Kyoto+Japan Guide

About Kyoto

Often called the Paris of the East, Kyoto is Japan's 8th largest city (~1.4 million people) and the cultural heart of the country. While the monicker "ancient capital" may conjure images of narrow roads and traditional architecture, Kyoto is a modern city that is part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto megalopolis, 9th largest in the world. Nevertheless, there are countless temples, shrines, gardens, historically preserved districts that attracts over 50 million tourists per year (pre-COVID).

Orientation

Kyoto is a city surrounded on three sides by mountain and extends south west towards Osaka. The city is separated by Kyoto station and the train tracks. North side is where most of the commercial and tourist activity happens while the south side, rarely visited by tourists (except for Fushimi Inari), is more industrial and not as scenic. Japan is an incredibly safe country and so is Kyoto as a city, but some locals do avoid some limited parts of the south side.

The center of the city is in a near perfect grid pattern making navigation very easy. The center of the city is defined by Oike st. in the north, Shijo st. in the south, Karasuma st. in the west, Kawaramachi st. in the east.

Kyoto Institute of Technology, where SUGAR EXPO 2024 will be hosted, is located in the northern residential area of the city, ~15 minute subway ride from the center of town.

Climate

Kyoto experiences a humid subtropical climate and early June falls within the beginning of the rainy season, known as "tsuyu." While the temperature is moderate between 20 to 30 degrees Celsius, the combination of warmth and humidity can create a muggy and sticky atmosphere which is not commonly found in Europe. It's best to keep an eye out on the weather forecast and carry an umbrella if in case. Note that the rainy season is nowhere near extreme or violent as the monsoon seasons in South East Asia or India.

Transportation

Public Transportation

For a Japanese city, the Kyoto is poorly served by subways with only two lines in the city (Karasuma Line and the newer Tozai Line). Many residents still rely on busses which are prominent in the city but can be tricky to navigate. Bus data is available on Google Maps and are generally reliable. Some popular bus stops may have multiple waiting areas so be sure to identify the correct one, and be warned that busses going on both directions have the same number, so you need to make sure that you are going the right direction on the right bus.

The Kyoto Institute of Technology is roughly 8 minute walk from the subway station Matsugasaki on the Karasuma line (station K02). This is by far the easiest way of reaching campus.

One of the greatest challenges for traveling in Japan, even for Japanese people, was figuring out how to pay for all the different public transportation systems that exist. The complexity is incomparable to any other country. Several years ago, the advent of the IC card fixed this problem almost entirely.

The ICOCA card is an IC card which can be charged and used for most of the main transportation systems in Japan with the notable exception of the bullet trains (some other express trains may require an extra fee once you get in the train). They are available at JR stations (but not subway stations) and it is best to pick up one of these at the airport (deposit of 500 yen required). You can also get a refund (220 yen processing fee) if you don’t use up your ICOCA, so don’t worry about overcharging your card. If you’re in Tokyo, you can get the SUICA card which is virtually the same thing (works perfectly in Kyoto too). The cards can be used on some vending machines, convenience stores, and taxis as well.

Design may vary (but probably just as cute)

There are gates at every train station where you have to use your ICOCA card (this is how they calculate how much to deduct). Some busses will only have readers at the front where you exit while others that span long distances will have one at the entrance in the back. Be sure to beep when you board.

Long Distance Transportation

Kyoto station is the long distance hub for Kyoto and where the famous bullet train comes along with other Japan Railway (JR) trains to other cities. This is most likely your first stop in Kyoto, and unlike Europe where areas surrounding the central train station can be seedy, the area surrounding Kyoto Station are clean and bustling with commercial activity. There are also other private train companies that depart from other areas of Kyoto that go to nearby cities such as Osaka and Nara. Note that some trains will actually cross two different train systems, for example the Kyoto subway becomes the Kintetsu line and heads towards Nara.

Most long distance busses, including night busses, depart from Kyoto Station as well.

Taxis

Taxis are abundant in the city center and the chances of being "taken for a ride" is virtually zero. However, many taxi drivers speak minimal English so be prepared to visually show where you want to go, e.g. a point on a map or a card from your hotel with the address on it. Uber is available in Kyoto but it calls a standard taxi instead of a gig worker, so there is no difference in price or quality (Uber may charge you a standard calling fee). Use it only when you can't find a taxi close by.

Other Modes of Transportation

As the city is relatively flat and compact, weather permitting, cycling is a great way to get around the city. There are many shops that rent out bicycles to tourists and bicycle theft is unheard of (but do lock your bike). On the other hand, bicycle parking in the city center can be limited, and bikes parked in the wrong place could be impounded by the city. There are both paid and unpaid bicycle parking in the city.

Renting a car is highly discouraged since parking is difficult to find and expensive in the city center, and unless you come from the UK, Australia, India, or Singapore, you’re going to be driving on the other side of the road. International driver’s license is accepted in Japan.

Getting in and out

There is no airport in Kyoto. Instead the city is served by the two airports in Osaka:

Kansai International Airport (KIX) is the main international gateway for the Kansai region and most likely the airport you will use. The Haruka express train from the airport goes directly to Kyoto station in 75 minutes and departs every 30 minutes for about 3000 yen. Cheaper options are available if you take the bus or connect local trains, but this is not suggested.

Itami or Osaka International Airport (ITM) is the primary domestic airport for Osaka. There is a possibility that you will use this airport if your international flight connects in Tokyo or South Korea. From the airport there are frequent busses that go directly to Kyoto station in 50-60 minutes which is fairly simple to take.

Unless you are planning to visit the capital city, it is not recommended to use Tokyo as an access point to Kyoto since taking the train will take over 3 hours over multiple connections, and the long-distance bullet train is not cheap in Japan.FlyingGl

Lodging

As a major domestic and international tourist destination, there is absolutely no shortage of lodging options in any budget in Kyoto. While properties can fill up during the high seasons, early June should not be too difficult to find a room. Nevertheless, it's prudent to book early for the best options, and Japanese hotels tend to have generous cancellation policies so you can always change if you find something better.

Because Kyoto Institute of Technology is located in a residential district, there is no real good lodging option within walking distance. The ideal location to stay, considering transportation to the university, is close to the subway Karasuma line (green line). Marutamachi, Karasuma-Oike, Shijo stations will keep you in the center of the city and within easy reach of the university.

Probably enough hotels?

Inside Kyoto has a great breakdown of the different lodging options available in Kyoto, albeit slightly outdated (prices have gone up). Hotels.com, Booking.com, and all the major international reservation sites work perfectly in Kyoto, and there is an active AirBnB scene in the city as well.

Eating

There are no shortages of restaurants in Kyoto, period.

Like with every other major city in Japan, there is a large range of cuisines, styles, and price points.While food can be cheaper than many western cities, it can also be very expensive on the other end so do make sure you do some research if the restaurant looks high end.

Tripadvisor is a great place to research restaurants with many travellers leaving reviews.The locals use a website called tabelog which does have a poorly laid out English version while Yelp is barely used and not that useful. Many establishments are inside buildings and on multiple floors. Some buildings can easily have four, five restaurants so make sure you’re going to the right one.

Some ramen restaurants and lunch-type places will have vending machines near the entrance where you pay and get a ticket which the restaurant staff will collect. If you have problems operating the machine, just ask the staff or someone around. Being ripped off is unheard of, but note that many places have a 150 ~ 400 yen charge for the first dish which is automatically served (called “Tsukidashi” or “Otoshi”). You’ll probably think to yourself... “I didn’t order that,” but you can’t avoid it.

Japan can be a difficult place if you have dietary restrictions (e.g. vegetarian, vegan, hallal, kosher). While Kyoto is trying to adjust with the recent influx of international visitors, it is still behind many western cities. Japanese cuisine often uses fish stock so that even if no meat is visible, it’s not entirely vegetarian. Here are two websites that could help you find restaurants:

https://kyoto.travel/en/info/food-diversity.html

https://www.happycow.net/searchmap?location=kyoto

Kyoto has the highest consumption of bread/pastries per capita in Japan with bakeries on most streets. Definitely try out some bakeries during your stay.

Convenience stores are everywhere, and they really are convenient.

Money Matters

The currency in Japan is yen which comes in 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500 yen coins and 1000, 2000 (rarely found), 5000, 10,000 yen bills. The conversion is roughly 1 USD = 1 EUR = 150 yen (oh how this has changed in the last year) so the math is not too tricky.

While it's rapidly changing, Japan is still a heavily cash-based society. Small stores and A LOT of small restaurants don’t accept credit cards, so it’s a good idea to carry cash. Even stores that advertise cashless payment may not take credit cards. They instead accept barcode based smartphone payments which are commonly found in Asia but not in the west. Cities are very safe and older Japanese people tend to carry significant cash.

International bank cards work in Japan, but not in all ATMs. Outside of airports, the best bet is to use ATMs in the omnipresent 7-Eleven convenience stores and post offices (other convenience stores may work).

Tipping is not a custom in Japan. Period. No need to think about it. People get paid fair wages here and if you leave money on the table, they will run after you trying to return the change that you "forgot.”

Internet

The lack of open WiFi is one of the top complaints for foreign tourists coming to Japan (along with language), although the situation seems to be getting better in Kyoto. Note that all Starbucks offers free WiFi which is always a good bet.

These days, data-only SIM cards for tourists are becoming more common and should be relatively easy to get in airports, major train stations, major electronics stores. However, SIM cards with voice capabilities (basically a phone number) requires lots of documents and (we think) impossible for non-residents. This is less of a problem though since you can use VOIP through the data SIM cards, and Japan has one of the fastest and omnipresent connections in the world. The network quality and connection for the three telecom operators are pretty much the same, no need to concern oneself trying to pick amongst them.

For those with newer eSIM capable smartphones (iPhone X and later for iPhone users), downloading an eSIM has become a hassle free alternative to purchasing a physical SIM card. While there are many eSIM apps, the author of this article has had good luck with Singapore based Arialo. If you use the following referral code, you'll get US$3 off your first purchase: ATSUSH9882

Kyoto Institute of Technology is part of the eduroam network so if your home institution issues an eduroam account, be sure to take it.

Language and Locals

Compared to most European countries, the English level of the locals are low. Nevertheless, almost all Japanese people have some kind of English training in school (and a lot for younger people), so some basic conversation with simple words should be possible.

The locals are very shy and talking to strangers isn’t very Japanese, but many of them are helpful and will do their best to help even with their limited language skills. No Japanese person expects foreigners to speak any Japanese so don’t worry about trying to pick up a phrase book (you’ll probably butcher it anyway). Many tourists are surprised when asking directions, Japanese people would walk with them to the destination. Try that in Paris.

Signage in the center of the city is generally available in English, and the public transportation system has gotten a lot better at having English available, but they can still be limited and confusing at times. Ask the locals when in doubt.

People try, but it doesn’t always come out right…

Electricity

The voltage in Japan is 100 Volt, which is different from North America (120V), Europe (230V) and most other regions of the world.This is usually not an issue for most laptops and smartphone chargers as these days, they are compatible with voltages between 100-230V. However, it would be prudent to check.

Japanese electrical plugs and outlets resemble North American ones without the third prong. Sometimes, American plugs work without any adapters, sometimes they don’t. Those from Europe and most other countries in the world will need some adapters. Be sure to get these before the airport which tends to charge you an arm and a leg.

Emergency

110 is the phone number for the police and 119 is the phone number for medical and other non-criminal emergencies.There should be someone who can handle phone calls in English.

Unique to Japan, there are small “police boxes” (koban) located around the cities.They are usually manned with police officers so if you need some help in the city (even with directions), visit a koban.

If you need medical attention beyond what is possible at the school infirmary, here is a list of hospital and dental clinics that should be able to handle English:

http://www.kcif.or.jp/web/en/livingguide/

Don't do / bring

Drones are severely restricted in Japan after several high profile accidents over densely populated areas. There are countless stories of naive tourists being arrested for flying drones around Kyoto. While it's possible to do so with the proper paperwork, it's best to leave your drone at home.

Recreational drugs are becoming more and more tolerated in western countries and even legalized in some parts of the world. This is not the case in Japan. No matter where you come from, possession will lead to jail time, don't bring any or try to find any while in the country.

Like many cities in Japan, smoking within Kyoto city is banned on public streets although fines are only levied in certain areas. Look for designated smoking areas usually indicated with an ashtray. On the other hand, it is still legal to smoke in bars and restaurants. Bigger establishments will have a smoking and non-smoking section, smaller places can be 100% smoking and smoky. Be sure to ask before sitting down if it concerns you. Smoking is also banned on the KIT campus except for one designated smoking areas.

Overtourism, while not as bad as some European cities, is becoming an issue in Kyoto. Stories of geishas being photographed and harassed in Gion are real, please respect the lives of locals for sustainable tourism in Kyoto.

Geishas, despite the stereotype, are not a common sight in Kyoto. Even if you meet one, please don't treat them like a rare Pokémon.

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