Bikes in Kyoto

A few questions:
1) Is it safe for 8 yr olds to ride bikes in Kyoto with their parents?
2) I heard there are restrictions on where we can park/lock up rental bikes. How do we find legal places to park when visiting museums, shrines/temples, shopping, and eating?
3) Are there restrictions, like no bikes on the Path of the Philosopher?

Is it safe for 8 yr olds to ride bikes in Kyoto with their parents?

If you are not familiar with the local rules and traffic customs, it can be somewhat dangerous, especially for an 8 year old.

If you use dedicated bicycle routes along Kamo River, it should be no problem. But in the busy streets of central Kyoto I do not recommend a bicycle as means of transportation if you have an 8 year old.

I heard there are restrictions on where we can park/lock up rental bikes. How do we find legal places to park when visiting museums, shrines/temples, shopping, and eating?

Try to find a place where it does not bother anybody, i.e. passing pedestrian traffic, any entrances or exits or shop windows.

Are there restrictions, like no bikes on the Path of the Philosopher?

I can't remember. Some sections might be closed to non-pedestrian traffic. But basically, on not so busy days, I don't think that it will be a problem to go along the path by bicycle. But if it is a busy day, I imagine bicycles to be bothersome to pedestrian traffic and recommend not to go there by bicycle.

It is okey to ride bicycles in kyoto, and also a good idea, because it is relatively a small city in Japan, but still 2 difficulities you should keep in mind
1)Distance:
Some places might be little too far to go by bike for 8 years-old child.

2)Crowded traffic

answering to your Qs,

1) it will be safe if parents always lead the child. Roads in kyoto are basically narrow and has lot of intersections. Taxi and bus drivers are said they roughly roughly.

2)Most of the temples and shirines has parking areas for bike, usually next to car parking lot. Parking the bikes other than in areas permitted is basically illegal, so, for eating and shopping you might have difficulities finding good parking areas. In weekdays you shouldn't park the bike on the public street b/c city is removing illegaly parking bikes often, which is the worst case for bikers in Kyoto. keep in mind, city won't remove in weekends.

3)In some roads you will see the traffic sign indicating the road is for ped. only, you must get off the bikes and push them. Many local shopping streets, Kawaramachi street between Sanjo and Shijo and most of Shijo street.
Path of the Philosophers, although it is not restricted, you shouldn't ride bike where road is narrow.

the path of philosophy is made of 2 narrow pedestrian paths one on each side of a canal. on one side there is also an alley wide enough for the cars of the people who live there. However there are quite a few pedestrians at times, the odd cars or small trucks, and bikes on that shared alley so caution is needed. 8 years is a rather young and as others have noted it is a long way from one sight to another. .

Thank you for your responses. I have a related question. What is the topographic relief around Nijo and the Imperial Castle? Around eastern Kyoto - say from Kimyomuzi-dera to the Path of the Philosopher? In Arashiyama north of the river where so many of the shrines are?

Nijo-Imperial palace: flat
around Kiomizu dera: hilly but you couldn't ride a bike due to the crowds
kiomizu to path of philosophy: going down theen flat then moderate incline
Arashiyama: mostly flat but way too far to bike from downtown Kyoto to there w/ children. remember that everywhere you go during the day it is crowded and there are no separated bike paths. in small streets there are not even sidewalks. Local people of all ages have no problem riding bikes in the traffic but if you only ride bikes in quiet streets and on proper bike paths, Kyoto will be a hairy experience. another thing: they drive on the left in Japan.

OK, how about just from Kyoto Station to Shijo-dori exploring? Would that be flat enough and relatively safe if we stay off the main streets?

There is not much to see between Kyoto and Shijo-dori. And Shijo-dori itself is one of the most crowded streets, both on the street and sidewalk. I imagine a bicycle will not be very useful.

I walked from Shijo-dori to Kyoto main JR station by zig-zagging from one side street to another as I wanted to see private homes, small stores and restaurants, small neighbourhood temples. Side streets are usually narrow and without a sidewalk, only a white painted stripe to separate cars from pedestrians but in practice cars park in that area as there is no other place etc. Japanese, especially old ladies, are whiz at squeezing between vehicles, pedestrian etc. the whole thing is like a modern ballet that tourists have no hope understanding. Walking and taking a bus will be safer and less frustrating.