Matsubara-dori Street (松原通)
Matsubara-dori Street is one of the major east-west streets in Kyoto City. It starts in front of the gate of Kiyomizu-dera Temple and extends a block beyond Sainishi-dori Street in the west. From the east end (which is the gate of Kiyomizu-dera Temple) to the Higashioji-dori Street is also called Kiyomizu-michi. The street west of Teramachi-dori Street corresponds to Gojo-oji Street of Heian-kyo.
The beautiful pine trees bordering the street led it to be called 'Gojo-Matsubara-dori Street,' but only the name 'Matsubara-dori Street' remains.
Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI moved a bridge in Gojo to where it is today, and the street two blocks south (having the name Gojo-no-hashi Bridge) then assumed the name of Gojo-dori Street.
Therefore, the bridge of the Matsubara-dori Street is the true 'bridge in Gojo' where Ushiwakamaru and the priest Musashibo Benkei are said to have met; this means that the statues of Ushiwakamaru and Benkei standing at Gojo-ohashi Nishizume are two blocks south of where they should be.
Incidentally, some say that the bridge where they met was the one spanning over the Kamo-gawa River (Yodo-gawa River system), while others say the bridge was the one near Gojo Tenshingu Shrine that crossed a river running along Nishinotoin-dori Street, since Kamo-gawa had no bridge.
Most of Matsubara-dori Street today is a narrow, one-way road in the shopping district that continues across Horikawa-dori Street.
This street is the only one (except for main thoroughfares such as Sanjo, Shijo, Gojo and Shichijo) that can take you from Karasuma-dori Street to Higashioji-dori Street by car (not in the opposite direction).
Main facilities along the street
Kiyomizu-dera Temple
Sannei-zaka Slope
Rokudo-chinno-ji Temple
Rokuharamitsu-ji Temple
The Higashiyama Police Station of Kyoto Police
The headquarters of the Kyoto Shinkin Bank
Myooin Fudo-ji Temple
Choko-ji Temple
Gojo Tenshingu Shrine
The Horikawa Police Station of Kyoto Police
Japan Tobacco Kyoto Kaikan Hall
DIAMOND CITY Hana