This article is based on a visit made on Friday, 18 November 2016.
Edit 7 October 2019: Updated prices to reflect the increase in Japan's national sales tax.
Previously on Sekai Ichi, I introduced you to the city of
Kyoto. For most travellers, myself included, the city greets its guests by way of Kyoto Station (京都駅,
Kyōto-eki), the largest train station in the city. It is a major stop on the
Tokaido Shinkansen high-speed line, and also serves numerous other conventional lines. And thanks to a somewhat recent redesign, the station has become an attraction in and of itself.
Kyoto Station has existed in various incarnations since the late 19th century. In 1997, the city celebrated its 1,200th anniversary with the opening of the new station building, with a futurist design from architect
Hiroshi Hara (原 広司,
Hara Hiroshi, b. 1936), who also designed the
Umeda Sky Building in Osaka. The total floor space of Kyoto Station is 238,000 square metres (58.8 acres), making it the second-largest train station in Japan behind
Nagoya. Since Kyoto is more known for its older buildings, some of which are even part of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, there was some controversy about the construction of such a large, futurist building. But, for my tastes anyway, I find this station quite interesting.
A latticed mesh grid wraps around underneath the ceiling. A walkway, called the Skywalk, spans across both ends of the station, and is free to traverse. I think I've read this ceiling structure being compared to the grid-like layout of Kyoto's streets, but I can't remember where I found that comparison. Or maybe I just came up with it on my own, because when you've spent so much time struggling to pinpoint addresses in more chaotic cities like Tokyo, the more orderly arrangement of Kyoto is a breath of fresh air.
Art installations are scattered here and there throughout the station. This clock lights up in different colours for different times of the day. I took this picture in the morning, so therefore, the lights were a golden yellow.
Speaking of lights, when I came back in the evening, I walked off the bus to witness a little water and light show, on the top of this building in front of the station.
There were even more lights to be had back inside the station, where all manner of Christmas decorations were set up and shining brightly. It was the middle of November, which apparently is close enough to Christmas for the Japanese. (Not that we Americans are any more patient in that regard.)
People were watching this light show from this broad staircase, which also runs a light show of its own. The ends of both this staircase and the one on the other side of the station are open to the outside air. I wonder how they would handle more extreme weather conditions...
Just across from the station stands Kyoto Tower (京都タワー,
Kyōto Tāwā). It opened in December 1964, to commemorate the Olympics in Tokyo and the debut of the Tokaido Shinkansen, both taking place earlier that year. Like the station itself would be three decades later, the erection of Kyoto Tower was also controversial for clashing with the historical focus of the surrounding city. I'll let you readers be the judge in that regard, but I like it. I didn't actually go up it though; some other time, perhaps.
And here it is lit up at night. The tower was designed to look like a candle, and indeed the base does look like a bowl for the candle. The building below it is the aptly-named Kyoto Tower Hotel. In April 2017, after my visit, a new marketplace called "Kyoto Tower Sando" opened on its lower floors.
So those were two views of Kyoto Station: one from the morning, and one from night. Find out what I did in between, next time on Sekai Ichi!
Kyoto Station
Address: Higashi Shiokōji-chō, Shimogyō-ku, Kyōto-shi, Kyōto-fu 〒600-8216
Access: Kyoto Station is served by the Tokaido Shinkansen (Kodama
⬛, Hikari
⬛, and Nozomi
⬛), the JR Biwako / Kyoto
(A), Nara
(D), Sagano
(E), Kintetsu Kyoto
(B), and subway Karasuma
(K) lines. Many buses also serve this station, primarily in front of the north entrance.
Website:
(English) (Japanese)
Kyoto Tower
Hours: Open from 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Admission ends 20 minutes before closing time. Closed between 29 December and 1 January.
Costs: ¥800. A coupon available from their website
(Japanese) reduces entry to ¥700.
Address: 721-1 Higashi Shiokōji-chō, Shimogyō-ku, Kyōto-shi, Kyōto-fu 〒600-8216
Directions: From the Central Exit of Kyoto Station, simply cross the parking lot and street.
Website:
(English) (Japanese)
