Thing to do
Nishiki Market
A narrow covered market street of around 130 food shops between Teramachi and Takakura, known for centuries as Kyoto's kitchen.
Kyoto Tower
A 131-metre tower opposite Kyoto Station, opened in 1964, whose observation deck 100 metres up gives a full view across the city and its ring of hills.
At a glance
- Type
- Observation tower
- Area
- Kyoto Station, Kyoto, Japan
- Opening
- Open daily · 10:00–21:00
- Official site
- kyoto-tower.jp
Good to know
- Observation deck
- Rooftop bar
- Shops and restaurants
Why we recommend it
Kyoto Tower stands directly opposite the Karasuma exit of Kyoto Station and is the tallest structure in a city where building heights are tightly controlled. Designed by the architect Mamoru Yamada and opened to the public in December 1964, the year of the Tokyo Olympics, it rises 131 metres from the roof of a commercial building. Its white and red shaft was intended to suggest a candle, and it is built from stacked steel rings clad in steel sheets rather than an open lattice. It divided opinion when it was built, but it has since become a familiar landmark for arriving travellers.
The observation deck sits 100 metres up and wraps right around the tower, so you can trace the layout of the city: the grid of streets, Kyoto Station's long roof, the pagoda of To-ji to the south-west, the Higashiyama hills to the east with Kiyomizu-dera on their slopes, and the mountains that enclose the basin on three sides. On a clear day it is a useful way to get your bearings at the start of a trip, and it is one of the few places in Kyoto to see the city from above.
The deck is open from 10:00 to 21:00, with last admission at 20:30, although the tower notes that hours can change without notice, and it closes early on 16 August for the Gozan no Okuribi bonfires. Visits at dusk let you see the city in daylight and after dark in one trip. Allow 30 to 45 minutes. The deck is reached by lift, making it accessible for most visitors, and it is a good option for families or for filling time before a train.
The building below has more to offer. Kyoto Tower Sando on the lower floors brings together food stalls, souvenir shops and craft workshops, and Towerland on the roof of the base building runs as a rooftop bar and barbecue terrace. The tower also contains a restaurant and a hotel.
Because it is so close to the station, Kyoto Tower is easy to slot into any itinerary: arrive on the shinkansen, drop your bags and go up for the view. Higashi Hongan-ji, one of the largest wooden temple buildings in the city, is a five-minute walk north, and Nishi Hongan-ji is a little further to the west.
Kyoto Tower FAQs
How tall is Kyoto Tower?
It is 131 metres to the tip of the spire, with an observation deck at 100 metres.
What are the opening hours?
The observation deck is open from 10:00 to 21:00, with last admission at 20:30, though hours can change.
Where is Kyoto Tower?
Directly opposite the Karasuma central exit of Kyoto Station.
When was it built?
It opened to the public in December 1964.
How long should you allow?
About 30 to 45 minutes on the observation deck.
Is it accessible?
Yes. The observation deck is reached by lift.
What can you see from the top?
The whole Kyoto basin, including To-ji's pagoda, the Higashiyama hills and the surrounding mountains.