Apr. 20, 2020 UPDATE
Ponto-cho - 先斗町 -
Traveler Friendly
Ponto-cho is a place where you can just look at the beautiful scenery and the restaurants and bars and enjoy old Japan.
Information
Japanese, English
Languages spoken
No staff at location
Downtown Scenery Popular
3324 45 10 1 reviews
Apr. 20, 2020 UPDATE

Ponto-cho

- 先斗町 -
Traveler Friendly
Ponto-cho is a place where you can just look at the beautiful scenery and the restaurants and bars and enjoy old Japan.
Information
Japanese, English
Languages spoken
No staff at location
Downtown Scenery Popular
3324 45 10 1 reviews
Story & Recommendation
Experience a mixture of traditional Kyoto, modern Japan, and neon signs in Ponto-cho geisha district
Ponto-cho is a famous Hanamachi geisha district in Kyoto, and continues from Shijo-dori to Sanjo-dori. There are really many small alleys even narrower than the main alley at Ponto-cho, some of them leading to the other side while others are dead ends. There are many good restaurants by the alley, some of them cheap yakitori places while others offer fine dining kaiseki experiences, while yet others offer karaoke and drinks served by attractive women.
1Highlight
Cute little lanterns
Cute little lanterns
Ponto-cho is like going back in time to the Edo period at some places, but some places in the alley are almost futuristic in feel, or at least have a steampunk feel to them. Keep your eyes open when walking in the alley, since there are many small things like this cute little all around the place. There are even some Matryoshka dolls!
2Highlight
Ponto-cho at night
Ponto-cho at night
The alleys of Ponto-cho look completely different day and night. The neon sights light up and make the somewhat traditional atmosphere turn into a night when you wonder whether you have stumbled into the world of Blade Runner.
3Good Experiences
Go down an alley
Go down an alley
When walking in Ponto-cho, you will notice there are many narrow alleys. So, of course those who want an adventure need to go down one! If you walk down an alley, you may find a great Japanese restaurant, a smoky bar, or a “snack-bar”, a kind of a nightclub for middle-aged and over gentlemen. And by the way, number 24 in the picture is a dead end.
4Good Experiences
Have a yuka dinner
Have a yuka dinner
Dining on a yuka wooden terrace at sunset is something every Kyoto fan needs to experience. The great food, good beer, and great atmosphere form a combination like no other. So go on, don a kimono or a yukata and enjoy some great food on a yukata! Or if you would so like, there is also a Starbucks with their own yuka where you can enjoy yuka on the cheap. Read more about yuka dining here: http://sharing-kyoto.com/Feature/yuka/
Share
Page Top