Packed with useful information. So much better than typical TH-cam videos showing couples enjoying food and looking at the sights, but which tell you nothing about bus numbers, train stops, traffic and travel cards.
Kyoto station is one of my favorite train stations in Japan. I always stay within around 3 or 4 blocks of the station so I can easily walk to the hotel. One trip I splurged just a little and stayed at the Granvia which can be accessed directly from the station. This also makes it convenient to take trains to nearby places like Nara, Osaka, and Himeji. It's flat around the station so pulling a suitcase is no problem. There are also 4 major food areas that can be accessed from the station, and several more within a couple of blocks. Maybe not the famous Michelin star places, but places with typically well done and tasty food that Japan is famous for.
JR Kyoto Line with a Special Rapid Train is the best way (28 min). Don't ride a Bullet Train. It would be a waste of money (18 min to Shin-Osaka Station, then you need to transfer to get to Osaka Station).
This has been sooo useful! I’ll be going to Kyoto and booking private transport to avoid the crowds. I also found your kiosk station tips to be amazing! ありがとうございます！❤
I was in that crazy line. Oh well live and learn! I was able to get a taxi easily because I travel light. The smaller cabs with limited trunk space were much easier to catch :)
Some good tips, thanks. Who are all these people taking a bus in great numbers from Kyoto station ? :) ... It wouldn't cross my mind taking a bus when there is a train available. Train/metro is faster, more reliable and often more comfortable. I wouldn't worry about Shinkansen running every 8 minutes on the same truck. Shinkansen are extremely well maintained like everything in Japan. Unlike similar fast trains of Europe the Shinkansen didn't have a single mortality in 50 years of existence
Kyoto station is a nightmare. Literally today I went to Nara which is awesome and visit Todai-ji temple. Fortunately in morning I travel directly to Kintetsu-Nara from Gojo station so avoiding Kyoto station. On return I have problem at Nara as train is limited express but you must reserve seats. But it’s too late so now I must take slow train (1hr instead of 30min). But it gets worse as slow train only goes Kyoto so now must change lines to continue Gojo station. It was so difficult and stressful to do this seemingly simple task. The station staff are stressed out at Kyoto as all the tourists get confused.
Even Japanese travelers complain that the Kintetsu Railway is too complicated and tourist-unfriendly. Many of them actually fail to do right for the first time. As you did, taking Kyoto's Metro down to Takeda Station, which is the south end of the line and change to Kintetsu line is also a good way to get to Nara.
Solution to Taxi problem: avoid arrival and departure at peak times from Kyoto Station. Also. Consider not staying at Kyoto. Consider places like Otsu (10 mins away and on JR) or Shijo (Using the subway) Sundays are a peak get away travel day. Avoid the station at all costs.
Thank you for such great information!! I will go to the south side of Kyoto Station to buy tickets! 🙏🙏🙏 Edit: I went to the South side of Kyoto Station and I got Shinkansen tickets in only 5 minutes during lunch time!!! 😁🥳
I got lost at Kyoto station. I accidentally went into Shinkansen line. I had to wait in line while a tourist was explaining where he is planning to go. And I also the attendant yell at me. Yelling doesn’t make up for lack of English. lol. Like how we speak slowly for foreigner. 😂 I never had any issue in Paris and someone was nice enough to see if I need help. Parisian that spoke English.
It took me one hour to find platform five at Kyoto station LOL. I ended up going into a ticket office and showing Google Maps with a number five on it to a person who didn’t speak English. They gestured vaguely and at least I then knew there WAS a platform five. I did eventually find it. Then I had to stand up all the way to Osaka because I didn’t realise it was better to reserve a seat on that train (it was not a bullet train) and I didn’t know how to do that! Honestly, travelling to Kyoto from Osaka and back was complete nightmare.
Ok. I was going to stay in Kyoto for a few days but now I think it's best to stay in Osaka and get to the tourist spots in Kyoto via tours. Save the hassle and time.
A lot of travelers do that. It is only a 28-minute train ride from Osaka Station to Kyoto by JR line. If you take the Hankyu line, your final stop is Kyoto-Kawaramachi, which is right in the middle of the city's No.1 tourist area. In Osaka, there are a lot more varieties of accommodations and restaurants.
Man, you should've read the screen on the Icoca machine, LOL. The balance is refundable if it's over 220 yen, because they charge 220 yen processing fee.
The staff at the counter are trained to speak in English. If the topic is complicated, Google Translate will help you. Overall, you can get a ticket faster at the machine than at the counter.
A lot of international tourists rent bikes, which is a quick way to get around Central Kyoto. Kyoto is not a physically large city. From Kyoto Station to the north end of the city is only 4 miles. It does not have to be Electric Bike because the city is overall a flat land. I think there are two things to care about cycling in Kyoto. First some automobile drivers are super-ego, so you really have to watch out. Second, it can be even dangerous to bike around in July, August, and September. Kyoto's summer is notoriously hot, and exposing yourself to the violent sunlight all day can lead to dehydration.
A2 is the bus stop that I meant. A1 also has buses that go to ShijoKawaramachi, like No.5 and 58. I think A2 is a bit better because the bus is more frequent.
From Osaka Station to Kyoto Station, the Special Rapid Train on the JR Kyoto Line is the best, which links the two major cities in only 28 minutes. There would be more useless things than taking Bullet Train between the stations. Paying an extra 20 US dollars, you can run faster, but it stops at the Shin-Osaka Station (Bullet Train station), where you need to spend 15 minutes changing to the local JR train or the Metro. Make sure the train that you are hopping on is "Special Rapid" because there is a tricky thing that another train type, "Rapid," stops too many stations, which is not rapid at all.
Easy solution is to avoid going to Kyoto 🤣 But seriously there are soooooo many other places in Japan that are just as nice to visit and don't have the crazy number of clueless tourists. Your suggestions are very good though - it's a shame that the tourists that need the information won't see this video as they don't do much research before visiting Japan!
Kyoto has been Japan's No.1 tourist destination of all time for over one thousand years. Its most historical sites have massive grounds because they are head temples or monasteries, so not much overcrowd issue there. The problem is transportation, which heavily depends on the city bus. Doing some research in advance will make your trip easier.
Japanese tourists are all over the world and cause exactly the same problem… so maybe quit whining about it. A lot of people come to Japan now because the value of the “yen” has dropped so much… so maybe vote better. That said, Japanese tourists are welcome where I live and work, so hopefully I am welcome in Japan the same.
Packed with useful information. So much better than typical TH-cam videos showing couples enjoying food and looking at the sights, but which tell you nothing about bus numbers, train stops, traffic and travel cards.
I will put that info in the next video, probably this winter or early spring. As tourism in Kyoto grows so fast, there are new things to cover.
Thank you for such an informative video! No one is doing this type of video but it is really useful!
This is an awesome video! Very informative! I got it saved in my favorites! Thanks Mr Travel! You should start your own Touring Company!
This video is gold. Thank you so much for putting all this information together.
Kyoto station is one of my favorite train stations in Japan. I always stay within around 3 or 4 blocks of the station so I can easily walk to the hotel. One trip I splurged just a little and stayed at the Granvia which can be accessed directly from the station. This also makes it convenient to take trains to nearby places like Nara, Osaka, and Himeji.
It's flat around the station so pulling a suitcase is no problem. There are also 4 major food areas that can be accessed from the station, and several more within a couple of blocks. Maybe not the famous Michelin star places, but places with typically well done and tasty food that Japan is famous for.
I do the something.
Thanks very much! Awesome video. Please, from Kyoto to Osaka, what is the better way to travel?? thanks again
JR Kyoto Line with a Special Rapid Train is the best way (28 min). Don't ride a Bullet Train. It would be a waste of money (18 min to Shin-Osaka Station, then you need to transfer to get to Osaka Station).
This has been sooo useful! I’ll be going to Kyoto and booking private transport to avoid the crowds. I also found your kiosk station tips to be amazing!
ありがとうございます！❤
thanks for helping us all over the world ❤
you shared stunning uploading. )
Being from Los Angeles it’s crazy to be on the bus. Thanks for sharing all these amazing tips! Bus, trains, and tracks are difficult to go around.
I was in that crazy line. Oh well live and learn! I was able to get a taxi easily because I travel light. The smaller cabs with limited trunk space were much easier to catch :)
Thank you for this very helpful and informative video.🎉❤
Some good tips, thanks. Who are all these people taking a bus in great numbers from Kyoto station ? :) ... It wouldn't cross my mind taking a bus when there is a train available. Train/metro is faster, more reliable and often more comfortable. I wouldn't worry about Shinkansen running every 8 minutes on the same truck. Shinkansen are extremely well maintained like everything in Japan. Unlike similar fast trains of Europe the Shinkansen didn't have a single mortality in 50 years of existence
Kyoto station is a nightmare. Literally today I went to Nara which is awesome and visit Todai-ji temple. Fortunately in morning I travel directly to Kintetsu-Nara from Gojo station so avoiding Kyoto station. On return I have problem at Nara as train is limited express but you must reserve seats. But it’s too late so now I must take slow train (1hr instead of 30min). But it gets worse as slow train only goes Kyoto so now must change lines to continue Gojo station. It was so difficult and stressful to do this seemingly simple task. The station staff are stressed out at Kyoto as all the tourists get confused.
Even Japanese travelers complain that the Kintetsu Railway is too complicated and tourist-unfriendly.
Many of them actually fail to do right for the first time.
As you did, taking Kyoto's Metro down to Takeda Station, which is the south end of the line and change to Kintetsu line is also a good way to get to Nara.
Solution to Taxi problem: avoid arrival and departure at peak times from Kyoto Station. Also. Consider not staying at Kyoto. Consider places like Otsu (10 mins away and on JR) or Shijo (Using the subway) Sundays are a peak get away travel day. Avoid the station at all costs.
8:05 Do you need to get an Icoca card? I have a Passmo, should I buy Icoca too or can I just use Passmo instead?
Passmo has NO problem with JR trains across the country.
Thank you for such great information!! I will go to the south side of Kyoto Station to buy tickets! 🙏🙏🙏 Edit: I went to the South side of Kyoto Station and I got Shinkansen tickets in only 5 minutes during lunch time!!! 😁🥳
I got lost at Kyoto station. I accidentally went into Shinkansen line. I had to wait in line while a tourist was explaining where he is planning to go. And I also the attendant yell at me. Yelling doesn’t make up for lack of English. lol. Like how we speak slowly for foreigner. 😂
I never had any issue in Paris and someone was nice enough to see if I need help. Parisian that spoke English.
It took me one hour to find platform five at Kyoto station LOL. I ended up going into a ticket office and showing Google Maps with a number five on it to a person who didn’t speak English. They gestured vaguely and at least I then knew there WAS a platform five. I did eventually find it. Then I had to stand up all the way to Osaka because I didn’t realise it was better to reserve a seat on that train (it was not a bullet train) and I didn’t know how to do that! Honestly, travelling to Kyoto from Osaka and back was complete nightmare.
People tell me not to book Shinkansen and get it on the day but… the line is so long like this? I’m glad I prebooked 😂
Also using a hotel which stores my luggage
Enjoy your trip!
Thank you Mr Travel for this video! Does the ICOCA card works for all bus type?
You can ride any city bus with your ICOCA or any other JR rail company electric card like SUICA.
Ok. I was going to stay in Kyoto for a few days but now I think it's best to stay in Osaka and get to the tourist spots in Kyoto via tours. Save the hassle and time.
A lot of travelers do that. It is only a 28-minute train ride from Osaka Station to Kyoto by JR line. If you take the Hankyu line, your final stop is Kyoto-Kawaramachi, which is right in the middle of the city's No.1 tourist area. In Osaka, there are a lot more varieties of accommodations and restaurants.
Man, you should've read the screen on the Icoca machine, LOL. The balance is refundable if it's over 220 yen, because they charge 220 yen processing fee.
Thank you sir for doing your bit to discourage tourists visiting Kyoto . Perhaps together we can make it tolerable again
Should you go to the counter even if you only know a few tourist phrases in Japanese?
The staff at the counter are trained to speak in English. If the topic is complicated, Google Translate will help you. Overall, you can get a ticket faster at the machine than at the counter.
Hi, your suggested solution to get to Kiyomizu-dera is it A1 or A2 because in the video it shows bus stop A2? Thank you
Both A1 and A2 take you to Shijo Kawaramachi Stop.
@@7mrtravel thank you so much!
How feasible is renting an E-BIKE to do the sightseeing? Are there bike parking available to leave them so we can walk around the temples etc?
A lot of international tourists rent bikes, which is a quick way to get around Central Kyoto. Kyoto is not a physically large city. From Kyoto Station to the north end of the city is only 4 miles. It does not have to be Electric Bike because the city is overall a flat land.
I think there are two things to care about cycling in Kyoto. First some automobile drivers are super-ego, so you really have to watch out. Second, it can be even dangerous to bike around in July, August, and September. Kyoto's summer is notoriously hot, and exposing yourself to the violent sunlight all day can lead to dehydration.
You said to use bus stop A1 but the video shows A2. Can we use either bus stop for Kiyomizu-dera
清水寺? Thanks !
A2 is the bus stop that I meant. A1 also has buses that go to ShijoKawaramachi, like No.5 and 58. I think A2 is a bit better because the bus is more frequent.
Osaka to Kyoto? By train better?
From Osaka Station to Kyoto Station, the Special Rapid Train on the JR Kyoto Line is the best, which links the two major cities in only 28 minutes. There would be more useless things than taking Bullet Train between the stations. Paying an extra 20 US dollars, you can run faster, but it stops at the Shin-Osaka Station (Bullet Train station), where you need to spend 15 minutes changing to the local JR train or the Metro. Make sure the train that you are hopping on is "Special Rapid" because there is a tricky thing that another train type, "Rapid," stops too many stations, which is not rapid at all.
Hi, quick question, can I use PASMO in Kyoto bus & trains if I dont have ICOCA?
Yes, you can use PASMO or SUICA or whatever train electric cards.
@@7mrtravel arigatou☺️
Easy solution is to avoid going to Kyoto 🤣 But seriously there are soooooo many other places in Japan that are just as nice to visit and don't have the crazy number of clueless tourists. Your suggestions are very good though - it's a shame that the tourists that need the information won't see this video as they don't do much research before visiting Japan!
So where should a tourist go instead of Kyoto.. to avoid the masses? This does not look like an enjoyable place to go.
Kyoto has been Japan's No.1 tourist destination of all time for over one thousand years. Its most historical sites have massive grounds because they are head temples or monasteries, so not much overcrowd issue there. The problem is transportation, which heavily depends on the city bus. Doing some research in advance will make your trip easier.
Thank you for the very clear and appropriate explanation. However, Kyoto is already an overtourist.
Japanese tourists are all over the world and cause exactly the same problem… so maybe quit whining about it. A lot of people come to Japan now because the value of the “yen” has dropped so much… so maybe vote better. That said, Japanese tourists are welcome where I live and work, so hopefully I am welcome in Japan the same.
You sound incredibly american 🦅😭
having a hard time understanding your 'some english'
Try harder 😂
A job well done for using a foreign language to help travellers. Very kind and thank you!