It’s hard to imagine that Kyoto, the city that attracts millions of tourists for its incredible blend of traditional beauty and modern allure, is the worst-run city in Japan.
I went for over 2 weeks last fall and was also confused by the Subway e.g. the lines NOT being directly connected as they are run by different operators and having to exit stations & walk a few blocks to another line etc... I did ALOT of walking though which was not too bad BUT some gardens and areas I completely missed as I did not want to deal with buses (do they even take cash?)... You almost need to stay there at least a month or 2 to see everything - especially when it gets dark by 5 and stuff closes around 4 in the fall...
The subway goes nowhere relevant. The guru guru buses are quite useful, but that depends on where you're going. The Zest mall near city hall is another unnecessary boondoggle (see https://www.kobekatsu.com/zest-oike/). Kyoto really doesn't need more shopping, Shijo Karasuma seems like plenty to entertain tourists, and it doesn't seem like locals shop there all that much.
Eliminating the ¥500 all day bus pass might hurt locals more than tourists, especially since the yen is weak and many of us live in countries with stronger currencies. Overcrowding is a real problem, too. It's hard to enjoy a visit to temples and shrines (including the big attractions like Kinkakuji or Kiyomizudera) when there are so many people "doing it for the 'gram". Perhaps they need to set limits on the numbers of people that can visit popular attractions and festivals (like Gion Matsuri). That would upset some tourists, but it might be better for the citizens.
Not to cast aspersions on any one group, but there have been a lot of ugly Americans, Chinese, and other tourists that don't bother to learn anything about Japanese culture and customs before they visit, and act uncultured and boorish. Hassling the geiko and maiko for pictures and whatnot when they're trying to go about their days is so wrong. I'm glad the people of Gion have cut off access to their neighborhood.
With respect to all the non-taxable entities, when I lived in Colorado years ago, there was a ballot measure intended to make non-profits and churches pay for the city and county services they used, like water, sewer, police, fire, et al. At the time, they're were lots of those groups moving there, especially near Colorado Springs. Sadly, the measure was defeated by one percentage point. Perhaps that's something Kyoto should look into, if only on a limited basis.
There are no easy answers. People are going to come to Kyoto for all the things it has to offer.
With the recent, drastic increase for the JR Pass, that might keep people in Tokyo, Nagoya, or Osaka, depending on where they fly into. I think Japan needs to try and get more people to visit other areas that are less traveled, as long as they keep the thundering herds under control.
I remember my first visits to Japan in the late 90s-early 2000s. I have always tried to respect the culture and customs, albeit maybe not successfully. Things were less crowded and enjoyable back then. I doubt I'd visit Kyoto now...
Also, I highly suggest this book as not only does it give the history of most major sights, it has everything organized into manageable walks: Kyoto, 29 Walks in Japan's Ancient Capital: The Definitive Guide to Kyoto's Temples, Shrines, Gardens and Palaces https://amzn.to/4aGf6Dp
One can certainly quibble about, say, the Tozai line going all the way from Rokujizo in the east to Uzumasa Tenjingawa in the west, but "nowhere relevant" is a gross exaggeration. The Karasuma line is the main north-south artery of the city, with Kyoto Station subway used by ~41m passengers/year.
I went to Kyoto last fall for over 2 weeks: https://emergingmarketskeptic.substack.com/p/japan-trip-report-plus-japanese-stocks-research - I was also confused by the Subway e.g. the lines NOT being directly connected... This was what struck me and what I wrote about the Instagram tourists as I stayed at a popular hostel (and maybe the JR pass increases will encourage them to stay put):
"There was a couple from Chicago who said they had flown to Hong Kong where they visited Hong Kong Disneyland (WHY?!!! 🤷), then flew to Japan, and were going next to Korea. Granted, I overheard the husband say that his wife only gets two weeks off work a year while he gets more or could save up vacation days to take all at once. I also overheard more than a few travellers say they did day trips from Kyoto to Hiroshima!...... But with this amount of travel, these tourists will be spending most of their time packing and unpacking and in airports/train stations/accommodations, in between airports/train stations/accommodations, getting to and from airports/train stations/accommodations, etc. with just enough time to hit the main tourist trap sights (Kyoto’s Bamboo Forest, etc.) to take the necessary Instagram shots and selfies. Then they will go back home and brag about seeing Japan or Asia… Without having seen much of Japan or Asia…"
I stayed close to Shichijō Station and had some confusion on that line + what are actually tram lines are separate - in 2 places you must exit the stations and renter a different one... Also, no though tickets on the various lines... Here in KL, they have made efforts to physically connect-integrate different lines run by different operators and built at different times so you don't have to go out in the heat or at least out into a monsoon + they have through tokens or tickets to all stations...
I think you're conflating the subway with other train lines (e.g. Keihan line, which has a station at Shichijo). The Keihan line used to be overground, but it's northern end was put underground a few decades ago.
There is a special loop bus from Shichijo Keihan station to Kyoto Station (even though it's a short walk). Also, one stop south, Tofukuji, has side-by-side Keihan and JR stations so you can get to Kyoto Station in 4 minutes.
(If you're asking for Shichijo station to be connected/integrated to the subway, that would be a few $bn for an underground tunnel to eliminate the hardship of a 10 minute walk/2 minute bus ride/4 minute exchange at the next station)
ICOCA commuter pass (chargeable at any station) allows travel on all public transport -- i.e. an electronic through ticket.
To be honest, as a Kyoto resident, it seems like you didn't do your research.
Subway, tram, commuter train or whatever... A tourist does not need a commuter pass and I don't use phone apps for stuff like this... In KL we can use cash and buy one single trip token to use on the LRT-MRT-Monorail with only the KTM commuter train I think still being separate. For tourists, there are a frequent double decker hop-on hop-off bus to all the main sights (not that many here though...)... Surprisingly, Tokyo was very easy to figure out how to navigate around - just buy a ticket as needed and pretty cheap to get around...
Oh yes, when I lived there in 2014, I almost exclusively used to cycle, especially during tourist season when public transit was unbearable (just imagine how bad it is now... The issue i found biking is that you almost exclusively share the roads with the busses and cars which on such congested roads is very dangerous. Such a shame and bad city planning as Kyoto is extremly bikable otherwise.
I actually just released a video on the same topic (didn't have time to cover the biking aspect). Please check it out if you're interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyYk4wlMpGo
Nice piece. As a long-term Kyoto resident there are a few things I'd like to add:
1) Your very provocative image of former mayor Daisaku Kadokawa with the word CORRUPTION? on it. Are you making any direct allegations or just clickbaiting?
2) Re: buses, you say "But really, what other options do the tourists have?". They have a very simple, easy option: TAXIS. There are thousands of taxis on Kyoto's streets, but very few tourists understand you SHOULD NOT TAKE BUSES WITH SUITCASES. Pay for a taxi. They are cheap, abundant, and quicker than buses. It is sheer cheapskatism to haul your suitcases on a crowded bus because you don't want to pay a few yen extra for a taxi.
3) Capital-intensive construction projects/boondoggles (it's not just City Hall):
* JR Sai'in Line (Nijo to Hanazono): ¥33bn
* Kintetsu Line (Toji to Takeda): ¥28bn
* Umekouji Park (including the Aquarium no residents wanted): ¥53bn
Ha ha...reading this after just writing a rose-tinted touristy post about my visit to Kyoto. I did notice that it's a strangely hard city to get around - busses mostly and places which should be easy to get to would take 30 minutes or so (including waiting around for the bus). I didn't quite mind it but I can imagine it's not efficient or well run for general living or even to handle the volume of tourists. As a consequence, I think I walked like 15-20 kms everyday there and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Honestly if Kyoto doesn’t want tourists, people should stop going. I went last fall and will never go there again. The rhetoric is that “all tourists are bad” or “we hate all tourists” is absolutely not true; I was refused service and called names while white tourists behind me in line got smiles and service. And before you say: that’s just a coincidence, let me assure you it happened so many times, that I ended up cutting my trip to Japan short. Yes I have experienced racism in other countries; but this one especially hurt because I made a huge effort to be culturally-appropriate and follow all the rules, while the tourists who yelled and littered and smoked in the streets got treated with respect, and I was told “no black” and “we will not make space for you” and “we ran out of food.” “We hate tourists” thrown at only tourists of color is too blatant. If I ever go back to Japan, I am skipping Kyoto and going to Gunma.
I'm in Kyoto right now and I'm glad not to be the only one that felt this way. I felt so unwanted here and after planning this trip from so long, it's very disappointing to see people acting so rude
Sorry, another response, to two particular comments:
"This could be excused for a city packed with so many historical sites, if the subway system actually went to any of them!"
As I put it in a response to another commenter, the subway does go to many historical sites (Nijo Castle, for example).
"In fact, the subway doesn’t go where most tourists or even locals actually want to go…"
You've never been on the Kyoto subway during rush hour, have you?
I think your big miss is conflating the eastern and western extremes of the Tozai (east-west line), which are indeed lightly trafficked, with the Karasuma (north-south) line, where Kyoto Station (for example) handles ~41m passengers a year, i.e. is an incredibly busy, essential transport hub.
First, I do give you that it does stop next to Nijo Castle. And yes, while important, isn't even in the top ten biggest draws of Kyoto.
Regarding your point on rush hour – I used to live in Kyoto and yes, the Karasuma Line does get crowded around major hubs like Kyoto Station, Shijo, and Karasuma Oike. But it doesn't connect well to key areas like Kawaramachi and Arashiyama (I do love the tram, but come on, it's not made for commuting for sure), creating huge bottlenecks and making buses indispensable for many commuters. The Tozai Line’s eastern and western extremes, for instance, are lightly trafficked and don’t serve the more densely populated or frequently traveled parts of the city. Also, anything east of Kamogawa is completly ignored, and don't even get me started on the area south of Kyoto station...
The cost aspect is another major point. Constructing the subway lines was enormously expensive, with the total cost exceeding 1 trillion yen. Now there's talk of raising the minimum fare to 250 yen, when its already the most expensive subway in Japan...
I just released a video on the same topic digging a bit deeper on the subway (probably not as deep as you want though, but please check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyYk4wlMpGo)
"The Karasuma Line...doesn't connect well to key areas like Kawaramachi"
Not true. It connects at Karasuma Oike station to the Tozai Line straight to City Hall - a 20 second walk between the train lines (never having to go outside), then one escalator out of City Hall station directly onto Kawaramachi. No better connection could possibly exist.
As for Arashiyama, there's the Sagano Sai'in Line (another simple switch from the subway at Nijo station). The Sai'in Line cost a vast amount, as I detailed in another response. It seems to me you can't simultaneously criticize gross overspending on infrastructure, then ignore its existence.
(However, what you seem to be advocating - that Kyoto be reshaped for the convenience of tourists, and screw the residents (e.g. commuters at the extremes of the Tozai Line) - is going to come true - so...hooray...?)
Sorry, I just took the connection from memory, but I trust you on those, even though my memory tells me very strongly that it was such a hassle taking public transit to Arashiyama, east of Kamogawa or anywhere south of Kyoto station
I am definitely not advocating for that, rather that the subway suffered extreme cost overruns but does not cover nearly enough places in Kyoto to be useful (as seen by the constant price hikes due to low utilization and loan repayments).
What I am advocating for is to make it possible for tourists to get to where they want to go without burdening the commuter infrastructure. The government has finally woken up a bit on this and is implementing busses from Kyoto station that goes specifically to the top sightseeing destinations, but this should have been done years ago. On top of that, where is the biking infrastructure? For a city so flat and bike-able, it's insane to me that bikers and busses/cars have to share the same lanes...
Hey Rei, I'm not trying to be an ass here, but things like "make it possible for tourists to get to where they want to go without burdening the commuter infrastructure" are kinda impossible to implement.
* Re. bikes, a decision was made to narrow Shijo, Sanjo and Kawaramachi streets to increase the width of the sidewalks - i.e., to prioritize walking rather than bicycling. A fair decision I believe. For what little space/capacity is left, there are things like one lane (i.e. half) of Kawaramachi in each direction being bike/bus only between 7-9 and 17-19 each day.
There are hop-on, hop-off bicycles schemes, and Luup scooters everywhere. There's a hop-on hop-off open-top sightseeing bus. Thousands of taxis. What more can we do, carry tourists around in palanquins from door to door like kings? (There's already rickshaws).
The fact is, Central Kyoto has a limited capacity for people - the only time roads could be widened was by forcibly seizing houses and demolishing them to widen Oike and Horikawa Street to act as fire breaks during WW2.
The attitude that annoys residents is the simplistic idea: Kyoto needs tourists, therefore Kyoto must cater to whatever tourists want/need. We've seen places like Barcelona expire because long-term residents just move out. Would that really be a good thing for Kyoto, in exchange for a few people getting rich and a million Instagram photos? IMO, if tourists can't even put a destination into Google Maps and press "Directions", why should we have our quality of life destroyed to accommodate them?
Did I mention I have strong feelings about this? :)
Don't worry, I love these kinds of debates, especially when it comes to public transit!
* "Re. bikes, a decision was made to narrow Shijo, Sanjo and Kawaramachi streets to increase the width of the sidewalks" - I agree with this point too, those streets are packed to the brim with tourists mid-day and they should be prioritized. However, the city can definitely do a better job on leading cyclists to dedicated bike paths away from the most crowded areas. I used to be a bike tour-guide in 2014 and going from Kyoto station towards the east side while passing Gion was a nightmare! the amount of industrial neighborhoods (with trucks frequently running close to us) I had to cross to get there without getting stuck in Kawaramachi was insane. IF we look to the west, Kyoto has some absolutely amazing cycling paths towards Arashiyama, so it can definitely be done! I for one would love to see a dedicated cycling path on Kamogawa. Sure, the asthetics might not be as nice, but 50% of that river walk is ugly and delapidated anyways!
And I am glad to hear that the bycicle schemes are taking off!
However, I fully agree that Kyoto's current efforts will never be enough to manage the influx of tourists at its most popular destinations. The city's capacity is simply too small for the number of visitors. Limiting capacity at certain temples or banning tourists in private areas, like Gion, is a good start. Kyoto should learn from Amsterdam, which successfully reduced tourist pressure by promoting lesser-known attractions through free guided tours, improving public transport routes, and offering discounts for off-peak visits.
Kyoto can implement similar strategies. For instance, they could improve transportation to hidden gems like the Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple, with its thousand mini statues, or the serene Takao area in the southeast. Additionally, they can enhance accessibility and signage to lesser-known temples just a few stops from Kyoto Station. The city should actively promote these sites through targeted campaigns, events, and better information dissemination to spread out tourist traffic and protect its cultural heritage.
These suggestions are just the the final stretch on what Kyoto city should do though. First, don't go bankrupt and just don't spend dumb money on dumb project when the city's already on the verge of bankruptcy... After that, the politicians can start discussing tourism policies
I went for over 2 weeks last fall and was also confused by the Subway e.g. the lines NOT being directly connected as they are run by different operators and having to exit stations & walk a few blocks to another line etc... I did ALOT of walking though which was not too bad BUT some gardens and areas I completely missed as I did not want to deal with buses (do they even take cash?)... You almost need to stay there at least a month or 2 to see everything - especially when it gets dark by 5 and stuff closes around 4 in the fall...
MY TRIP REPORTS:
https://emergingmarketskeptic.substack.com/p/japan-trip-report-plus-japanese-stocks-research
https://emergingmarketskeptic.substack.com/p/japanese-stocks-you-will-encounter-on-japan-trip
https://emergingmarketskeptic.substack.com/p/recent-japan-investing-research
I agree with you about Kyoto.
The subway goes nowhere relevant. The guru guru buses are quite useful, but that depends on where you're going. The Zest mall near city hall is another unnecessary boondoggle (see https://www.kobekatsu.com/zest-oike/). Kyoto really doesn't need more shopping, Shijo Karasuma seems like plenty to entertain tourists, and it doesn't seem like locals shop there all that much.
Eliminating the ¥500 all day bus pass might hurt locals more than tourists, especially since the yen is weak and many of us live in countries with stronger currencies. Overcrowding is a real problem, too. It's hard to enjoy a visit to temples and shrines (including the big attractions like Kinkakuji or Kiyomizudera) when there are so many people "doing it for the 'gram". Perhaps they need to set limits on the numbers of people that can visit popular attractions and festivals (like Gion Matsuri). That would upset some tourists, but it might be better for the citizens.
Not to cast aspersions on any one group, but there have been a lot of ugly Americans, Chinese, and other tourists that don't bother to learn anything about Japanese culture and customs before they visit, and act uncultured and boorish. Hassling the geiko and maiko for pictures and whatnot when they're trying to go about their days is so wrong. I'm glad the people of Gion have cut off access to their neighborhood.
With respect to all the non-taxable entities, when I lived in Colorado years ago, there was a ballot measure intended to make non-profits and churches pay for the city and county services they used, like water, sewer, police, fire, et al. At the time, they're were lots of those groups moving there, especially near Colorado Springs. Sadly, the measure was defeated by one percentage point. Perhaps that's something Kyoto should look into, if only on a limited basis.
There are no easy answers. People are going to come to Kyoto for all the things it has to offer.
With the recent, drastic increase for the JR Pass, that might keep people in Tokyo, Nagoya, or Osaka, depending on where they fly into. I think Japan needs to try and get more people to visit other areas that are less traveled, as long as they keep the thundering herds under control.
I remember my first visits to Japan in the late 90s-early 2000s. I have always tried to respect the culture and customs, albeit maybe not successfully. Things were less crowded and enjoyable back then. I doubt I'd visit Kyoto now...
Also, I highly suggest this book as not only does it give the history of most major sights, it has everything organized into manageable walks: Kyoto, 29 Walks in Japan's Ancient Capital: The Definitive Guide to Kyoto's Temples, Shrines, Gardens and Palaces https://amzn.to/4aGf6Dp
"The subway goes nowhere relevant."
One can certainly quibble about, say, the Tozai line going all the way from Rokujizo in the east to Uzumasa Tenjingawa in the west, but "nowhere relevant" is a gross exaggeration. The Karasuma line is the main north-south artery of the city, with Kyoto Station subway used by ~41m passengers/year.
I went to Kyoto last fall for over 2 weeks: https://emergingmarketskeptic.substack.com/p/japan-trip-report-plus-japanese-stocks-research - I was also confused by the Subway e.g. the lines NOT being directly connected... This was what struck me and what I wrote about the Instagram tourists as I stayed at a popular hostel (and maybe the JR pass increases will encourage them to stay put):
"There was a couple from Chicago who said they had flown to Hong Kong where they visited Hong Kong Disneyland (WHY?!!! 🤷), then flew to Japan, and were going next to Korea. Granted, I overheard the husband say that his wife only gets two weeks off work a year while he gets more or could save up vacation days to take all at once. I also overheard more than a few travellers say they did day trips from Kyoto to Hiroshima!...... But with this amount of travel, these tourists will be spending most of their time packing and unpacking and in airports/train stations/accommodations, in between airports/train stations/accommodations, getting to and from airports/train stations/accommodations, etc. with just enough time to hit the main tourist trap sights (Kyoto’s Bamboo Forest, etc.) to take the necessary Instagram shots and selfies. Then they will go back home and brag about seeing Japan or Asia… Without having seen much of Japan or Asia…"
"I was also confused by the Subway e.g. the lines NOT being directly connected..."
They are, at Karasuma Oike station.
I stayed close to Shichijō Station and had some confusion on that line + what are actually tram lines are separate - in 2 places you must exit the stations and renter a different one... Also, no though tickets on the various lines... Here in KL, they have made efforts to physically connect-integrate different lines run by different operators and built at different times so you don't have to go out in the heat or at least out into a monsoon + they have through tokens or tickets to all stations...
I think you're conflating the subway with other train lines (e.g. Keihan line, which has a station at Shichijo). The Keihan line used to be overground, but it's northern end was put underground a few decades ago.
There is a special loop bus from Shichijo Keihan station to Kyoto Station (even though it's a short walk). Also, one stop south, Tofukuji, has side-by-side Keihan and JR stations so you can get to Kyoto Station in 4 minutes.
(If you're asking for Shichijo station to be connected/integrated to the subway, that would be a few $bn for an underground tunnel to eliminate the hardship of a 10 minute walk/2 minute bus ride/4 minute exchange at the next station)
ICOCA commuter pass (chargeable at any station) allows travel on all public transport -- i.e. an electronic through ticket.
To be honest, as a Kyoto resident, it seems like you didn't do your research.
Subway, tram, commuter train or whatever... A tourist does not need a commuter pass and I don't use phone apps for stuff like this... In KL we can use cash and buy one single trip token to use on the LRT-MRT-Monorail with only the KTM commuter train I think still being separate. For tourists, there are a frequent double decker hop-on hop-off bus to all the main sights (not that many here though...)... Surprisingly, Tokyo was very easy to figure out how to navigate around - just buy a ticket as needed and pretty cheap to get around...
The problem, then, is one of effective communication (a fair point), because everything you describe is available:
1) Subway & bus 1 day pass: https://www2.city.kyoto.lg.jp/kotsu/webguide/en/ticket/regular_1day_card_comm.html (available to buy on every bus as well as at every station)
2) Double-decker hop-on hop-off bus: https://skyhopbus.kyoto/en/
* ICOCA: free rechargable magnetic card
* No phone apps are necessary (although available).
* Apple Pay via Apple Watch also works
(Personally I use yet another option: PiTaTa (post-pay transit credit card)
I lived in Kyoto in 2006. I couldn’t believe the subway went nowhere near the popular sites.
The best way I found to get around was by bicycle. Those buses can be tricky to navigate. And they must be so crowded these days!
Oh yes, when I lived there in 2014, I almost exclusively used to cycle, especially during tourist season when public transit was unbearable (just imagine how bad it is now... The issue i found biking is that you almost exclusively share the roads with the busses and cars which on such congested roads is very dangerous. Such a shame and bad city planning as Kyoto is extremly bikable otherwise.
I actually just released a video on the same topic (didn't have time to cover the biking aspect). Please check it out if you're interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyYk4wlMpGo
Nice piece. As a long-term Kyoto resident there are a few things I'd like to add:
1) Your very provocative image of former mayor Daisaku Kadokawa with the word CORRUPTION? on it. Are you making any direct allegations or just clickbaiting?
2) Re: buses, you say "But really, what other options do the tourists have?". They have a very simple, easy option: TAXIS. There are thousands of taxis on Kyoto's streets, but very few tourists understand you SHOULD NOT TAKE BUSES WITH SUITCASES. Pay for a taxi. They are cheap, abundant, and quicker than buses. It is sheer cheapskatism to haul your suitcases on a crowded bus because you don't want to pay a few yen extra for a taxi.
3) Capital-intensive construction projects/boondoggles (it's not just City Hall):
* JR Sai'in Line (Nijo to Hanazono): ¥33bn
* Kintetsu Line (Toji to Takeda): ¥28bn
* Umekouji Park (including the Aquarium no residents wanted): ¥53bn
* Kyoto Concert Hall: ¥19bn
* Tohokubu "Clean Center" (Garbage Incinerator): ¥51bn
That's a few US $bn of projects right there.
Ha ha...reading this after just writing a rose-tinted touristy post about my visit to Kyoto. I did notice that it's a strangely hard city to get around - busses mostly and places which should be easy to get to would take 30 minutes or so (including waiting around for the bus). I didn't quite mind it but I can imagine it's not efficient or well run for general living or even to handle the volume of tourists. As a consequence, I think I walked like 15-20 kms everyday there and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Sure needed to be said.
Sad. Was there many years ago. Want to visit again someday, but...
Honestly if Kyoto doesn’t want tourists, people should stop going. I went last fall and will never go there again. The rhetoric is that “all tourists are bad” or “we hate all tourists” is absolutely not true; I was refused service and called names while white tourists behind me in line got smiles and service. And before you say: that’s just a coincidence, let me assure you it happened so many times, that I ended up cutting my trip to Japan short. Yes I have experienced racism in other countries; but this one especially hurt because I made a huge effort to be culturally-appropriate and follow all the rules, while the tourists who yelled and littered and smoked in the streets got treated with respect, and I was told “no black” and “we will not make space for you” and “we ran out of food.” “We hate tourists” thrown at only tourists of color is too blatant. If I ever go back to Japan, I am skipping Kyoto and going to Gunma.
I'm in Kyoto right now and I'm glad not to be the only one that felt this way. I felt so unwanted here and after planning this trip from so long, it's very disappointing to see people acting so rude
Sorry, another response, to two particular comments:
"This could be excused for a city packed with so many historical sites, if the subway system actually went to any of them!"
As I put it in a response to another commenter, the subway does go to many historical sites (Nijo Castle, for example).
"In fact, the subway doesn’t go where most tourists or even locals actually want to go…"
You've never been on the Kyoto subway during rush hour, have you?
I think your big miss is conflating the eastern and western extremes of the Tozai (east-west line), which are indeed lightly trafficked, with the Karasuma (north-south) line, where Kyoto Station (for example) handles ~41m passengers a year, i.e. is an incredibly busy, essential transport hub.
First, I do give you that it does stop next to Nijo Castle. And yes, while important, isn't even in the top ten biggest draws of Kyoto.
Regarding your point on rush hour – I used to live in Kyoto and yes, the Karasuma Line does get crowded around major hubs like Kyoto Station, Shijo, and Karasuma Oike. But it doesn't connect well to key areas like Kawaramachi and Arashiyama (I do love the tram, but come on, it's not made for commuting for sure), creating huge bottlenecks and making buses indispensable for many commuters. The Tozai Line’s eastern and western extremes, for instance, are lightly trafficked and don’t serve the more densely populated or frequently traveled parts of the city. Also, anything east of Kamogawa is completly ignored, and don't even get me started on the area south of Kyoto station...
The cost aspect is another major point. Constructing the subway lines was enormously expensive, with the total cost exceeding 1 trillion yen. Now there's talk of raising the minimum fare to 250 yen, when its already the most expensive subway in Japan...
I just released a video on the same topic digging a bit deeper on the subway (probably not as deep as you want though, but please check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyYk4wlMpGo)
"The Karasuma Line...doesn't connect well to key areas like Kawaramachi"
Not true. It connects at Karasuma Oike station to the Tozai Line straight to City Hall - a 20 second walk between the train lines (never having to go outside), then one escalator out of City Hall station directly onto Kawaramachi. No better connection could possibly exist.
As for Arashiyama, there's the Sagano Sai'in Line (another simple switch from the subway at Nijo station). The Sai'in Line cost a vast amount, as I detailed in another response. It seems to me you can't simultaneously criticize gross overspending on infrastructure, then ignore its existence.
(However, what you seem to be advocating - that Kyoto be reshaped for the convenience of tourists, and screw the residents (e.g. commuters at the extremes of the Tozai Line) - is going to come true - so...hooray...?)
Sorry, I just took the connection from memory, but I trust you on those, even though my memory tells me very strongly that it was such a hassle taking public transit to Arashiyama, east of Kamogawa or anywhere south of Kyoto station
I am definitely not advocating for that, rather that the subway suffered extreme cost overruns but does not cover nearly enough places in Kyoto to be useful (as seen by the constant price hikes due to low utilization and loan repayments).
What I am advocating for is to make it possible for tourists to get to where they want to go without burdening the commuter infrastructure. The government has finally woken up a bit on this and is implementing busses from Kyoto station that goes specifically to the top sightseeing destinations, but this should have been done years ago. On top of that, where is the biking infrastructure? For a city so flat and bike-able, it's insane to me that bikers and busses/cars have to share the same lanes...
Hey Rei, I'm not trying to be an ass here, but things like "make it possible for tourists to get to where they want to go without burdening the commuter infrastructure" are kinda impossible to implement.
* Re. bikes, a decision was made to narrow Shijo, Sanjo and Kawaramachi streets to increase the width of the sidewalks - i.e., to prioritize walking rather than bicycling. A fair decision I believe. For what little space/capacity is left, there are things like one lane (i.e. half) of Kawaramachi in each direction being bike/bus only between 7-9 and 17-19 each day.
There are hop-on, hop-off bicycles schemes, and Luup scooters everywhere. There's a hop-on hop-off open-top sightseeing bus. Thousands of taxis. What more can we do, carry tourists around in palanquins from door to door like kings? (There's already rickshaws).
The fact is, Central Kyoto has a limited capacity for people - the only time roads could be widened was by forcibly seizing houses and demolishing them to widen Oike and Horikawa Street to act as fire breaks during WW2.
The attitude that annoys residents is the simplistic idea: Kyoto needs tourists, therefore Kyoto must cater to whatever tourists want/need. We've seen places like Barcelona expire because long-term residents just move out. Would that really be a good thing for Kyoto, in exchange for a few people getting rich and a million Instagram photos? IMO, if tourists can't even put a destination into Google Maps and press "Directions", why should we have our quality of life destroyed to accommodate them?
Did I mention I have strong feelings about this? :)
Don't worry, I love these kinds of debates, especially when it comes to public transit!
* "Re. bikes, a decision was made to narrow Shijo, Sanjo and Kawaramachi streets to increase the width of the sidewalks" - I agree with this point too, those streets are packed to the brim with tourists mid-day and they should be prioritized. However, the city can definitely do a better job on leading cyclists to dedicated bike paths away from the most crowded areas. I used to be a bike tour-guide in 2014 and going from Kyoto station towards the east side while passing Gion was a nightmare! the amount of industrial neighborhoods (with trucks frequently running close to us) I had to cross to get there without getting stuck in Kawaramachi was insane. IF we look to the west, Kyoto has some absolutely amazing cycling paths towards Arashiyama, so it can definitely be done! I for one would love to see a dedicated cycling path on Kamogawa. Sure, the asthetics might not be as nice, but 50% of that river walk is ugly and delapidated anyways!
And I am glad to hear that the bycicle schemes are taking off!
However, I fully agree that Kyoto's current efforts will never be enough to manage the influx of tourists at its most popular destinations. The city's capacity is simply too small for the number of visitors. Limiting capacity at certain temples or banning tourists in private areas, like Gion, is a good start. Kyoto should learn from Amsterdam, which successfully reduced tourist pressure by promoting lesser-known attractions through free guided tours, improving public transport routes, and offering discounts for off-peak visits.
Kyoto can implement similar strategies. For instance, they could improve transportation to hidden gems like the Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple, with its thousand mini statues, or the serene Takao area in the southeast. Additionally, they can enhance accessibility and signage to lesser-known temples just a few stops from Kyoto Station. The city should actively promote these sites through targeted campaigns, events, and better information dissemination to spread out tourist traffic and protect its cultural heritage.
These suggestions are just the the final stretch on what Kyoto city should do though. First, don't go bankrupt and just don't spend dumb money on dumb project when the city's already on the verge of bankruptcy... After that, the politicians can start discussing tourism policies