Kyoto Tower is located in the center of Kyoto Station. While today, people love the fact that it’s a part of Kyoto, they say there once was a debate whether Kyoto Tower was needed in the historical city, or whether it would ruin its beauty.

Right around Kyoto Tower, there are souvenir shopping streets, restaurants, an observatory and an especially notable large public bath house. It may sound strange for non-Japanese people to bath with naked strangers, but the Japanese love hot bath and cannot help enjoying it – especially when they see a large one like this. It opens at 7 in the morning, and so there are many tourists who arrive by the overnight bus and drop by to refresh before they go to their final destinations. Please note that people with large tattoos are not allowed to enter.