Getting around in Kyoto in limited time

Hi there,

I will be travelling to Japan and have the day from about 10am onwards in Kyoto. i will already have a 7-day JR pass which I can use. I was told that I can get around with another one-day bus pass. The sights Im interested in are Kiyomizu-dera, Heian Shrine, Nishiki Market and Golden Pavilion (I know this is a little out). My hotel will be at Kyoto Station. If I read the bus map correctly, I can take bus 100 to Kiyomizu-dera, then bus 100 to Heian Shrine and bus 32 to Nishiki market (im confused as to which stop should I take from - Okazaki-michi or Kyoto KaikanBijutsujan-mae). Does anyone know if that is the right track or is there a better way? Also, would it be possible to fit in Golden Pavilion if I had a JR pass? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!

I was told that I can get around with another one-day bus pass. The sights Im interested in are Kiyomizu-dera, Heian Shrine, Nishiki Market and Golden Pavilion (I know this is a little out). My hotel will be at Kyoto Station. If I read the bus map correctly, I can take bus 100 to Kiyomizu-dera, then bus 100 to Heian Shrine and bus 32 to Nishiki market (im confused as to which stop should I take from - Okazaki-michi or Kyoto KaikanBijutsujan-mae). Does anyone know if that is the right track or is there a better way? Also, would it be possible to fit in Golden Pavilion if I had a JR pass?

Hi there:some input
1.buses in Kyoto are very slow, due to traffic, and, especially #100 and #101, are very crowded. Wherever possible if time is your issue then use the subways: there is a one day combined Subway and bus pass for 1100Y or 1200Y from memory
2. JR pass won;t help you with any of your plans: but a JR bus does go to Ryoanji, from where you can get the #59 bus to Kinkakuji: JR bus not overly frequent.
3. If you want to fit in Kinkakuji as well, IMHO I'd start with it: eg take the subway to Kitaoji and then a bus to Kinkakuji: and back to subway Kitaoji to Karasuma-oike for Nishiki; subway to Higashiyama for Heian Shrine, and bus to Kiyomizudera, then bus back to station: BUT it could be a struggle to get it all in, depending on daylight hours

Others may have much more informed ideas though: good luck, and enjoy Kyoto: it is a magical city

Thanks so much! I am actually thinking of dropping Heian Shrine now for Fushimiinari. What would be the best sequence to travel (Kiyomizu-dera, Nishiki and Golden Pavilion) and how should I get from point to point if I had a subway and metro day-pass?