Japanese御池通の名前の由来
Where the Name Oike-dori Comes From
Other spellings and namesOike-dōri / Oike / Oike Avenue / Oike Ōji / 御池通
In short
Oike-dōri (御池通) is said to have gotten its name in the mid-Edo period because it was the road leading to the pond (ike) in Shinsen-en. It was originally a narrow lane of Heian-kyō called Sanjō-bōmon Kōji, and after wartime clearances it became an avenue 50 meters wide.Key points in 30 seconds
The name is said to come from the road leading to the pond of Shinsen-en
It came to be called Oike-dōri in the mid-Edo period
Originally Heian-kyō's Sanjō-bōmon Kōji lane; now 50 meters wide
In the street-name song, it comes right after Oshikōji-dōri
The Road to the Pond of Shinsen-en
Oike-dōri is said to have come to be called Oike-dōri ("Honored Pond Street") in the mid-Edo period because it led to the pond of Shinsen-en (神泉苑), a vast garden that once spread over the area from today's Nijō Castle to around Sanjō-dōri. At the time, it is said to have been a lively street where silk wholesalers and sword-related craftspeople gathered.
The name refers not to the street itself but to the pond that lay beyond it. Though it is hard to imagine from the street's present width and traffic, the memory of a place dating back to Heian-kyō survives in the name.
What Kind of Pond Was the "Oike"?
Shinsen-en was a garden and pond built in 794 (Enryaku 13) by Emperor Kanmu as an imperial garden, adjoining the southeast of the Greater Imperial Palace and measuring four chō north to south and two chō east to west. It had a garden incorporating a great pond, springs, streams, and small hills, along with a palace whose main hall was the Kenrinkaku, and successive emperors are said to have held banquets and outings there.
In 824 (Tenchō 1), Kūkai is said to have prayed for rain on the bank of this pond, and in 863 (Jōgan 5) a goryōe (a rite to appease vengeful spirits) was held to quell an epidemic. In 869 (Jōgan 11), 66 halberds (hoko) were set up to ward off misfortune, which is said to have led to the later Gion Festival. In the Edo period, the construction of Nijō Castle diverted its spring water into the castle moat, and Shinsen-en lost the northern part of its grounds. It was designated a National Historic Site in 1935 (Shōwa 10) and is now a temple of the Tō-ji Shingon sect.
From a Lane to a 50-Meter Avenue
Until modern times, Oike-dōri was a narrow lane called Sanjō-bōmon Kōji, dating back to the building of Heian-kyō. The big change came at the end of World War II. In 1945, to keep fires from air raids from spreading, houses from the west bank of the Kamo River to Horikawa-dōri were cleared, and in 1947 it was decided to use the cleared land as a city-planning road 50 meters wide.
In the Shōwa 30s (1955–1964), as the number of Gion Festival spectators grew, the route of the yamaboko float procession was changed to the wide Oike-dōri. Oike-dōri became a procession route for the Gion Festival and the Jidai Festival, and it is beloved as Kyoto's road for hare (festive occasions).
After the war, as one of the city's main roads, it became lined with high-rise office buildings. From 1996, the Oike-dōri Symbol Road improvement project, built around the keywords "road, garden, stage," was carried out, and all targeted sections were completed in 2003. By 2002, two artworks, including Island Lake (a floating island of water), had also been installed through an art-space project.
A history of Oike-dōri
| Period | Event |
|---|---|
| Since the building of Heian-kyō | A narrow lane called Sanjō-bōmon Kōji |
| Mid-Edo period | Said to have come to be called Oike-dōri as the road leading to the pond of Shinsen-en |
| 1945 | Houses from the west bank of the Kamo River to Horikawa-dōri are cleared to prevent the spread of fire from air raids |
| 1947 | Decision to use it as a city-planning road 50 meters wide |
| Shōwa 30s (1955–1964) | The Gion Festival's yamaboko procession route is changed to Oike-dōri |
| 1996–2003 | Oike-dōri Symbol Road improvement project (begun 1996; all targeted sections completed 2003) |
| 1997 | The subway Tōzai Line opens, along with the Oike underground shopping mall and more |
"Oike" in the Street-Name Song
In the song for memorizing the east–west streets, "Maru take ebisu ni oshi oike," oike comes right after oshi (Oshikōji-dōri). In the song's order, Oike-dōri comes after Oshikōji-dōri and before Anekōji-dōri. Laying the song's order over a map, you can trace the streets from north to south.
Often Seen in Intersection Names and Addresses
The name is also used in intersection and bus stop names combined with north–south street names, such as Karasuma Oike, Kawaramachi Oike, and Horikawa Oike. Karasuma Oike, which is also a subway junction, is a place where people gather, and Kyoto City Hall and Nijō Castle stand along Oike-dōri. It also often appears as a reference point in addresses, as in Kyoto City Hall's address, "Teramachi-dōri Oike-agaru."
Remembering Oike as an east–west axis makes it easier to grasp how places in the city center relate to one another. Oike-dōri also forms the northern edge of the Ta-no-ji area.
Walking Tip: From Shinsen-en to City Hall
To trace the name's origin, start at Shinsen-en. Its address is "167 Monzen-chō, Oike-dōri Shinsen'en-chō higashi-iru, Nakagyō Ward," a 2-minute walk from Nijōjō-mae Station on the subway Tōzai Line. As of October 2026, the grounds are open for worship from 7:00 to 20:00.
From there, walk east along Oike-dōri, past Horikawa-dōri and Karasuma-dōri, and you will come out toward Teramachi and Kawaramachi, where Kyoto City Hall stands. As you walk along the 50-meter-wide avenue, imagine that it was once a narrow lane, and you will get a real feel for the street's history.
Mini quiz for this entry
Check what you've read with 1 multiple-choice questions.
The pond thought to have inspired the name Oike-dōri was located where?
Sources and verification
Content checked: October 11, 2026
Updated: October 11, 2026
References are in Japanese.