The , also known as the Kyoto City Subway, is the rapid transit network in the city of Kyoto, Japan. Operated by the Kyoto Municipal Transportation Bureau, it has two lines.
In 1931, the Kyoto City Civil Engineering Bureau proposed a municipal development plan that included the construction of a âÂÂhigh-speed railwayâ along either the Horikawa Line (å Âå·Âç·Â) or the Nishioji Line (西大路ç·Â), with a connection to Kyoto Station. At the time, the precise form of this system had not been defined, and possibilities included an underground railway, a monorail, or a surface line built on a dedicated right-of-way.
By 1939, amid growing international tensions during the World War II, the head of Kyoto CityâÂÂs urban planning department advocated for formal study of a subway system, reportedly noting that air battles would occur, highlighting concerns over the vulnerability of surface transportation. In July of that year, the issue became a subject of debate at the Fourth Subcommittee of the Greater Kyoto Development Council (大京é½æ¯èÂÂ審è°ä¼Â).
In 1965, the Kyoto City Transportation Business Council, chaired by Eiji Yonetani, Professor Emeritus of Kyoto University released a report concluding that, in the long term, KyotoâÂÂs urban transportation system should transition to a framework centered on subways and buses, with the gradual abolition of the streetcar network. Building on this assessment, the Kyoto City Long-Term Development Plan announced in August 1966 identified streetcars as a significant impediment to road traffic flow amid rising motorization.
On October 24, 1972, the Minister of Transport granted Kyoto City a license to operate a local railway, authorizing construction of the Karasuma Line between Kitayama and Takeda. The initial plan envisioned the full opening of the KitayamaâÂÂTakeda corridor by March 1978. However, worsening municipal finances and prolonged land acquisition negotiations, particularly in the sections between Kitayama and Kitaà Âji, and between Kyoto and Takeda necessitated a revision of the construction schedule. As a result, the Kitaà ÂjiâÂÂKyoto segment was designated as a priority development area and advanced ahead of the remaining sections.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the project was held on November 29, 1974, marking the formal start of construction. The first operational section of the Karasuma Line, running between Kitaà Âji Station and Kyoto Station, commenced service on May 29, 1981.
The Kyoto Municipal Subway is made up of two lines: the long, 15-station Karasuma Line, and the long, 17-station TÃ Âzai Line, which together share one interchange station (Karasuma Oike Station):