Anthropology of Kyoto Station

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Konnichiha!
Welcome to my blog. This blog is focused on people who use Kyoto Station. Kyoto is an ancient city. There are traditonal architecture, temples and shrines, traditional culture, and traditional life. At the same time, Kyoto is a modern city, one of the biggest cities in Japan. There are many buildings packed and many people busy with their business. Kyoto station might be a representation of the modern Kyoto. There are many kinds of people using in different ways. You would find interesting secrets of this public place through this blog. Thank you and please enjoy.
(I would like to express my gratitude to people who helped me at Kyoto Station. )



Kyoto Station is a modern entrance of Kyoto. It welcomes people from all over the world every day. The picture above is a central gate of the station and below is outside overview of the station building.


The Kyoto station building was built in 1997 by architecture, Hara Hiroshi. The building includes a station, hotel, restaurants, department store, theater, and parking.

As you enter the central gate, you would find that you are just in a huge concourse in front of the JR central ticket gate. The stairs there make a letter of V and two ways to go up.


One way looks packed with people, and other way looks empty. The way with full people looks like having continuous stairs to the sky and would encourage people to go up to see what is on the top.


Actually, many people are heading to the information center, cafe, pedestrian walkway (a pass which connents north and south side of the station) on the 2nd floor or daikaidan (Great Staircase) up there.

Keeping go up the stairs, you would face the big open space with all stairs. This is called daikaidan or Great Staircase.




They are real stairs. However, usually they are not used as stairs (There are only few people try to go up these stairs), but used as chairs or seats. Sometimes, especially on weekends, people have some events and the stairs become an open theater which gathers both people in Kyoto and visitors.


On other days, people use the stairs to spend some time alone or with friends, just sitting on, reading books, having small lunch, chatting or waiting for next trains. Some people analyze that people fill the stairs from the top, but it is not sure. Men’s group is likely to just pass rather than sit to spend some time. People there are mainly one person (both man and woman), groups of women, family and couples.

Going up further,,,


On the top of the stairs, there is a small green open space called Happy (Happii: 葉っぴい) Terrace. Some people sit on the chairs to spend time. This place does not always mean a waiting area for trains. People in Kyoto even go up all the long stairs to enjoy some green.



In a sunny day, small kids run around the lawn.


He lives in Kyoto and spends some time after his business.

There are big windows around and some people put their face or their camera on the windows. Although the cityview must be beautiful from there (the same height of 12th floor), it is difficult to see. Unfortunately, the windows reflect the sun lights.

In the middle of daikaidan (Great Staircase), there is an entrance of ramen restaurants (a part of a department store). Going through the restaurants, you would find a narrow path called Skyway.


This path is located on the top of the huge concourse. Since it is difficult to find this path, some people in Kyoto never know. Thus, there are always not many people walking pass.


There are a few view points on the way. Although the windows reflect sun lights, you would still see the Kyoto tower and the cityview. At night, the night view of the city is beautiful and the view points are one of secrets dating spots for young couples.