Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka

Visiting Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan (from 794 to 1868), without taking a stroll through its Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka sloping streets would be a lifetime of regret. Lying in the city’s eastern historical district of Higashiyama, they lead to the UNESCO-preserved ancient Kiyomizudera Temple (Pure Water Temple). Built over 1,200 years ago after the temple, lined with traditional Japanese buildings servings as shops, ryokan (Japanese-style inn), and cafés on either side, these atmospheric lanes offer some best chances to experience local traditional culture.

Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka Photos ( 70 )

Quick Facts of Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka

 Ninenzaka was built in 807 and Sannenzaka in 808. 
 Sannenzaka stretches between Kiyomizudera Temple to the southeast and Ninenzaka to the north.
 Literally, Ninenzaka means “slope of two years” and Sannenzaka “slope of three years”.
 Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka are important Preserved Districts for their historic buildings. 
 Here, power poles, wires, and motor vehicles cannot be found, which is purposed to preserve the ancient ambience. 
 The area was one of the filming locations of the movie Memoirs of a Geisha .

Strolling visitors at sunset

Ninezaka and Sannenzaka at night

What to Expect at Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka?

 This area provides an authentic feel of Kyoto’s ancient past. The streets themselves, and the surrounding ancient landmarks such as Kiyomizudera Temple, Yasaka-no-to Pagoda, Yasaka Shrine, and Maruyama Park, all contribute to it. 

Encounter festive parade on the streets

Priests in festive procession

 Ninenzaka offers the best angle to capture the solitary grace of Yasaka-no-to Pagoda, five-storied and sitting on a hill. Even more spectacular at night, it’s no doubt a symbol of Higashiyama district.

Graceful Yasaka-no-to Pagoda

 As there are tea houses on the streets, visitors may encounter Maiko, apprentice of Geisha, female artists entertaining guests with singing, dancing, and tea ceremony on social occasions. Chances to spot them are higher in the evening. By the way, geisha culture is a unique legacy of the Edo period (1603 – 1868 AD) of Japan.

 Play as Maiko. Find a shop and have yourself dressed up in rental kimono. Cladded in beautiful attire, go out to stroll around and take tons of photos!

Kimono rental shop

Girls dressed like Maiko

 Pick a ryokan – traditional Japanese-style inn - to settle yourself in. Some ryokans are converted machiya townhouses, traditional wooden residences and workplaces of the Edo-era Kyoto merchants that survived to this day intact.

 Learn Japan’s aesthetics from its ancient art. There is a Kiyomizu Sannen-zaka Museum located at Sannenzaka, where visitors can appreciate displayed artworks of the Edo and Meiji (1868–1912) eras. In the middle of the slope also sits the house of Yumeji Takehisa, a painter famous for his bijinga, a traditional form of painting featuring Japanese beautiful woman; now it sells relevant themed woodblock prints and other things.

Pottery shop on Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka

Food stands on Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka

How to Get There?

By bus: From Kyoto Station, take City Bus No. 206 to Kiyomizu-michi Bus Stop, and walk about 5 minutes. 

By train: Take Keihan Line, get off at Kiyomizu-Gojō Station, and walk about 20 minutes.

Nearby Must-Visits

 Kiyomizu-dera Temple (At the eastern end of Sannenzaka street)

The UNESCO-listed Kiyomizu-dera Temple is translated as Pure Water Temple, named after a crystal-clear waterfall - which still can be drank to pray - around which the temple was constructed 1,200 years ago. The main hall also provides an overlook to the panoramic cityscape of Kyoto and season colors around, explaining why it’s one of the most welcomed destinations for tourists. 

 Kennin-ji Temple (600 m/0.4 mi away to the west, 7 min’s walk)
Escaping into the quiet Zen world of the 800-year-old Kennin-ji from the busy Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka would be fascinating. There are typical “dry landscape” gardens, which use gravel and rocks to represent our universe, and treasured paintings to appreciate.  

 Gion (900 m/0.6 mi away to the northwest, 10 min’s walk)
Out from Kennin-ji Temple, visitors will enter the Hanami-koji Street of Gion area, the No.1 place in Japan to spot geishas walking to ancient ochaya teahouses to work. After dinner, visitors can stop by the southern Gion Corner on the street to watch authentic traditional art performances, including maiko dances.

 Yasaka Shrine (800 m/0.5 mi away to the north, 10 min’s walk)
Yasaka Shrine is often called Gion Shrine by locals. The shrine has a special place in Japan, not only because it’s where Japan’s most celebrated Gion Festival originated, but also what the said Gion area got its name from. 

 Sanjusangendo Temple (1.3 km/0.8 mi away to the southwest, 17 min’s walk)
Precisely, Sanjusangendo is the main hall of a temple whose other buildings have all been destroyed during over 800 years of history. It strikes the world with its wooden structure, the longest in the world, and 1,001 statues of thousand-armed Kannon stored within. 

Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka Photos & Videos