Shinkyōgoku Street

Shinkyōgoku Street (新京極通 しんきょうごくどおり Shinkyōgoku Dōri[1]) is a shopping street that runs from north to south in the center of the city of Kyoto.

[1] Between 1573 and 1592 many Buddhist temples were built in the area, which also stimulated the development of entertainment businesses on the surroundings.

Then, in 1872, Shinkyōgoku Street was built as part of a plan to boost the morale of the residents, which was in decline after the relocation of the capital to Tōkyō.

By 1877, a great number of entertainment businesses, bars and restaurants had flourished and eventually by the end of the 19th century the place became one of the 3 major entertainment districts of Japan.

[3] Currently the street is a covered shopping arcade, popular among school excursion students and tourists.