More Than Just an Observation Deck! Enjoy Traditional Culture, Food, and More: A Guide to Nidec Kyoto Tower

Nidec Kyoto Tower was completed in 1964, the year the Tokyo Olympics were held.
It was built with the aim of contributing to the development of Kyoto City’s industry, culture, and tourism.
Its slender white silhouette was designed to evoke a lighthouse shining over Kyoto, a city with no sea.
Renovation work was carried out ahead of its 50th anniversary in 2014, and the elevators were decorated in gold and silver inspired by Kyoto’s iconic temples, with silhouettes of famous landmarks and Kyoto’s three major festivals.

Located on the 4th and 5th floors of the tower’s observation area, the Nidec Kyoto Tower Observation Deck offers views from 100 meters above ground.
Its 360-degree glass walls are one of its biggest attractions, giving you clear views across Kyoto, a city with relatively few tall buildings.
You can also take in famous Kyoto landmarks such as Kiyomizu-dera Temple and To-ji Temple, both designated as National Treasures and World Heritage Sites.
The daytime scenery is stunning, of course, but the beautiful night view, stretching far into the distance with no obstructions, is another major highlight.

Cafe Bar Sky Lounge KUU is located on the 3rd floor of the tower’s observation area.
The elegantly lit interior creates a refined, adult atmosphere.
Thanks to its 360-degree glass walls, you can enjoy Kyoto’s beautiful night view while sipping drinks or having desserts such as matcha cake.
In addition to couple seats and counter seats, there are also box seats and table seats, making it suitable for a variety of occasions.

Located on the 2nd floor, 4th–7th floors, and 9th floor of the Kyoto Tower Building, Kyoto Tower Hotel offers a convenient stay just Approx. 2 minutes on foot from Kyoto Station.
The guest rooms feature a calm atmosphere that blends Japanese style with modern design.
It’s also nice that you can choose from rooms to suit your needs, including spacious family rooms for a comfortable stay and day-use rooms for taking a break during sightseeing.
One especially recommended room is the one designed with the image of Nidec Kyoto Tower in mind.
Its windows and interior are designed based on the tower’s shape and color scheme, so you can feel the presence of Nidec Kyoto Tower even while inside your room.
Since it is located so close to Kyoto Station, it also makes an ideal base for sightseeing in Kyoto.

Located on the 3rd floor of the Nidec Kyoto Tower Building, this restaurant offers a new buffet style featuring a wide variety of Japanese and Western dishes.
In its modern interior, you can enjoy Japanese favorites such as obanzai, everyday home-style dishes commonly made in Kyoto households, and pickles, as well as tea and matcha sweets from Uji Cha Gion Tsujiri.
Along with Western staples like scrambled eggs and bread, the Asian and ethnic food corner also offers dishes such as Vietnamese pho, adding to the restaurant’s wide variety of flavors.

On the same floor as Tower Terrace, you’ll also find Kansai Tourist Information Center Kyoto.
This tourist information center is for international visitors and offers support in English, Chinese, and Korean.
In addition to providing sightseeing information for Kyoto, Osaka, and other parts of Kansai, it can also assist with hotel and restaurant reservations, ticket purchases, and other aspects of travel.
If you need help with anything, try stopping by Kansai Tourist Information Center Kyoto for assistance.

Kyoto Tower Sando, located from the basement 1st floor to the 2nd floor of the Nidec Kyoto Tower Building, is divided into three themes by floor: dining, souvenirs, and experiences.
On the basement 1st floor, you’ll find Approx. 18 popular restaurants from around Kyoto.
You can freely eat and drink throughout the floor and enjoy food from multiple shops at once.
The 1st floor is a souvenir area filled with Kyoto specialties, including long-established Japanese sweets, yatsuhashi, pickles, matcha sweets, and miscellaneous goods.
With its wide selection, you can choose souvenirs to suit whoever you’re buying for.
On the 2nd floor, workshops offer uniquely Kyoto experiences such as Japanese sweets making, traditional crafts, and kimono rental.
Take home something you made yourself as a souvenir, or stroll through Kyoto in a rented kimono and fully enjoy the culture of Japan and Kyoto.

Higashi Hongan-ji Temple is located in Karasuma Rokujo, close to Kyoto Station.
Its formal name is Shinshu Honbyo, and it is the head temple of the Otani school of Jodo Shinshu. It was established in 1602 on land donated by Tokugawa Ieyasu to Shonin Kyonyo.
Passing through the Goei-do Gate facing Karasuma Street, the first thing you’ll see is Goei-do Hall, which enshrines the portrait of Shinran Shonin, the founder of Jodo Shinshu.
One of the largest wooden buildings in the world, it is an awe-inspiring structure measuring 76 meters across the front, 58 meters along the sides, 38 meters high, and containing 927 tatami mats inside.

This temple was built together with Sai-ji Temple in 794, two years after the capital was moved to Heian-kyo.
Sai-ji fell into ruin at the end of the Heian period, but To-ji was rebuilt repeatedly after fires destroyed its buildings many times. Structures such as the Kondo Hall built by Toyotomi Hideyori and the five-story pagoda built by Tokugawa Iemitsu remain today, and all are designated National Treasures.
The Kodo Hall straight ahead from the entrance was rebuilt in the Muromachi period, and inside, 21 Buddhist statues designated as National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties, created from the Heian period through the Edo period, are lined up to form a mandala.

This is the head temple of the Bukkouji school of Jodo Shinshu. It traces its origins to a hermitage established in Yamashina in 1212 by Shinran Shonin, known as the founder of Jodo Shinshu, after he was pardoned from exile to Echigo and returned to Kyoto.
In 1320, the temple was moved to an area around what is now the Kyoto National Museum, where it came to attract the faith of many people.
It is also known as a famous spot for weeping cherry blossoms, and in spring, you can enjoy its magical atmosphere.

The Kyoto Yodobashi branch of HUB, a British-style pub chain that continues to offer a bar experience worth more than its price through authentic British pub culture.
It’s a place where you can enjoy drinks and conversation not only with friends but also with people you happen to meet there.
The drink selection is extensive, led by draft beer, and familiar cocktails such as gin and tonic and salty dog are available at reasonable prices.
Along with the classic roast beef, tasty dishes such as fish and chips, a signature of British cuisine, are also among its popular menu items.

Located in the area known as Takabashi, about a 5-minute walk from JR Kyoto Station, Honke Daiichi Asahi is a long-established ramen shop founded in 1947 and one of the most famous names in Kyoto’s ramen scene.
Its popularity is clear from the long lines that form outside even before it opens at 6:00 am.
Its beloved signature ramen is a pork bone-based soy sauce ramen made with raw soy sauce from the local Fushimi area.
The medium-thick straight noodles, blended from several kinds of wheat and known for their pleasantly chewy texture, pair perfectly with the clear soup.

This restaurant is operated by Wakuden, a Kyoto ryotei restaurant well known for Kyoto cuisine.
The name Hashitate comes from Amanohashidate, a famous sightseeing spot in Tango, where the business was founded.
Focusing on rice bowls and noodles, it is popular with a wide range of age groups for its casual take on the refined flavors of a traditional restaurant, featuring seasonal ingredients and flavorful dashi.
The most popular menu item is the Hashitate Set, which includes a sea bream rice bowl with sesame miso and Seiko, Wakuden’s signature lotus root sweet.
You can pour the elegant broth served alongside to your liking and enjoy it as a light sea bream ochazuke-style dish.