguchi is a modern hotel that has everything you need. A standard room is compact and includes a Japanese washroom.
- For a budget option, consider Piece Hostel Kyoto. It is a beautifully designed hostel with clean rooms at a reasonable price and is strategically located less than 5 minutes’ walk from Kyoto Station.
Stay at Kyoto Station North Exit
Kyoto Station Hotel located to the north of the station (Kyoto Tower side Exit):
- Kyoto Tower Hotel is a great option at this area. The Kyoto Tower is the tallest structure in Kyoto, with an observation deck at 100 m (320 ft) that provides a fantastic panoramic view over the city.
- Hotel New Hankyu Kyoto is a four-star hotel located in the heart of the Kyoto Station area, right next to the train station. This makes it one of the best luxury hotels in Kyoto for easy access. The hotel offers modern and sophisticated rooms with all the amenities you need.
- Hotel Hokke Club Kyoto is a fantastic mid-range hotel in the area. It offers clean and comfortable rooms as well as a traditional Japanese restaurant and cafe.
What To Eat in Kyoto Station
Beyond railway connections (the Shinkansen and the local lines all converge there), the station is home to a major shopping center and dozens of restaurants, ranging from fast and simple to quite fancy and good. It is the best place to grab a bite to eat after a long day of sightseeing, as the eateries cater to all kinds of foodies on differenr budget.
Kyoto Ramen Alley is located on the 10th floor. It houses seven different ramen shops from various regions of Japan, ranging from Hokkaido in the north to Kyushu in the south.
Cube Gourmet Street is located on the 11th floor on the west side of the station, featuring nine restaurants offering different types of Japanese cuisine. My recommendation:
- Katsukura is an extremely popular chain of tonkatsu restaurants based in Kyoto that is renowned for its tonkatsu. The deep-fried and breaded choice cuts of pork are served with rice, miso soup, and freshly shredded cabbage.
- Tagoto is a Kyoto restaurant chain that specializes in soba buckwheat noodles, crispy tempura, and Kyoto’s own special variety of sushi.
Asty Square and Asty Road
Next, Asty operates the shopping and dining areas on the south side of the station. You will walk through this area if you are staying on the Hachiko side. The restaurants along Asty Road are located in the Kyoto Omotenashi Koji area. In this area, there are also many Japanese snack and confectionary shops clustered together.
What to Eat at Kyoto Station’s Astry Square and Asty Road:
- Matsuba: This restaurant is popular among locals and specializes in nishin soba, which is simmered herring served in a hot bowl of broth and soba.
- Sushi no Musashi: It is a casual “conveyor belt” sushi bar that receives fresh fish from the Japan Sea coast.
- Hoshino Coffee: This original coffee shop takes pride in serving hand drip coffee made from carefully selected top-quality beans.
- Inoda Coffee: This coffee shop, based in Kyoto, has been roasting their Arabian Pearl coffee in-house for over 70 years.
Porta Dining
Porta Dining is situated on the north side of Kyoto Station. The underground complex offers a variety of affordable dining options, including Japanese food, cafes, sandwich shops, and a fast food outlet selling burgers and fries. Some of the food establishments include Starbucks Coffee, Doutor Coffee Shop, Monte Romano, Lotteria, and many others.
The Eat Paradise in Isetan and Isetan Department store also offer many good food options:
- Wako: a restaurant specializing in tonkatsu, breaded pork cutlets.
- Saryo Tsujiri: The original Tsujiri is a famous matcha tea and sweets shop in the Gion area of Kyoto.
- Malebranche: a cafe serving luxury French-style desserts and sweets concocted from local ingredients.
There are still many eateries, cafes, and restaurants scattered all around Kyoto Station.
Shopping in Kyoto Station
Kyoto Station offers a variety of shopping options. Here are a few places where you can enjoy shopping in the area:
- Isetan Department Store: This upscale department store spans across 13 floors and offers foreign exchange in 4 languages, free hotel delivery, a tax-free counter for tourists, and a cafe that serves the best matcha parfait.
- Cube Shopping Mall: Located in the basement level, this mall features a wide array of sweets, delicacies, and local souvenirs, making it a great place to explore the different treats of Kyoto.
- Porta Underground Shopping Mall: Situated directly beneath Kyoto Bus Station and connecting with Kyoto Subway Station, this mall houses stores selling men’s and ladies’ fashions, accessories, cosmetics, stationery, souvenirs, and books.
- Kyoto Avanti: Located across from the south side of Kyoto Station, this building is home to the popular Uniqlo and GU stores.
- Kyoto Yodobashi: Found across the North side of Kyoto Station, adjacent to Kyoto Tower, this building is occupied by the popular electronics chain store.
- AEON Mall Kyoto: Situated about a 5-minute walk from the Hachijo Exit on the south side of Kyoto Station.
Overall: Kyoto Station Guide
All in all, we hope you have a clear understanding overall after reading our Kyoto Station Guide. The station can be overwhelming for first-time travelers, but it becomes easier to navigate once you are familiar with it. On your next trip to the historic city of Kyoto, you will surely enjoy your time in Kyoto Station. Have a great trip to Kyoto and don’t get lost in Kyoto Station!
Lastly, if you’re heading to Kyoto, feel free to also check out my Kyoto travel stories:
- 15 Things To Do and Eat for 3 Days in Kyoto
- Where to Stay in Kyoto (Tips For Your Best Stay in Kyoto)
- Half Day Trip To Arashiyama
- Ride On Arashiyama Sagano Scenic Railway
- Trip To Kinkakuji, Golden Pavilion
- Kiyomizudera Itinerary with Walking Guide
- Nishiki Market Travel Guide: What To Eat and Buy
- Fushimi Inari Shrine: A Complete Travel Guide
Looking for what to eat in Kyoto? Read more on our Kyoto Food Blog:
