famous road
Philosopher's Path
A peaceful stone-paved canal path lined with hundreds of cherry trees, connecting major temples in Kyoto's eastern hills.
33 km · about 40 min drive
AsiaJapanShiga
Kōka
Shiga, Japan · Asia
About Kōka
Kōka sits on the route: 10 minutes from Konan, 33km from Philosopher's Path.
Kōka is in Shiga, Japan, with about 90,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Konan, about 6 km away.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Kōka?
Within an hour or so of Kōka: Philosopher's Path (33 km), Kiyomizu-dera (34 km), Fushimi Inari Shrine (Fushimi Inari-taisha) (35 km), Gion District (35 km).
Are there any good drives near Kōka?
The nearest famous roads are Philosopher's Path and Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Trail.
Where is Kōka?
Kōka is in Shiga, Japan, about 6 km from Konan.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 89,619
- Continent
- Asia
- Country
- Japan
- Region
- Shiga
- Timezone
- Asia/Tokyo
- Coordinates
- 34.9802, 136.1575
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Japan
Japan Helpline (24h English assistance): 0570-000-911. An International Driving Permit (1949 convention) is required to drive.
Full driving guide for JapanTags
Worth the detour from Kōka
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Kiyomizu-dera
A historic Buddhist temple perched on a hillside with a massive wooden stage offering sweeping views over Kyoto.
34 km · about 40 min drive
landmark
Fushimi Inari Shrine (Fushimi Inari-taisha)
An iconic Shinto shrine famous for its thousands of vermillion torii gates that wind through the forested slopes of Mount Inari.
35 km · about 40 min drive
landmark
Gion District
Kyoto's most famous geisha district with preserved wooden machiya townhouses, traditional teahouses, and cobblestone streets.
35 km · about 40 min drive
photogenic
Shirahige Shrine
A vermilion torii standing in the shallows of Lake Biwa, some 40 metres offshore from the shrine buildings. The gate is best photographed at sunrise; the shore is reached from Route 161.
35 km · about 40 min drive
cafe
Kissa Soirée
A 1948 Kyoto tearoom lit entirely in blue, its walls hung with paintings by Seiho Takehisa. Famous for jelly punch, a glass of coloured gelatin cubes that glows under the blue light.
35 km · about 40 min drive
cafe
Inoda Coffee Honten
A Kyoto kissaten founded in 1940, serving its Arabian Pearl blend pre-mixed with sugar and milk by default. The wood-panelled original room off Sakaimachi street is a working institution, not a revival.
36 km · about 40 min drive
restaurant
Honke Daiichi Asahi
A Kyoto ramen shop by the station serving soy-based pork-bone broth with stacked chashu and heaps of leek since 1947. Queues form outside from breakfast onwards, alongside its long-time rival next door.
36 km · about 40 min drive
Driving roads near Kōka
- 33 kmPhilosopher's PathA peaceful stone-paved canal path lined with hundreds of cherry trees, connecting major temples in Kyoto's eastern hills.
- 74 kmMount YoshinoJapan's most famous cherry blossom viewing spot with over 30,000 trees covering an entire mountainside in waves of pink each spring.
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