Great spot · Kyoto

A PIT Autobacs Kyoto Shijo

Several floors dedicated to cars, and the scale model I'd been hunting for since Tokyo.

While I was in Tokyo, I had never heard of this store. On my last day, before flying back to France, I looked for cool places to visit, and A PIT Autobacs is the one that really made me want to go. I'll tell you all about it in this article.

Practical info

A PIT AUTOBACS KYOTO SHIJO

1 Saiin Yasuzukacho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto 615-0051, Japan
10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
10 min walk from Yamanouchi Station (Randen) or 14 min from Saiin Station (Hankyu)
On-site parking: first hour free, 2 hours free with a purchase of ¥1,000 or more
Tax-free shopping available: bring your passport. From November 1, 2026, refunds are only given at the airport.

Open in Google Maps Official website (in Japanese)

A whole building for enthusiasts

A PIT Autobacs spreads over several levels. Here's how it's laid out:

Upstairs: Wheels and parts for your car. I didn't have time to go up there.
At the entrance: A bookstore, then the A PIT area, where I spent over an hour finding what I really liked.
Scale models of every size
T-shirts and clothing
Goodies
Magazines
Kits to modify your car
Downstairs: Car dealerships, right inside the building.

Wall of NARDI, OMP and Prodrive steering wheels at A PIT Autobacs Kyoto Shijo — The steering wheel wall: NARDI, OMP, Prodrive…

Shelves of scale models, Fast & Furious collections and car magazines at A PIT Autobacs Kyoto Shijo — Scale models and magazines, including a Fast & Furious collection.

The scale model corner

There's something for every scale and every budget: small 1/64 models, like the Mini GT range with a whole section for Liberty Walk (the brand I tell you about in my Liberty Walk Osaka review), up to big 1/18 KK Scale models, like the Ferraris in the display case at ¥19,580, about €110.

Shelf of 1/64 Mini GT scale models with a Liberty Walk label at A PIT Autobacs Kyoto Shijo — 1/64 Mini GT models, with the Liberty Walk section.

My take

All in all, it's a great store. Prices are affordable for clothing, goodies and magazines. Scale models are pricier, but connoisseurs will find some real gems and rare pieces. My only regret: not taking the time to go upstairs and see the wheels. I still don't know why!

A little story

My gem before flying home

I really wanted to bring home a scale model of the Mitsubishi I had rented in Tokyo, but despite searching the different stores, I had never found it.

It was here, in an aisle entirely dedicated to the brand, that I finally found my gem: the scale model closest to my rental, a 1/64 Lancer Evolution IX from the HJ64 range (Hobby Japan), in the same silver as my Evo VIII. It cost me about €17, if I remember correctly.

A really nice souvenir before heading back to France.

1/64 scale model of a silver Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX on its black display base — My HJ64 Lancer Evolution IX, brought back from A PIT Autobacs.

Good to know

You can even buy miniature garages to display your cars, but they cost a fair bit, and they take up room in your suitcase!

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