Thursday February 20th, 2025 / Last updated : Thursday February 20th, 2025 京すずめ

Is a 10,000 yen tourist tax high or low? ≪３≫ ～How to use the tourist tax, the creation of the Okoshiyasu Program, and new tourism proposals Creation of the Heian Sky Corridor　　(Welcome Program) ～

　Yoshie Doi

　I would like to propose a new approach to urban development in Kyoto City, dividing the space into different heights. The entrance to a department store in Kyoto may become an “air corridor Heiankyo view gate.

  1. An underground space with access to JR, subway, Hankyu, and Keihan
  2. An underground commercial space aimed at expanding the underground shopping district
  3. A walking town space on the ground
  4. A business space up to 60 meters high where economic activities take place
  5. How about making Kyoto’s slogan an initiative that takes into consideration landscape administration, such as establishing the Heian Sky Corridor on the rooftops of buildings that is 3.3 km long and allows visitors to enjoy the scenery of the mountains on three sides, unchanged since the Heian-kyo period, above the 60-meter height limit?

 

View from the Heian
Corridor, Higashiyama,
Kitayama, Nishiyama, Kamogawa River, Katsura River
Economic activity, science and technology, living space
Ground
Underground space, underground shopping street, subway, private railway
  1. Coexistence with nature, such as mountains and rivers, that will remain unchanged for 1200 years, 100 years, or 1000 years from now
    A）The Heian Sky Corridor will be a 3.3km long corridor consisting of bridges and walkways on the rooftops of buildings 60m above ground facing Kyoto Station, Shijo, Oike, Kawaramachi and Karasuma Streets.
    B）It will be free to enter between 7:00 and 9:00, contributing to the health of citizens.
    A fee will be charged between 9:30 and 21:00, and visitors from both inside and outside Kyoto can use it. Based on the data on the number of visitors to Kyoto from the blog dated January 29, 2025, \ $20 (usage fee) x 20,000 (20% of visitors to Kyoto) = \$400,000/day 360 days per year \$144,000,000 (144 million dollars)
    C) Raise funds by establishing a citizen fund and a Kyoto revitalization fan fund
    D）Top Off Kyoto at the Rihga Royal Hotel, located to the east of Kyoto Station, is the only aerial restaurant in Japan that rotates 360 degrees once an hour. The view from the 14th floor is amazing. To the south, the tower of Toji Temple and the Shinkansen somehow match each other. I have been fascinated by the view from this aerial restaurant for many years.
  2. Living space for Kyoto citizens below 60m above ground
    1. Economic activity: Finance, commerce, and the entrance to Kyoto’s department stores is on the rooftop (Heian Skywalk).
    2. Science and technology: Economic activity of companies that have their headquarters in Kyoto or want to have their headquarters there
    3. Living space for citizens: clothing, food, and shelter
    4. Area for preserving cultural properties
    5. Sightseeing and food space for visitors to Kyoto
    6. Kamo River banks: Conversation path, also used as a tourist resource
  3. Underground Space
    1. Subway, Hankyu, Keihan, Porta, Avanti
    2. Connect the basements of buildings and expand the underground commercial area
    3. Expand and beautify the underground promenade

Skywalks around Kyoto Station Building and Shijo

Unfortunately, the mountains cannot be seen from the rooftops of the department stores Daimaru and Fujii Daimaru. This is because of obstacles. The mountains can be seen slightly to the northeast from the rooftop of Takashimaya. The building with a view of the mountains in the Shijo area is Hotel Monterey Kyoto (Karasuma Sanjo Sagaru). The spa lounge on the top floor (13th floor) is a rare spot in the city for the Gozan no Okuribi fires, as there are no obstacles to the north. Kyoto Station Building also has a view of the entire mountain.

We would like to find building owners who will cooperate with the Heian Skywalk and make it a reality.
This time, we proposed a future urban landscape. From the next issue, we will be presenting proposals unique to Kyoto.

(Continued in the next issue)

 

The end of document
Translated by Masami Otani

 

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