Getting around Kyoto from Nishijin
You do not need a car in Kyoto. From Nishijin you can walk, cycle or take the bus, and the right choice depends on where you are going and what the day is like. Here is how each one works, and how we would choose.
- Around Nishijin
- Walk — Funaoka Onsen is about 3 minutes on foot
- Further into the city
- Bicycle — Imamiya Shrine about 5–7 minutes, Kinkaku-ji about 10 minutes
- Rainy days, far side of the city
- City bus — IC cards (ICOCA, Suica) work
- Day trips to Osaka or Nara
- Train
- Bicycles at Expo
- Free with the cottages, Jin and the Nishi rooms; bicycles can be rented at the Ori rooms
Walking: for everything nearby
For most trips within Nishijin — to the bathhouse, a nearby shrine, the supermarket — walking is the natural choice. The streets here are quiet and narrow, and they reward going slowly: you notice things on foot that you would miss even on a bicycle.
A simple rule: if it is within about fifteen minutes on foot, walk. Any further, think about the bicycle.
Cycling: the easiest way to see more
Kyoto is mostly flat, and from Nishijin a bicycle changes the way you move through the city. Kinkaku-ji is about ten minutes away, Imamiya Shrine and its aburi mochi shops about 5–7 minutes, and the Kamo River and Kyoto Imperial Palace Park (Kyoto Gyoen) are an easy ride too. Trips that feel slow by bus are often quicker by bike, and you skip the crowded buses altogether.
For longer stays, a bicycle is less about sightseeing and more about daily life: the trip to the supermarket that turns into a detour, or a café you want to try before it gets busy. It is the kind of movement that makes a place feel like somewhere you live.
City buses: what to know
Kyoto’s city buses reach most of the places guests want to go, and several routes pass through Nishijin to the temple districts, the city centre and Kyoto Station. Bus stops are within easy walking distance of the hostel and our cottages.
IC cards such as ICOCA and Suica work on all city buses and the subway — tap the reader by the driver when you pay, which on most routes is as you get off. If you plan to ride a lot in one day, the subway and bus one-day pass can be worth it; for a longer stay, an IC card is simpler.
One honest note: buses on the busiest sightseeing routes can be very full in the middle of the day, especially in spring and autumn. At those times a bicycle or a longer walk is often faster and more comfortable.
Trains: for day trips
Kyoto’s trains do not cover the city as evenly as the buses do. The subway’s Karasuma Line runs north–south to Kyoto Station, and is a short bus or bicycle ride from Nishijin. For day trips to Osaka or Nara, the train is the right choice; for getting around central Kyoto, the bus and the bicycle are usually simpler.
Questions
Do you have bicycles for guests?
Yes. Bicycles are free with the cottages, Jin and the three Nishi rooms. At the Ori rooms, bicycles can be rented — ask us when you get in touch.
Bus or bicycle — which is better from Nishijin?
Within Nishijin, walk. For places further away, such as Kinkaku-ji or the Kamo River, a bicycle is usually the easiest, especially in spring and autumn when the buses get crowded. For rainy days and the far side of the city, take the bus.
Can I pay for Kyoto city buses with an IC card?
Yes. ICOCA, Suica and other major IC cards work on Kyoto city buses and the subway. Tap the reader by the driver when you pay — on most routes, as you get off.