The Shijo Kawaramachi area is a downtown area representative of Kyoto. Even the new Don Quijote Shijo Kawaramachi Store, opened on June 5, 2020, on Kawaramachi-dori Shopping Street, expresses that traditional Japanese atmosphere!
The chic brown Kyoto Don Quijote building blends into the surrounding cityscape. The floors are packed with the excitement and charm of Don Quijote, from B1F to 4 floors above ground. Even the interior is designed with a Kyoto flair.
Let’s have a look at the newest Don Quijote in Kyoto!
Kyoto Don Quijote: Great Location Near Station Facing Kawaramachi-dori
The Don Quijote Kyoto Shijo Kawaramachi Store is in a great location. Walk three minutes north along Kawaramachi Dori from Hankyu Kyoto Line Kawaramachi Station, or five minutes across the Kamo River from Keihan Main Line Gion-Shijo Station.
The eight-story building has a calm atmosphere, but even if you’re just walking by, the Don Quijote display will catch your eye. With stone-paved floors and brown lattice accentuating the signboard and pillars, the Japanese-style decorations bring character to both the exterior and interior.
Many Surprises Unique To Kyoto Don Quijote
Products line both sides of the narrow passages from floor to ceiling. This is one of Don Quijote’s main selling points. However, there are so many other cool things, both hidden and visible, that are unique to this store. The first is found at the front of the 1st floor.
Because the shop is located near where the Omiya Inn stood (the site where Ryoma Sakamoto and Shintaro Nakaoka were assassinated at the end of the Edo Period), throughout the shop you will see the iconic blue penguin of Don Quijote, known as Don Pen, dressed up as Ryoma Sakamoto.
There are lanterns hanging from the ceilings, and even the staff uniform is different from other locations – a blue polo shirt with a Japanese pattern apron. A badge on the chest shows an image of Kyoto.
Finally, the purple color (Kyo-murasaki) that is the official color of Kyoto City is incorporated in the pop designs of the products.
Pay Attention to the Elevators, Escalators, and Stairs
On the walls and behind the handrails of the staircase on the 1st floor are images of Don Pen with Japanese motifs, such as the vermilion torii gates and rickshaws. The interior of the elevators is also decorated in a Japanese style, as well as in the escalators (escalators are up-only).
You can find unique Don Pen images all throughout the store.
Original Kyoto-Related Goods
The regular Don Quijote shopping bag (which costs a fee from June 2020) is a well-known yellow bag. This shop, however, also has a paper shopping bag (M size when you spend over…
