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Drinks Downtown, Kyoto

Pontocho Alley

A place for a drink in Downtown, Kyoto, pricey ($$$) and worth about 1.5 hours. Best time to go: Evening.

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Pontocho Alley in Downtown, Kyoto
Photo: Agi B · Google

Why go

Narrow lantern-lit lane of restaurants and bars along the Kamo River.

It is one of 10 curated places we feature in Kyoto, alongside 4 sights, 2 places to eat and 2 outdoor spots. 2 more of our picks sit within 1 km in a straight line, so it pairs easily with Hanamikoji Street and Nishiki Market.

Type
Drinks · Nightlife
Neighborhood
Downtown
Price
$$$
Time needed
1.5 hr
Best time
Evening

Nearby

The 6 closest curated picks in Kyoto, measured as straight-line distance.

  1. 1
    Hanamikoji Street

    Gion's main lane of wooden teahouses where geiko and maiko are sometimes seen at dusk.

    Sight · 0.4 km straight-line
  2. 2
    Nishiki Market

    Covered five-block food market for pickles, tamagoyaki, tofu and knives.

    Food · 0.6 km straight-line
  3. 3
    Kiyomizu-dera

    Hillside temple with a wooden stage over the trees and views across the city.

    Sight · 1.6 km straight-line
  4. 4
    Philosopher's Path

    Canal-side walk lined with cherry trees between Ginkaku-ji and Nanzen-ji.

    Outdoors · 2.9 km straight-line
  5. 5
    Omen Ginkakuji

    Long-running udon restaurant serving thick noodles with seasonal vegetables to add yourself.

    Food · 3.3 km straight-line
  6. 6
    Fushimi Inari Taisha

    Thousands of vermilion torii gates climbing Mount Inari behind the main shrine.

    Sight · 4.1 km straight-line

On these curated routes

Pontocho Alley is a stop on our Japan Golden Route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.

More bars & cafés in Kyoto

Another curated place for a drink in Kyoto. See the full Kyoto guide.

When to go

Average daily highs in Kyoto run from 7°C in January to 31°C in August; July is usually the wettest month. For Pontocho Alley itself, we suggest: Evening.

Modelled monthly averages for Kyoto from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Full Kyoto weather by month.

Getting there

Map links open a live search for Pontocho Alley, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.

Address
Kashiwayacho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-8014, Japan
Coordinates
35.00393, 135.77104
Destination
Kyoto, Japan

Pontocho Alley: quick answers

How much time do you need at Pontocho Alley?

Plan on about 1.5 hours at Pontocho Alley. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.

When is the best time to visit Pontocho Alley?

Our pick: Evening. Insider tip: Summer riverside platforms (kawayuka) open May–Sep.

Where is Pontocho Alley?

Pontocho Alley is at Kashiwayacho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-8014, Japan, in Downtown. The Google Maps and Apple Maps links on this page open it for directions.

Which TripsCircle routes include Pontocho Alley?

Pontocho Alley appears on Japan Golden Route, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.

Add Pontocho Alley to your crew's plan

Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Kyoto.

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Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.