Secrets and Hidden Spots Inside Kyoto Station | Kyoto Ramen Street | Skyway Tunnel | Kyoto, Japan

Kyoto Station is often the gateway for a trip to Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan. This huge glass building, modern and versatile, is one of the emblems of the city in addition to trains, stores, restaurants, hotels, and even a garden. The station and the entire district that surrounds it constitute a dynamic and important center in the heart of the city.

The very impressive building is 70 meters high and has 15 floors. Its large main atrium does not leave you indifferent, with its all-glass and steel ceiling.

The Kyoto station building, which is huge, has a lot of shops and restaurants, which is very common in Japan. On the floors, we discover shopping centers (the Isetan department store in particular), but also a theater, hotels, the EKI museum (a gallery of temporary works) as well as the main tourist office of Kyoto.

On the 7th floor of the station, near the Isetan department store, you will come across the EKI museum ("eki " means "station"). Opened in 1997, this small gallery hosts exhibitions on various themes, from photography to industrial art, including animation and fashion.

Kyoto station also conceals its little secrets, ready to be revealed to those who wish to discover. After having climbed the large escalator heading west, the curious will discover the large staircase (the daikaidan) which begins on the 4th floor. It is at this level that a stage is installed for concerts or dance demonstrations. The staircase continues up to the 15th floor, where there is a refreshing open-air garden, the "Sky Garden".

From there, leads the "Skyway tunnel", a long glass and steel tube that connects the west to the east wing rewarding you with a beautiful view of the city and its mountains, day and night.