Getting Around

Kyoto is Japan's most visitor-friendly city, with lots of English-language signs and an easy-to-navigate transportation system.

By Public Transportation -- Kyoto's subway and bus networks are efficient and quite easy to use. For more information, stop by the Bus and Subway Information counter in front of Kyoto Station to the right of the bus platforms (tel. 075/371-4474; daily 7:30am-8pm) or check online at www.city.kyoto.lg.jp/kotsu. One of the best ways to explore Kyoto, however, is by foot.

By Subway -- Kyoto has two subway lines, with stops announced in English. The older Karasuma Line runs north and south, from Takeda in the south to Kokusai Kaikan in the north, with stops at Kyoto Station and Imadegawa Station (convenient for visiting the Imperial Palace). The newer Tozai Line runs in a curve from east to west and is convenient for visiting Nijo Castle and Higashiyama-ku. The two lines intersect in central Kyoto at Karasuma Oike Station. Fares start at ¥210 (children pay half fare in Kyoto) and service runs from 5:30am to about 11:30pm. Although buses are generally more convenient (they usually get you closer to where you want to go), I sometimes opt for the subway even if I have to walk a bit, simply to avoid hassling with buses and their unknown stops.

By Bus -- The easiest way to get around Kyoto and to most of its attractions is by bus. Buses depart from Kyoto Station's Central (north/Karasuma) exit, with platforms clearly marked in English listing destinations. Both the Kyoto Tourist Information office and the Bus and Subway Information counter give out excellent maps showing major bus routes. Some of the buses loop around the city, while others go back and forth between two destinations. Most convenient for sightseeing is Raku bus no. 100 (some of which look like old-fashioned trolleys), which makes a run every 10 minutes from Kyoto Station to major attractions in east Kyoto, including the Kyoto National Museum, Gojo-zaka (the approach to Kiyomizu Temple), Gion, Heian Shrine, Nanzenji, and Ginkakuji. Raku bus no. 101 departs Kyoto Station for Nijo Castle and Kinkakuji, while Raku bus no. 102 cuts across north Kyoto and connects Ginkakuji and Kinkakuji.

The fare for traveling in central Kyoto is ¥220 for a single ride or ¥500 for a 1-day pass (good for all local buses; you can buy it on the bus). Board the bus at the rear entrance and pay when you get off. If the bus is traveling a long distance out to the suburbs, there will be a ticket machine right beside the back door -- take the ticket and hold onto it. It has a number on it and will tell the bus driver when you got on and how much you owe. You can see for yourself how much you owe by looking for your number on a lighted panel at the front of the bus; the longer you stay on the bus, the higher the fare.

Transit Passes -- If you think you'll be doing a lot of sightseeing in 1 or 2 days, it may pay to buy a pass. A city bus all-day pass costs ¥500. Passes for both buses and subways cost ¥1,200 for 1 day or ¥2,000 for 2 days and are available at subway stations or the Bus and Subway Information counter at Kyoto Station. Alternatively, such prepaid cards as the Traffica Kyoto Card, which give you a 10% discount, can be used for city buses and subways, and are available in values of ¥1,000 and ¥3,000. Because there is no time limit, they're convenient if you're staying in Kyoto for several days.

For journeys farther afield, the Kansai Thru Pass (Surutto Kansai; www.surutto.com) allows foreigners (you must show your passport) to ride subways, private railways (no JR trains), and buses throughout Kansai, including Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Nara, and Mount Koya, with a 2-day pass costing ¥3,800 and a 3-day pass costing ¥5,000. Children pay half-price. You would have to do quite a bit of traveling to make this worthwhile. It's available at the Kansai International Airport's Travel Desk (first floor international arrivals) or at the Bus and Subway Information counter in front of Kyoto Station.

By Taxi -- Taxis in Kyoto come in two different sizes with only slightly different fares. Small ones are ¥660 for the first 2km (1 1/4 miles), and large ones are ¥710. Taxis can be waved down or, in the city center, boarded at marked taxi stands or at hotels. MK Taxi (tel. 075/721-4141) also offers individualized English-language guided tours.

By Bicycle -- A popular way to get around Kyoto is by bike, made easy because there are few hills and because most streets are named. During peak season, you might even be faster on a bike than a bus. However, you do have to be on guard for vehicular traffic. Kyoto Cycling Tour Project, a 3-minute walk from the Central (north) Exit of Kyoto Station (turn left upon exiting the station and walk past the post office and APA Hotel; tel. 075/354-3636; www.kctp.net), open daily 9am to 7pm, rents bikes beginning at ¥1,000 a day, including a cycling map of the city. It also offers guided cycling tours.

Neighborhoods in Brief

Around Kyoto Station -- The southern ward of Shimogyo-ku, which stretches from Kyoto Station north to Shijo Dori Avenue, caters to tourists with its cluster of hotels and to commuters with its shops and restaurants. Kyoto Station, which caused quite a controversy when built because of its size, height, and futuristic appearance, is now this area's top attraction with Isetan department store, a shopping arcade, restaurants, and dramatic public spaces, including a rooftop plaza.

Central Kyoto -- Nakagyo-ku, the central part of Kyoto west of the Kamo River and north of Shimogyo-ku, embraces Kyoto's main shopping and nightlife districts, with most of the action on Kawaramachi Dori and Shijo Dori and Teramachi and Shin-kyogoku covered shopping arcades. Most of Kyoto's legendary craft stores are located here, along with numerous restaurants and bars. Home also to Nijo Castle, Nakagyo-ku has a number of exclusive ryokan tucked away in delightful neighborhoods typical of old Kyoto. But downtown is changing fast, as Kyoto's younger generation lays claim to new shopping and entertainment complexes, such as Shin-Puh-Kan, a renovated telephone company building on Karasuma Dori filled with shops and restaurants and an open stage for concerts, and Kyoto International Manga Museum, housed in a former elementary school. Nakagyo-ku is one of the most desirable places to stay in terms of convenience and atmosphere.

Pontocho, a narrow lane that parallels the Kamo River's western bank just a stone's throw from the Kawaramachi-Shijo Dori intersection, is Kyoto's most famous street for nightlife. It's lined with bars and restaurants that boast outdoor verandas extending over the Kamo River in summer. Paralleling Pontocho to the east is Kiyamachi, a narrow lane beside a canal lined with bars and restaurants popular with the young.

Eastern Kyoto -- Eastern Kyoto is a great area for walking, shopping, and sightseeing. East of the Kamo River, the wards of Higashiyama-ku and Sakyo-ku boast a number of the city's most famous temples and shrines, as well as restaurants specializing in Kyoto cuisine and Buddhist vegetarian dishes, and shops selling local pottery and other crafts. Gion, Kyoto's most famous geisha entertainment district, is part of Higashiyama-ku. Customers are entertained in traditional wooden geisha houses that are not open to the public (you can only gain entry through introductions provided by someone who is already a customer) -- but the area makes for a fascinating stroll.

Northern Kyoto -- Embracing the Kita-ku, Kamigyo-ku, and Ukyo-ku wards, northern Kyoto is primarily residential but contains a number of Kyoto's top sights, including the Kyoto Imperial Palace, Kinkakuji (Temple of the Golden Pavilion), and Ryoanji Temple, site of Kyoto's most famous Zen rock garden.

Fast Facts

You can also make inquiries at one of the tourist offices or the Kyoto City International Foundation (tel. 075/752-3010; www.kcif.or.jp), which provides information in English for people living in Japan and some tourist information. It's open Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 9pm.

Area Code -- If you're calling a Kyoto number from outside Kyoto but within Japan, the area code for Kyoto is 075. For calls within Kyoto, don't dial the area code.

Climate -- Kyoto is generally hotter and more humid than Tokyo in summer and colder than Tokyo in winter.

Currency Exchange -- In addition to banks, places to exchange money after banks close are large department stores like Isetan, Takashimaya, and Daimaru, and the Kyoto Handicraft Center. You can also exchange money at the World Currency Shop on the eighth floor of Kyoto Station (tel. 075/365-7750), open Monday to Friday 11am to 5pm. When changing money, be sure to bring your passport. The most convenient ATMs accepting foreign credit cards are at Kyoto Central Post Office next to Kyoto Station or at one of many 7-Eleven convenience stores in Kyoto.

Electricity -- In both Kyoto and Nara it's 100 volts, 60 cycles, almost the same as in the United States (110 volts, 60 cycles); your two-pronged appliances should work, but they'll run a little slowly (there are no three-pronged plugs in Japan).

Hospitals -- Most hospitals are not equipped to handle emergencies 24 hours a day, but a system has been set up in which hospitals handle emergencies on a rotating basis. Hospitals in Kyoto include Japan Baptist Hospital (Nihon Baputesuto Byoin), north of Kikage, east of Shirakawa, Sakyo-ku (tel. 075/781-5191), Kyoto University Hospital (Kyoto Daigaku Byoin), Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku (tel. 075/751-3111), and Kyoto Municipal Hospital (Kyoto Shiritsu Byoin), Gojo Dori Onmae, Nakagyo-ku (tel. 075/311-5311). There's also a holiday emergency clinic on Shichihonmatsu Street, north of Marutamachi (tel. 075/811-5072). For less urgent care, Sakabe International Clinic, Gokomachi, Nijo-sagaru, Nakagyo-ku (tel. 075/231-1624), has an English-speaking staff. In addition, the Kyoto City International Foundation (tel. 075/752-3010) has information on English-speaking doctors and dentists.

Internet Access -- Media Café Popeye has two locations in central Kyoto: next to the Kyoto Royal Hotel & Spa at Sanjo Kawaramachi (tel. 075/253-5300) and just north of Shijo Dori and east of Teramachi, above a United Colors of Benetton shop (tel. 075/257-5512; entrance around the back). Both are open 24 hours and charge ¥420 for 1 hour, with discounts for additional hours. There's an Internet cafe in the Kyoto Handicraft Center, open daily 10am to 7pm and charging ¥400 for the first 30 minutes and ¥200 for every 30 minutes after that.

Lost Property -- If you leave something on the Shinkansen bullet train, you have to call the last stop of the train (regardless of where you got off). For trains terminating in Kyoto call tel. 075/691-1000. Items lost at Kyoto Station are turned in to the lost-and-found office (tel. 075/371-0134), which is open daily 8am to 7:30pm. If you lost something along a street or outside, contact the nearest koban (police box). Taxi Kyodo Center (tel. 075/672-1110) handles lost and found for all taxi companies.

Luggage Storage & Lockers -- Kyoto Station has lockers for storing luggage beginning at ¥300 for 24 hours, including lockers large enough for big suitcases (¥600) on its south (Shinkansen) side.

Mail -- The Kyoto Central Post Office, located just west of Kyoto Station's Central (north) Exit (tel. 075/365-2471), is open Monday to Friday 9am to 9pm, Saturday 9am to 7pm, Sunday and holidays 9am to 7pm. You can mail packages bound for international destinations here. To the south of the Central Post Office's main entrance is a counter offering 24-hour postal service; stamps for letters are also sold from vending machines. There are also ATMs here, where you can obtain currency Monday to Saturday from 5 minutes past midnight to 11:55pm, Sundays and holidays 5 minutes past midnight to 8pm, and consecutive holidays (for example, 3-day weekends) 7am to 8pm.

Police -- The national emergency telephone number is tel. 110.