Kyoto City Bus

Hi, I'm going to visit Kyoto in October.

I will arrive on Sunday morning and the first thing I'm going to do is visit Fushimi Inari then go to Higashiyama Ward. I'm planning to buy Kyoto City Bus One Day Pass, but I read somewhere that on weekend the traffic is really bad.
If you guys had been to Kyoto and using buses before, could you please give me a brief explanation about Kyoto City traffic? Like, how crowded it is on the road? Is it really bad? Can I travel leisurely according to my itinerary or do you think I'll be stuck in the bus? Should I take taxi instead?

I apologize if the question is lame, but I just want to be able to fully enjoy my travel in Kyoto without rushing and without getting stuck at all (if possible).
Your advice will be really appreciated.

I have used Kyoto's 1day bus pass many times. Yes, the streets can be congested and buses packed. But unless you are going to a job interview or something, who cares if you are late to the temple by 10 minutes? I do supplement the bus pass with train/subway rides, depending on where I am going. If you are on a tight budget, it is a very economical way to tour Kyoto. Study the bus route map though, as the 1day pass does not cover outer reaches of Kyoto.

Though honestly (and I want to confess now, I like walking) depending on where you want to end, I would just do JR to Fushimi Inari (I believe the local is still stopping there) and then take Keihan up to Keihan Kiyomizu-Gojo and walk over to Kiyomizu, but that is my bias. I like walking and even from the bus you're going to be walking more than 1/2 the distance from the rail station because you can only get so close to the temple by public transportation. I would then stroll through Higashiyama/Gion stopping at any temples/shrines that interested me.

The one day bus pass can be a good deal, it just sort of depends on where you are going and if the bus is the best option and how much you enjoy walking.

Traffic information can be seen on a smartphone.
https://goo.gl/maps/k97gtudCXwq
Bus location info can also be seen on the smartphone,
http://www2.city.kyoto.lg.jp/kotsu/blssmart/pockloc/index.html
http://weekly.ascii.jp/elem/000/000/270/270918/20141031_yohiro_kyoto03...
but no recommend it bc no English version.
(Some major bus stops and city subway stns have the same function.)
http://weekly.ascii.jp/elem/000/000/270/270917/20141031_yohiro_kyoto02...
https://youtu.be/yT_lMbiedcY
https://youtu.be/YXct5DDay-I

OCT is one of good season for travel,
it is slightly less than "autumn leaves" season in NOV,
but weekends and consecutive holidays are crowded than weekdays.

Use this for searching traveling time and fare. (Google MAP based)
http://www.arukumachikyoto.jp/index.php?lang=en
Also listed another discounted ticket(pass) and basic info at page bottom.

Thank you so much guys for your information.
I think I will stick with using buses because I'm on a very economical travel.
But I'm not above using trains or taxi if necessary.
And thank you Aned for the links, arukumachikyoto.jp is a wonderful website, and I feel so stupid to not know about it.

Buses are very slow in Kyoto due to the traffic. I prefer to use trams/subway/trains when in Kyoto as they move a lot quicker. And only buses when I have to. eg- Kinkajuki.

The two locations you exampled have good rail access. Gion, Kiyomizudera, Fishimi Inari, Arashiyama etc all have rail access.

All times are based on picture info from my cell.

Sunday, April 16
10:11A - I arrived in Kyoto via Shinkansen from Shinagawa. Got lost for about 15 mins trying to figure out which exit to go out to my hotel. Finally found it and proceeded to leave my carry-on bag, check if my suitcase that I forwarded from Narita Airport arrived and pre-check in. Had a quick snack at Lawsons.

11:07A - Went back out to Kyoto Station (bus station in front). Went to purchase the Kyoto City Bus Pass 500 yen. Decided to scrap what I had planned for the day and just went with the flow. Came upon an attendant at the bus station and just asked where Kinkakuji line was and he pointed to a line. Got in line, finally got on a bus. I would guess purchasing the pass and waiting in line for a bus took about 10 mins or so

12:10P - Arrived at Kinkakuji bus stop. I didn't notice any heavy traffic on the way. Seemed regular traffic. Moved along.

1:10P - Left Kinkakuji and went to the bus stop across the street and decided to go to Ginkakuji. Waited in line and need to wait for the right # bus. I think I waited for about 5 mins or so.

1:55P - just before 2p arrived at the bus stop near Ginkakuji. Needed to walk to Temple. Again, didn't notice heavy traffic. Moved along. Another full bus all the way. On my walk to the Temple, I stopped to buy Green Tea soft serve and took about 10 mins to eat it right outside the Temple.

2:23P - paid for my entrance to Ginkakuji

2:55P - left Ginkakuji and decided to walk the Philosopher's Path. After all the traveling in the morning and going straigt site-seeing I was getting tired so headed down hill to find a bus stop back to Kyoto Station.

??? - Don't know what time I got on a bus to Kyoto Station but on the screen and announcement said Heian Shrine was coming up. Decided to get off at that stop. This is where I noticed some heavy traffic. I think we didn't go through the stop light maybe 3 times. We finally went thru on the 4th light.

3:41P - Arrived at Bus stop close to Heian Shrine and Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art. Walked to the Shrine.

4:04P - paid for entrance to Garden at Heian Shrine

5:10P - left Heian Shrine. Rested a bit a the park in front of Shrine. People watch.

5:20P -Went back to the same bus stop I got off to head back to Kyoto Station. Had to wait in line. And about 3 buses passed by because it was full. Didn't have to wait long though because buses came along frequently and an empty one came by. Was tempted to get off at Gion area but was already tired and following day was USJ so headed back to hotel by Kyoto Sta.

5:55P - Arrived back at Kyoto Bus Station.

I don't know if I managed my time well that day. I didn't plan on visiting those 3 sites on my first day in Kyoto. I think that 15 mins being lost in Kyoto Sta flustered me and decided to take a break from any train/subway that day. Don't know if my times will help you in any way to judge traffic and distance and time to get to one area.

My 2 Kyoto days I purchased Kyoto City Bus day pass. Other days, used trains out to Osaka-USJ, Nara/Fushimi Inari, Hiroshima/Miyajima (shinkansen) and Arashiyama.

I understand being economical but depending on where your hotel in Kyoto is and how you are arriving in Kyoto taking JR/Keihan might be just as economical as a 1 day pass for the parts of Kyoto you wish to see.

If you have a JR Pass or any of the Kansai passes it will include the short local trip between JR Kyoto Station and Fushimi Inari. As it is, any bus to Fushimi Inari leaves from JR Kyoto Station area, there are no direct buses from other areas and at that point you are just better off taking the JR train. The Keihan train from Fushimi Inari to Kiyomizu-Gojo will run you 210 yen and take 6 minutes, the trains are quite frequent. With a bus, you will need to go back to JR Kyoto (or again take the train back) and then catch a bus towards Kiyomizu.

Personally, when I want to be the most economical, I walk. You can walk from JR Kyoto Station to Kiyomizu. Depending on traffic, you might be as fast as the bus, there are certainly times when that has happened for me. It depends on the time of day and day of the week. It's only ~3 km from Kyoto Station to Kiyomizudera and when I walked it I stopped off at other temples like Sanjusangendo on the way.