of Kyoto Station on pages 10–11 of this book.
Part 2: GETTING AROUND KYOTO
Kyoto’s Transportation Network
Kyoto’s municipal transportation system consists of two subway lines, one running roughly north–south (the green Karasuma Line) and the other roughly east–west (the vermilion Tozai Line), and an extensive network of buses. There is also the JR (Japan Rail) system and several private rail lines as well as a few tram, cable car and ropeway lines that make for a colorful journey. Taxis are also a convenient option and getting around by bicycle is quite practical as the city is largely flat and manageably sized.
The difference between public (city-run) trains and buses and those run by private companies need not concern the traveler or the average user. More or less the same procedures are used for all of them. It is important to keep in mind that both trains and buses stop running at a certain hour of the night (little public transportation runs after midnight) and that English signage may be limited. For example, the name of a station will be written in English on the platform but guide maps above the ticket machines may be in Japanese only. Plan a route in advance and keep this book with you for reference.
Riding the Bus
Much of Kyoto is not served by any subway or rail line and buses are a key mode of transport. You can get most anywhere by bus but rides can be long, and if you have to wait a long time for the bus and change buses one or more times, you may be worn out by the time you reach your destination. Try to identify the fastest route when there are multiple route choices (see maps, pages 22–33) and don’t try to zip all over Kyoto in one day by bus. If visiting multiple tourist attractions in a day, it’s best to choose ones that are reasonably close to one another and leave things on the far side of the city for another day.
Kyoto city bus
Many Kyoto city buses are tinted green and all have their number and destination(s) displayed on a panel above the front wind-shield as well as next to the back door. Buses cost ¥220 within the city center. Outside the city center, fares increase depending on the distance traveled. Get on the bus at the back and take a ticket from the dispenser next to the door or insert a prepaid card (see Rail Passes and Prepaid Cards, page 16). This will be used to determine your fare if you go outside the ¥220 flat fare zone. There may be no ticket dispensers on some buses.
If you hear your destination announced, press a button next to the window to request a stop. Disembark from the front after putting the ticket and fare in the receptacle. If you don’t have the exact change, use the change machine, then count out the amount you need. Do not put bills, ¥500 coins and so forth directly in the coin receptacle. If unsure, show your money and ticket to the driver and he will point to the proper slot. There is also a separate slot for prepaid cards.
The two major private rail line operators in Kyoto, Hankyu and Keihan, also operate buses that are used in the same manner as Kyoto city buses. Some prepaid cards such as the One-Day Pass cannot be used on these.
The city of Kyoto operates three Raku Bus sightseeing buses (raku being an old-time, uniquely Kyotoite word for “city” and also meaning “easy, simple” in Japanese). These buses take people from the Kyoto Station bus terminal to multiple tourist attractions on a single trip. They have on-board English announcements and are a convenient option for people with limited time to spend in Kyoto. Bus 100 goes to the Kyoto National Museum and Sanjusangen-do Temple (Hakubutsukan-Sanjusangendo-mae stop), Kiyomizu-dera Temple (Kiyomizu-michi), Yasaka Shrine (Gion), Heian Shrine and Okazaki Park (Kyoto Kaikan-Bijutsukan-mae), Nanzenji and Eikan-do temples and The Philosopher’s Walk (Miyanomae-cho), Ginkaku-ji Temple (Ginkakuji-mae) and Chion-in Temple (Jingumichi). Bus 101 goes to Nijo Castle (Nijojomae), Seimei Shrine (Horikawa-Marutamachi), Nishijin Textile Center (Horikawa-Imadegawa), Kitano Tenmangu Shrine (Kitano-Tenmangumae), Kinkaku-ji Temple (Kinkakuji-michi) and Daitoku-ji Temple (Daitokuji-mae). Bus 102 goes from Ginkaku-ji Temple to Kinkaku-ji Temple via Daitoku-ji Temple (see map, pages 22–3).
Kyoto Station
Taking the Subway or Train
The subway system in Kyoto is not extensive but it is a quick way to travel north–south or east–west in central Kyoto. From Keage Station, for example, near Nanzen-ji and other temples on the east side, to Nijojo-mae Station (in front of Nijo Castle) west of central Kyoto takes under 10 minutes, the quickest means of making this trip by public transportation. Also, both subway lines connect directly to private rail lines reaching destinations outside Kyoto: the north–south Karasuma line connects to the Kintetsu Kyoto Line, reaching Nara in under an hour from Kyoto Station, and the east–west Tozai Line connects to the Keihan Keishin Line to Otsu and Lake Biwa.
The Hankyu and Keihan railways serve parts of Kyoto and can also be used to reach Kobe, Osaka and Otsu, and the Kintetsu Line goes to Nara. JR, Japan’s nationwide railway, is primarily used for getting away from Kyoto rather than traveling within it. It can be used to reach points throughout Japan if your visit to Kyoto is part of a longer journey.
The challenges in riding trains and subways are threefold: buying tickets or prepaid cards from machines; making sure you are headed in the right direction; and going out of the correct exit when you arrive.
When buying a ticket, first of all be sure that you’re using the right machine as some stations serve multiple train lines and tickets for each line are bought from separate banks of machines. Look for your destination on the route map above the machines, identify the route price and put that amount or more into the machine. Newer machines have a touch screen mechanism while older ones have physical buttons, but both will light up with numerals showing the fares that you can choose from (if you put in a ¥500 coin, for example, 230, 270, 310, 360 and 420 might light up). Push the button for the correct amount and take your ticket and change.
Rechargeable, contactless prepaid card
If you are not sure of the amount, buy the lowest-priced ticket. You will be able to make up the difference at your destination. There are generally fare adjustment machines inside the ticket gates that allow you to pay the difference or you can show the ticket to a station attendant who will tell you how much to pay.
If you’re planning to ride the train a few times, prepaid cards are the sensible option as you won’t have to bother with buying a ticket each time you get on the train. See the section on Rail Passes and Prepaid Cards below for details.
Before getting on the train, make sure you’re headed in the right direction by checking the final destination or the next station. At the stairs leading up or down to the platform there are signs indicating the final destination and sometimes other key stops along the way, and there are often signs on the wall facing the platform showing the name of the particular station and the stations behind and ahead of this one. Check the information gleaned from signs against the train and subway map on page 17.
Once you’ve gotten off
