Cheap travel in Kyoto 京都への格安旅行
Our tips for cheap travel in Kyoto
Kyoto, the former capital of Japan, is an essential place to visit after Tokyo. Famous for its temples and traditional districts, it is not always easy to get by on a small budget. So here are all our tips for cheap travel to Kyoto!
The Gion Kaburenjo house in Kyoto
Affordable accommodation
Accommodation is without a doubt one of the biggest expense items when traveling to Japan. The rates are indeed quite high, especially if you want to stay in the center of the city. In Kyoto, housing is more expensive, especially in the ancestral district of Gion , to the east of the city.
Youth hostels are advantageous if you are traveling alone or with friends. You can also rent an apartment or a house if there are more of you. It is advisable to book in advance, especially if you are traveling during high season. You will be able to find houses from 60€ per night.
Inexpensive tours
Some of Japan's finest temples are found in Kyoto. If the vast majority of them are paying, generally between 400 and 600 yen (3€-4€50) for the entrance, there are also certain complexes to visit for free : the Kamo sanctuaries in the north, the two Hongan temples -ji north of the station or the famous Yasaka-Jinja shrine in Gion.
To read: The Hongan-ji temples
For walkers, pleasant hikes are to be done in the Kyoto mountains, especially to the west of the city, in Arashiyama . The ascent of Mount Daimonji and the ascent between the torii of Fushimi Inari are also unmissable and completely free walks!
Other free tours in Kyoto:
A Kyoto bus
Wikimedia Commons
Low-cost transport
In Kyoto, to get around easily and spend little on transport - reputedly expensive, rightly - buses and bicycles are kings! The metro is indeed underdeveloped, since only two lines are available. The Kyoto bus network is on the contrary very developed and the prices moderate . It is not easy at the beginning to understand the convoluted and provided plan of the network, but also the very operation of the buses. Remember that you have to get on from the back and get off at the front , and that the ticket is paid for when getting off the bus , by inserting your change into a machine near the driver. A trip will cost you 230 yen (1€75), but the unlimited day pass is very interesting, since it sells for 500 yen (3.80€) and is thus quickly profitable.
You can check the city bus map in English on the official website . Instructions have been added to allow the use of Kyoto buses without unpleasant surprises and to know the prices charged. Finally, a map even shows you the lines to take to get to the most popular tourist sites.
See also: Cheap travel in Japan
Bike rental is also a very good solution if you want to get around the city quickly, especially in summer. There are many rental shops, either by the hour or by the day, the latter solution being the most interesting, with a price around 1,000 yen (about 7€50), which is very interesting on the long run. term, as well as for the autonomy gained.
Note that the JR Kansai Area Pass allows you unlimited travel in the region at a reduced price , from 1 to 4 consecutive days (47€ for 4 days on our website japan-rail-pass.fr ).
