JR Kyoto Isetan

The Kyoto train station is a very nice station. I visited it first in 2013 and came back this year all the way from Tokyo just to see it again and visit the nice Isetan shopping center located inside of this. The Kyoto train station has many great shops, selling lovely traditional japanese products. You will enjoy there very much and you can see things such as green tea powerder, traditional hair accessoires, lucky cat figures called Maneki neko, a lot of different foods to chose from and sweets, aswell as character goods for example Hello Kitty, Monster Hunter cats, Pikachu. This station itself is worth a visit too, because you will have a great view going up all stairs and looking down. Also the contruction itself is just beautiful. Yes, I really like this train station. If you need there are also cafés and a bookstore. Haha Kyoto station we will see again! Oh and if you visit there don’t forget to visit the nice bakery «Andersen» located inside of the Isetan shopping center they sell nice bread like things and they are sweet.

It began operating about 15 years ago. Relatively newly-​built department store in Kyoto. There had been no department store around Kyoto station, though three major departments had stood in Shijyo area. As Kyoto station is annexed to a Shinkansen station, as an entrance for sightseers, business customers, or foreign tourists, constructing a major department store brought large convenience.
By the way, I sometimes obtained a pair of tickets in the small art gallery of this dept and enjoyed the exhibition. I think mainly original paintings of picture books have been displayed here. In contrast to the major museum or art gallery, you can see them through within 30 hours or so. Along with shopping, dropping in here is recommendable.
There are long long steps adjacent to the department, where a competition of dashing up the stairs is held once a year. Participants compete with each other to win the champion. Very exciting! I have yet to see it. It has become a topic of this major department store.