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In the southern half of the city, many of the major avenues are numbered, from Ichijô (First Avenue) in the center of the city, down to Jûjô (Tenth Avenue) in the south.
In the southern half of the city, many of the major avenues are numbered, from Ichijô (First Avenue) in the center of the city, down to Jûjô (Tenth Avenue) in the south.
The following list details only a number of streets in the center of the city.
==East-West Roads, listed from North to South==
==East-West Roads, listed from North to South==
*'''Sanjô-dôri''' (三条通, "Third Avenue") - The Sanjô Ôhashi (large bridge over the Kamogawa) marked the western end of the [[Tokaido|Tôkaidô]].
*'''Sanjô-dôri''' (三条通, "Third Avenue") - The Sanjô Ôhashi (large bridge over the Kamogawa) marked the western end of the [[Tokaido|Tôkaidô]].
*'''Shijô-dôri''' (四条通, "Fourth Avenue") - The area around the intersection between Shijô and Kawaramachi is known as the site of the birth of [[kabuki]], and remains a popular nightlife area today.
*'''Shijô-dôri''' (四条通, "Fourth Avenue") - The area around the intersection between Shijô and Kawaramachi is known as the site of the birth of [[kabuki]], and remains a popular nightlife area today. In the [[Azuchi-Momoyama period]], the north side of Shijô, especially near the center of the city, was lined with shops selling [[lacquer]]wares, lumber, fans, hardware, cloth & clothing, and so on.<ref name=machinami>"[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/11737423965/in/dateposted-public/ Kyoto no machinami]," gallery labels, National Museum of Japanese History.</ref>
*'''Gojô-dôri''' (五条通, "Fifth Avenue") - The Gojô Ôhashi (bridge over the Kamogawa) is said to have been the site of the first meeting between [[Minamoto no Yoshitsune]] and [[Benkei]].
*'''Gojô-dôri''' (五条通, "Fifth Avenue") - The Gojô Ôhashi (bridge over the Kamogawa) is said to have been the site of the first meeting between [[Minamoto no Yoshitsune]] and [[Benkei]].
==North-South Roads, listed from West to East==
==North-South Roads, listed from West to East==
[[File:Shijo-muromachi.jpg|right|thumb|500px|The Shijô-Muromachi area in the 1570s-1580s, as seen in a scale model at the National Museum of Japanese History]]
*'''Horikawa-dôri''' (堀川通) is one of the major north-south avenues in the city, and runs largely parallel to the [[Horikawa River]]. In the [[Heian period]], the street was called Horikawa-ôji, and divided into two - Higashi (East) Horikawa-dôri and Nishi (West) Horikawa-dôri - flanking the river, which was a major waterway for the transportation of goods and commodities. A lumber market, and surrounding neighborhood of lumber merchants' residences, was found alongside the Horikawa at that time. Today, much of the Horikawa has been placed underground.
*'''Horikawa-dôri''' (堀川通) is one of the major north-south avenues in the city, and runs largely parallel to the [[Horikawa River]]. In the [[Heian period]], the street was called Horikawa-ôji, and divided into two - Higashi (East) Horikawa-dôri and Nishi (West) Horikawa-dôri - flanking the river, which was a major waterway for the transportation of goods and commodities. A lumber market, and surrounding neighborhood of lumber merchants' residences, was found alongside the Horikawa at that time. Today, much of the Horikawa has been placed underground.
*'''Koromonotana-dôri''' (衣棚通, lit. "clothes shelf street") was one of the new streets built in 1590; a number of shops specializing in producing monks' robes existed in the area, giving the street its name.
*'''Koromonotana-dôri''' (衣棚通, lit. "clothes shelf street") was one of the new streets built in 1590; a number of shops specializing in producing monks' robes existed in the area, giving the street its name.
*'''Muromachi-dôri''' (室町通) was known as Muromachi-kôji during the Heian period. It became the site of the palace/headquarters of the [[Ashikaga shogunate]], thus giving the [[Muromachi period]] its name. The street was a major merchant street during that period, and was the first street to be restored after the devastation of the wars of the [[Onin War|Ônin]] and [[Bunmei]] periods.
*'''Muromachi-dôri''' (室町通) was known as Muromachi-kôji during the Heian period. It became the site of the palace/headquarters of the [[Ashikaga shogunate]], thus giving the [[Muromachi period]] its name. The street was a major merchant street during that period, and was the first street to be restored after the devastation of the wars of the [[Onin War|Ônin]] and [[Bunmei]] periods. In the Azuchi-Momoyama period, Muromachi-dôri was home to shops selling [[sake|saké]], ''[[tabi]]'', and [[kimono]], among other goods. Alleyways branching off from the street led to the homes of low-ranking samurai footmen and servants (''[[komono]]'', ''[[wakato|wakatô]]'', and ''[[chugen|chûgen]]'').<ref name=machinami/>
*'''Ryôgaemachi-dôri''' (両替町通, lit. "money-changers' district street") was among the new streets built in 1590. The mint (''[[ginza (Kyoto)|ginza]]'') and exchange office (''[[ryogae-ya|ryôgae-ya]]'') were located on this road, along with other financial organizations, and continued to be a major financial district into the [[Edo period]]. During the [[Genroku]] period, the street lent its name to the "Ryôgaemachi lifestyle."
*'''Ryôgaemachi-dôri''' (両替町通, lit. "money-changers' district street") was among the new streets built in 1590. The mint (''[[ginza (Kyoto)|ginza]]'') and exchange office (''[[ryogae-ya|ryôgae-ya]]'') were located on this road, along with other financial organizations, and continued to be a major financial district into the [[Edo period]]. During the [[Genroku]] period, the street lent its name to the "Ryôgaemachi lifestyle."
*'''Teramachi-dôri''' (寺町通, lit. "temple district street") runs alongside the east side of the Imperial Palace grounds. It was known as Higashi-kyôgoku-ôji in the Heian period, and when the city was being reconstructed in the 1590s, Hideyoshi ordered many of the city's temples to relocate here. Thus, large stretches of the street are today lined with temples. A stretch between Nijô and Shijô is a much more commercial area today, with cafés, art galleries, restaurants, and, for a short distance, a bustling covered shopping arcade.
*'''Teramachi-dôri''' (寺町通, lit. "temple district street") runs alongside the east side of the Imperial Palace grounds. It was known as Higashi-kyôgoku-ôji in the Heian period, and when the city was being reconstructed in the 1590s, Hideyoshi ordered many of the city's temples to relocate here. Thus, large stretches of the street are today lined with temples. A stretch between Nijô and Shijô is a much more commercial area today, with cafés, art galleries, restaurants, and, for a short distance, a bustling covered shopping arcade.
*'''Kawaramachi-dôri''' (河原町通) is one of the city's main north-south avenues. The road was constructed in the early years of the Edo period, when the river's banks were reconstructed, around the same time as the [[Takase Canal]] was completed. During the Edo period, the northern section of the road was called Mikuruma-michi, and the southern sections Suminokura-dôri. During the [[Meiji period]], a streetcar line ran along Kawaramachi.
*'''Kiyamachi-dôri''' (木屋町通, lit. "street of lumber shops district") runs alongside the Takase Canal. The road was constructed in the early years of the Edo period, at the same time as the canal. At the time, merchants trading in lumber, charcoal, firewood, and the like all gathered their products here, hence the name of the street. Today, it is a major nightlife district, and has many cafés and boutiques during the day.
*'''[[Pontocho|Pontochô]]''' (先斗町) is a narrow pedestrian alley which is located between the west bank of the Kamogawa, and Kiyamachi-dôri, with which it runs roughly parallel. Established in the late 17th century, it remains a major [[geisha]] district today.
==Other Notable Streets==
*''''Ninenzaka''' (二寧坂・二年坂, "two year incline") and '''Sannenzaka''' (産寧坂・三年坂, "three year incline") are two small streets in the Yasaka/Gion neighborhood on the east side of the city. Nineizaka is said to have gained its name simply from its proximity to Sannenzaka. The area was developed in the [[Edo period]] by Masuya Kihei, who received permission from the authorities in [[1758]] to begin building residences there. The neighborhood then took the name Masuya-chô. The current appearance of the street dates to the [[Taisho period|Taishô period]], and is maintained as a nationally-designated area for townscape preservation.<ref>Plaques on-site.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/46558085562/in/photostream/]</ref>
==References==
==References==
*Plaques on-site, at the intersections of each street with Oike-dôri.
*Plaques on-site, at the intersections of each street with Oike-dôri.
<references/>
[[Category:Cities and Towns]]
[[Category:Cities and Towns]]
