Best Smoking Spots in Kyoto (京都市) (2026)
Kyoto's smoking scene is tightly regulated to preserve the city’s historic wooden architecture and ensure safety in heavily crowded tourist areas. Street-smoking enforcement is exceptionally strict across popular sightseeing neighborhoods such as Gion, Kiyomizu-dera, Kawaramachi, and the bustling area surrounding Kyoto Station. While smoking on public streets is prohibited city-wide, local authorities and private properties provide several designated public spaces to accommodate smokers.
Fushimi Inari-taisha, Kyoto, 20240818 1357 4465
Photo: Jakub Hałun · Wikimedia Commons
CC BY 4.0 Modified
5
Featured
spots
¥1,000
Street smoking
fine
Free
All spots
free to use
Kyoto smoking rules
Under the Kyoto City Ordinance, smoking outside designated zones in Enhanced Street Smoking Prevention Areas carries an on-the-spot fine of 1,000 JPY. Additionally, smoking while walking, riding bicycles, or even using portable ashtrays in these restricted municipal areas is strictly prohibited.
Read more about smoking fines in Japan →Top 5 Designated Smoking Areas
24/7 #1
新京極公園 喫煙スペース
Shinkyogoku Park Smoking Space
This outdoor public smoking area is located inside Shinkyogoku Park, tucked away just off the busy Shinkyogoku Shopping Street and Teramachi Street. It is a partitioned open-air space situated right behind the famous Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine and near the Kawaramachi OPA department store. As one of the few legal outdoor spaces in Kyoto's central shopping district, it is highly popular and accessible 24/7.
📍 京都府京都市中京区中之町５３８
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24/7 #2
ブラジル喫煙所
Brazil Smoking Area
This outdoor public smoking area is located near the Takano neighborhood in Kyoto's northeast Sakyo Ward. Positioned close to the scenic Takano River and the Takano Bridge, this spot is a helpful stop for those exploring the quieter residential areas or traveling toward Ichijoji. It is open 24/7, providing a legal space to smoke in an area with very few public facilities.
📍 パル高
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24/7 #3
空が見える喫煙所(伊勢丹4F 出口)
Sky-View Smoking Area (Isetan 4F Exit)
This outdoor smoking terrace is located on the 4th floor of the Kyoto Station Building, directly accessible through the JR Kyoto Isetan 4th-floor exit. Situated right next to the spacious Muromachi-koji Plaza, it is an open-air area that allows you to smoke while enjoying a view of the sky and the impressive station architecture. It is an ideal spot for a quick break before boarding a Shinkansen or after shopping.
📍 〒600-8215 京都府京都市下京区
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24/7 #4
ホテル淀キャッスルインフロント前喫煙所
Hotel Yodo Castle Inn Front Smoking Area
This convenient outdoor smoking spot is situated near the ground-floor entrance of the Yodo Castle Inn in Fushimi Ward. Located a short 3-minute walk from the Keihan Line's Yodo Station (Exit 4), it provides an easily accessible open-air terrace space with ashtrays. It is highly practical for travelers staying in the southern Kyoto area or visiting the nearby Kyoto Racecourse.
📍 〒613-0904 京都府京都市伏見区淀池上町１４７−２４
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24/7 #5
長岡天神内喫煙所
Nagaoka Tenjin Shrine Grounds Smoking Area
This outdoor smoking spot is located on the beautiful, historic grounds of Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine in Nagaokakyo City, southwest of Kyoto. Set close to the scenic Hachijo Pond, it provides a quiet, designated space for visitors to relax amid the shrine's famous azalea gardens. It is a convenient resting spot for those walking from Hankyu Nagaoka-Tenjin Station or exploring the local historical sights.
📍 京都府長岡京市天神２丁目１５
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