Shichijo Station (七条駅)
Located in Shimo-Horitsumecho, in the Higashiyama Ward of Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Shichijo Station is a stop on the Keihan Main Line of the Keihan Electric Railway. It's one of the terminal stations of the Keihan Electric Railways, located in Kyoto. All trains stop at this station.
The color tone of the station's platforms is purple.
This is the color code indicating the resistance value of resistance units; it implies the numeral '7.'
Station layout
It's an underground station with two platforms opposite each other and two tracks in between. It's located at Shichijo Ohashi Higashitsume, directly beneath the intersection of Kawabata-dori and Shichijo-dori streets. Ticket gates and platforms are installed on the first underground level.
Other underground stations on the Keihan Line are of two-level construction, so the ticket gates and concourse are located on the first underground level and platforms are on the second underground level; however, this station is of one level with both ticket gates and platforms on the first underground level. Due to its structure, independent ticket gates are installed for each platform, and beyond the ticket gates there is no passageway linking the two platforms. Access to Platform 1 for Demachiyanagi Station is through the entrance on the west-side pavement of Kawabata-dori Street, while access to Platform 2 for Yodoyabashi Station is by way of the entrance on the eastside pavement of Kawabata-dori Street. However, because an (underground) access linking the ticket gate to the opposite side is available outside each ticket gate, it is possible to go to the opposite-side ticket gate without returning aboveground even after descending to a ticket gate on the wrong side. This access way allows connection to the opposite side by going under the tracks. The reason for such construction may probably have been caused by the inevitable thin layer of earth covering the section between Tofukuji Station and Shichijo Station going underground (from aboveground), which made the construction of a two-level underground structure impossible.
A spin-off effect of such construction was the assurance of fare collection from passengers on the turnaround trains then being operated by Keihan (by purchasing a special ticket and getting on at Tofukuji Station for Shichijo Station and then transferring to a Keihan super express made it possible to go as far as Yodoyabashi Station) (special tickets for turnaround trains are currently not sold and it's necessary to purchase a ticket again at Shichijo Station). Boarding turnaround trains is no longer required because super express (including K-Ltd. express) trains now stop at Chushojima Station and Tanbabashi Stations, thereby ensuring the convenience of stations where non-local trains don't stop.
Boarding platforms
※Each of the platforms has a length sufficient to accommodate eight cars.
Station surroundings
The station is situated underground, below the crossing of Kawabata-dori and Shichjo-dori streets. The Kamo-gawa River (Yodo-gawa River system), spanned by the Shichijo Ohashi Bridge, flows immediately to the west of the station.
East side of the station
Kyoto National Museum
Toyokuni-jinja Shrine
Hoko-ji Temple
Mimi-zuka (Ear mound)
Sanjusangendo Temple
Yogenin Temple
Chishakuin Temple
Myohoin Temple
Kyoto Women's University, Kyoto Girls' Senior High School and Kyoto Girls' Junior High School
Hyatt Regency Kyoto
West side of the station (opposite bank of the Kamo-gawa River)
Shosei-en Garden
Shin-shu Hombyo
JR Kyoto Station, approximately 15 minutes on foot (about 1.1 km)
Given the considerable distance, the usual route taken by passengers transferring to JR Lines departing from/arriving at Kyoto Station is to go from Tanbabashi Station (Kintetsu Tanbabashi Station) via Kintetsu Kyoto Line or from Tofukuji Station via the JR Nara Line; surprisingly, however, many people transfer by walking between Shichijo Station and Kyoto Station to economize on carfare. To go to a destination on either the Biwako Line or the Kosei Line via the Keihan Line, the usual route in the past was to transfer to the Keihan Keishin Line at Sanjo Station and change again at Yamashina Station (Keihan Yamashina Line) to the Biwako Line or Kosei Line; however, as operations west of Goryo Station on the Keishin Line were discontinued and fares hiked after the Kyoto Municipal Subway Tozai Line began operations, it is assumed that some users have chosen to walk the distance between Shichijo Station and Kyoto Station (nevertheless, city buses continue to operate between the two stations).
Hitomachi Koryukan Kyoto
The Bank of Yanagihara
Bus boarding stations
Nanajo Keihan-mae
The bus stop is located along Shichijo-dori Street of Shichijo Ohashi Higashitsume (intersection of Shichijo-dori and Kawabata-dori streets).
The station name is 'Shichijo,' but the bus stop is read 'Nanajo' (as it has been called since the days when streetcars were in operation and the bus stop was called 'Nanajo Ohashi' in order to avoid confusion with 'Ichijo' and/or 'Shijo.')
Again, when referring to the vicinity of the station or intersection, locals frequently say 'Nanajo Keihan' instead of 'Shichijo Keihan.'
However, referring to Shichijo as Nanajo is mistaken (Nanajo is how Shichijo is called in Kyoto).
Kyoto City Bus
Route 206: For Kitaoji Station (via Higashioji-dori Street); for Senbon Kitaoji (via Kyoto Station)
Route 208: For Kujo Shako depot (via Tofuku-ji Temple); for Nishioji-Kujo (via Nishioji-Shichijo)
RakuBus Route 100: For Ginkaku-ji Temple (via Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Gion) /Kyoto Station
History
When the Keihan Main Line commenced operations, the Daibutsu-mae Station (refer to The Great Buddha of Kyoto regarding derivation of the station's name) was a short distance away. Thereafter, with Kyoto City's decision to widen Shichijo-dori Street and lay tracks for its trams, Daibutsu-mae Station was decommissioned for the sake of transfer convenience, and this station facing Shichijo-dori Street was inaugurated on the following day.
April 27, 1913: The station opened on.
April 1, 1916: The station became a station at which express trains would stop.
June 29, 1935: The "Great Kamo-gawa River Flood," which occurred, inflicted severe damage on the station facilities.
October 1, 1943: The stationt became a Keihanshin-Kyuko-Dentsu (now Hankyu Corporation) station due to amalgamation.
September 15, 1945: The station closed to prevent potential transportation-related complications.
May 3, 1945: The station reopened for business.
December 1, 1949: The station became a Keihan Electric Railway station as a result of the corporate spin-off.
On September 1, 1950: The station became a station at which super express trains would stop.
October 1, 1978: The level crossings with Kyoto City Trams disappeared as a result of the complete discontinuation (on September 30) of Kyoto City Trams.
April 1984: Incidental to the commencement of underground works, the railway tracks were relocated to the east side (formerly a channel) and the platform for Sanjo was relocated to the north on the opposite side of Shichijo-dori Street; and platforms that once zigzagged on both sides of Shichijo-dori Street became platforms placed opposite each other with tracks in between.
May 24, 1987: The underground station was inaugurated.
July 15, 1987: Operations north of Shichijo were suspended for the entire day due to inundation, and shuttle service operated with Shichijo Station as a turnaround station.
May 10, 1988: Construction works for conversion to a subway system completed, and land where former surface tracks existed was opened to the public as Kawabata-dori Street.
September 1, 1988: The 'no smoking throughout the day' rule was implemented within the station facilities.
March 2008: Elevator facilities to support the handicapped were installed.
Neighboring stations
Keihan Electric Railway
K-Ltd. Express/Super Express
Tanbabashi Station - Shichijo Station - Shijo Station (Keihan)
Express
Fushimi-Inari Station - Shichijo Station - Gojo Station (Keihan)
Local Express/Local
Tofukuji Station - Shichijo Station - Gojo Station