{"id":1787,"date":"2026-10-18T07:03:04","date_gmt":"2026-10-18T07:03:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thejapanpro.com\/blog\/?p=1787"},"modified":"2026-10-18T07:10:07","modified_gmt":"2026-10-18T07:10:07","slug":"gion-shijo-station-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thejapanpro.com\/blog\/fr\/gion-shijo-station-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Gion-Shijo Station Guide 2026: Exits, Transfers and How to Use It Properly"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gion-Shijo<\/strong> is the Keihan Line station under the east end of Shijo Ohashi bridge, and it is the quickest rail stop for Gion, Yasaka Shrine, Hanamikoji and Pontocho. Take Exit 7 for Yasaka Shrine, Exit 6 for Minamiza and Hanamikoji, and Exit 4 for Pontocho; Hankyu’s Kyoto-Kawaramachi station is a short walk west across the bridge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This guide covers every practical question in the order you will hit them: which exit, which railway, how to transfer, where to put your bags, which bus (and what changed in 2024\u201326), Gion’s photo and alley rules, and the places worth your time within a 10-minute walk. Everything was checked against operator and city sources on 18 October 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n

9<\/p>

Numbered exits (1\u20139)<\/p><\/div>

KH39<\/p>

Keihan station number<\/p><\/div>

\u00a5230<\/p>

Kyoto city bus flat fare<\/p><\/div>

5 min<\/p>

Walk to Yasaka Shrine<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

\"Wooden
Hanamikoji, Gion \u2013 about 5\u20137 minutes from Gion-Shijo Exit 6. Photo: Dmitry Romanoff \/ Unsplash Photo: Dmitry Romanoff (@dm8ryphotos)<\/a> \/ Unsplash, Unsplash License<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Which Gion-Shijo exit should you use?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The station has one island platform two floors down (B2), a ticket-gate concourse on B1, and nine numbered exits to the street, according to the Keihan station map (updated 1 September 2026)<\/a>. The exits sit along Kawabata-dori on the east bank of the Kamo River, at the Shijo-dori junction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below are the exits we could confirm from Keihan, JR West and venue access pages. For anything else, follow the yellow exit signs on B1 \u2013 they name the streets and landmarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Going to<\/th>Exit<\/th>Walk<\/th>How<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Yasaka Shrine (west gate)<\/td>Exit 7<\/td>About 5 min<\/td>Up the stairs, then straight east along Shijo-dori to the vermilion gate<\/td><\/tr>
Minamiza theatre<\/td>Exit 6<\/td>0 min<\/td>The exit comes up beside the theatre<\/td><\/tr>
Hanamikoji (south side) and Gion Corner<\/td>Exit 6<\/td>About 5\u20137 min<\/td>East along the south side of Shijo-dori, then right into Hanamikoji<\/td><\/tr>
Kennin-ji Temple<\/td>Exit 6<\/td>About 7 min<\/td>Hanamikoji runs straight down to the temple<\/td><\/tr>
Shirakawa and Tatsumi Bridge<\/td>Exit 7<\/td>A few minutes<\/td>Turn left (north) at the first junction, Nawate-dori, and follow the canal<\/td><\/tr>
Pontocho<\/td>Exit 4<\/td>About 1 min<\/td>Cross Shijo Ohashi; the alley entrance is on your right at the west end<\/td><\/tr>
Nishiki Market<\/td>Exit 4<\/td>About 10 min<\/td>Cross the bridge and walk west on Shijo-dori, then north<\/td><\/tr>
Kawaramachi shops, Takashimaya<\/td>Exit 4<\/td>About 5 min<\/td>Or switch to Hankyu’s exits 4\u20135, which open into Takashimaya<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One tip that saves time: Exit 7 has stairs. If you have a pushchair or a heavy case, use the lifts \u2013 the station has lifts, escalators and a slope between all three levels, per Keihan’s station page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keihan Gion-Shijo or Hankyu Kyoto-Kawaramachi: which do you need?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

They are two different railways with two different stations either side of the river. They are not connected underground, so a “transfer” means walking across Shijo Ohashi at street level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/th>Keihan Gion-Shijo<\/th>Hankyu Kyoto-Kawaramachi<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Side of river<\/td>East bank (Gion side)<\/td>West bank (Kawaramachi side)<\/td><\/tr>
Line<\/td>Keihan Main Line<\/td>Hankyu Kyoto Line (terminus)<\/td><\/tr>
Osaka end<\/td>Yodoyabashi and Nakanoshima<\/td>Osaka-umeda<\/td><\/tr>
Useful Kyoto stops<\/td>Sanjo, Demachiyanagi (north); Kiyomizu-Gojo, Fushimi-Inari, Tofukuji (south)<\/td>Karasuma (subway), Katsura (change for Arashiyama)<\/td><\/tr>
Reserved seats<\/td>Premium Car, +\u00a5400 or \u00a5500<\/td>PRiVACE, \u00a5500 flat<\/td><\/tr>
Le meilleur pour<\/td>Fushimi Inari, Kiyomizu area, JR transfer at Tofukuji<\/td>Umeda, central Kyoto shopping, Arashiyama<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Keihan’s Premium Car seats can be bought online from 10:00, 14 days before travel, through the Premium Car Club<\/a>, or on the day from cashless machines on the platforms. Hankyu’s Kyoto-Kawaramachi station guide<\/a> lists 12 exits; Exit 1 (Kiyamachi) is closest to the river and the walk to Gion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hankyu’s regular fare from Osaka-umeda to Kyoto-Kawaramachi was \u00a5410, with PRiVACE at \u00a5500 extra, at our last check. Confirm on the ticket machine before you rely on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you change trains here?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n