We found an interesting article online titled “Cities That ‘Refuse to Lose’ in Accessibility Challenges.” It’s essentially a ranking that assesses transportation convenience in various areas. The article specifically looks at Tokyo’s 23 wards, listing the “least accessible areas” based on a survey. For those familiar with Tokyo’s geography, it’s quite an insightful read.

Now, let’s turn to Kyoto, which is divided into 11 wards, but discussions about rising apartment prices or over-tourism typically focus only on a few well-known tourist spots or central urban areas. Many people may be familiar with Kyoto’s tourist sites but might not have a sense of the layout beyond these landmarks. So, we’ve decided to share my own perspective on Kyoto’s accessibility, focusing on key points and adding my personal take.

[Limited Areas with Good Rail Access]

Kyoto City covers a vast area, extending into the mountains, with a total land area of 827.9 square kilometers—larger than the combined area of Osaka (223 km²) and Kobe (552.3 km²). However, more than half of this area is mountainous, and the urbanized section is around 150 km², which is smaller than Osaka City.

While Osaka has a highly convenient subway network with nine lines (including the New Tram), Kyoto has only two subway lines: the Karasuma Line running north-south and the Tozai Line running east-west. This makes rail travel within Kyoto City relatively inconvenient.

If you want to avoid transportation issues, living in Nakagyo Ward, where you can use both subway lines, or Shimogyo Ward, where you can take the Hankyu Kyoto Line for east-west travel, might be best. Especially around the area known as “Tanoji,” centered around Shijo Karasuma, you have access to JR Nijo Station to the west, the Keihan Main Line to the east, and JR Kyoto Station to the south. In this area, rail travel is quite convenient.

[Mastering the Bus System to Improve Accessibility]

Wards surrounding Nakagyo and Shimogyo, like Ukyo, Kamigyo, Sakyo, and Higashiyama, have limited rail access and many areas where getting to the nearest station can be a challenge. These areas are covered by bus routes, including the Kyoto City Bus, which covers major city areas, the Kyoto Bus, serving suburban areas, and the Keihan Bus, which operates in the eastern part of Kyoto City. Skillful use of buses can make travel within these areas manageable.

However, using buses in Kyoto can be challenging, especially for newcomers. For instance, the north rotary at JR Kyoto Station has 15 different boarding platforms, while the Shijo Kawaramachi intersection has 16 bus stops in total—eight for Kyoto City Bus, five for Keihan Bus, and three for Kyoto Bus. Finding the right stop without making a mistake is difficult for first-timers. Even locals often only know the routes they personally use.

Some routes are frequently used by tourists, and those passing through popular tourist spots can be crowded, making it hard to board at certain stops or causing delays when passengers take extra time to get on and off. During tourist seasons or holidays, some routes become almost “unusable.”

[Hidden Gem for Accessibility: Fushimi Ward]

Aside from Nakagyo and Shimogyo, the Fushimi Ward center is a highly accessible area. Although the ward includes less accessible areas, such as mountainous regions or areas without nearby train stations, the central part has high convenience with the Kyoto City Subway Karasuma Line, Kintetsu Kyoto Line, Keihan Main Line, and JR Nara Line running parallel.

Other accessible spots include areas around Yamashina Station, where three lines are available, and Rokujizo Station. Both stations are on the subway’s Tozai Line, providing direct access to Kyoto City Hall and Karasuma Oike in the city center without transfers. In these areas, the supply of condos targeted at families, who find the city center too expensive, is expected to increase.

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