Gion is Kyoto’s most famous and traditional entertainment district. Its streets are filled with quaint wooden buildings, which house a great variety of restaurants, teahouses, and bars. It is also a geisha quarter, and it is not unusual to see these ladies hurrying to their appointments in the early evening. To get to Gion from Kyoto Station you can go directly by bus or by taxi. It is also possible to go by train, but you will have to make a transfer on the way.
Shinbashi Dori in the Gion district of Kyoto
By Bus
Taking a bus to Gion from Kyoto Station is really easy, but there are two fare categories to understand. At the bus terminal in front of Kyoto Station’s north exit, the tourist-oriented Sightseeing Limited Express Bus EX100 runs from bus stop D1 to Gion, Kiyomizu-dera, Heian Jingu, and Ginkakuji. Kyoto Station to Gion takes about 17 minutes on this service, and the adult fare is 500 yen, unless you are using a valid Subway & Bus 1-Day Pass.
Sightseeing Limited Express Bus EX100 at bus stop D1
For a cheaper ordinary city bus, you can also use Gion-bound Kyoto City Bus routes from the Higashiyama-dori side of the Kyoto Station bus terminal, including Kyoto City Bus service 206. Depending on the timetable, routes 86 and 106 may also be useful for the Kiyomizu-dera and Gion area. Ordinary city buses in the flat-fare zone cost 230 yen, but they are more affected by traffic. Buses on this corridor run frequently during the day, but service patterns differ by route and date, so check the Kyoto City Bus timetable before travel, especially in the evening or during major events.
Bus 206 at bus stop D2
The boarding rules also differ. EX100 is boarded at the front, and passengers exit at the rear. On ordinary Kyoto City Bus routes, you generally board at the rear and pay at the front when you get off. The Gion bus stop is just across from Yasaka Jinja Shrine, one of Gion’s best known sights. For more information about bus services, please see our article: Taking a Bus in Kyoto.
By Taxi
A taxi from Kyoto Station to the Gion district will usually cost about 1,300-1,800 yen, depending on the exact destination, route, traffic, and taxi company. It can take about 10 minutes when traffic is light, but allow longer at busy times. You can get a taxi easily from the taxi ramp in front of Kyoto Station’s north exit.
Taxi drivers who speak English stop here
You may see taxi signage aimed at overseas visitors around the north-side taxi rank, but do not assume every driver speaks English. Because Gion is quite a big area, you may want to give the driver a specific location in Gion like Yasaka Jinja Shrine, or Hanami-koji Street. For more information, please see our article: Kyoto Taxis.
Taxis with English speaking drivers are labeled with “foreign friendly” signs
By Train or Subway
There are no direct train routes to Gion by train. The closest stations to Gion are Gion-Shijo Station on the private Keihan Main Line and Kyoto-kawaramachi Station on the private Hankyu Kyoto Line. To get to Gion-Shijo Station from Kyoto Station, take a JR Nara Line train one stop to Tofukuji Station and then transfer to the Keihan Line. The combined fare for two tickets is 330 yen: 150 yen from Kyoto Station to Tofukuji Station on JR, and 180 yen from Tofukuji Station to Gion-Shijo Station on Keihan. Allow around 10 to 15 minutes for the trip, plus any transfer wait.
Take the JR Nara Line from platforms 8, 9, or 10 at Kyoto Station
To get to Kyoto-kawaramachi Station take the Karasuma Subway Line from Kyoto Subway Station to Shijo Subway Station and then transfer to the Hankyu Kyoto Line at Hankyu Karasuma Station. The combined fare for two tickets is 390 yen and the journey usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes including the transfer.
The entrance to Kyoto Subway Station
If you are traveling from other areas in Kyoto, you might use the Tozai Subway Line to get to Gion. This subway line runs east to west through central Kyoto and the closest station to the Gion area is Sanjo Keihan Station. From this station it is a five minute walk to Shinbashi Dori Street, one of the most scenic areas in Gion.
Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved. Last updated 07-Jul-2026.
