Photo= Image of restaurant floor to be arranged in the first basement. Various items including Kyoto-produced refined sake and local beer will be offered

Kyoto Tower's commercial building in Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, will undergo renovation from next spring, after more than half a century of operation in front of JR Kyoto Station. The largest-ever remodeling is expected to attract more than 50 stores, including restaurants where local refined sake can be enjoyed, confectionery stores, tenants providing cultural experience programs, and others. This will enliven the neighboring area.

The renovation was decided upon by Keihan Holdings Co., Ltd., based in Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, which holds stakes in the operation of Kyoto Tower and Keihan Electric Railway Co., Ltd., to attract more customers to the neighborhood of Kyoto Station, which many tourists utilize. Within the building which has nine stories above ground and three stories underground and that is located at the foot of the tower, three floors, from the first basement to the second aboveground floor, will be fully refurbished.

The new facility will be named "KYOTO TOWER SANDO." Its concept is to unite Kyoto's largest terminal and the ancient capital city, tourists and citizens. The first basement will be a restaurant floor with approximately 20 restaurants, including bars where refined sake and local beer can be savored, steak houses, and others. The first floor will have about 30 stores that sell goods like Japanese confectionery, sweets, cosmetic products and others. The second floor is the experience zone, where visitors can experience making sushi and confectionery. The investment amount has not been disclosed.

Kyoto Tower Building has a hotel on the upper stories and a public bath in the third basement. Last year, a tourist information center for foreigners was opened on the third floor. There were souvenir shops and a hundred-yen store on the floors to be remodeled, but now all except for a café on the first floor have closed.

Kyoto Tower was opened in 1964. The Keihan Group has been actively investing in the tower for renovating the tower's observation deck, adopting LED (light-emitting diode) for illumination, refurbishing the hotel's guest rooms, and so on. They stated, "With the synergistic effect of the new tower building, we would like to make the tower a facility that Kyoto residents and repeat tourists can visit."