Kamo River Dining

京都鴨川の川床

It is that divine time of year when Kyotoites dine under the stars by the river.

Every May the restaurants along the Kamo River in central Kyoto erect decks that abut the rear of buildings and face the river.

This allows for more business - tables and chairs are set up on the decks - and a wonderful night of cold beer, cool breezes, and a great view of the mountains in the distance or the city up close, as one tucks into a delightful meal.

At many places reservations are required. However, at non-traditional restaurants - Thai, for example - or those towards the northern or southern ends of the stretch of establishments, you can usually just walk in.

Kyoto is one of the only - the only? - in which outdoor dining is part of the local culture.

The decks will be up until early September.

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Kyoto River Dining on the Decks

京都鴨川の川床

It is that divine time of year when Kyotoites dine under the stars by the river.

Every May the restaurants along the Kamo River in central Kyoto erect decks that abut the rear of buildings and face the river.

This allows for more business - tables and chairs are set up on the decks - and a wonderful night of cold beer, cool breezes, and a great view of the mountains in the distance or the city up close, as one tucks into a delightful meal.

At many places reservations are required. However, at non-traditional restaurants - Thai, for example - or those towards the northern or southern ends of the spectrum, you can usually just walk in.

The decks will be up until early September.

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Kyoto Homeless Shelter Under Kamo River Bridge

京都鴨川橋下のホムレス村自転車

Homelessness is not as obvious in Japan as in the United States.

Japanese homeless people do not beg, are not threatening, and tend to be very tidy.

Certain areas of large cities - Airin, in Osaka - have a high concentration of former day laborers who sleep in flop houses.

Still, though run down, these areas do not look or feel significantly different from other, more upscale, areas of urban Japan. (Compared to the US and Europe, Japan has no crime ridden slums.)

The make-shift shelter pictured at right is under a bridge along Kyoto's Kamo River.

Homeless people have stored various necessities - including a couple of old bicycles - under the bridge to keep them dry.

At night, they will return and sleep nearby.

Still, the river is safe and used twenty-four hours a day by the residents of the city.


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Young Japanese Couple Cycling Kamo River Kyoto

京都鴨川自転車で二人乗り

Spring in Kyoto is perfect for a slow ride along the banks of the Kamo River.

A young couple headed south on the east bank of the river, just north of Shijo Ohashi bridge.

They continued under the bridge, which crosses the river just east of the city's main intersection, Shijo - Kawaramachi.

The paving continues until about Shichijo.

Both sides are good for cycling, and a good way to avoid the dreaded automobile.

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Kamo River Path Construction

京都鴨川道整備

Work on the path on the bank of the Kamo River appears to be complete.

The new, smoother service extends on the west side of the river - the downtown side - almost to Shijo Bridge (the picture at right was taken several hundred meters north of Shijo and is looking north to the Sanjo Bridge in the distance). South of that and it reverts to the old bumpy surface.

This means that one can cycle, jog, or stroll on a smooth surface - with the some variation (hard sand, paving stone, etc.) - from Shijo to the far north of the city.

If one crosses at Kitayama, or another bridge, to the opposite bank (east side) it is a car-free ride all the way to Kamigamo Shrine.

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Kyoto Kamo River Spring

京都鴨川春

Spring finally came to Kyoto last weekend.

And the city poured outside, to parks and the Kamo River.

These photos were taken just north of the bridge that crosses the river at Imadegawa, east of the Imperial Palace and Doshisha University.

It is where the Takano River and Kamo River come together and form the Kamo River (different Chinese characters, same pronunciation).

It is moreover a popular spot for picnics and cycling.

The picture above right shows the place where the two rivers join. There are small concrete steps in the river, which children (and adults) use to hop across the water.

Below left shows the path in the foreground, Mount Yoshida in the distance.

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River Dining in Kyoto Opens May 1

京都川床５月１日開始

More than any other Japanese city, Kyoto has embraced its main river. The Kamo River, which flows adjacent to the center part of the city, has its share of concrete and in places fairly brutal embankments.

However, unlike other cities, which turned their backs on rivers as places of dirty places fit only for work - a port or factory - or vice, Kyotoites have always gone to the Kamo River to relax and enjoy nature.

On a daily basis, walking, jogging, cycling, tennis, soccer, bird watching, a picnic, and making out are among the many activities that take place along the Kamo.

Every summer though, downtown restaurants set up decks that overlook the river.

This is among the only outdoor dining in Japan.

In Kyoto, the "kawadoko" decks date to the Momoyama Period. Almost 100 restaurants between Nijo and Gojo, on the the west side of Kamo River, set up decks on stilts. They remain until early September.

Farther north, in Kibune, restaurants set up similar decks. Small platforms are placed directly above the the much smaller Kibune River, so that diners are seated above the water and can hear it.

Either location makes for fabulous drinking and dining.


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Kamo River Cycling on a Cold February Day

二月の京都鴨川自転車で

On a cold mid-February day we were cycling the former redlight district - and now quiet neighborhood - known as Gojo Rakuen.

It abuts the Kamo River between Shichijo Dori and Gojo Dori.

In its heyday, the area was bustling with theaters, restaurants, and brothels.

That ended with the outlawing of prostitution in the late 1950s. Once the ladies of the night closed their shutters for good, so too did the theaters and restaurants.

The area fell into a several decades long funk - some no doubt thought a long overdue "funk" - but is now being reappraised. There is a great cafe - eFish - just south of Gojo Dori on Kiyamachi, and a few other shops worth visiting.

Today, many of the old buildings remain, but the area is a quiet - and pleasant - neighborhood just south of central Kyoto.

Located by the river too has its charms, though, alas, the bike path on the west side of the river stops south of Shijo Dori before coming to Gojo.

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Fall in Kyoto Kamo River

秋の鴨川

Fall is finally upon us in Kyoto.

Following the departure of the recent typhoon, cool temperatures and deep blue skies replaced the late summer mugginess of recent weeks.

Like many, we got on the bike and headed for the Kamo River.

En route, we passed a children's festival and Nishijin. Ah, fall in Kyoto!

Both banks in the Demachiyanagi area were busy with cyclists, people out for a stroll, last-gasp sunbathers, and lots of people playing soccer, tennis, and other ball games.

White herons meanwhile were busily hunting in the glistening waters in front of us.

After a bento lunch and a long talk, we headed into town for dinner and drinks.


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Cycling Kyoto Kamo River

自転車で鴨川を楽しむ

Kyoto is blessed with one of the most beautiful rivers in Japan.

The Kamo River flows through the center of Kyoto, and is used and embraced by the city and its citizens.

Unlike many rivers in Japan - concreted over and under - and perceived of as smelly and or dangerous, the Kamo is a place people flock to.

On both sides there are paths that are used by pedestrians, cyclists, and picnickers.

On weekends the river is full of families with children.

And it is a great ride.

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Asahi Cycle Kitaoji Kyoto

自転車あさひ北大路

 Along Kitaoji Dori, just east of the Kamo River, is a mega bike store.

Asahi Cycle is a chain store that sells just about anything. It has a large showroom that is packed to the rafters bikes and bike stuff. 

We are not snobs but prefer to shop in smaller, locally owned and run shops.

Still, hats off to Asahi, which must be doing something right.

The Sakai based company was recently listed on Forbes Magazines "Asia's 200 Best Under A Billion" - the only Japanese company to make the cut.

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Kyoto Kamo River From Sanjo Bridge

三条大橋からの鴨川堤防

Looking north from the Sanjo Ohashi Bridge, one can see the newly completed walking path and grass planting.

Located on the west bank of the river, and just below the decks now out on the backs of the restaurants at left (they are set up every summer for dining under the stars), the new path is a hard sand base.

It is an attractive tan, flanked on both sides by green green grass.

We have our fingers crossed that workmen will appear and continue on south of Sanjo, Shijo, and deeper into south Kyoto.

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Kamo River Path Extension

鴨川サイクリング

The city has repaved (sanded?) the pedestrian path along the west bank of the Kamo River in central Kyoto.

The ride or walk is now smooth all the way to the Sanjo Ohashi (bride), which is where Starbucks is. (The photo is looking south towards Sanjo Ohashi, and the end of the new path.)

The City also appears to have planted grass at the front and back of the smooth sand - very hard sand so ideal for cycling. These areas are roped off.

From that point south, though, it is still bumpy and hard going, even if you are on a mountain bike with knobby tires.


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Video of Bike Ride Kamo River

自転車で鴨川の録画

The bike videos continue.

This ride takes in part of the embankment along the east side of the Kamo River.

We started just south of Sanjo. The second bridge we ride under is the Sanjo Bridge.

Other highlights are a homeless encampment - note the blue tarps under a bridge - the young skateboarders near the conjunction of canals that feed into the river from Okazaki, and of course the beautiful river itself.

The ride ended when we went up an exit ramp at Marutamachi Dori.




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Kitaoji Vivre by Bicycle

自転車で北大路通Vivreへ

In north central Kyoto, not far from the Kamo River is an area known as Kitaoji.

Close by, there are a few sites - Daitokuji Temple being the best known - Otani  University, and the river, but mainly it is a quiet upscale neighborhood.

For shoppers, though, the Vivre mall full of stores of good quality. The mall is located at a bus terminal and a subway stop, both of which are below the mall.

It has an LL Bean store, a good supermarket, and an excellent book store on the fourth floor.

Other nearby areas of interest are the Kyoto Botanical Gardens, and the even more upscale area of Kitayama.


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Kyoto Bike Date

鴨川自転車デート

Just north of the Imadegawa Bridge, the Kamo River and Takano River join creating the Kamo River. (The Chinese characters are different for the two rivers, but the transliteration is the same.)

The Kamo is the city's main river, and flows through central Kyoto.

This area is popular with families, picnickers, and young people.

Both banks are good for cycling, jogging, strolling, and a date.

The couple pictured below are still in their high school uniforms. One of them has come via bike.

It was roughly four in the afternoon, and the air was soft and humid.

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