I first arrived in Kyoto on Christmas Eve, seven years ago, my first Christmas away from home. At the time I was with a group of friends hopping local trains from where we worked in the mountains of Nagano. Laughing and drinking along the way, by the time we stepped out of the train we were in a very festive mood. After checking in at our hostel, we met a few other fellow travelers and a local hostel staff member dressed as Mario. We toasted to the holiday when the clock turned midnight as if it was New Years and went out all together for karaoke.
The next morning, while everyone was sleeping off hangovers, I wandered out of the hostel alone in search of breakfast. On my way out I greeted the very rough looking staff member, who was now dressed as Luigi. Without much thought my feet instinctively took me back in the direction of Kyoto Station. Outside large glass panels reflect Kyoto Station which sits directly across the street. Inside is a huge open space, on either side large staircases lead into the center of the station. Long escalators line the sides of the stairs leading up to several different levels giving views and reflections of Kyoto beyond. At the top is the Skyway, a cat walk that is free to go up and from which you can see inside and outside of the station.
I will admit, I have probably spent just as much time in Kyoto Station as anywhere else in Kyoto. These pictures on this post are not from my very first time there, but after visiting again. This second time, while waiting out the rain, that same sense of wonder came back to me. Shadows, reflections, symmetry are all around. It is not a bad place to get stuck in for a little bit, especially with a DSLR and a wide angle lens.
Traversing the Skyway from east to west leads directly into the 11th floor of the station building. On the 10th floor is Kyoto Ramen Street (or Kyoto Ramen Koji), which features ramen from all over Japan. I suppose this is not specifically a meibutsu of Kyoto itself, but rather a collection of meibutsu ramen in one location, which is definitely worth a visit especially if you are in need of lunch after just arriving. I decided on a pork-based broth ramen from Tokushima, as I had not been there yet and wanted a heads up of what kind of ramen I should look for when I do eventually go. It is served with a raw egg to be cracked directly into the ramen, the yolk mixing with the rich broth makes it like a savory sauce.
The rain seemed to be letting up a bit as we came out of the station building on the west side of the large staircases. We had to walk up one story of stairs to go down from the very top of the long escalators. That may seem counter-intuitive, but it is totally worth it. I’m declaring it now, Kyoto Station has the best escalators in the world.
After taking a few more shots from some choice spots that act more like trick art than station interior we finally exited the station and headed to our lodging for the evening to check-in and drop our bags. We stayed in a tatami mat room, quite the way to experience the traditional Kyoto.
Kyoto is a truly special place. As soon as you arrive at the ultra-modern station and step out, you can feel the magic and wonder of what lays beyond. You will pass three or four temples on the way to your hotel that will stop you in your tracks. After taking a brief break and lightening our packs we head out to the iconic Kiyomizu-dera.
3 thoughts on “Kyoto Station”
Nice flashback. Loved the photos from inside Kyoto Station!
I liked this post and of course, the pics. But you went out looking for breakfast, then there was a “we”. Did you go out with Luigi? Or did your group of friends end up joining you? 🙂
The first part was a flashback and then it returned to “present” day. But it would have been great to go to Kyoto Station with Luigi!
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