Kita Ward (Kita-ku)　　

Kita-ku has many quiet, upscale residential neighborhoods and is characterized by a quiet environment away from the bustle of the city. Rich in nature, the Kamo River flows to the east, and from the north to the west you can see a mountain range. Kamigamo Shrine and Kinkaku-ji Temple (the Golden Pavilion), both registered as World Heritage sites, are also located in Kita-ku. The Karasuma subway line runs to the east, providing easy access to central Kyoto.

Universities in Kita-ku:

Bukkyo University (Murasakino Campus), Kyoto Sangyo University, Otani University, Ritsumeikan University (Kinugasa Campus)

The Kitaoji subway station with its bus terminal and shopping mall

Kinkaku-ji Temple shining in gold

Hopefully this run-down has given you a better sense of Kyoto’s 11 different wards. As you can easily see on a city map, the center of Kyoto is actually made up of horizontal streets running east-west and vertical streets running north-south, in a pattern known as known as “Goban no me” (the “Go game board”). This grid-like shape makes it easy to get accustomed to living in the area and get your bearings, and you can get to your destination with little to no difficulty. We hope you’ll get out and explore the city, too!

View of Kyoto City in autumn from Mt. Daimonji