Wins Kyoto (ウインズ京都)
Located in Higashiyama-ku Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, WINS Kyoto is an off-course betting facility of horse race.
Summary
Its neighborhood gets very crowded on weekends as it faces Hanamikoji-dori Street and next to it is Gion Kobu Kaburenjo Theater (a theater which shows geisha (Japanese professional female entertainer at drinking party) dances) and maiko (apprentice geisha) dance).
So, it is conducting a campaign called 'Leave your cars at home!'
This is probably the only place in Japan where one can witness at the same time the maiko of Gion, visitors to the Kaburenjo Theater, tourists from overseas, and horse racing fans who hold racing newspapers.
Access
Ten minutes on foot from Shijo Station on the Keihan Electric Railway
Twelve minutes on foot from Kawaramachi Station on the Hankyu Railway
It houses a free-of-charge parking lot for approximately 400 motorcycles and 400 bicycles.
Race Days
Betting: generally from 9:00 (or until 17:00 on the previous day)
Refund: generally until 17:00
No Race Days
Refund only.
10:00 to 16:00 (closed on the last Tuesday of every month, at year end and the New Year holidays, on National Holidays, and on substitute public holidays)
Betting Units
This was partly changed in 2008.
Regular: \500 each (\100 each for Win, Place, and Trifecta)
Races of GI (International grade one) and JpnI (Japan grade one): \1000 each (\100 each for Win, Place, and Trifecta)
Races Available for Betting
All races at Kyoto Race Course and Hanshin Race Course, and all races in summer season as Chukyo Race Course and Kokura Race Course. Generally also the last four races of other race courses.