Senbon-dori Street (千本通)

Senbon-dori Street is one of the major north-south streets in Kyoto City. It corresponds to the broad Suzakuoji avenue of Heian-kyo.

Today
It extends from Takagamine in Kita Ward (Kyoto City) in the north to the crossing with Kyoto-Moriguchi Line of the Kyoto/Osaka Prefectural Route 13 in Noso-cho, Fushimi Ward, in the south.

Umekoji Park and the Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum interrupt the street between Shichijo-dori Street and Hachijo-dori Street.

The section from Hachijo-dori Street to Kuzebashi-dori Street is referred to as the former Senbon-dori Street because Shin-senbon-dori (new Senbon-dori) Street runs one block west of it. The section south of Kujo-dori Street was once called Toba-kaido Road.

The section north of Sanjo-dori Street was widened during the Meiji and Taisho periods and served as the main north-south street; however, in the section south of Sanjo-dori Street the role has been taken over by the route once held by Kyoto City Trams, diverging to Koin-dori Street and continuing into Omiya-dori Street south from Shijo-dori Street. The street south of Sanjo-dori Street has long been as wide as what it was in the early days.

History, Origin
The street was originally the broad avenue called Suzakuojie, the central avenue of Heian-kyo. The street was said to have been laid out in such a manner that Mt. Funaoka was directly ahead.

Some say its name comes from the thousand Buddhist pagodas that were placed in order to hold a mass for the dead carried to the burial site at the western foot of Mt. Funaoka.

With the decline of Ukyo (the western part of the capital), it became a street on the western outskirt of the capital. Additionally, the Dai-dairi (site of the Imperial Palace and government offices) had to be moved, and the street was extended to the north from Nijo-dori Street through the area where the Dai-dairi should have been located.

Today it has conceded its position as the central north-south avenue to Karasuma-dori Street.

During the late Meiji period, as part of three major reconstruction projects in Kyoto City, the widening of streets and the construction of the City Trams were carried out, and the Senbon Line of Kyoto City Trams ran on the street between Kitaoji-dori Street and Sanjo.

During the Meiji and Taisho periods, the street between Sanjo and Imadegawa-dori Street was an area for shopping and entertainment that compared to Kawaramachi-dori Street.

Main facilities along the street

Bukkyo University

Mt. Funaoka

Kyoto Lighthouse, Senbon-Kitaoji Sagaru (to the south of Senbon-Kitaoji)

Joborendai-ji Temple, Senbon-Kuramaguchi Agaru (to the north of Senbon-Kuramaguchi)

Injo-ji Temple (Kyoto City) (Senbon Enmado Injo-ji Temple), Senbon-Rozanji Sagaru (to the north of Senbon-Rozanji)

Shakuzo-ji Temple (Togenuki-jizo Ksitigarbha)

Daihon-ji Temple (Senbon Shakado)

Daigokuden-ato (remains of Daigokuden), Senbon-Marutamachi

Tozai Line of the Kyoto Municipal Subway, Nijo Station

Sagano Line of Sanin Main Line, Tanbaguchi Station

Suzaku Campus of Ritsumeikan University (Nakagawa Kaikan Hall)