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Efficient route to explore Kyoto 2014/7/27 23:13
Hello guys!
I will be visiting Kyoto on 14 of November. I'm thinking of exploring these places :
Fushimi-inari shrine
Gion
Higashiyama District
Kiyomizudera Temple
Kinkakuji Temple

Im staying in Osaka near Dobutsuen-mae stn,.
and Im going to use train to Kyoto. Been browsing through website and stuffs, and this is the best way I've found :

Dobutsuen-mae - Fushimi-inari
Fushimi-inari - Gion Shijo
explore Gion, Higashiyama district, Yasaka Shrine, & Kiyomizudera Temple
Gion Shijo - sanjo (kyoto) - sanjo keihan - karasumaoike - kitaoji

I notice they have all day pass,. do you guys think I better buy that pass instead? Still contemplating to choose Kinkakuji or Fushimi-Inari first as I want to visit Kiyomizudera for fall illumination~

Any better idea?
by kath2505  

Re: Efficient route to explore Kyoto 2014/7/28 09:12
I'd do Kinkakuji, Fushimi Inari, Higashiyama/Kiyomizudera and on to Gion at night (as it's when the area really sparkles).
by Aerond (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Efficient route to explore Kyoto 2014/7/28 18:03
If you like trains, especially steam locomotives, the Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum. It's not too far from Kyoto station. I walked to it a couple times, and took the bus a few times. It's also along the way to the Kinkakuji from the station.

You can get a look using Google Maps, then enter Umekoji Kyoto in the search window. The railway museum that used to be in Osaka, at Bentencho station, moved to Umekoji Kyoto as well.
by Susan (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Efficient route to explore Kyoto 2014/7/28 20:27
I wonder whether you can allot one more day for Kyoto City while some of its tourist spots may be crowded thanks to autumn foliage, special seasonal events, etc., which may make you need more time than you expect. (How is the rest of your itinerary?)

Kinkakuji [Rokuonji Temple] and Fushimi Inari Shrine are located apart.
If you can allot one more day, you can visit Arashiyama area and Kinkakuji on one day and visit Fushimi Inari Shrine, Gion District and Higashiyama District on the other day.

I recommend you expect much time to explore Gion District and Higashiyama District (Yasaka Shrine, Kiyomizudera Temple, etc.), at least 3 hours.
In 2014, the autumn special night visiting season of Kiyomizudera Temple will be from November 14 through December 7.
During this season, Kiyomizudera Temple once gets closed at 17:30, becomes open at 18:30 and gets closed again at 21:30.
http://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/lang/01.html#menu02

The below is a possible route to cover your listed places to visit in Kyoto City.
This route includes
one roundup by rail from Dobutsuen-Mae to Karasuma
(2 x 640 yen per adult),
three bus rides from Shijo Karasuma to Kinkakuji Michi, Kinkakuji Michi to Shijo Keihan Mae and from Kiyomizu Michi to Shijo Karasuma
(500 yen per adult with a Kyoto City Bus - Kyoto Bus One-day Pass)
and one roundup by rail from Gion-shijo to Fushimi-inari
(2 x 210 yen per adult).
The one-way cost on public transportation is estimated at 2200 yen per adult.
: To visit Kinkakuji, alternatively you can get off a Hankyu train at Saiin Station (skipped by Ltd. Express trains) and take a bus from a bus stand of Nishioji Shijo bus stop. That may be more time-saving, but I suppose the bus stand of Shijo Karasuma bus stop is easier to find.

Dobutsuen-Mae Station: Track 2 of Sakaisuji Line
http://www.kotsu.city.osaka.lg.jp/station-guide/K/k19/
| [Subway Sakaisuji Line + Hankyu Senri Line: about 20 min.]
Awaji Station: Changing lines via the same platform
| [Hankyu Kyoto Line: about 35 min. on a Ltd. Express train]
Karasuma Station
: Going up the elevator or escalator, passing through the west exit gate
http://www.hankyu.co.jp/station/pdf/map/karasuma.pdf
(#1)
Shijo Karasuma bus stop
| [Kyoto City Bus Line 101: about 25 min. on a bus for Kitaoji Bus Terminal]
http://www.city.kyoto.jp/kotsu/busdia/hyperdia/055227.htm
Kinkakuji Michi bus stop (= the 11th stop) (#2)
Kinkakuji [Rokuonji Temple]
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3908.html

Kinkakuji Michi bus stop (#2)
| [Kyoto City Bus Line 59: about 35 min. on a bus for Sanjo Keihan]
http://www.city.kyoto.jp/kotsu/busdia/hyperdia/221042.htm
Shijo Keihan Mae bus stop (= the 19th stop)
| Walking
Gion-shijo Station: Track 2
http://www.keihan.co.jp/traffic/station/stationinfo/pdf/162.pdf
| [Keihan line: about 10 min. on a Sub-exp. or Local train]
http://www.keihan.co.jp/en/station/
Fushimi-inari Station
http://www.keihan.co.jp/traffic/station/stationinfo/pdf/151.pdf
(#3) Fushimi Inari Shrine
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3915.html

Fushimi-inari Station: Track 1
| [Keihan: about 10 min.]
Gion-shijo Station
| Walking
Gion District;
Higashiyama District: Yasaka Shrine, Kiyomizudera Temple
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3902.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3959.html

(#4) Kiyomizu Michi bus stop
| [Kyoto City Bus Loop Line 207: about 10 min. on a northbound bus]
http://www.city.kyoto.jp/kotsu/busdia/hyperdia/125044.htm
Shijo Karasuma bus stop (= the 6th stop) (#6)
Karasuma Station
| [Hankyu Kyoto Line: about 35 min. on a Ltd. Express train]
Awaji Station
: Changing lines via the same platform.
| [Hankyu Senri Line + Subway Sakaisuji Line: about 20 min.]
Dobutsuen-mae Station.

#1:
Passing through the Hankyu west exit gate of Karasuma Station, you can find a staircase leading to subway Shijo Station.
A Kyoto City Bus - Kyoto Bus One-day Pass for an adult (roughly over 12) is available at the subway counter. (The pass for a child (roughly 6 to 12) is sold in a Kyoto City bus.)
Then you can go up the nearby staircase to Exit 2 of subway Shijo Station.
Walking along east-west Shijo-dori for a little, you can find the bus stand of Shijo Karasuma for Kitaoji-bound buses.

#2:
You get off a bus on Line 101 and get on a bus on Line 59 at the same bus stand of Kinkakuji Michi bus stop.

#3:
Arriving to Track 2 of Fushimi-inari Station, you can pass through the Keihan gate around the end of the platform.
Then you turn left and walk along the road for about 150 meters, crossing a river on the way, until the next crossroad just in front of a vermilion torii of Fushimi Inari Shrine.
Then you turn right, walk for about 100 meters more and find Grand Torii Gate of Fushimi Inari Shrine on your left.
To take a Keihan train back from Track 1 of Fushimi-inari Station, you pass through another gate, which is across the railroad crossing.

#4:
The bus stand of Kiyomizu Michi bus stop for northbound buses is in front of Kyoto Bank (Higashiyama Branch), and it indicates the next bus stop as Higashiyama Yasui.
I recommend you visit this bus stand before visiting Kiyomizudera Temple so that you can reach it later easily.

Enjoy your trips!

by omotenashi rate this post as useful

Re: Efficient route to explore Kyoto 2014/7/28 22:10
Thank you for all the feedback! Helps me a lot, appreaciate it! X3

@omotenashi
My full route is like this :
12 Nov : arrived in Nagoya,willer bus to Osaka (Kaiyukan, Minoo Park & Minami namba, dotonbori + den den town)

13 Nov : tight schedule as i was thinking of buying osaka amazing 1day pass
Tsutenkaku Tower
Tennoji Park & Area (inclide tennoji Zoo)
Shitennoji Temple
Osaka Castle
Nishinomaru Garden
HEP Ferris Wheel
Umeda Sky building
Spa world onsen

14 Nov : exploring Kyoto

15 Nov : willer bus to Tokyo
15-21 Nov : exploring Tokyo
(Still arranging my schedule for this one)

21 nov at night : willer bus to Nagoya
22 nov : fly back to Indonesia

:)
by kath2505 rate this post as useful

Re: Efficient route to explore Kyoto 2014/7/29 01:21
Does your flight arrive at NGO very early in the morning? If not, I wonder how you're going to fit in getting to Nagoya, taking a bus to Osaka and then doing all that sightseeing the first day.

Everyone's different of course and this may not be your first trip to Japan but if it is, I personally feel that out of a 11 day trip, devoting 10 of those days to two huge modern cities (Osaka and Tokyo) and only one brief day to Japan's cultural capital (Kyoto), you're missing out on a chance to spend more time in one of Japan's most interesting places. In your place, I'd skip Osaka entirely and devote the time to seeing more of Kyoto but of course, that's just my opinion!
by Saru Bob rate this post as useful

Re: Efficient route to explore Kyoto 2014/7/29 02:21
Agreed with Saru Bob. I devoted at least 4 days to Kyoto during my 11 day trip and felt it still wasn't enough. But then again, to each his own.

There's not to much to see in Gion in the noon/afternoon time. Night time is a different story. :)

One day for Kyoto with that many places to check off is kind of packed.
by yozakura (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Efficient route to explore Kyoto 2014/7/29 02:55
@Saru Bob & @yozakura

my flight arrive at 9.25 and im thinking to buy kintetsu rail pass so I can go to Osaka Namba Stn directly. And I'm sure I can get it the places (Kaiyukan, Universal City Walk, Minami Namba, Dotonbori, den2 town) done on the 1st day :D

I choose to go for 1 day tour since Osaka has more popular tourist destination (in general)rather than Kyoto, which, more into a temple-shrine destination. It isn't that I dont like those places, but since im travelling with another 3 years younger people, of course they'd prefer more-teenage-like-destination xp

(Tho I'm sure I'll be back again to spend time only in Kyoto, maybe for my honeymoon xD)

BTW! Thanks for the suggestion guys! \^^/
by kath2505 rate this post as useful

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