Shimogyō-ku, Kyoto

Shimogyō-ku (下京区) is one of the eleven wards in the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. First established in 1879, it has been merged and split, and took on its present boundaries in 1955, with the establishment of a separate Minami-ku.

Shimogyō 下京区
Ward of Kyoto
Location of Shimogyō-ku in Kyoto
Shimogyō Location of Shimogyō-ku in Japan Show map of Kyoto city Shimogyō Shimogyō (Kyoto Prefecture) Show map of Kyoto Prefecture Shimogyō Shimogyō (Japan) Show map of Japan
Coordinates: 34°59′15″N 135°45′20″E
Country	Japan
Prefecture	Kyoto
City	Kyoto
Founded	1879
Area
• Total	6.78 km2 (2.62 sq mi)
Highest elevation	38 m (125 ft)
Lowest elevation	20 m (70 ft)
Population  (October 1, 2020)
• Total	82,784
• Estimate  (2021)	82,391
• Density	12,000/km2 (32,000/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Website	www.city.kyoto.lg.jp/shimogyo/

Kyoto Tower is a landmark in Shimogyō-ku.

Kyoto Tower and Kyoto Station are major landmarks in Shimogyō-ku. Shijō Street on the northern edge of the area, especially around the Shijō Kawaramachi intersection, is the busiest shopping district in the city. Kyoto Station has an extensive shopping center, including a department store in the station building, and the underground Porta mall.

Shimogyō-ku has a population of 82,784 and an area of 6.78 km². Three rivers, Horikawa, Kamogawa and Takasegawa pass through the ward.

Demographics

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1960	146,174	—
1970	116,200	−20.5%
1980	86,821	−25.3%
1990	73,457	−15.4%
2000	71,212	−3.1%
2010	79,287	+11.3%
2020	82,784	+4.4%
Source:

Economy

• Bank of Kyoto, a Japanese bank based in Kyoto.^[1]
• Omron, a global electronic components and automation manufacturer is headquartered in the ward.^[2]
• Takara Holdings, a company mainly involved in the production of beverages and medical supplies^[3]
• Tose, a video game and mobile game development company^[4]

Education

• Campus Plaza Kyoto
• Ikenobo Junior College
• Omiya Campus of Ryukoku University

Lycée français international de Kyoto, a French international school, is in Shimogyô-ku.^[5]

Sights

• Higashi Honganji
• Kyoto Railway Museum
• Nishi Honganji
• Taimatsuden Inari Shrine