Heian-kyo Sakyo Sanjo Shijo 4-cho: Takakura No Miya

Extension of Sanjo Avenue

Jomon to Yayoi Period Pottery and Stoneware

Giboshi of Sanjo Ohashi Bridge

Ruins of Sanjo West Residence and Sanjo South Residence

Ruins of Sanjo East Residence

Gion Goryoe

Sanjo Avenue in Ukyo, Heian-kyo

Sanjo Avenue in Sakyo, Heian-kyo

Sanjo in Heian-kyo

Materials excavated from Sanjo Shibo 4-cho (Takakura No Miya Site)

Model of Higashi Sanjo-den

Reconstruction of Sanjo Avenue

Remains of Takakura Alley

Princess Shikishi

Prince Mochihito

Town of Pottery in Sanjo

Sanjo district in the Middle Ages

The large fire in the Tenmei period

タイトルなし（曇華院跡または町家の出土資料）

Heianjo Tozainanboku Machinarabi No Zu

Donge-in neighborhood in the Edo period

Artifacts unearthed at Donge-in sites

Donge-in

Hamaguri Gate Incident and the large fire

Seisho Elementary School

Meirin Elementary School

Rissei Elementary School

Nissho Elementary School

Nishimura Kissho-do

Ido Kotobukiya

Nissho Besso

Fundo-ya Tabi

Fumitsubaki Bldg.

Nakagyo Post Office

SACRA

Modern Architecture and Landscape Town Planning on Sanjo Dori (Yabetoku Clock Shop)

Modern Architecture and Landscape Town Planning of Sanjo Dori (Nippon Life Insurance Kyoto Branch)

Historical and cultural value of modern architecture (Sanjo Dori)

History of Sanjo Dori since Meiji era (Formerly, Kyoto Branch of Dai-ichi Bank)

Bank of Japan, Kyoto Branch

Yamaboko procession at Gon Masuri on Sanjo Dori in 1954

Hasegawa Shoju-do

Sanjo Arimoto Building

Heian Museum of Ancient History

Present-day Gion Matsuri

1928 Building

Chiso Co., Ltd. 

Road Marker

Benkei Stone

Let’s play on Sanjo Dori

Rice pounding to celebrate the spring

Development of Local Landscapes

The Mikoshi Festival

The current streetscape of Sanjo Dori in Kyoto, and the undergrounding of power lines and poles

Keeping Japanese traditions alive through festivals and commerce｜Hasegawa Shoju-do

Preserving Sanjo Dori for the Next Generation｜Mielmie, a long-established honey specialty store

Modern “stayable” architecture TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo by THE SHARE HOTELS

45R Kyoto, rooted in and working together with the community

Nishimura Kissho-do, a traditional store passed down from generation to generation

At the current location of The Museum of Kyoto, Nakagyo Post Office, and the Children Consultation Center Patna used to be Takakura No Miya, an address called in the Heian period “Heian-kyo Sakyo Sanjo Shikobo Yoncho”. This address was first mentioned in documents in the late 10th century in a land sales ticket (issued on August 15, 964). According to this document, at that time, a residence with a hinoki bark roof, a “garage” for cow carts and a dwelling for servants. In the latter half of the 12th century, at this location was the residence of Fujiwara No Suenari, the second-highest government official, and this was reportedly inherited by his son, Fujiwara No Kinmitsu. His sister, Nariko, was favored by Emperor Go-Shirakawa and bore and raised six imperial sons and daughters, including Prince Nichihito and Princess Shikishi. It was here that Prince Nichihito later issued a decree for the Heike clan to be defeated.

Sanjo Avenue was not limited to the center of Heian-kyo, but was extended outside of it as well. When a road in Kyoto extended outside the capital, and in the case of Sanjo Avenue, to the name “末” (Matsu/sue) was added to show it is an extension of the original avenue. In particular, Sanjo the extension of Sanjo Avenue on the eastern side of Heian-kyo was directly connected to the Kamogawa riverbank and the Kamo River. It is not certain if there was a bridge at this location in the Heian period before the Sanjo Bridge was built in the 16th century. The water volume of the Kamo River was normally low and could be crossed without a bridge, but when it rained, the Kamo River suddenly swelled and became known as a "raging river”; there is a sad episode of a monk who lost his life after entering the swollen Kamo River in an ox cart. And the importance of the extension of Sanjo Avenue lay in its connection to the Tokaido Highway. In the early Heian Period, the Tokaido Highway passed south of Heian-kyo, but later, a new road was established to cross the extension of Sanjo Avenue to the Higashiyama Mountains in the vicinity of Kujoyama mountains. In the beginning, the road was covered with stones, making it difficult to pass through, but Gyogen, a monk of the mid-Heian period who was called "Kawahijiri” and respected by the common people, asked for cooperation from people passing along this highway and succeeded in removing stones on a large scale in 1016, with the support of Fujiwara No Sanesuke, Minister of the Right, and this work made the road passable.

Speaking of the history of Kyoto, many people probably think of the period after the construction of Heian-kyo. However, it was not until the Heian period that people began to live here. Interestingly, in the vicinity of the Museum of Kyoto on Sanjo Dori, traces of human activity dating back even further than the Heian period have been found, such as pottery and stone tools dating from the Jomon to Yayoi period. The Kitashirakawa site, which is located on the campus of Kyoto University, is well known as a ruin of the Jomon period in Kyoto, but there are also other ruins in the city, such as those in the vicinity of the Museum of Kyoto. The discovery of a late Jomon period residence is a particularly valuable example in the central basin of Kyoto, where the remains of a furnace used for daily life and clay pits presumed to be tombs have also been found. The site is included in the area of the Kyoto City site known as the Karasuma-Oike Site. In this area, the strata of the Jomon period still lie about 2 meters below the ground we are walking on. The Jomon earthenware excavated is a bowl with a convex band around the rim, and is thought to date to the end of the Jomon period. In addition to stone arrowheads presumed to have been used for hunting, a stone axe, a polished stone, a stone knife used as a harvesting tool, and fragments of stone poles presumed to have been related to rituals were also found.

Materials excavated from under the Takakura no Miya site Jomon - Yayoi period, owned by The Museum of Kyoto

This photo shows a glass dry plate taken by Suizan Kurokawa, which is in the collection of the Kyoto City Library of Historical Documents, showing a giboshi on the Sanjo Ohashi Bridge. Suizan Kurokawa (1882-1944) was a photographer from Kyoto who was active from the Meiji to Showa periods. He was oriented toward artistic photography, and his photographs of everyday landscapes and townscapes are few; instead, he often photographed shrines and temples, as well as famous scenic spots such as shrines, Mt. FUji and Arashiyama. The Sanjo Ohashi Bridge was built by Hideyoshi Toyotomi in 1590, and the inscription on the giboshi, which is also clearly photographed, is inscribed on the bridge. It reads in a nutshell, “The bridges of Sanjo in Kyoto will be an aid to the pedestrians in later generations.” The foundation stone is firmly in the ground, with sixty-three stone pillars. It was the first bridge in Japan to use stone pillars, and was built by Nagamori Mashita, a retainer of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, in the first month of 1590.

Giboshi on Sanjo Ohashi bridge, photo by Suizan Kurokawa, owned by Kyoto City Library of Historical Documents

The Sanjo West Residence was located on the west side of Karasuma Dori, near the Karasuma Building and Gallery of Kyoto Traditional Arts &amp; Crafts. This was the main imperial palace of Cloistered Emperor Shirakawa, who established the imperial government, and where the Cloistered Emperor spent the rest of his life. Furthermore, the Sanjo West Residence was located on the south side of Karasuma Nishi Agaru, Sanjo Dori, in the area where the Mizuho Bank Kyoto Chuo Branch, Hotel Monterey Kyoto, and Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Sanjo are located today. This residence was used as the palace of Cloistered Emperor Toba, Josaimon-in, Shichijoin Fujiwara no Fujiwara no Shukushi (mother of Emperor Gotoba), Emperor Emeritus Gotoba, and others. Excavations revealed the existence of a magnificent garden, and the stones and gravel from that garden are now being reused in the courtyard of the Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Sanjo.

Ruins of Sanjo West Residence, by Kunikazu Yamada

At the site of the Sanjo East Residence at that time is a monument for it.<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/fe7ce2b3-a731-42e8-9145-cb0a564efca3/%E5%B9%B3%E5%AE%89%E4%BA%AC%E5%B7%A6%E4%BA%AC%E3%81%AE%E4%B8%89%E6%9D%A1%E5%A4%A7%E8%B7%AF3.jpg">Heiji Monogatari Emaki (copy), Siege on the Palace from The Tale of Heiji, KANO Osanobu, owned by Tokyo National Museum Source: ColBase（https://colbase.nich.go.jp/） It depicts a scene of Sanjo East Residence being burned down.Along Sanjo Dori from Higashinotoin Dori to Muromachi Dori, there were three large residences: the East Residence, the West Residence and the South Residence. These residences were the scene of historical changes from the late Heian Period to the early Kamakura Period.The Sanjo East Residence used to exist in the area where the NTT Building and ShinPuhKan now stand. In 1159, the Sanjo East Residence was burned down by Fujiwara No Nobuyori and Minamoto No Yoshitomo, a tragedy (Heiji Rebellion) that is depicted in the "Heiji Monogatari Emaki”.

Ruins of the Sanjo East Residence, by Kunikazu Yamada

The Gion Matsuri originated from Goryoe that started in the Heian period. Goryoe refers to a ceremonial gathering held to repose the souls of those who had passed away, believing that epidemics and the spread of diseases are the work of their grudge spirits. The first Goryoe was held in Shinsen-en in 863, and included the preaching of the Golden Light Sutra and Heart Sutra, and the dedication of songs and dances. Later, they were also held in the surrounding areas of Heian-kyo, such as Funaokayama, Shino, Kinugasa, and Hanazono. Yasaka Township, Atago County, located east of the Kamo River, was one such place. It was here that the Yasaka Goryoe, or Gion Goryoe, began. There are various theories regarding the establishment of the Gion Shrine. One theory is that in the early Heian period, a temple called Kanshinin, enshrining Bhaisajyaguru, was built in Yasakago, and in one corner of the temple, Tenjindo, enshrining Gozu Tenno, was established. The name Gion also comes from Jetavana in India. Some say that this is because the act of the regent Fujiwara No Mototsune, who moved his house and built a hall, was like the founding of Jetavana, and others say that it is because Gozu Tenno was the guardian deity of Jetavana. When the Goryoe in Yasakago became popular, Tenjindo became the center of the Gion Kanjinin and was called Gion Shrine. In the late Heian period, the area between Sanjo and Gojo within Kyoto was recognized as the site of the Gion Shrine, and people came to live in the area wishing for protection from the deity. The area south of Gojo became such a residential area of the Inari Shrine, and the northern part of the Goryo Shrine and the Imamiya Shrine.

Precincts of Gion Shrine ("Gionesaiki” of the mid-Edo period: from "Memory of Kyoto Archive" of Kyoto Prefectural Library and Archives)

The area around Sanjo Avenue in Ukyo (the right side of Heian-kyo) was the location of Suzakuin, which is estimated to have been founded by Emperor Saga. This building was renovated to be one of the largest facility (along with Shinsen-en) in Heian-kyo as a detached palace by Emperor Emeritus Uda, and then loved by Emperor Daigo and Emperor Suzaku, and to this palace many excursions were made. In the early and mid-Heian period, the right side of Heiankyo often had few buildings named after specific people, but this does not mean that development was slow. In fact, a small group of buildings has been excavated in the vicinity of Sanjo Dori. However, these were not the residences of senior aristocrats, so their names were not recorded in documents. In Ukyo Sanjo, there was the luxurious "Nishi Sanjo Dai", known for its beautiful cherry blossoms and called "Hyakka-tei". This mansion was temporarily the residence of Empress Dowager Fujiwara No Nobuko, and a large group of buildings, presumably the remains of this mansion, was discovered during excavations in 2001. In the late Heian period, it became uncommon for aristocratic residences to be built in the right side of Heian-kyo, and many government officials and common people moved to the left side (Sakyo). As a result, the right area was transformed into rice paddies, a phenomenon known as the "decline of Ukyo”. It is said that the reason why the area was avoided as a residential area was because there were many wetlands in the western half of the area. Many manors were then established around Sanjo Avenue in the right area. It is believed that a variety of magnates were involved in these manors, including upper nobility, lower nobility, and temples and shrines. In particular, Koizumi no sho, which belonged to the Fujiwara family of regents, was the largest manor, covering a total area of approximately 81.5 hectares.

Sanjo Avenue in Heian-kyo Ukyo, by Kunikazu Yamada

The eastern side of Heian-kyo is called Sakyo and the western side Ukyo, with Suzaku Avenue as the central axis. Sanjo Avenue in Sakyo was a particularly prosperous area of Kyoto, lined with many residences of upper class aristocrats and commoners. Important residences and facilities were built here through the Heian to Kamakura periods, contributing greatly to the development of Kyoto. Let's start from the east side. On the northeast side of the intersection of Sanjo Avenue and Higashi Kyogoku Avenue (north of present-day Teramachi Higashi-Agaru, Sanjo Dori) there was Kyogokuji, built by Prince Kaya, son of Emperor Kanmu, and dengaku was lively performed during a festival. The area was a vibrant place with many homes of common people and merchants. To the south was Sanjo Kyogoku-dai, which was used as a temporary palace of Emperor Sutoku and Emperor Emeritus Toba in the late Heian period. The imperial palace of Taikenmon-in Fujiwara No Ubuko was also located in this area. It is said that she died here in 1145, and that Cloistered Emperor Toba deeply mourned her death. Various Heian-period residences existed along Sanjo Oji Street from Tokyo Kyoku Oji to Higashinotoin Oji.Notable among them is Takakura-gaku, the palace of Emperor Go-Shirakawa's son, Prince Inin.In 1180, Prince Uenin raised an army against the Heike clan, which was the precursor to the later civil wars of Jishou and Juei (Genpei wars). Various Heian-period residences existed along Sanjo Avenue from Higashinotoin Dori to Muromachi Dori, including the East Residence, West Residence and South Residence on Sanjo Dori. The East Residence was where the Heiji Rebellion was ignited, and the West Residence was the main imperial palace of Cloistered Emperor Shirakawa, who established the imperial government in the late Heian period. The area south of Sanjo Dori between Higashinotoin Dori and Karasuma Dori was lined with many private houses in the Heian period, but the area further south was known as the precincts of Rokkakudo Chohoji. Although it was generally forbidden to build temples other than Toji (the East Temple) and Saiji (the West Temple) in Heian-kyo, there were no such strict regulations for the smaller “tsujido”, a small space for a Buddhist statue, and this sometimes developed into a large temple as it became popular among the common people. It is estimated that Rokkakudo already existed in the mid-Heian period. Further west of here, on the west side of Sanjo Dori Omiya, Shinsen-en was built to the north and Shijo-goin was built to the south. Shinsen-en was a detached palace built by Emperor Kanmu when the capital was moved to Heian-kyo. It had a splendid garden with a large pond, and the Emperor often went to this garden to enjoy feasts and hunting. To the west, Kangaku-in, an institution of higher education for the Fujiwara clan, was located in Sanjo Ichibo 5-cho, Sakyo on the north side, and Enmei-in, a hospital and welfare facility, was located in Shijo Ichibo 8-cho, Sakyo on the south side. On the northeastern side of Sanjo Dori Senbon was Shogaku-in, an institution of higher education for the clans of imperial origin. In this area, public facilities and educational institutions were established within Heian-kyo.

Sanjo Avenue in the eastern area of Heian-kyok, by Kunikazu Yamada

Sanjo Dori today was Sanjo Avenue in Heian-kyo at the time. Sanjo Avenue was one of the main roads in Heian-kyo, and its width was about 23.9 meters, which is the standard width of an avenue. The width of Sanjo Dori today is about 6 to 7 meters, which means that during the Heian period, it was three to four times as wide as today.<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/9b2244b1-9245-488a-9e4f-45469d1825b7/%E4%B8%89%E6%9D%A1%E5%A4%A7%E8%B7%AF.png">Sanjo Avenue Reclaimed Land RemainsThe main street to the south of Takakura No Miya is Sanjo Avenue. Excavations of Heian-kyo sites in Kyoto often reveal traces of old roads. However, traces of Heian-period roads are often scraped away over time, and it is rare for the road surface to remain intact. In most cases, only the remains of roadside ditches are found, but in the area on the west side of Sanjo Agaru, Karasuma Dori, Nakagyo-ku, four ditches were discovered on the north side of Sanjo Avenue. These are estimated to be from the mid to late Heian period, Muromachi period, Momoyama period, and Edo period, giving us an idea of the changes in land use at that time. Of particular interest were excavations conducted on the north side of Sanjo Dori Higashinotoin Higashi Hairu, Nakagyo-ku, Tokyo. In this area, a homogeneous clay layer was found on a portion of the land along Sanjo Dori that had been raised approximately 50 cm. On the south side, there was a deep excavation of about 15 meters, and these were found to be the northern ditch of Sanjo Avenue of the Muromachi period. Also found on the side were remains that were thought to be part of the foundation of a reclaimed land wall that surrounded the residences of Heian-period aristocrats. This is something very rare for a Heian-kyo site, and a section of this structure was hardened with a special fat and displayed as a "stripped specimen" at The Museum of Tokyo.

<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/9fc38cbb-240d-43ca-8fae-6fdc74880558/%E4%B8%89%E6%9D%A1%E5%9B%9B%E5%9D%8A%E5%9B%9B%E7%94%BA%E5%87%BA%E5%9C%9F2.jpg">Situation at bottom of well<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/20bb3195-3864-4ad4-80cd-4e11d766252c/%E9%AB%98%E5%80%89%E5%AE%AE%E4%B8%8B%E5%B1%A4%E9%81%BA%E8%B7%A1%E5%87%BA%E5%9C%9F%E8%B3%87%E6%96%99_02_A.png">Chinese white porcelain excavated from the Takakura No Miya site, of the Heian Period, owned by The Museum of Kyoto In addition to the built-up areas and ditches, traces of life at that time have been excavated from the interior of the housing site, such as wells, clay pits, and ditches for housing lots. Inside, there are wells filled with earthenware and porcelain, and it seems that people at that time apparently threw in large quantities of these vessels. The photo shows the well detected, and the excavated artifacts reveal the actual vessels used by the people at that time. Based on the age of the excavated earthenware, it is thought that the well was abandoned in approximately the 12th century.

Higashi Sanjo Dono (model) Size: 1/100 Year of production: 1965Supervision: MORI OsamuDesign: Fujioka Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of TechnologyProduction: Kyoto KagakuCollection: The Museum of Kyoto Higashi Sanjo Dono was a Heian-period mansion built in the area between Nijo Avenue (to the North) and Oshi Alley (to the South) and Nishinotoin Avenue (to the south) and Machijiri Alley (to the east), in the current Kamaza, Oshikoji-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto. It was founded by Fujiwara No Yoshifusa (804-872) and was inherited by the hereditary line of the regent family; thus Fujiwara No Kaneie (929-990) was called Higashi-Sanjo-Dono. His daughter, Senshi (961-1001), who is the mother of Emperor Ichijo (980-1011), was the first Nyoin (a title for women who are high in rank) and named herself Higashi Sanjo In after the dwelling. After the burning down of the sanctuary in 1005, this mansion was used as the temporary dwelling of Emperor Ichijo, but was destroyed by fire in 1166. It is known as a representative example of the shinden-zukuri style of residences of the time. Compared to Higashi Sanjo Dono, for which there is a relatively large amount of information in documents, information on other residences is scarce, making it difficult to get an accurate picture of their appearance, but it is believed that many residences of a similar style were built. Takakura no Miya was one such residence.

Sanjo Avenue is the main road of Heian-kyo, running east to west on the south side of Takakura No Miya. Between Takakura No Miya and Sanjo Avenue, there were built-up areas and ditches, and the space between the road and buildings was demarcated. This painting is based on archaeological findings and written records and is an imaginary image of Sanjo Avenue in the Heian period. People and ox carts would have been passing by on the road, and high-ranking government officials would have been seen as they would have been in this neighborhood.

People walking on Sanjo Avenue, by Kazuko Sasaki, Setsuko Mitsuhashi in 1968, owned by The Museum of Kyoto

The road to the east of Takakura No Miya is Takakura Alley. Excavations have allowed us to confirm the actual layout of the Heian-kyo site. The road surface and the ditch of Takakura Alley were discovered during the survey for the construction of the main building of The Museum of Kyoto. The ditch discovered in the excavation was the boundary between Takakura no Miya and Takakura Alley, since Takakura no Miya was located on the west side of Takakura Alley. The location of the ditch is now marked on the sidewalk just outside the entrance on the Takakura-Dori side.

Road surface and ditch of Takakura Alley (south side of the entrance on Takakura-dori side of the main building of the Museum of Kyoto)

Princess Shikishi (1149-1201), whose poet was included in the Shin Kokin Wakashu, was the daughter of Emperor Go-Shirakawa and sister of Prince Nichihito. She is believed to have been born at Takakura No Miya, as her brother was. She is one of the most famous female poets in the Shin Kokin Wakashu. Many of her poems are included in the "Senzai Wakashu" and other imperial anthologies, and there is “Princess Shikishi Collection”. She is also known for having received a dedication of "Korai Futei Sho" from Fujiwara No Shunzei One of her famous poets is about hiding love: My soul should part with my body, I dare say; being here may weaken my determination to hide my love. She was designated to be the Kamo Saiin at the age of ten, and then she retired for being sick later, followed by becoming a Buddhist priest.

Portrait of Princess Shikishi, Momoyama period, owned by The Museum of Kyoto

<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/1e30c0f8-1c08-40c5-9034-9fcca8b6b636/%E9%95%B7%E8%B0%B7%E9%83%A8%E4%BF%A1%E9%80%A3_%E4%BB%A5%E6%96%87%E7%8E%8B%E3%82%92%E9%80%81%E3%82%8B.jpg">Tsukihyakushi Takakura No Tsuki Hasebe Nobutsura, by Yoshitoshi Tsukioka (a.k.a. Yoshitoshi Taiso) in the Meiji Era, owned by Tokyo National Museum Source: NDL Digital CollectionsPrince Mochihito (1151-1180) was born to Emperor Go-Shirakawa and Nariko, the younger sister of Fujiwara No Kinmitsu. Prince Mochihito is known for issuing a decree at Takakura No Miya (Takakura Imperial Palace) to oust the Taira Clan. Samurai warriors and temples and shrines throughout Japan responded to this decree. According to a book, Azuma Kagami, the decree reached Minamoto No Yoritomo, who was in Izu, and led him to take a stand against the Taira clan. However, Prince Mochihito’s plan was exposed by the Taira clan. The Tale of the Heike depicted that he escaped by dressing as a woman while his vassal, Nobutsura Hasebe, was fighting. However, his resolve was the spark that ignited the overthrow of the Heike clan.

Statue of Prince Mochihito (copy), by Noritane Ninagawa, in 1867, owned by Tokyo National Museum  Source: ColBase（https://colbase.nich.go.jp/）

<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/65b67bd5-339b-4f8b-a73c-222ca9830d3b/%E6%A1%83%E5%B1%B1%E9%99%B6%E5%99%A8%EF%BC%88%E4%B8%89%E6%9D%A1%E3%81%9B%E3%81%A8%E3%82%82%E3%81%AE%E3%82%84%E7%94%BA%EF%BC%893.jpg">Narumi Oribe Bowl Nakano-cho, Nakagyo-ku (Excavated from Sanjo Setomonoya-cho site), owned by Kyoto City<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/b7e231dc-2b08-4e26-a7f5-4beb5f6928d9/%E6%A1%83%E5%B1%B1%E9%99%B6%E5%99%A8%EF%BC%88%E4%B8%89%E6%9D%A1%E3%81%9B%E3%81%A8%E3%82%82%E3%81%AE%E3%82%84%E7%94%BA%EF%BC%892.jpg">Ao-oribe Square Checker-pattern Bowl Nakano-cho, Nakagyo-ku (Excavated from Sanjo Setomonoya-cho site), owned by Kyoto City<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/f4d4ee62-bb26-476a-a19a-7c2008b30f62/%E6%A1%83%E5%B1%B1%E9%99%B6%E5%99%A8%EF%BC%88%E4%B8%89%E6%9D%A1%E3%81%9B%E3%81%A8%E3%82%82%E3%81%AE%E3%82%84%E7%94%BA%EF%BC%895.jpg">Ao-oribe Square Hung-persimmon-pattern Bowl Nakano-cho, Nakagyo-ku (Excavated from Sanjo Setomonoya-cho site), owned by Kyoto City<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/d97f8e30-42a5-41e7-b301-bd5107f5a136/%E6%A1%83%E5%B1%B1%E9%99%B6%E5%99%A8%EF%BC%88%E4%B8%89%E6%9D%A1%E3%81%9B%E3%81%A8%E3%82%82%E3%81%AE%E3%82%84%E7%94%BA%EF%BC%894.jpg">Oribe Black Tea Bowl Nakano-cho, Nakagyo-ku (Excavated from Sanjo Setomonoya-cho site), owned by Kyoto CityThe Momoyama period produced a number of innovative ceramics, "Momoyama Pottery," that were not seen in the history of Japanese crafts up to that time. New styles of pottery were produced, such as the use of glazes with unprecedented colors and the appearance of pictorial brush strokes. In particular, the appearance of distorted shapes that lacked symmetry and a variety of forms must have been a completely new experience for the people at the time. Many stores selling this "Momoyama pottery" were located on Sanjo Dori in Kyoto. This area is called "Setomonoya-cho (the “town of pottery”) and consists of Benkei Ishi Machi, Nakanomachi, Shimohakusan-cho, Fukunaga-cho, and Aburaya-cho, where many pieces of pottery from all over Japan have been found, including Takatori, Karatsu, Bizen, Shigaraki, and Mino. Detailed examination of excavated materials reveals that they have been unearthed in such a way that they appear to have been discarded in the back of the store, and kiln tools and products are sometimes found attached to them. It is believed that these items were transported in batches from kilns in various regions and were divided into saleable and non-saleable items according to the store's discerning eye. Momoyama Pottery thus passed into the hands of connoisseurs such as feudal lords and tea masters of the time. And in recent years, "Momoyama Pottery" is attracting the attention of contemporary artists. They have been inspired by "Momoyama Pottery" to create new works of art. Thus, the history of "Momoyama Pottery" related to Sanjo Dori has influenced many people and contributed to the creation of new art forms even today.

Momoyama pottery Shino water-bird carafe Nakano-cho, Nakagyo-ku (Excavated from Sanjo Setomonoya-cho site), owned by Kyoto City

Sanjo Dori on the right part of the Folding Screen of Uesugi Hon Rakuchu Rakugai Zu, Source: Yonezawa City Uesugi Museum After the advent of the Kamakura shogunate at the end of the 12th century, Kyoto and its important Sanjo Dori continued to maintain its role as a political and cultural center. Although many details about the area around Sanjo Avenue during the Kamakura period (1185-1333) are not known, it is certain that it was a busy street lined with aristocratic residences, homes of commoners, and inns of samurai warriors. After the fall of the Kamakura shogunate in the mid-13th century and the upheavals of the Northern and Southern Dynasties following the new Kenmu Restoration, a new warrior government, the Ashikaga shogunate, was established. This shogunate is usually referred to as the "Muromachi Shogunate," and the shogun's palace in the early days was located in Sanjo, Shimogyo. In particular, during the reign of Takauji Ashikaga, a residence for him was established in Sanjo Bomon Alley, which later became known as Tojiji. Even after the shogunate was moved to Kamigyo during the reign of Yoshimitsu, the Sanjo area of Shimogyo retained its historical importance, and the 4th Shogun Yoshimochi and the 10th Shogun Yoshitane established their shogunal residences here. The residences of feudal lords and warriors were concentrated in this area, and Sanjo Dori continued to function as part of the political center of Kyoto. The "Uesugi Hon Rakuchu Rakugai Zu”, which was painted in the Sengoku Period, depicts in detail what Kyoto was like at that time, and shows that Kamigyo and Shimogyo were independent areas surrounded by walls and moats called “Sogamae” respectively. Sanjo Dori is an important road that crosses the northern part of Shimogyo from east to west, and the "Uesugi Hon Rakuchu Rakugai Zu" depicts the residence of Zuichiku Takeda on the north side of Sanjo Dori, between Karasuma Dori and Muromachi Dori. Zuichiku was a first-rate doctor of his time, and people lined up at his door waiting to see him. In addition, a temple is depicted to the northeast of the intersection of Sanjo Dori and Higashinotoin Dori, which was known as the nun-monastery of Tsugenji, which was opened in the early Muromachi period. Since Donge-in, a pagoda temple of Tsugenji, became famous, the entire temple came to be known by that name.The Dongein, depicted on the folding screen, has a wood-board roof in the style of an aristocratic residence instead of tiles, creating a soft atmosphere typical of a nunnery.

Sanjo Dori on the right part of the Folding Screen of Uesugi Hon Rakuchu Rakugai Zu, Source: Yonezawa City Uesugi Museum

Kyoto in the Edo period has a history of being hit by large-scale fires on numerous occasions. Unlike Edo, where "fire and fighting were the flower of Edo”, the citizens of Kyoto were careful not to cause a fire. However, Kyoto was not entirely free of fires. In Kyoto's busy urban areas, fires sometimes caused widespread catastrophes. In 1986, excavations were conducted in Higashikatamachi, Sanjo-agaru, Takakura Dori, where The Museum of Kyoto was built. The construction site was the site of the late Heian Period palace of Takakura Prince Nichihito, and was the precincts of Tsugenji Donge-in from the Muromachi Period to the Edo Period. During the survey, many remains and artifacts dating from the late Heian period to the Edo period were discovered, but of particular interest was a large moat that doubled in a north-south direction along Takakura Dori. It is assumed that this moat was on the east side of a temple in the Edo period. The lower moat was approximately 6 meters wide and 3 meters deep, with a large extension of approximately 50 meters. The moat was filled with a large amount of charcoal ashes and relics discarded in the cleanup of the fire, indicating that the area suffered from a major fire. The Great Fire of Tenmei (1788), one of the largest disasters in Kyoto's history, and the preceding Great Fire of Hoei (1708) are said to be examples of such large fires. These fires were so large that they consumed a large portion of the urban area of Kyoto, and their impact was severe

The Great Fire of Kyoto in 1788, Edo period, Source: Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance Co., Ltd.

<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/0220ec01-afb1-4384-b946-1ee5c6a7a775/%E6%9B%87%E8%8F%AF%E9%99%A2%E8%B7%A1%E3%81%BE%E3%81%9F%E3%81%AF%E7%94%BA%E5%AE%B6%E3%81%AE%E5%87%BA%E5%9C%9F%E8%B3%87%E6%96%992.jpg">Koban in the Genbun period (1736-1818), owned by The Museum of Kyoto<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/3e9b6ef6-cf91-4559-be7d-6248a1a1790b/%E6%9B%87%E8%8F%AF%E9%99%A2%E8%B7%A1%E3%81%BE%E3%81%9F%E3%81%AF%E7%94%BA%E5%AE%B6%E3%81%AE%E5%87%BA%E5%9C%9F%E8%B3%87%E6%96%993.jpg">Bone ware in the shape of spatula, Edo period, owned by The Museum of Kyoto The left side is thought to be a toothbrush handle.<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/072e04bd-69eb-4dac-8256-4eae0a1d6925/%E6%9B%87%E8%8F%AF%E9%99%A2%E8%B7%A1%E3%81%BE%E3%81%9F%E3%81%AF%E7%94%BA%E5%AE%B6%E3%81%AE%E5%87%BA%E5%9C%9F%E8%B3%87%E6%96%994.jpg">Small clay Buddha, Edo period (1649), owned by The Museum of KyotoThe photographs show koban, boneware, ceramics, and clay small Buddhist statues excavated from the site of Donge-in and store buildings. The items were excavated from the site of supposedly Donge-in, but as the Edo period illustration suggests, there were also storefronts in the area, and many of these people's daily necessities were also included. In addition to Kyoto, the most frequently excavated items are ceramics and porcelain believed to have been produced in Mino, Seto, Karatsu, Bizen, Shigaraki, and Tanba. Other items actually used by people at the time were also unearthed, including a baked salt jar used to bake coarse salt to remove its bitterness and produce refined salt, clay masks thought to be toys, an ink stone made in Omi (Shiga Prefecture), a bone book, a clay small Buddha, and a rare example of a koban (cast between Genbun and Bunsei Period). In addition to ceramics from a variety of sources, baked salt jars from Sakai-minato (Nishi-Minato Village, Sakai City), , an ink stone from Omi, and a koban with 17 stamps that were struck each time it passed through a money changer reveal the active distribution of these items.

Ceramics, Momoyama period and Edo period, owned by The Museum of Kyoto

It represents the streetscape at the beginning of the Edo period. (Donge-in (Red solid line) Setomono-cho (red dashed line)) This map depicts Kyoto in the Edo period. It is believed to have been published approximately from 1641 to 1652, succeeding “Toki,” which is said to be the oldest extant map of an Edo-period city. Do you notice where “Donge-in” and "Setomono-cho” are located? When you go left from "Sanjo Bridge" on the right side of the screen, you will see the name of the area followed by "Yanaginoshita-cho” and "Benkei Ishi Machi". It is clear that the area was located almost in the center of Kyoto, on the extension of the Tokaido Highway, a major transportation artery. Donge-in is where "Tanke-in (たんけゐん)” is written. In the map, black color seems to indicate storefronts, etc., so apparently such buildings were located in the area where the left side and the lower side of the cloudy house are painted in black.

Heianjo Tozainanboku Machinarabi No Zu, Edo period, mid-17th century, owned by THE PALEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF JAPAN Inc. (Deposited at The Museum of Kyoto)

The image shows Donge-in’s neighborhood during the Edo period. The names of Sanjo Dori and Donge-in are seen in the center of the drawing. However, when we look at Donge-in (gray in the center), the area along Sanjo Dori is painted yellow, and it seems that storefronts were formed in the area facing the street. Local magazines and guides show many stores selling rope were found in Higashi-katamachi and Kinoshita-cho, Kurumaya-cho had many transportation services (shashaku), Sasaya-cho and Hishiya-choi had wholesale dealers, and Mugiyamachi and Umechu-cho had many paper stores. Each town was different, and it is clear that people from a wide variety of occupations lived and worked in the area, making it a vibrant place to live. However, it seems that it was a time of many difficulties for Donge-in, beginning with the burning of the temple in 1603, followed by the damage to the reclaimed land caused by the Great Kyoto Earthquake of July 1830. The temple declined and was restored with each disaster, but it was burnt down in the Hamaguri Gate Incident in 1864. After the Meiji Restoration, the temple was rebuilt at its current location.

Kaisei Kyo Machiezu Saiken Taisei Edo Period, 1832, owned  by The Museum of Kyoto

<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/af95b8bf-7ca4-41dd-929d-6fd3671de7cf/%E6%9B%87%E8%8F%AF%E9%99%A2%E8%B7%A1%E5%87%BA%E5%9C%9F%E8%B3%87%E6%96%992.jpg">Material excavated from the site of Donge-in (clay figure) Edo Period, owned by The Museum of Kyoto<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/5fb9dcb0-ddbd-480f-b417-3d740eab1028/%E6%9B%87%E8%8F%AF%E9%99%A2%E8%B7%A1%E5%87%BA%E5%9C%9F%E8%B3%87%E6%96%993.jpg">Material excavated from the site of Donge-in (burnt tile) Edo Period, owned by The Museum of KyotoThe photo shows burnet tiles and clay figures excavated from the ruins of Donge-inAccording to Hon Rakuchu Rakugai Zu, drawn in the late Muromachi period, Donge-in was not roofed with tiles like ordinary temples, but with shingles in the style of an aristocratic residence, conveying the atmosphere of a prestigious nun temple. However, tile-roofed buildings can be seen inside the gate, so the excavated tiles may have been part of such roof tiles. Since its construction, the temple has suffered several fires, including the great fire of the Hamaguri Gate Incident, and burnt tiles have been unearthed. Since a large number of relatively large clay figures of foxes have been found in excavations, it is believed that a hall dedicated to the Inari Goddess existed in the temple site.

Material excavated from the site of Donge-in (clay figure) Edo Period, owned by The Museum of Kyoto

The origins of the Donge-in can be traced back to Tsugenji, which was built on the site of Takakura No Miya by General Yoshimitsu Ashikaga, the third Shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate. As one of the five nun temples, Tongenji was built for the nun Chisen Shōtsū (the mother of Ryoshi Kino and spouse of Yoshiakira Ashikga, the second shogun). General Yoshimitsu granted the temple a domain of about 500,000 m2, and thereafter, the temple was headed by a daughter of the shogun's family. From the late 15th to 16th centuries, the temple was destroyed by fire several times, but was rebuilt each time. The temple was burnt down again in 1603, but was rebuilt by the daughter of Emperor Gosei, and in 1707, Emperor Higashiyama presented the temple with a purple robe, giving it the same privileges as Daishoji and Hogyoji. The founder of the temple, Chisen, lived and died at Donge-in located to the east of the temple site, and the temple came to be called so; hoever, successive abbots throughout the Edo period used the name "Tongenji abbot" for the temple. The temple was destroyed by fire many times after that, and was rebuilt after the Meiji Restoration on land owned by Rokuoin's pagoda, Zuio-in. The name “Donge” refers to Udonge (Ficus racemosa) which blossoms once in three-thousand years. It is said that the Holy King appears when the flowers bloom. It is the third in a line of seven nun temples in Kyoto, following Daishoji and Hokyoji, and it is also called “Mt. Zuiun”.

The Hamaguri Gate Rebellion was a battle that took place in 1864 between the Choshu clan, the Aizu clan, the Satsuma clan, and other clans. It is so named because the battle took place near the Hamaguri-gomon (Hamaguri Gate) of the Kyoto Imperial Palace (Kyoto Gyoen). The city was immediately engulfed in flames as the central area of Kyoto became the scene of a fierce battle. It was one of the largest fires in the city's history, and it devastated most of downtown Kyoto, including Sanjo Dori. Excavations were carried out in 1986 at the construction site of The Museum of Kyoto. This site was the site of the late Heian Period palace of Takakura Prince Mochihito and also the precincts of Tsugen-ji’s Donge-in). These researches revealed a large moat from the Edo Period that was filled with charcoal ashes and artifacts. These findings indicate that post-fire waste was dumped into the moat, and is thought to be the remains of the particularly large fire in the Hamaguri Gate Rebellion in 1864. However, the destruction of downtown Kyoto also marked a pivotal point in the city's modern history. Following the recovery from the fire, a series of Western-style buildings were constructed along Sanjo Dori during the Meiji period, establishing it as Kyoto's main street. Western-style architecture, typified by red bricks, brought new life to the landscape and culture of the area.

Roof tiles discolored by the big fire in 1864, excavated at the site of Donge-in  Edo Period, Source: The Museum of Kyoto

The current Seisho School District, where Seisho Elementary School existed, is a former school district that spans Sanjo Dori to the north, Shijo Dori to the south, Teramachi Dori to the east, and Tominokoji Dori and Yanagiba Dori to the west.In the Edo period, it was Atarashi-cho of the Nara-gumi and a Atarashi-cho of Sancho-gumi. The name was changed from Shimogyo Goku in 1872 to Shimogyo Gokumi in 1879, then to Shimogyo Gogaku in 1892, and finally to Seisho Gakku (Seisho School District) in 1929. In 1942, the school district system was practically abolished in Kyoto, and although there have been some changes, it is still called so. The elementary school was built in Honeyano-cho, Rokkaku-sagaru, Tominokoji, and was named "Seiun Elementary School" in 1876 after its location, Seiun-gumi, Atarachi-cho, Nara-gumi. Then it was renamed "Seisho Elementary School" in 1876. This historic school district also includes a town with an unusual name, Benkeiishi-cho. According to one theory, the name "Benkeiishi (Benkei Stone)” comes from a legend that a large stone on which Benkei Musashibo always sat and rested was washed away by a flood and drifted to Sanjo Higashi-kyogoku. Benkei Stone, which has various other legends, still quietly exists in Benkeiishi-cho.<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/bd0f7e1d-fd73-4d9c-8dcc-4362267b9898/image26.png">Financial Report on Simogyo-ku Gobangumi Elementary School Company, etc., in August 1887, owned by Kyoto Municipal Museum of School HistoryThe elementary school company was an organization formed to help run the elementary schools in the area with the money earned by the company. In this sense, it was a gathering that symbolized the deep relationship between local residents and the elementary schools.

Photo of the Seisho Elementary School around 1918, owned by Kyoto Municipal Museum of School History

The name of Meirin Elementary School, which opened in 1869 as the third elementary school in the area, derives from the fact that the school building was named after Meirinsha, a dojo for the study of the mind of Sekimon Shingaku. The main gate faced Uradeyama-cho and Nishikikoji Dori, but in 1875, the school purchased land in Yamabushiyama-cho and set up the main gate facing Muromachi Dori. After that, land in Tearaimizu-cho was purchased, and in 1927, the present site was constructed. In 1931, the school underwent a major renovation and became the current school building. The state-of-the-art steel-frame architecture of the time was designed by the Kyoto Municipal Office's Repair Division, and the reddish cream exterior walls, orange of the Spain-style roof tiles, and greenish blue of the gutters create a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The front of the building is said to be modeled after the Yamaboko floats of Gion Matsuri, as in the Meirin School District, many yamaboko floats are stored. In addition to the quaint auditorium, the grand hall with its magnificent coffered ceiling, and the Japanese-style room on the rooftop, there are many other distinctive rooms to be seen here and there, including the staircase railings, exterior wall decorations, and round windows. The north wing also features a practical ramp for carrying cargo and as an evacuation route. The school was closed in 1993 after 124 years of history, but the renovations that accompanied the opening of the Kyoto Art Center were carried out with much of its original appearance intact. The auditorium, hall, Japanese-style "Meirin" room, and classrooms used as production rooms can only be viewed when events are open, but visitors can fully enjoy the atmosphere of Meirin Elementary School just by touring the library, coffee shop space, and hallways. <img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/c16dcc20-c500-4c66-8eff-fe5520de1fb7/image28.png">Certificate of Volunteer Money for Elementary School Construction, August 30, 1875, Source: Kyoto Municipal Museum of School HistoryThis document indicates the fact that at Meilin Elementary School, as at other elementary schools in Kyoto, the community provided a great deal of support for the school's operation.<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/142cb58a-94b5-42c1-b588-691ca529559d/NG01843.JPG">Educational Handbook in 1932, Source: Kyoto Municipal Museum of School HistoryAt Meilin Elementary School, the most advanced "new education" of the time, which emphasized the freedom of children, was pursued. This document records their footsteps.

(Left) The gate of Meirin Elementary School in the early Showa era, Source: Kyoto Municipal Museum of School History  (Right) The newly reconstructed, reinforced concrete school building in 1931 (the former building is now used as the Kyoto Art Center), Source: Kyoto Municipal Museum of School History

Rissei School was one of the predecessors of Takakura Elementary School, which has now been transformed into Rissei Garden Hulic Kyoto, and was reportedly originally founded in Sanjo Kawaramachi Dori Kudaru. The current Rissei School District, where Rissei School existed, is located in the most southeastern part of Nakagyo-ku, and is surrounded by the Kamo River to the east, Teramachi Dori to the west, Sanjo Dori to the north, and Shijo Dori to the south, making it the busiest downtown area in the city. The name of the school district, Rissei School District, was given in 1929, after being renamed three times. The elementary school was named "Mikawa Elementary School" in 1874 because of its location facing Sanjo and Kawaramachi Dori, but was renamed "Rissei Elementary school School" in 1877. The name "Rissei" was given by the then Governor of Kyoto Prefecture, Mr. Masanao Makimura; it is said to have originated from a phrase in the Analects of Confucius, meaning “Be kind to people, don’t deceive them.” The current school district is made up of 24 areas, but due to the significant population decline and declining birth rate, Rissei Elementary School has been closed and integrated into Takakura Elementary School. Historically, during the urban renovation conducted by Hideyoshi Toyotomi, large temples such as Senganji and Kankikoji were gathered and a temple town was established, and with the development of water transportation due to the opening of the Takase River by Ryoi Suminokura, merchant houses such as lumber, wood shop and rice shop developed. The area was the scene of the Meiji Restoration at the end of the Edo period, and many historical sites remain, including the ruins of Ikedaya, the Kaientai Camp, the Tosa Clan's residence, and Omiya, the site of Ryoma Sakamoto's assassination attempt.

Rissei Elementary School, in the middle of the Meiji era, Source: Kyoto Municipal Museum of School History

One of the predecessors of the present Takakura Elementary School, Nissho Elementary School, was founded on the site of a teacher's office on Sanjo Higashinotoin. Nissho Elementary School opened on June 20, 1869 on Higashinotoin Sanjo as the fourth elementary school by the municipality in the lower area of Kyoto, and moved in March 1872 to the location of the former Matsuyama clan residence, where the current Takakura Elementary School is located. The name of Nissho Elementary School was given by the then Governor of Kyoto Prefecture, Mr. Masanao Makimura, deriving from a proverb in a book titled “The Doctrine of the Mean”, with a wish that a mensch may walk in the dark, and his virtue will be evident inchmeal. Thus this school district is called “Nissho District”.<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/daacb0a6-1916-43ad-8e33-d43cfea42524/image5.png">Time Drum in Nissho Elementary School, Source: Kyoto Municipal Museum of School HistoryThis is said to have been provided in the watchtower to inform local residents of the time. As this document indicates, the elementary schools by the municipality, of which the Hissho Elementary School was one, also functioned as a community hub for the area. <img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/7584a3ba-a6b4-4a21-882f-0f4cd6219235/33-16.png">Copy of the guideline about structuring the city (of the Nissho Elementary School), Source: Kyoto Municipal Museum of School HistoryA notice about how to structure the town was circulated. Based on this, the local municipalities divided the area into several districts organized by each municipality, and this division led to the current school districts. Educational handbook of Nissho Elementary School (e.g., annals distributed to the community) in 1916, source: Kyoto Municipal Museum of School History This document records the educational practices of Nissho Elementary School and the conditions of the school district at the time of 1916.<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/b84be46a-c058-4c35-9649-22983252978a/NG01844.JPG"><img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/05c80433-5871-4f95-af5c-d98c67cc7dec/31-41.png">Stone Tablets and Stone Boxes of Nissho Elementary School in 1880 (estimated), source: Kyoto Municipal Museum of School HistoryIn the Meiji Era, before notebooks were widely used, this tablet was the main writing instrument used by students. A very valuable box for storing the tablet was also left behind at Nissho Elementary School.

Watchtower (of Nissho Elementary School), built in 1872, Source: Kyoto Municipal Museum of School History

Nishimura Kissho-do has been a lacquerware and crafts store since 1924, and when the store was newly built in 1991, it was joined by Gallery Kissho-do, which sells a wide range of products. Built in the Keio period at the end of the Edo period, this building continues to be used as both an office and residence; when it was renovated in 1991, the walls and eaves were plastered with fireproofing to give it its current form. It is believed that the underground warehouse remaining in the center of the store was also used to evacuate important items in the event of a fire.<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/b4273650-2af8-4cd6-8daf-66a9ca69c9ea/%E8%A5%BF%E6%9D%91%E5%90%89%E8%B1%A1%E5%A0%822.jpg"><img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/c0e6099f-d874-4595-8905-6b1b98bf5d42/%E8%A5%BF%E6%9D%91%E5%90%89%E8%B1%A1%E5%A0%823.jpg"><img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/579de4ba-924f-4998-8962-32bb46690221/%E8%A5%BF%E6%9D%91%E5%90%89%E8%B1%A1%E5%A0%824.jpg"><img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/bb6e18aa-eaa8-4cf9-a4a7-9582e7840093/%E8%A5%BF%E6%9D%91%E5%90%89%E8%B1%A1%E5%A0%825.jpg"><img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/ceeea8c8-b85e-45a6-bd87-29f4af490e1c/%E8%A5%BF%E6%9D%91%E5%90%89%E8%B1%A1%E5%A0%826.jpg">In 1975, Sanjo Dori was a quiet street, but in the Heisei era (1989-2019), it was designated as a "Sanjo Dori Landscape Improvement District”, and with the completion of the Sanjo Dori pedestrian-vehicle coexistence road, new stores were opened and Sanjo Dori, with its long history, became a lively place. However, as a town where "work and residence coexist," it is not enough to simply make the area bustling, but rather to create a town that values "livability" and "ease of doing business”. To this end, the goal is to "preserve the scenery and dignity of Sanjo Dori" and "create liveliness and community”. Nishimura Kichizoudo is also playing a role in this regard on Sanjo Dori. The gallery attached to the building hosts various types of exhibitions, such as ink painting exhibitions, painting exhibitions, copperplate engraving exhibitions, etc., and also has a strong presence as a center of cultural exchange in Kyoto. <img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/46e96ec2-ab33-4063-b0a5-0bccba9a9919/%E8%A5%BF%E6%9D%91%E5%90%89%E8%B1%A1%E5%A0%827.jpg">

Ido Kotobukiya is one of the landscape buildings to be preserved in Kyoto. The signboard, noren (Japanese blind curtain), castings on the side windows, and other carefully considered store design elements match the traditional townhouse architecture. As seen in the adjacent storefront, it is clear that the excellent core building influences its surroundings and has a synergistic effect on the townscape and landscape. If you look closely, you can see that only here the site is lower than the street level, but the reason for this is not known. In addition, the store design, including the signboard, the noren and the cast design of the side windows, has been designated as a "Kyoto Scenery Excellent Design Outdoor Advertisement Object". Furthermore, the "Sanjo Michishirube” on the northeast corner of the store was awarded the "Kyoto Landscape Award for Public Advertisement Design". Ido Kotobukiya was established in 1906 and moved to Sanjo Dori in 1945. Kyoto's city design has long been called "bilateral city”, where the two sides of the street across from each other get along well with each other. The Sanjo Dori area is one such place, with Sanjo Dori serving as a commercial area and the adjacent Anekoji Dori as a residential area. At the store, everything from the production to sales of kimono accessories is available, and so are original pouches and bags with cute “Takara-zukushi” patterns, pop designs, and more. The shop is still in business today, making products that take advantage of the craftsmen's special skills and valuing the connections with the many artisans in Kyoto.

The Nissho Besso is a mansion of a merchant in the Edo period that was converted into a Japanese inn after the war, evoking the era when there were many inns as the starting point of the Tokaido Highway. The long wall, Ichimonji Kawahara, latticework bay windows of the same height, and eaves, all of which emphasize the horizontal line of the building, quietly ensure the continuity of the townscape. It is a valuable building that escaped damage from the great fires of Kyoto at the end of the Edo period, including the Hamaguri Gate Incident and the Battle of Toba-Fushimi, and is a culturally important building and garden, having been designated as a "traditional-style wooden merchant house" in the Sanjo Dori Landscape Improvement District.<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/28906893-8602-4e48-aef5-91bcf4f17d85/%E6%97%A5%E6%98%87%E5%88%A5%E8%8D%982.jpg"> The location of Nissho Besso was the residence of Shinbei Urai, a famous potter and merchant in the Momoyama period. There is also an storehouse in the Edo period and a tea house in the Taisho period on the premises, giving visitors a sense of the long history of this land. Around in 1955, the yamaboko floats of the Gion Matsuri used to pass by the Nissho Besso on Sanjo Dori. At that time, the second floor of the Nissho Besso was the same height as the Yamaboko floats, so the lattice was removed for visitors to view the floats and throw chimaki (Japanese glutinous rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo leaves, traditionally eaten during festivals) into the floats. Now and in the past, it has always been important to decorate the rooms to welcome guests in a way that is appropriate for the season, as is typical of Kyoto. Paintings and flowers in the waiting room and guest rooms, as well as the food and clothing, are all designed to reflect the season.

<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/3a8694da-ac95-4b39-962d-d247d03a5b1c/%E5%88%86%E9%8A%85%E5%B1%8B%E8%B6%B3%E8%A2%8B2.png"> Fundo-ya Tabi is one of the landscape buildings to be preserved, a shop with its shopping space on the front and its living space back. This kind of architecture is called “Omoya-zukuri”. The shop was founded in 1864 and is a long-established Tabi (split-toed socks) shop, but it used to be a kampo medicine store, and the shop's name is derived from the fact that they used weight (fundo) to scale the amount of medicine. The store was rebuilt after a large fire in the Edo period, and the entire building was plastered with black plaster to protect it from fire. The classical facade is conspicuous on Sanjo Dori. There is a small wall with the roof between the building and its next building, which is called “Sode Udatsu”; this shows the fire prevention awareness of the town at that time, and also forms a continuous and distinctive landscape. The bold design of the roof over the signboard to protect it from the wind and rain is rare in Kyoto, and is indicative of the merchant architectural style. Fundo-ya makes tabi in the traditional way by hand, and they also manufacture and sell Kyoto Yuzen tabi socks. Actors, Kyogen performers, and Japanese dancers, who are particular about quality, love using Fundo-ya's tabi socks because they "fit down to the fingertips.” The black plastered storefront stands out on Sanjo Dori, retaining vestiges of the traditional architecture of modern Kyoto and offering a glimpse into the history of modern architecture.

The Fumitsubaki Building was constructed in 1920 and is a registered tangible cultural property of Japan. It was initially used as the company building of a trading company (Nishimura Trading Company), then passed into the hands of a textile wholesaler, and shortly after the war was used as an American cultural facility. Later, the property was used as an interior decorating company and kimono trading company, and in 2004, the architect office of Kowa Koji revitalized it into a commercial facility. It adopts a barn roof called “Mansard roof," which was invented in 17th century France, and the "Secession style," which originated in Germany and Austria at the end of the 19th century and was popular in Japan during the Taisho period. Although it has the traditional Western three-story structure, the "session style," a departure from the classic, can be seen in the smooth tiled exterior walls, the vertical stripe pattern between the upper and lower windows, and the geometric pattern of the half-split octagonal cross section of the single-lidded column attached to the entrance. As of 2024, eight stores, including a traditional crafts and kimono shop, a café, and a retro pub, are operating as tenants. It is one of the model cases where a historic building is not passively protected by "preservation," but is actively "utilized" as a business.<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/cdcf6e3f-d33e-4e59-a269-a253edc17eb4/3-2%E6%96%87%E6%A4%BF%E3%83%93%E3%83%AB%E3%83%82%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B0%EF%BC%883%E6%9E%9A%EF%BC%89.png">(top) Mansard roof and dormer window / (bottom left) Artisan’s custom-made emblem / (bottom right) Octagonal section single-canopy column

<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/e4280796-714f-49da-8ca0-e2b121acd4ca/3-2%E4%B8%AD%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%B5%E4%BE%BF%E5%B1%80%E2%91%A1.jpg"> The Nakakyo Post Office (Nakagyo Old Post Government Office) was built in 1902 and is a registered cultural property of Kyoto. Established in 1871 as the Saikyo Post Office, one of the three post offices established in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka as a base when the postal system was established. The name was changed three times: "Kyoto Post Office" in 1875, "Kyoto Post and Telegraph Office" in 1887 when it merged with Kyoto Telegraph Office, and again "Kyoto Post Office" in 1903 when it merged with Kyoto Telephone Exchange Office. Then, in August 1902, the current post office building was newly constructed. It is an almost orthodox Western-style building with a beautifully proportioned three-story structure (base, body, and apex), which has been a European tradition since the Greek period. The omission of columns and the use of bricks to fill the walls give it an "English Renaissance" style, but it also has some originality, such as the dynamic Baroque spiral pattern and the semi-circular pediment above the windows. In 1978, the interior was rebuilt in a completely new reinforced concrete structure, the first "exterior wall preservation" in Japan, leaving only the exterior walls and roof. Although there are pros and cons, the original design is so well respected that you would not notice it from the exterior.

SACRA (former Fudo Savings Bank Kyoto Branch) was built in 1916. It is a rare example of one of the many bank buildings on Sanjo Dori that has been preserved and utilized by the private sector in almost its original form, and is designated as a Tangible Cultural Property of Japan. While it is hard to imagine from the exterior, the structure consists of a wooden frame and brick wall base, to which tiles and stones are affixed. Although the overall structure of the building can be said to inherit the historical style, the design of each part is unified by a geometric design using straight lines and circles. This was due to the influence of the Secession style, an art innovation movement in Germany and Austria at the end of the 19th century, which became popular in Japan during the Taisho period. The Fudo Savings Bank was established in 1897 by an entrepreneur named Motojiro Makino. This bank later became the Japan Savings Bank, and is now known as Resona Bank. It was Makino who proposed the idea of regular savings, and in 1901 he popularized the regular savings product “Three-year saving” (later called "Nico Nico Savings"), which made the saving bank the largest in Japan. The bank developed through advertisements in newspapers with catchphrases such as "The house may burn down, but the savings account does not” and "The warehouse may burn down, but the savings account does not,” and by 1935 it was one of the five largest banks.

Kyoto's Sanjo Dori is home to a unique group of modern buildings and the surrounding landscape town planning. In particular, the area centered around the Yabetoku Clock Shop is an interesting example of the harmony between modern architecture and renovated buildings. The interesting aspect of Sanjo Dori is the mix of brick Western-style buildings and the renovated townhouses and reinforced concrete buildings. With such a variety of buildings lining the street, it is not easy to achieve harmony in the landscape. Built in 1890, the Yabetoku Clock Shop is the oldest Western-style building on Sanjo Dori. It was designed in the Renaissance style, using building materials imported from Germany. The cornerstones on both sides of the building and the triangular pediments above the windows are all Renaissance in design. Around this historic building, several buildings have been renovated in recent years to showcase their new designs. One of them is the building that houses the MSPC PRODUCT sort KYOTO STORE, which was originally a wooden shop with a living place (such a building was called machiya) and features a modern design with white as its base color. The adjacent NOMBREIMPAIR Kyoto Store and I'atelier dusavon Kyoto Street Store were also renovated in the same manner, using a white design with wooden sashes. These renovations complement the surrounding buildings, including the Yabetoku Clock Shop, with a unified, modern design. These new designs are not derived from traditional wooden, reinforced concrete or brick modern architecture, but function as a method of highlighting the value of modern architecture by renovating surrounding buildings. This phenomenon on Sanjo Dori is noteworthy as a new way of achieving harmony. The architects and designers of these stores are different, and the use of wood sashes in the white modern design is coincidental, but this can be a new design direction worth consciously adopting.

Yabetoku Clock Shop, Shot in 1958, Source: Kyoto Memory Archive

Traditionally, preservation of cultural properties in Japan has tended to be "cryopreservation" oriented, with emphasis on keeping it as it is rather than utilizing it. Many people may well think that it is difficult to modify buildings designated as important cultural properties. However, in recent years, modern buildings constructed of brick, steel frame, and reinforced concrete are being utilized through restoration and renovation, and in 1996, the Registered Tangible Cultural Properties system was introduced to promote the utilization of cultural properties. In this context, the modern architecture of Sanjo Dori has already been preserved in various ways and actively utilized in anticipation of the latest trends. With many pedestrians and tourists flowing through the area, Kyoto has made an effort to preserve the area's unique character by establishing a “Landscape Maintenance Plan for Sanjo Dori District and Landscape Maintenance District” that establishes specific design regulations for newly constructed buildings. One of the best examples is the Kyoto Branch of Nippon Life Insurance Company, designed in 1914 by the architectural firm of Tatsuno and Kataoka, and designated as a Tangible Cultural Property of Japan. In 1983, the building was rebuilt in reinforced concrete, but part of the east side has been preserved in its original condition. The building differs from the "Tatsuno-style" in that it has a design with a lot of stones and the influence of the Secession style. Sanjo Dori, with its liveliness and bustling atmosphere, as well as a certain degree of regulation, is in an ideal state for the preservation and utilization of modern architecture. It is important to maintain the current state and continue to utilize it in order to enhance the attractiveness of Sanjo Dori and maintain its cultural value.

<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/1e795b25-b890-49c2-865d-d5e43bb26323/%E8%BF%91%E4%BB%A3%E5%BB%BA%E7%AF%89%E3%81%AE%E6%AD%B4%E5%8F%B2%E7%9A%84%E6%96%87%E5%8C%96%E7%9A%84%E4%BE%A1%E5%80%A4%EF%BC%88%E4%B8%89%E6%9D%A1%E9%80%9A%E3%82%8A%EF%BC%892.png">Nishimura Sozaemon Trading Store, Source: Kyoto Memory ArchiveBuilt between the 1860s and 1970s, modern architecture in Japan features brick, steel-frame, and reinforced concrete construction techniques introduced from Europe. One hundred and fifty years after Japan's modernization and seventy years after the end of World War II, the historical value of modern architecture is being reevaluated. Among modern architectural structures, brick buildings have been designated as Important Cultural Properties since the 1960s, and in the 2000s, the State Guest House (former Akasaka Palace) was designated a National Treasure. In addition, an increasing number of reinforced concrete modernist buildings are also being designated as Important Cultural Properties. The number of modern buildings registered as national registered tangible cultural properties exceeded 10,000 in 2015. An organization called the Akarenga Network was established in 1991 to carry out activities related to the preservation and utilization of brick buildings. The restoration and reconstruction of Tokyo Station in 2012 also raised many people's interest in modern architecture. Tours of modern architecture held in various parts of Japan and the publication of related books have also increased public interest. However, modern buildings tend to be subject to demolition and rebuilding for several reasons: for example, they often fail to meet earthquake resistance standards and deteriorate quickly in terms of materials, and the historical and cultural value is hard to find. In particular, modernist steel-frame and reinforced concrete buildings constructed from the 1920s to the 1970s are less ornate and look more like ordinary buildings, making it difficult for society to accept their value. Modern architecture on Kyoto's Sanjo Dori is predominantly brick, and with its historical characteristics, modern architecture symbolizes the history of Kyoto's modernization and demonstrates the region's identity while having a historical background that is unique to Kyoto. Since it is difficult to construct new brick buildings under the current building code, existing brick buildings are precious in that sense. It is uncommon in Japan to find and preserve such a concentration of modern brick buildings, and their historical and cultural value is extremely high.

Kansai Mutual Bank, Kyoto Branch, shot in 1960, Source: Kyoto Memory Archive

<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/b05d1465-a493-4722-b3ab-aaf901137b91/3-2%E7%AC%AC%E4%B8%80%E9%8A%80%E8%A1%8C%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E6%94%AF%E5%BA%97.jpg">The Dai-Ichi Bank, Kyoto Branch, Building after expansion, shot in 1957, Source: Kyoto Memory ArchiveDuring the Edo period, the Sanjo Ohashi Bridge was an important terminus of the Tokaido Highway, but the de facto terminus was near Sanjo Higashinotoin, which was the place most alive with people in Kyoto. In the Meiji era, Sanjo Dori developed further, and financial, information, and distribution centers such as banks, telephone stations, newspaper offices, and stores were built along the street. Many of these were Western-style buildings and became symbols of the civilization of Sanjo Dori. Major Western-style buildings include the Saikyo Telegraph Office built in 1872, the Shusho Company, which can be said to be Kyoto's first library, the Takehara Bank, which opened in 1879, and the Kyoto branch of the Osaka Asahi Shimbun. In 1906, the Kyoto Branch of the Bank of Japan (now The Museum of Kyoto Annex) and the Kyoto Branch of the Dai-Ichi Bank (formerly the Kyoto Central Branch of Mizuho Bank) were constructed. The designers were Kingo Tatsuno and Manji Kasai, and their work is known for a style known as the "Tatsuno style.” This style featured brick exterior walls with granite stripes and a Renaissance-style design. In 1919, the building was extended on the west side, and in 2003, the building was reconstructed with reinforced concrete, recreating the former design on the exterior. Western-style buildings constructed during this period developed Sanjo Dori as the center of information, finance, and commerce in Kyoto. The historical streetscape of Sanjo Dori was formed by construction up to around the early Showa period, and its influence remains strong even today.

The Dai-Ichi Bank, Kyoto Branch, Meiji - Taisho Period, Source: Kyoto Memory Archive

After the Meiji Restoration, Kyoto underwent a series of revitalization efforts, and economic activity increased. Therefore, the Bank of Japan, the central bank of Japan, was lobbied to open a branch in Kyoto. In 1894, the Bank of Japan established a local office, and in 1906, a modern Western-style red brick building was completed at Sanjo-agaru, Takakura Dori, and the Bank of Japan Kyoto Local Office (later to become a branch) moved to this building. The Bank of Japan Kyoto Branch (now The Museum of Kyoto Annex) is a symbolic building on Sanjo Dori, designed by Kingo Tatsuno, a leading architect of the Meiji period who also designed Tokyo Station, and his apprentice, Uheiji Nagano. Designed by them, the building brought new life to the area as a facility with modern functions. The building features a style known as the "Tatsuno style," with brick walls and granite stripes. This is an element shared with the former Mizuho Bank (former The Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank, Kyoto branch) on Karasuma Dori.<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/a66eb79c-cc8d-42e9-afae-55c8add161aa/%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E9%8A%80%E8%A1%8C%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E6%94%AF%E5%BA%972.jpg"><img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/b33b8592-14f2-4fc2-9b7c-1c98782cef41/%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E9%8A%80%E8%A1%8C%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E6%94%AF%E5%BA%973.jpg"><img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/a97d45c6-3eb9-4bb6-911c-36168190b34e/%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E9%8A%80%E8%A1%8C%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E6%94%AF%E5%BA%974.jpg">The exterior is three-story, symmetrical in design, with the facade facing Sanjo Street. The bronze tower on the east and west sides emphasizes the symmetry of the exterior, and the roof is made of black slate, with dormer windows that allow light into the interior spaces. The building's design is characteristic of 19th-century eclecticism, a mixture of styles from various periods and places. Walls projecting from the exterior, the unevenness and verticality of the exterior walls influenced by 12th- and 15th-century Gothic architecture, 14th- and 16th-century Renaissance ornamentation, and references to the Indo-Saracenic style all give the building a dynamic impression. The height and wall stripes of the adjacent main building, as well as the structure of the west condominium wall set back from Sanjo Dori, are intended to create a sense of continuity with the main building, indicating that this building is the core of the landscape formation of the area. <img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/5a5e97ef-9d10-4941-a2cb-5a26d9f16eb4/%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E9%8A%80%E8%A1%8C%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E6%94%AF%E5%BA%975.jpg">Kyoto branch of the Bank of Japan at the time of business, perhaps in Showa era, Collection of THE PALEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF JAPAN Inc.<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/0e3b6870-0815-477a-85a5-0c720cdf68f3/%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E9%8A%80%E8%A1%8C%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E6%94%AF%E5%BA%976.jpg">Kyoto Branch of the Bank of Japan (Sales Office) at the time of business, perhaps in Showa Era, Collection of THE PALEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF JAPAN Inc.

Kyoto Branch Office of the Bank of Japan at the time of completion, Meiji era (Lent by THE PALEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF JAPAN Inc.)

<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/fc21aa87-da89-46d1-b2aa-06ca4df9d8c4/1954-5.jpg">Also, past the Bank of Japan and heading east on Sanjo Dori, you will find Hasegawa Shoju-do, a famous washi paper products store. In front of this store, the route of the Atomatsuri procession was determined. A desk and a chair covered with white cloth were set up for the mayor of Kyoto to act as the bugyo (commissioner). In those days, it was also customary to throw chimaki (Japanese glutinous rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo leaves, traditionally eaten during festivals) from the Yamaboko floats to spectators, who could receive them from the second floor of this store as well.

Many people are gathered on the street and in front of the building, and rightly so. The photo was taken on July 24, the day of the Yamaboko procession in Atomatsuri of Gion Matsuri<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/004d89dd-5a6a-40be-9240-574b1ef2595e/1954-3.jpg">Sanjo Dori before Yamaboko Procession, perhaps in 1954, Collection of Taichi KinugawaIn this photo, you can see the Kita-kannon-yama float parading in front of the red brick building of the Bank of Japan, Kyoto Branch (now The Museum of Kyoto Annex). Until 1965, Sanjo Dori was part of the route of the Yamaboko Procession. The area was also known for its concentration of many financial institutions. In 1947, the Bank of Tokyo took over the Kyoto branch of the Yokohama Specie Bank, which was transferred to the Bank of Kyoto in July 1954. The Bank of Tokyo sign in this photo suggests that this was the period just prior to the transfer.

Kita-kannon-yama parading on Sanjo Dori in 1954, Collection of Taichi Kinugawa

Since its establishment in 1919, Hasegawa Shoju-do has specialized in colored paper, tanzaku, and Japanese paper crafts using traditional Kyoto techniques. They offer a variety of washi products such as kinpu (envelops to offer money in), Japanese calligraphy paper, and yuzen paper, which are perfect for seasonal greetings and gifts. It was established on Rokkaku Dori, but moved to its current location on Sanjo Dori in 1936, and until 1965, there they confirmed the course of the procession of Gion Matsuri. The current building, which won the Kyoto City Urban Landscape Award, is a contemporary structure rebuilt in 2005. The horizontal lines of the “Ichimonji tiles”, openings with motifs of lattice doors and fine-meshed windows, dynamic overhanging eaves, and other elements were adapted to the scale of the building, showing the consideration for the townscape. Although the building is a six-story structure, the stories higher than the 3rd floor are invisible from the street, blocked by eaves, which design is recommended in Kyoto. Furthermore, the front design is based on an attachment to the original building; while modern materials are used, it reproduces the streetscape with traditional storefronts and serves as a guideline for the formation of the town street landscape.<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/af60e133-4ce4-4932-a2ce-b8d396fdcd1f/%E9%95%B7%E8%B0%B7%E5%B7%9D%E6%9D%BE%E5%AF%BF%E5%A0%822.jpg">

The Sanjo Arimoto Building is a modern structure located on the historic Sanjo Dori in the heart of Kyoto City. The continuous arches and rough-hewn concrete finish show respect for the Western-style architecture of Sanjo Dori, even though the building itself is a modern structure. In particular, the two-story high arcade creates a visual effect that cuts dynamically through the streetscape. Founded in 1886, Arimoto Shoten built a new three-story Western-style building on this site in 1920, featuring a modern-Western, Art Deco style design with mirrors in the show windows. However, the building was destroyed by fire in 1968. This event was a great loss for the community, but fortunately, a new three-story steel-frame store was constructed in 1968, marking the beginning of a new history. The new store had a large front yard with grass and an open, modern appearance. Later, in 1989, more significant changes came. The building was rebuilt into a five-story tenant building with a large arched passageway to the second floor and a parking lot along Sanjo Dori. The new building was selected for the second Kyoto Cityscape Award for its modern design and architectural style that pays homage to the historical landscape of Sanjo Street. Today, the Sanjo Arimoto Building has apparel stores, eyeglass stores, and jazz clubs as tenants, and continues to make its presence felt as a building that preserves tradition and culture, not just buildings.

<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/20a557fe-bc4a-4d2c-9cee-7d8cf812af39/%E7%AC%AC%EF%BC%91%E5%AE%A40005_0017.jpg">Heian Museum of Ancient History, Room 1, Showa era, owned by THE PALEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF JAPAN<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/c0d61d85-05d4-4841-ac40-1c73865143dc/%E4%B8%AD%E5%A4%AE%E3%83%9B%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AB0005_0038.jpg">Heian Museum of Ancient History, the Central Hall, Showa era, owned by THE PALEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF JAPANThe Heian Museum of Ancient History is a research museum established by THE PALEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF JAPAN Inc. The museum opened in 1968, and for about 20 years, it developed museum activities on the very distinctive theme of Heian culture. This institute has made great achievements in archaeological excavations in Japan and abroad, mainly at the site of Heian-kyo, and in the collection and investigation of many important historical materials, including "The Tale of Genji" and "Shichijo-reikai” (Legal document isssued by the then higher court). The museum has also held public lectures and courses, as well as a number of social education programs, including a full-scale replica of Seiryoden (a dwelling for Emperors) which was installed in the museum and used as a stage for classical cultural restoration events. In Kyoto, the Heian Museum of Ancient History was the first museum registered under the Museum Law. Today, many of the materials exhibited and researched at the museum have been taken over by The Museum of Kyoto, and the building is used for multiple purposes as The Museum of Kyoto Annex.

Heian Museum of Ancient History at the time of its opening in 1968, owned by THE PALEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF JAPAN

Gion Matsuri is a traditional festival representing Kyoto with a long history that has undergone many changes up to the present day. The dates of the festival were changed after the adoption of the solar calendar by the new government in the Meiji era, and in 1877, the dates were fixed to July 17 and 24. It is known as one of the three major festivals in Kyoto, and has become nationally known through its publication in newspapers and magazines. Gion Matsuri’s Yamaboko procession also underwent changes in the modern era: in 1912, Shijo Dori was widened for the running of streetcars, and in 1923, the Yamaboko Federation was organized. However, due to the Pacific War from 1943 to 1947, the Yamaboko procession was forced to be canceled. After the war ended in 1953, the Yamaboko procession was resumed, and the floats that had burned down were restored one after another. Starting with Kikusui-hoko, Ayakasa-hoko, Toroyama, and Shijo-hoko were restored, and in the Heisei era, Ofune-hoko was revived. The restoration of these floats became an important project to pass on the traditions of Gion Matsuril to the next generation. Social changes in the latter half of the 20th century also affected Gion Matsuri. 1966 saw a major change in the festival, when Sakimatsuri and Atomatsuri were merged, and the Yamaboko procession of Atomatsuri was integrated into Sakimatsuri. The ritual of cutting the sacred straw rope was added to the Naginata-hoko floats that led the procession, and the floats were wheeled and pulled. The Hanagasa procession began on the 24th, adding a new element to the festival. Since the beginning of the 21st century, there has been a movement to revive Gion Matsuri in the revival of tradition and new community development. The revival of Atomatsuri, in particular, has become an event that symbolizes a new development of the festival. These efforts have solidified the status of Gion Matsuri as not just an annual event, but as an important festival that symbolizes the culture and history of Kyoto.

Reconstructed Takayama in 2022 (Photo taken: July 24, 2023)

Among the historical buildings on Kyoto's Sanjo Dori, the 1928 Building, constructed in 1928, deserves special mention. Designed by Goichi Takeda, also known as the father of the Kansai architecture, the building is characterized by a style based on the Art Deco, characterized by geometric lines and patterned design, while incorporating eclectic elements such as the Lombardy strip and horizontal louver windows influenced by the 20th-century architectural master, FL Wright. The star shape seen on the windows is derived from the Mainichi Newspaper's corporate emblem. The history of Sanjo Dori since the Meiji era is deeply related to the background of this building's construction. During the Edo period, the Sanjo Ohashi Bridge was the terminus of the Tokaido Highway, but the actual terminus was near Sanjo Higashinotoin, and it flourished as a hub of logistics and information connecting Kyoto and Osaka. In the Meiji period, banks, telephone stations, new openings, and stores were constructed, with the brick Western style incorporated, in place of horse and carriage companies, and Sanjo Dori developed as Kyoto's main street. In 1872, the Saikyo Densokyoku was built, and in the same year, the Shusho Company and later a library established by Kyoto Prefecture were built. 1874 saw the relocation of the Saikyo Densokyoku to Sanjo Higashinotoin and the opening of the Saikyo branch of the First National Bank of Kobe in Sanjo Karasuma. The Takehara Bank and the Kyoto branch of the Osaka Asahi Shimbun newspaper followed, establishing Sanjo Dori as a center of information, finance, and commerce. In the 20th century, the Kyoto branch of the Bank of Japan and the Dai-ichi Bank were built, the Kyoto YMCA was constructed in 1909, the Nishimura Trading Company Building was completed in 1920, the Kyoto branch of Man-Nen-Sha was built in 1925, and the 1928 Building was completed in 1928 by Goichi Takeda as the Kyoto branch of the Mainichi Newspaper. These historic buildings, including the 1928 Building, are important elements of the current streetscape of Kyoto's Sanjo Dori. These buildings stand side by side on Sanjo Dori, Kyoto's main street, as symbols of civilization's opening to the outside world, and tell the story of Kyoto's unique historical background.<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/3eb13d17-350a-476f-acd5-cc0a5d2a5175/1928%E3%83%93%E3%83%AB2-4.png">(left) Star-shaped window and Lombardy strip / (center) Art Deco lighting embedded in columns / (right) Horizontal louvers across windows

Chiso is a traditional Kyoto clothing merchant family with a long history, and is now known as an established Kyoto Yuzen shop. The head of the family has been based in the Sanjo Muromachi area under the name CHIGIRIYA Sozaemon for generations. This family is said to be descended from the shrine carpenters (miya-daiku) who dedicated a dignified object called "Chigiridai" to Kasuga Wakamiya Onmatsuri, and the shop name "Chigiriya" was named after the fact. Chikiriya's origins date back to 1555, when Sadaharu started a vestments business. At its peak, it flourished to the extent that there were more than 100 stores around Sanjo Koromonotana-cho. CHIGIRIYA Sozaemon traded in gold brocade and vestments and served the Higashi Honganji, providing vestments and uchishiki. The "Vestments Specification Book" created during the Tempo period is a booklet of specifications for items ordered by the Otani family (present-day Higashi Honganji of the Otani sect of Shinshu) and is an important document that provides details of the work of an imperial costume maker. The head of Chikiriya was also well versed in literary arts such as kemari and waka poetry, and delivered appropriate costumes and furnishings in accordance with the history and tradition. In the last days of the Edo period, it was an official purveyor to the Mori family of the Ako clan and supplied them with samurai costumes, and its activities can be seen in documents such as the "Tsurunomaru Monhon”.<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/e06efb51-03ea-42e4-9951-7ddc2d3e4ce8/%E5%8D%83%E7%B8%BD%E4%BF%AE%E6%AD%A3_%E8%B9%B4%E9%9E%A0%E5%85%8D%E7%8A%B6%EF%BC%88%E5%B8%83%E7%BE%85%E4%B8%8A%EF%BC%89.jpg">Kemari Certification in 1720, owned by Chiso Co., Ltd.<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/3391ddac-8b0b-4cd2-ac20-5aa2e3d8a4d6/%E5%8D%83%E7%B8%BD%E4%BF%AE%E6%AD%A3_%E9%B6%B4%E4%B9%8B%E4%B8%B8%E7%B4%8B%E6%9C%AC.jpg">Tsurunomaru Monhon in 1859, owned by Chiso co., Ltd.In the Meiji period, influenced by the transfer of the capital to Tokyo, CHIGIRIYA Sozaemon shifted the main focus of his business from the vestments business to the embroidery and yuzen business, and began calling himself NISHIMURA Sozaemon. A wide variety of products were presented, including interior furnishings such as folding screens and curtains, as well as yuzen-dyed kimonos.た。 On the other hand, the company worked to improve dyeing and weaving techniques by innovating dyeing and weaving designs and using chemical dyes, and by 1893 it was known as "Chiso Yuzen”. These products were appreciated both in Japan and abroad. For example, the "Embroidered frame 'Underwater Birds of Prey" designed by the painter Keinen Imao won the grand prize at the 1900 Paris Exposition, the “Scent of Waseda" was sold extensively at the Mitsui Drapery Store (now Mitsukoshi), while the "Window Hanging" was ordered by a trading company in Paris. In 1919, the company was divided into Chiso Shoten, which handled products for the domestic market, and Nishimura Trading Company, which handled products for the overseas market. By the early Showa period, Chiso Shoten had expanded its business to Tokyo, Osaka, Shanghai, and other locations in Japan and abroad. With this long history, Chiso remains one of the leading representatives of Kyoto's culture and traditions.<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/5b695d31-881f-476c-a63b-eadae3b2e5f6/%E5%8D%83%E7%B8%BD%E4%BF%AE%E6%AD%A3_%E5%86%99%E7%9C%9F%E3%80%8C%E5%88%BA%E7%B9%8D%E9%A1%8D%E3%80%88%E6%B0%B4%E4%B8%AD%E7%BE%A4%E7%A6%BD%E5%9B%B3%E3%80%89%E3%80%8D%E6%98%8E%E6%B2%BB33%EF%BC%881900%EF%BC%89%E5%B9%B4%E9%A0%83.jpg">Photo "Embroidered frame 'Underwater Birds of Prey'", in 1900, owned by Chiso Co., Ltd.<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/cccecdbe-217a-414b-9522-f5ab2910627e/%E5%8D%83%E7%B8%BD%E4%BF%AE%E6%AD%A3_%E5%8F%8B%E7%A6%85%E8%A3%82%E3%80%8C%E6%97%A9%E7%A8%B2%E7%94%B0%E3%81%AE%E8%96%AB%E3%80%8D%E6%98%8E%E6%B2%BB38%EF%BC%881905%EF%BC%89%E5%B9%B4%E9%A0%83.jpg">Scent of Waseda, in 1905, owned by Chiso Co., Ltd. <img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/14357807-be10-4f37-b7ef-34e802d477d0/%E7%AA%93%E6%8E%9B.jpg">Photo “Window Hanging”, in 1907, owned by Chiso Co., Ltd. <img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/08b7af89-77be-4c9a-b556-569aa366f044/%E5%8D%83%E7%B8%BD%E4%BF%AE%E6%AD%A3_%E5%86%99%E7%9C%9F%E3%80%8C%E8%A5%BF%E6%9D%91%E7%B8%BD%E5%B7%A6%E8%A1%9B%E9%96%80%E5%BA%97%E3%80%8D%E6%98%8E%E6%B2%BB%E6%99%82%E4%BB%A3.jpg">Photo “NISHIMURA Sozaemon Store" Meiji era, owned by Chiso Co., Ltd. <img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/d69336f3-78f5-47c8-889e-52820287fcf4/%E5%8D%83%E7%B8%BD%E4%BF%AE%E6%AD%A3_%E5%86%99%E7%9C%9F%E3%80%8C%E8%A5%BF%E6%9D%91%E8%B2%BF%E6%98%93%E5%BA%97%E7%A4%BE%E5%93%A1%EF%BC%88%E8%A5%BF%E6%9D%91%E8%B2%BF%E6%98%93%E5%BA%97%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC%E6%94%AF%E5%BA%97%E5%89%8D%E3%81%AB%E3%81%A6%EF%BC%89%E3%80%8D%E5%A4%A7%E6%AD%A3%E6%99%82%E4%BB%A3.jpg">Photo "Employees of Nishimura Trading Company (in front of Tokyo branch of Nishimura Trading Company )”, in Taisho era, owned by Chiso Co., Ltd.

Vestiary specification book, about in 1835, owned by Chiso Co., Ltd.

The "Road Marker" is one of the reference points that indicate road distances throughout Japan, and this marks the base of the "XX km to Kyoto" guide sign that you often see while driving around. Based on the old Road Law enacted in 1920, road markers were established as a standard for distance measurement in each municipality. In Kyoto, the road marker was designated as "Karasuma Dori Intersection on Sanjo Dori, Shimogyo-ku" by Kyoto Prefectural Notification No. 150 of the same year. In other words, this point on Sanjo Dori was considered the starting point for measuring distances in Kyoto. Until the Meiji era, the reference point in Kyoto was the Sanjo Ohashi Bridge; it is unclear why this was changed. However, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs Notification No. 28 of 1920, National Route 2 runs from Otsu City to Osaka City via Kyoto City (Karasuma Dori - Shichijo Dori - Omiya Dori), and it is possible that Sanjo Karasuma was chosen as the reference site because it was this important intersection. Another reason for the selection may be its proximity to the “Hesoishi (Navel Stone)” of Rokkaku-do, which is considered the center of Kyoto. The lower half of this monument is whiter than the upper half, suggesting that it was at one time buried underground. Since its installation around 1920, this road marker has watched over various historical events and is an important witness to the history of Kyoto's Sanjo Dori. Currently, the reference point in Kyoto is "Kyoto City Hall", and the sign "XX km to Kyoto" refers to the distance to it. However, considering its historical significance, this road marker at the intersection is very important for understanding Kyoto's history and culture.

The Benkei Stone is a historic stone associated with Benkei Musashibo, a man of various legends of monstrous strength. Benkei was known for his monstrous strength. Legend has it that he dragged a bell from Mii-dera on Lake Biwa to Enryakuji on Mount Hiei, and threw it back the other way to Mii-dera. However, the stone is not something to prove his strength. About this stone, there are multiple theories as to its origin. According to one theory, Benkei loved this stone when he was in Oshu, and after Benkei died in Takadate, Oshu, the stone came to his birthplace, Sanjo Kyogoku, in adoration of him, and was brought here in 1454. As a result, the area came to be known as Benkeiishi-cho. According to another theory given in "Kyosuzume” (1664), a large stone on the bank of the Kamo River at Kuramaguchi, on which Benkei would often sit, was swept away by a flood to this area in a certain year. According to "Kyoto Minzoku Shi" (1968), the stone was found in the garden of Niemon Benkei, the master carpenter who built the Benkei Bridge in Edo. What is interesting is the material of this stone, greenschist, which is found near the Median Tectonic Line from Kinki to Shikoku, so the theory that it was moved from Oshu to Kyoto is questionable. Today the Benkei Stone is placed under the staircase landing, with a sticker above it that reads "Clouds”. This is a representation of the sky above the Benkei Stone. Incidentally, the stone also appeared in the 2003 movie "Detective Conan: Crossroad in the Ancient Capital," and many fans of the movie visit the site because of it.

The “Sanjo Dori De Asonde Miyoshi (Let’s play on Sanjo Dori)”, which began in 2021, is an event to think about the future of the "town" and the "street" that is held every year around autumn, when a section of the roadway is closed to traffic and the street is utilized. The goal of the program is to create paths that are enjoyable to walk along, relaxing and recreational paths, paths that are fun to play on, paths that connect people, paths that allow people to experience culture, and paths that allow people to engage in activities with peace of mind. There you can enjoy variety of events designed to explore ways to utilize the pedestrian-centered path. The event is designed to allow people of all ages to enjoy using the path with workshops related to Sanjo for children, traditional games such as Kendama, spinning top, and chalk art to draw on the road, a resting area with grass and chairs in the middle of the road, and an eating and drinking area to enjoy drinks and food while listening to music that fits the atmosphere of the Sanjo area.<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/e7c23522-ca2b-4a62-ac6a-f7127e42af2f/%E9%81%8A%E3%82%93%E3%81%A7%E3%81%BF%E3%82%88%E3%81%97%E2%91%A1.jpeg">The purpose of this event is to improve the attractiveness of the entire area, including the narrow streets in the east-west and north-south areas around Sanjo Dori, so that each path demonstrates their uniqueness. This event is also held with the aim of creating a town where people want to walk by reconstructing road space in conjunction with a project to eliminate utility poles. We hope to show the potential of the Kyoto model for utilizing roads with no sidewalks and small widths and creating a town where people want to walk.

Since 2008, a Setsubun rice cake pounding (Mochitsuki) event titled "Sanjo Takakura Spring Calling Setsubun Mochitsuki Event" has been held on the wooden deck of The Museum of Kyoto The event is held in the hope of creating an attractive community and promoting intperiodction between people who work and live on Sanjo Dori and those who visit there. It also reflects our desire to pass on the Japanese culture of "Mochitsuki" to the children of the community. In this Mochitsuki event, 20 kg of glutinous rice is prepared, steamed in a steamer basket, and pounded with a stone mortar. The rice cakes are rolled into small pieces and served to local residents and visitors to Sanjo Dori with red bean paste, soybean flour, sugar, soy sauce, and other ingredients. Just one stone mortar of rice is enough to make us wobbly; 20 kg of rice is more than ten of them, which is too much for the council members to handle alone. So, we appreciate that students from Kyoto Intercollegiate Festa always come to help. With the help of young power, we have a lively rice cake pounding event with the community. In the process, visitors from overseas jumped in and tried their hand, passersby gave guidance, and children also had a chance to try it. The local community, students, tourists, and children all had a great time together. To enhance the Mochitsuki Festival, there will be a Shishimai (lion dance) performance by members of the KYO-SHISHIMAI Project and children can try their hand at playing traditional games with spinning tops and kendama.<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/71772d8a-6cb7-4f8d-96a9-2c470229e82e/3-0%E3%82%82%E3%81%A1%E3%81%A4%E3%81%8D%E5%A4%A7%E4%BC%9A%E2%91%A1.JPG">We hope that this Mochitsuki Festival will become a place for local residents to intperiodct with each other and to spread the word about the community development goals of the Kyo No Sanjo Machizukuri Council.

<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/93a2d28e-6092-47b4-af86-712820db2dca/%E5%9C%B0%E5%9F%9F%E6%99%AF%E8%A6%B3%E3%81%A5%E3%81%8F%E3%82%8A%E2%91%A1.jpeg">In November 2016, the Council was certified by Kyoto City as a "Regional Landscape Creation Council," a system under which Kyoto City certifies organizations that are engaged in landscape creation led by local residents. In June 2017, the City certified the Council's "Regional Landscape Creation Plan," which outlines policies for landscape conservation and creation in the Council's activity area, and the Council established a "Landscape Community Development Committee" to begin activities. The committee has a permanent membership consisting of eight secretaries, vice-chairmen, each neighborhood president and the president of the condominium board, with the aim of forming a good community. The committee mainly holds executive committee meetings on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. The committee also aims to protect the beautiful streetscape of the area lined with beautiful historic buildings, which was designated in 1985 as the "Sanjo Dori Historical Landscape District” (now the "Sanjo Dori Landscape Improvement District"), and to create a better streetscape. We will continue to work together with local residents and stakeholders with whom we meet through our activities, in order to promote the development of a scenic town backed by "town development with dignity" that values the fragrance of the culture that has been cultivated by connecting the wisdom of coexistence between the living environment and the bustle of commerce.

The Sanjo Dori Omikoshi Festival is a community event that began in 1996 to welcome the three portable shrines used in Gion Matsuri. The festival is organized by the Kyo No Sanjo Machizukuri Council and aims to promote interaction among local residents and to pass on local culture. The Sanjo Dori Omikoshi Festival is held in an area spanning seven townships and three former school districts, and plays an important role in conveying traditional culture to local children and new residents. During Gion Matsuril, mikoshi (portable shrines) are carried on July 17 for Shinkosai and July 24 for Kankosai. Until 1965, the Yamaboko floats were also divided into the Sakimatsuri on the 17th and Atomatsuri on the 24th, but since 1966, all floats have been paraded jointly on the 17th. Nevertheless, the portable shrine procession, which is a Shinto ritual of the Yasaka Shrine, is still held on two separate days as it was in the past. Each of the three portable shrines of Gion Matsuri travels along a different route, but on the 24th, all three will pass through Sanjo Dori. This is a tradition that has not changed since the Heian period. The Sanjo Dori Omikoshi Festival is held every other year in front of The Museum of Kyoto and in front of Chiso Co., Ltd. On the day of the festival, student volunteers from the Kyoto Intercollegiate Festa kindly assist with fireworks, yo-yo fishing, and other events to promote interaction with local residents and children. The festival is also enlivened by a dedication performance by the Tanba Yasaka Daiko drum group. When the mikoshi arrives, it is raised by the yotei in a heroic manner and presented to the participants in all its mighty glory. The portable shrine parade of Gion Matsuril is becoming more famous every year, and the Sanjo Dori Omikoshi Festival attracts not only locals but also many tourists from overseas. It should be noted that on July 24, 2014, for the first time in 49 years, the solo procession of the Yamaboko floats of Atomatsuri was restored. However, due to road environment issues, Oike Dori has become the route for the procession, and it has not returned to its former route on Sanjo Dori. In the future, we aim to return to the traditional form of welcoming the Yamaboko floats in the morning and the mikoshi at night on Sanjo Dori.

<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/e8618c52-0128-4979-8067-ed63d0e8d552/3-0%E4%BF%A1%E5%8F%B7%E6%A9%9F.png">(Left) Sanjo Yanagi-no-banba eastward: before removal of traffic signal / (Right) Sanjo Yanagi-no-banba eastward: after removal of traffic signalKyo No Sanjo Machizukuri Council, established in 1995 to improve Sanjo Dori and solve traffic problems, developed Sanjo Dori as a road where pedestrians and cars can coexist from 1998 to 2001. Streetlight designs and light colors were also decided, and Sanjo Dori was transformed into a safer and more attractive streetscape, but the increase in pedestrians and dangerous driving of vehicles became a problem; in March 2014, a request was submitted to the Chukyo Police Station for a 20 km/h speed limit, which was effected in November 2015. In conjunction with this change, the intersection was colored and paved with cobblestones. In addition, the removal of traffic signals made it mandatory for vehicles to pause at intersections and for vehicles to pass slowly and with caution.<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/61127a60-1d11-4aa3-8946-29314df1dfe1/3-0%E7%84%A1%E9%9B%BB%E6%9F%B1%E5%8C%96.png">(Left) The current Sanjo Tominokoji / (Right) Image of undergrounding of power lines and elimination of power polesIn addition, the undergrounding and pole-free installation of power lines along Sanjo Dori is an important project to protect the landscape and improve safety. The undergrounding of power lines and the elimination of power poles are expected to reduce the risk of power poles toppling over during disasters such as typhoons and earthquakes and streamline the passage of emergency vehicles during disasters. Also, if Gion Matsuri’s Atomatsuri procession, which was restored in 2014, returns to Sanjo Dori, the original parade route, electric lines will be in the way, so undergrounding electric lines is an important solution to this problem. These efforts to improve the aesthetics and functionality of Sanjo Dori are an important step toward enhancing the whole appeal of Kyoto and creating “a pleasant town to walk through”. Through these efforts, we hope to preserve the city's more than 1,200 years of history and improve the modern function of the city. To this end, the Council will continue to work with local residents and other interested parties to develop Sanjo Dori into an even more attractive streetscape.

Hasegawa Shoju-do was founded in 1919 and has been engaged in traditional industries such as colored paper, tanzaku, and Japanese paper crafts on Sanjo Dori since 1936. We interviewed Mr. Tadao Hasegawa, the president of the company, at Hasegawa Shoju-do, which used to be the site of the lottery for the Yamahoko floats procession during the Gion Festival’s atomatsuri. <h3>Established in 1919. What is "Hasegawa Shoju-do" that protects the traditional industry?</h3><img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/47208356-c594-4fb6-a897-10224afae71a/IMG_9848.jpg">(Exterior view of Hasegawa Shoju-do)<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/24724b38-74f3-4090-a1ec-47df28b28c0c/DSCF1571.jpg">(Various colored papers and Japanese papers are lined up) ーーFirst of all, please tell us what kind of store Hasegawa Shoju-do is. We are a store dealing in colored paper, tanzaku, Japanese paper, and crafts since 1919. We mainly deliver our products to stationery stores, souvenir stores, folk craft stores, and other retailers throughout Japan. Many of our customers are calligraphy-related and other customers who mainly require Japanese stationery. Recently, colorful dyed paper is more popular than simple tanzaku or colored paper, and we are exporting processed products using "yuzen-shi" to overseas markets. Yuzen-shi is a paper made by applying the yuzen dyeing technique created by MIYAZAKI Yuzenzai, a painter in the Edo period, and is popular as our original product. ーーHave you been doing business on Sanjo Dori for generations? When we started our business, we were located on Rokkaku Dori. However, we later moved to Sanjo Dori in 1936. The reason for moving to Sanjo Dori was that Sanjo Dori was the main street in Kyoto, and from the perspective of a merchant, having a store here was a status symbol. The business continued from there, and the current building was renovated in 1995. The building at that time was designated as one of Kyoto's "landscape preservation" buildings, so the screening process for renovation was very strict. During the renovation, the storefront was set back from the street side of Sanjo Dori and eaves were added on the first floor to preserve the features. The balconies on the fourth floor and above, which are residential spaces, were turned into gardens and planted with plants so that the building is not visible from the street. The renovated building received the Mayor's Prize of the Kyoto City Urban Landscape Award and is now regarded as an example of landscape protection on Sanjo Dori. <h3>History and role in community development</h3><img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/6d98cd56-db8c-4a59-9745-4e27721f52ba/image1.jpg">（Lottery in front of the store.） ーーWhat kind of life have you led so far? I was born on Sanjo Dori in 1950. I spent my school days in Kyoto, going to Hisho Elementary School, Hatsune Junior High School, Horikawa High School, and Doshisha University. After graduating from university, I worked for three years at Tambaya, a long-established wholesale store in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. Tambaya is located in Yokoyama-cho, a wholesale district, and handled not only our company's products but also crafts from overseas. I learned many things there, and later returned to Sanjo Dori to take over the family business. After my father passed away, I became the president of Hasegawa Shoju-do in 1996. ーーHow about in terms of Sanjo and its role in Kyoto's urban development? When the Sanjo Machizukuri Council was started, my father was the vice president. And now, I have been appointed as an auditor of the council. My main tasks are to check the financial statements and accounts of the Sanjo Machizukuri Council, and also to think together about how the council should be organized. In addition, I am also the deputy secretary-general of the Yasaka Shrine Seisei Kosha, which supports the operation of the Gion Festival. My father was a board member as well, and the area in front of our house was the site of the lot opening (a ritual during the Yamahoko floats procession of the Gion Festival when the procession passed through Sanjo) to check whether the order of the floats in the procession matched the order determined at that time. I do not know why the area in front of our house was chosen as the place to check the lot, but now that the floats no longer parade along Sanjo Dori, I attend the lot opening in front of the Oike City Hall. <h3>Reflecting on memories of the changing Sanjo Dori</h3><img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/bb105ac6-535b-470b-bf48-728760021953/image3.jpg">（Yamahoko floats in the Gion Festival pass in front of the store） ーーPlease tell us about your childhood memories of Sanjo. What comes to mind when I think of memories of Sanjo is playing catch against the wall of the former Bank of Japan Kyoto branch, which is now the cultural museum. When I was little, that place was still in operation as a bank, and I would throw the ball against the wall, and sometimes the ball would end up inside the bank. When that happened, I would say, "Pops, let me in to get the ball." It is unusual now, but back then it was our playground. I also have fond memories of inviting my school friends to watch the Gion Festival from the second floor of my house. Even now, at elementary school reunions, we talk about how we were allowed to watch the festival at home, and although it was a normal thing for me at the time, I think back on it and think how much fun it was. ーーWhat are your memories of growing up and becoming involved in commerce and community development on Sanjo Dori? After the Sanjo Machizukuri Council was formed, plans were made for the undergrounding of power lines and the elimination of power poles along Sanjo Dori. I was still young at the time, and my father was a board member. We had many discussions with everyone then. In the end, we could not secure a place to put the large transformer, and it was not realized at that time. There were other plans to step up the sidewalk area and plant trees along the sidewalk as the number of people passing by on Sanjo Dori increased. The street itself was to be made slightly winding to make it more attractive to the eye. However, Sanjo Dori is a street where the mikoshi should go. If we raised the sidewalks or made the street winding, the mikoshi would not be able to pass through. That is why my father strongly opposed the plan at the time. As a result, Sanjo Dori was used as a pedestrian-vehicle coexistence road, allowing the mikoshi to pass through during the Gion Festival. I think it was the right decision not to proceed with the plan as it was. <h3>My ikigai: to preserve Japanese traditions through festivals and commerce</h3><img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/a650d6c1-baef-4f38-8dff-e3ddd5226bc0/image5.jpg">ーーFinally, Mr. Hasegawa, please tell us what you would like to preserve on this street called Sanjo Dori. I would like to preserve the traditions that have been handed down from generation to generation. Our business is also a traditional industry, and we want to continue to preserve the traditions inherited. As I mentioned, I am also a board member of the Yasaka Shrine Seisei Kosha, and festivals would not be possible without traditional industries, and at the same time, traditional industries would not be able to continue without festivals. Whether it is kimonos, tabi, metal fittings for mikoshi, or kumi-himo (braided cords), everything is made from traditional industries. Festivals, or what we call “matsuri” in Japanese, are what Japanese culture is all about. When I was young, I sometimes thought, "What a busy time of year for a festival," but now I understand. Keeping festivals going is connected to preserving Japanese culture. Now it is really worth living for me to be able to protect the traditions and dignity of Japan and Sanjo Dori through festivals and business in this way. ーーSanjo Dori is ever-changing, and some people may come in without knowing the traditions of the street. Is there anything you would like to tell them? If you are going to do business, I would like you to value aesthetic. In aesthetic, you will need to have your own pride and sense of style. I want you to value “beauty” in that regard not only in your products, but also in the way you offer them. Also, morality is important in terms of protecting the streets. It’s not allowed to litter garbage on the street, let alone vandalism. I would be happy if we could protect this beautiful and culturally fragrant Sanjo Dori with the awareness that we are building a beautiful town.

Mielmie is a long-established honey specialty store in Kyoto operated by Kaneichi Shoten. The store has been in business on Sanjo Dori since 1930 and has continued to change with the times. I talked with Takusaburo Ichikawa, the president of the store, who travels around the country as a honey hunter and purchases honey directly from numerous beekeepers. <h3>What is Mielmie, a honey specialty store established in 1930?</h3><img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/5543526f-6bd7-4ee2-8dcb-83c7cf5df799/DSCF1521.jpg">(Numerous honey products are displayed in the store.)<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/e68e7fcf-edcc-48d5-b713-b034fb40d334/DSCF1524.jpg">( Mead, a honey liquor) ーーFirst of all, please tell us what kind of store Mielmie is. As a honey specialty store, we do two major jobs: one is to sell honey directly to customers at our directly managed stores. The second is to wholesale honey to supermarkets and department stores nationwide. Originally, when the company was founded in 1930, it was a wholesaler for Japanese confectionery shops, selling not only honey but also beans, sugar, agar, and other products. Through the division of the business, it gradually became a honey specialty store. Today, we have a store on Sanjo Dori and do business with customers all over Japan. Recently, as a honey specialty store, we have been working on creating a brewery for a liquor made with honey called "mead," which is scheduled to open in Marutamachi on March 10, 2024. Mead is a product that has been nurtured by the stores on Sanjo Dori, although it was not well known when it was first sold. It gradually became popular at the company-owned stores, leading to the creation of a brewery. ーーPlease tell us about your background and current work. I was born in Sanjo Dori and attended a local elementary school. For junior high school, I took the entrance exam to a school in Kyoto City, and went to university in Osaka. I then went to work for an imported food company and worked in Tokyo and Osaka. Since I eventually planned to take over the family business, I returned to Sanjo Dori at the age of 26 and took over the family business as a company representative in 2016. My current job is to purchase honey directly from beekeepers throughout Japan as a honey hunter as well as a representative of the company. Some of the beekeepers we purchase from have been with us since the previous generation, while others are new to our business, and we constantly purchase more than 100 types of honey from over 20 countries and 20 prefectures in Japan. <h3>From community-based to a street of commerce</h3><img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/783ddbdc-3115-42f7-a06d-ed132b196beb/%E5%BA%97%E8%88%97%E9%A2%A8%E6%99%AF%E6%98%AD%E5%92%8C20%E5%B9%B4%E4%BB%A3%E3%81%93%E3%82%99%E3%82%8D%E3%81%AE%E9%87%91%E5%B8%82%E5%86%99%E7%9C%9F.jpg">(Kinichi Shoten around 1945)<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/be1f538a-2704-440a-90df-f6160914c966/%E5%BA%97%E8%88%97%E9%A2%A8%E6%99%AF-%E6%98%AD%E5%92%8C40%E5%B9%B4%E4%BB%A3.jpg">( Kaneichi Shoten around 1965)<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/2406b9dc-73c2-4b18-9fd5-134811c076b4/%E5%BA%97%E8%88%97%E9%A2%A8%E6%99%AF-%E6%98%AD%E5%92%8C50%E5%B9%B4%E4%BB%A3.jpg">(Kaneichi Shoten around 1975) (Photo) (Caption: Kaneichi Shoten around 1975) ーーYou have been doing business on Sanjo Dori for generations and were born and raised here. Can you look back on the past and tell us what the area around your store has been like? Mielmie is now at the corner of the street, but looking at old photos, it looks like there was a beauty parlor and a tobacco shop at the corner and our store was next to it. Later, I do not know the exact date, but we bought the place where the corner stores used to be, and our current store was built. Around the store, many stores have changed since I was a child. There used to be a McDonald's on Sanjo Dori. However, compared to the scene today, I have the impression that it was more of a community-oriented street in my childhood. I have good memories of buying sausages at an old-fashioned butcher shop. ーーHaving lived on Sanjo Dori since childhood, what are some of the memories that come to your mind when your think of this town? I heard that in the past Sanjo Dori was not so much a commercial or shopping area as it was a banking district. One of my most memorable experiences while living on Sanjo Dori was when we had fireworks in front of our store during the Gion Festival. I remember that the Gion Festival was a very special and big event for us. ーーHow did Sanjo Dori change over the years while you grew up? I believe that the opening of ShinPuhKan (a commercial complex in Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City that utilized the former Kyoto Central Telephone Station) was a major catalyst for change in the Sanjo Dori area. As a street connecting Sanjo Keihan Station and Karasuma-Oike Station, this area began to attract attention as a street where people could stroll around and do some shopping, and then ShinPuhKan was built. I was still a child at the time, but my impression was that the area became lively all at once. <h3>What to protect through the business in Sanjo, which embodies the new Kyoto</h3><img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/8c364eec-e1c9-40a4-92b0-b0a829d6a247/DSCF1514.jpg">ーーWhat kind of image do you have of the current Sanjo Dori? I think Sanjo Dori is a very Kyoto-like street. The reason for this is that Sanjo Dori embodies not only the "old Kyoto" as you might imagine it, but also the "new Kyoto”. The phrase "tradition and innovation" is often used to describe Kyoto's urban development, and Sanjo Dori is more a part of the innovation. Shijo Dori and Kawaramachi Dori are also popular when it comes to trends, but they are not necessarily equal to Kyoto style, as there are many chain stores. Sanjo Dori has relatively few chain stores, and while there are traditional stores, there are also new restaurants and apparel stores. It is an interesting street for passersby, and as one of the interesting stores on Sanjo Dori, we would like to contribute to the liveliness of Sanjo Dori through our business activities. ーーWhat are some of the best things about doing business on Sanjo Dori? When you do business on Sanjo Dori, you often realize that Sanjo Dori is a brand. For those who live in Kyoto, just the name Kyoto Sanjo evokes the image of a "bustling commercial and central area," and the name Sanjo is also relatively easy to remember. We have branded ourselves as "Kyoto Sanjo Honey Specialty Store" by putting "Kyoto Sanjo" in our company logo, so we are grateful to Sanjo Dori for nurturing us, and at the same time, we have a sense of mission to continue to make Sanjo Dori a place where people can enjoy honey together. ーーPlease tell us what you would like to preserve on this Sanjo Dori. I think that continuing to do business here means, in a sense, "resisting" the changes of the times. Sanjo Dori has been changing rapidly over the past few decades. Because it is a street with a strong brand name, land prices have risen, and the number of people wishing to open stores and condominiums has also increased. In such a situation, our generation has the option of selling the land and living or doing business in a different location. However, I am responsible for this place that I inherited from my parents, and by living and working here, I want to be a paragon of a businessperson for my children. We will continue to do business on Sanjo Dori and protect it as a business that can be properly passed on to the next generation, which means leaving a place for people to live and work on Sanjo Dori. Therefore, we would like to continue our business here and leave this place to our children while resisting the changes of the times.

Nihon Seimei Kyoto Sanjo Building, a modern architecture built in 1914 which is a Registered Tangible Cultural Properties. Since its opening in 2019, TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo has welcomed many tourists and visitors from abroad, and we interviewed the leader of TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo, Ms. Nozomi Nishimura. <h3>What is TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo, using a registered tangible cultural property</h3><img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/da5adad8-e8a3-45e3-88b0-0c41e51f0ba6/cultural-1.jpeg">ーーPlease tell us what kind of hotel TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo is. TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo is part of THE SHARE HOTELS group, which operates nine hotels nationwide. As a hotel brand that aims to "coexist with the local community," TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo creates hotels in cooperation with local cultural players and creates places open to the local community. This is a hotel that has inherited a modern building that is over 100 years old, and as such, it offers a space that makes the most of its historic architecture. Based on the concept of "coexistence with the local community," the hotel provides a living room and kitchen space for guests to share, creating an environment conducive to communication among guests. In addition, traditional handicrafts are sold next to the lobby on the first floor, allowing guests to experience local culture. In the past, there were dormitories and other shared rooms, so there was a sense of sharing, but now only private rooms are available. ーーTHE SHARE HOTELS itself has hotels all over Japan; why did you choose Kyoto Sanjo? TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo uses the former Nihon Seimei Kyoto Sanjo Building, a 105-year-old registered tangible cultural property, as part of the hotel. We opened our hotel in Kyoto Sanjo because we believe that renovating and preserving a traditional building can make it more distinctive. Hakodate and Kyoto Sanjo are the only hotels in THE SHARE HOTELS group in Japan that use modern architecture as part of their hotels. While other hotels have renovated office buildings and other structures, it is rare to find a hotel that uses modern architecture, and Kyoto Sanjo is unique among the many hotels in Japan. <h3>To preserve the quality of modern architecture and make the hotel more enjoyable</h3><img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/469d14f9-0a04-444c-809f-9c808edef964/pic-1-1.jpeg">(Junior Suite room, the only room where you can stay in a tangible cultural property). ーーTSUGU Kyoto Sanjo is housed in the former Nihon Seimei Kyoto Sanjo Building, a modern building. What kind of impression did you had about the building? The former Nihon Seimei Kyoto Sanjo Building was designed by two famous architects, Kingo Tatsuno and Yasushi Kataoka, who designed Tokyo Station as well. We felt that it must be a familiar place as well as a place that has been cherished by the local community. ーーWhat was important to you in designing a hotel utilizing such modern architecture? TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo was designed by architectural designer Yusuke Seki, and the interior of the hotel is designed in a concrete style so as not to destroy the stone-clad image of the registered tangible cultural property. When designing the exterior, we consulted with the Kyo No Sanjo Machizukuri Council to ensure that the hotel's exterior would blend in with the streetscape of Sanjo Dori. TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo's design features, for example, a window in the shared LIVING + KITCHEN on the fourth floor. This window was originally made by hollowing out a part of the wall, but we renovated it so that guests can see the steeple of the registered tangible cultural property from inside the hotel. The Modern Architecture Week, organized by the Kyo No Sanjo Machizukuri Council (a city walking tour introducing modern architecture on Sanjo Dori to the general public who are interested in modern architecture), has been very well received by participants, who also enjoy the modern architecture seen from the windows. We also offer the Junior Suite room where you can stay in a registered tangible cultural property. This is the only room in the hotel where you can stay in a 100-year-old registered tangible cultural property.<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/5c57ccfe-afb1-470e-82f9-709ce3a76841/story-1.jpeg">(Modern architectural spire seen from the hotel common area) <h3>Feel the history and culture in the heart of Kyoto.</h3><img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/bb7aa290-b921-4879-a4f9-bde9c2cb2136/pic-1-2.jpeg"> ーーWhat kind of customers has TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo had since its opening in 2019? While 70% of our guests are from overseas, we have a wide range of age groups, from people in their 20s to the elderly. What is unique about our hotel is that many of our guests are architecture enthusiasts. Some are fans of modern architecture, while others are fans of the designer, Yusuke Seki. Perhaps due to the simple and stylish interior design, we feel that many of our guests are connoisseurs in the field. TSUGU also has an affiliate hotel, RAKURO Kyoto, in Marutamachi, north of the center of Kyoto, which is located near the Kyoto Imperial Palace, so many visitors to RAKURO Kyoto are looking for nature, but many visitors to TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo are more interested in Kyoto culture. ーーWhat can guests enjoy during their stay at TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo? The hotel is located in the main area of Kyoto, so you can enjoy easy access to everywhere you need to go. Nishiki Market, the kitchen of Kyoto, is only a 6-minute walk from the hotel, and there are many sightseeing spots around the hotel that are typical of Kyoto. Of course, you can enjoy the modern architecture that lines Sanjo Dori, but Sanjo Dori is not only about architecture; the entire city has value, and we recommend it to those who want to enjoy their trip while experiencing Kyoto's history and culture. <h3>Bring the charm of the hotel and the region through architecture.</h3><img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/81f36728-9352-4dcc-9fe9-d3c1a31407b1/DSCF1472.jpg"> ーーHow do you see it in terms of community involvement since its opening in 2019? To be honest, since the opening, we have not been able to interact much with the local community, partly due to the effects of the pandemic of Covid-19. Recently, we have been able to participate in a photography exhibition event called KG+ (an open call art festival that aims to discover and support promising photographers and curators), as well as Modern Architecture Week and Kyoto Modern Architecture Festival (an event in which modern architecture that is normally closed to the public is opened to the public for a limited period of time). At the Kyoto Modern Architecture Festival, nearly 700 people came over the two days, and we were happy to finally be able to interact with the community as well. ーーIs there anything that your staff is working on in communicating the appeal of the community to guests? Our hotel has an exclusive page called "Local Guide" that can only be viewed by our guests. The stores listed in the guide have been approved by the hotel staff to be included in the guide, and it is a good opportunity for us to communicate with local residents as well as to introduce them to our guests. We have many repeat guests, and the fact that they choose us out of the many hotels in Kyoto is proof that many of them find this area and building attractive. ーーFinally, is there anything you would like to do in the future on Sanjo Dori? We would like to participate in more events. We feel that our hotel has attracted a lot of attention because of its renovation of a registered tangible cultural property, but we also receive many comments from people who say that they were curious about the hotel but could not get in. In the future, we would like to actively participate in events that we were not able to attend due to the pandemic, and work to deliver not only the charm and recognition of modern architecture, but also the charm of the hotel and Sanjo Dori.

"We want you to be pleased with our pleasant clothes," says 45R, which produces its own materials and offers high-quality casual wear in Japan and abroad, paying particular attention to sewing and specifications. The company, a Japanese clothing brand founded in 1977, opened 45R Kyoto in 2002 and has been selling apparel products on Sanjo Dori for about 20 years. We interviewed Kazue Okada, a meister who has supported 45R Kyoto since its opening. <h3>It has been about 20 years since the business on Sanjo Dori started. What is 45R Kyoto?</h3><img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/41bbf569-571b-43fe-9a4a-7f98c15ac090/DSCF1349.jpg">(Exterior view of 45R Kyoto)<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/c0e06cd6-f5cd-41a1-bcdb-fa9065c295cf/DSCF1343.JPG">(45R Kyoto interior) ーーPlease tell us what kind of store 45R is. 45R is an apparel brand that focuses on materials, sewing, and specifications. 45R celebrated its 45th anniversary in 2022, and is expanding its business with approximately 60 stores in Japan and overseas based on the desire to "please customers with pleasant clothes." It was around 2002 that 45R opened a store on Sanjo Dori. We have been doing business here for more than 20 years. The decision to open a store on Sanjo Dori was based on the intuition of our representative, Mr. Takahashi. It has been almost 40 years since I joined the company, and from the time I joined the company, our representative had said, "I want to open a solid store in Kyoto." In the midst of searching for a good place to open a store in Kyoto, he said, “It must be here!” It took only a few minutes for him to decide on the current location. ーーI just saw the store and it has a nostalgic Kyoto atmosphere, yet it has a sophisticated new look. 45R has stores all over Japan, and while some stores undergo renovations to keep up with the times, the Sanjo store has never undergone major renovations. It blends in with the landscape, yet always gives a fresh impression. We are proud of the fact that our customers who keep coming back often say, "It's always fresh," while first-time visitors often say, "It's kind of a relaxing place." <h3>Participation in neighborhood associations deepened understanding and attachment to the community</h3><img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/a8e7afd2-37b3-40bf-ae0d-94b565ef40b1/DSCF1289.jpg">( Photo of 45R Kyoto under construction) ーーWhat was the location where 45R Kyoto is located before the store was built? Before we opened the store, there was a clothing store, a men's store, and a talent store for Noriko Sakai (Note: a popular celebrity goods store often seen in the 1980s). There used to be a beautiful warehouse behind the building. It was so elegant as it matched the atmosphere of the store. The street has changed a lot over the past 20 years. Now there are many new restaurants and apparel stores, but there are also many stores that have disappeared, such as obiya (belt shops), etc. There seemed to be more people from abroad walking down the street than 8 years ago. ーーWe understand that you are also involved in the Sanjo Dori neighborhood association and very motivated to promote community development. Our company values the idea of "working with those who are rooted in and have contributed to the community." That is why I myself have been a member of the Masuya-cho neighborhood association since 20 years ago when I first came to Sanjo Dori. At the end of the year, 45R Kyoto holds a mochi pounding event and distributes the mochi made at the event to the residents of the town. Everyone is very happy to receive them and we are happy to have the opportunity to be a part of the community. We also have shaved ice and yo-yo fishing in front of our store during the Gion Festival. We enjoy interacting with many different people and we ourselves enjoy it. ーーAs a member of a neighborhood association, you may hear from people around you about the history and memories of Sanjo Dori. Are there any particular events that stand out in your mind? It is the Jizo-bon held in August. Jizo-bon is a local event mainly held in Kyoto and other cities, where children play a leading role in making offerings to Jizo (Ksitigarbha) in their neighborhoods and praying to them. I used to go there often with my daughter, who was still small. We would receive sweets and do the bead spinning, and it was an event where I could feel the culture that is unique to Kyoto. When I heard about the Jizo-bon from one of the town's residents, he told me, "There was a time when children used to put on plays at the Jizo-bon before." I felt the history of Sanjo Dori, where town events have been held actively. <h3>Making Sanjo Dori more accessible to young people</h3><img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/cad37100-2e72-4be3-875d-4f6ffd00a09a/DSCF13152.jpg">( At the time of the photo shoot, there were customers of various ages in the store.)<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/568939dd-f291-465c-b4cf-ab1ac673c33d/DSCF1351.jpg">(Sanjo Dori where 45R Kyoto is located) ーーYou have been working on Sanjo Dori for almost 20 years. What is your impression of this town? The various landscapes and histories make one feel that this is the center of Kyoto after all. Originally, Sanjo Dori was where the Yamahoko floats used to parade during the atomatsuri of the Gion Festival. In such a place, stores such as Inoda Coffee, Hasegawa Shoju-do, and Ido Kotobukiya still exist, preserving the traditions of the city. On the other hand, the street is also adopting new things to keep up with the times, and I look forward to the future of Sanjo Dori as I see the street bustling thanks to pedestrian paradise and other activities. ーーFinally, what kind of place do you hope Sanjo Dori will be in the future? I would like to make 45R Kyoto and Sanjo Dori a place where young people can casually visit. In order to achieve this, I would like to create an atmosphere in both the stores and the street that says, "If you go to Sanjo Dori, there is always something going on." I want everyone to casually think, “Let’s go to Sanjo.” I hope that both the store and Sanjo Dori will become a place that everyone will want to visit more casually.

Nishimura Kisssho-do has been dealing in lacquerware and crafts on Sanjo Dori since 1924. Shinichiro Nishimura, the second owner, and Yuichi Nishimura, the third , have taken over the store, which has been in operation for generations since Kichizo Nishimura, the predecessor, and not only sell lacquerware but also offer custom-made and repair services. For this interview, I spoke with Shinichiro Nishimura, at Nishimura Kissho-do which has been carrying on the tradition for about 100 years. <h3>Stores and traditions passed down from the time of the establishment in 1924.</h3><img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/d4f57c7d-d19b-44e6-9ce1-4d698605367b/DSCF1389.jpg">(Exterior view of the building)<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/03f4f44e-52e5-4dc5-a006-29a368a6676b/DSCF1448.jpg">(Exterior of the building when it was founded) ーーFirst of all, please tell us about your career to date. I was born in 1933 and worked for an advertising agency in Osaka from 1956-1966. Our business was old and traditional, so I had to learn something new. After working at an advertising agency for 10 years, I returned to the store when my father became ill. My father passed away about a year and a half later, and during that time he taught me many things, and I took over Nishimura Kissho-do. Now my son Yuichi is running the store. ーーHas the store remained the same since its establishment in 1924? The glass-walled exterior that exists today was once the exterior of a lattice door. At that time, there was no glass this large made in Japan, so we ordered American-made glass for the construction. The store was then extensively renovated in 1991. Originally, it would have been cheaper to rebuild the building from scratch, but we live and do business here, so we decided to keep the old structure. After consulting with the craftsmen of the time, we divided the building into three sections and renovated them over a period of about one year and eight months. While the store portion was being renovated, I went out and sold products, and we managed to get through it. <h3>Looking at the changing Sanjo Dori since the 1930s.</h3><img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/047a595b-cbc7-428f-9e17-335e1b4da3f8/DSCF1432.jpg">( Lacquerware passed down since the establishment of the company)<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/c2e5c2d1-30a6-4a88-bde3-4f33982f8dbe/DSCF1393.jpg">( Lots of lacquerware and crafts in the store) ーーHow do you think Sanjo Dori has changed since you were born and raised on this street? In 1939, at the beginning of World War II, Sanjo Dori was lined with many so-called wholesalers and retailers: few small retailers and many large wholesalers. After the war, the number of people in various occupations really increased on Sanjo Dori, and such a period continued until about the 1970s, when Japan became the most profitable in the world. From there to 2023, gradually a small number of buildings began to line the street between the retail stores. However, the buildings themselves did not increase that much, and Sanjo Dori today is lined with retail stores. ーーWhat do you see among or about people on the street? Sanjo Dori has many traditional stores and buildings, so it was never overflowing with people and becoming a hustle and bustle like Shijo Dori. It was before and after World War II that people often passed through the area during those times. On the contrary, the street became less crowded when the economy gradually slowed down after former Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka's theory of remodeling the Japanese archipelago. At that time, not only Sanjo Dori, but also the whole of Japan was empty, and it was difficult to do business. ーーLooking back to the past, is there anything striking about the area around your shop? Next to Nishimura Kissho-do was the residence of "Daikokuya" Saburobei Sugiura, one of the three largest kimono merchants in Kyoto, until 1946 when it became a ryokan (Japanese inn) called “Nissho Besso". At that time, it was rare for people to own their personal cars, and there were only two cars on Sanjo Dori, including that of Daikokuya. We all used to look at the Hudson parked in front of the residence when the owner went out. I was about four years old at the time. <h3>"Living" in the heart of Kyoto</h3><img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/934407b6-54ac-4408-82fc-d41dbb77f442/%E2%91%A0%E8%A5%BF%E6%9D%91%E6%96%B0%E4%B8%80%E9%83%8E%EF%BC%91%EF%BC%95%E6%AD%B3%E3%81%93%E3%82%8D%E6%AF%8D%E8%A6%AA%E3%81%A8.jpg">(With his mother when he was 15 years old)<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/270d4820-61d4-44bd-8b61-52a6837db7f3/%E2%91%A3%E8%A5%BF%E6%9D%91%E6%96%B0%E4%B8%80%E9%83%8E%E4%B8%AD%E4%B9%8B%E7%94%BA%E3%81%AE%E5%9C%B0%E8%94%B5%E7%9B%86%E3%81%AB%E3%81%A6%E5%AD%90%E3%81%A8%E3%82%99%E3%82%82%E3%81%9F%E3%81%A1%E3%82%92%E8%A6%8B%E5%AE%88%E3%82%8B.jpg">( Looking after the town's children at the Jizo-bon in Nakanomachi) ーーThis is my first visit to Sanjo Dori, and I found it to be an interesting mix of the old and the new. What is your impression of Sanjo Dori? As you say, Sanjo Dori is a mixture of the old and the new. In the Taisho era (1912-1926), there was talk of widening the street, but in the end it was decided to widen Shijo Dori instead because Sanjo Dori has many historical buildings such as the Museum of Kyoto and the Nakagyo Post Office. So many old things remain on Sanjo Dori after such an era. Sanjo Dori is also the location of Sanjo Ohashi Bridge, the last stop on the 53rd leg of the Tokaido Highway. At the intersection of Sanjo Dori and Karasuma Dori, there is also the Kyoto Road Sign, and Sanjo Dori functioned as the main street of Kyoto during the Meiji era.<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/c4303e37-33fd-4443-882a-2f2e9be7dcee/DSCF1456.jpg">(Kyoto City road marker at the intersection of Sanjo Dori and Karasuma Dori)<img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/90a6da55-ecee-4bdb-8fc7-1cd7cf065fb1/IMG_2727%E4%B8%89%E6%9D%A1%E5%A4%A7%E6%A9%8B(1).jpg">( Sanjo Ohashi Bridge after renovation) ーーYou also live on Sanjo Dori, right? What do you think about the livability of Sanjo Dori? It is very easy to live here. Because Sanjo Dori is the center of the city, there are trains and subways a short walk away, the greenery of the Imperial Palace, and many temples. For shopping, there are luxury stores and common stores, and now there are also supermarkets. I was born here, work here, and will probably die here. I think it is a very happy life. ーーHow about your relationship with the Gion Festival, an essential event for Kyoto residents? Various organizations are involved in the Gion Festival, and among them I was the secretary of the Yasaka Shrine Seisei Kosha (a fund-raising organization that supports the operation of the portable shrine procession during the Gion Festival). Originally, the Gion Festival began in 869, when various epidemics and calamities followed, and the gods of Yasaka Shrine were asked to exorcise the bad luck. When I was a child, I was just so excited about the Gion Festival in July, and as an adult, I have always been involved with the Gion Festival by working with such organizations. <h3>Busy in business. We will continue to keep the city bustling with business.</h3><img src="https://map-sanjo.assets.newt.so/v1/6ce100ed-6789-4540-acbf-a3bdeb20b767/DSCF1424.jpg">ーーTalking with you makes me believe that you are very energetic. Is the secret behind the energy and vitality the fact that you were engaged in business? Certainly, when you are in business, you often think about sales and funds, so you use your head a lot, and you cannot say anything inappropriate when talking with customers, so you do a lot of research. However, speaking about myself personally, I loved reading and movies from an early age; I read a wide variety of books, and was often taken to foreign films and other activities as a child. Compared to my friends of the same generation, I liked to think and research, which may have led me to where I am today. ーーAfter you have been watching Sanjo Dori for many years, what kind of place do you think Sanjo Dori should become in the future? I would like Sanjo Dori to be a lively and comfortable place to live. I want Sanjo Dori to continue to be a place where customers can enjoy a leisurely stroll and where good stores are lined up side by side. I hope Sanjo Dori will continue to be such a place. ーーYou mentioned the keyword "good stores”. What are the conditions of a good store that you would like to preserve on Sanjo Dori? Depending on the philosophy of the owner, I think a good store is one that has a decent selection of goods, regardless of the price, and a variety of goods, as well as a friendly customer service. In business, there is no point in trying to look good if you can't make a sale. Think with intense care, be bold once you have made a decision, be persistent once you have started, and take it slow and easy even if you think it is not going to work. Business is also called “Akinai” in Japanese, which means “not tired of it". I hope that the young people doing business on Sanjo Dori will also continue to do so enthusiastically and without giving up.