The story behind this place
Teramachi means a town of temples. The shopping association traces the street’s name to Hideyoshi’s relocation of temples here in 1590, followed by merchants and craftspeople serving that temple district.
Books, prayer beads, brushes and other trades grew alongside the temples. The association’s history connects today’s shopping street with this mixture of religious life and practical commerce. Look for specialist shopfronts as well as familiar retail names, rather than expecting every building to be an old temple.
The covered arcade is one section of the longer Teramachi street. Shinkyogoku runs parallel just to its east, so it is easy to switch streets without noticing. Decide which section or shop you want to visit, and follow the named street signs when continuing toward Sanjo or Shijo.
Shopping association: street history ↗
Background sources: kyoto-teramachi.or.jp ↗ · kyoto-teramachi.or.jp ↗
Good to know
- Check the street name: Teramachi Kyogoku and Shinkyogoku are neighbouring, separate arcades.
Check the official visitor information ↗ before travelling.
