Kyoto

Raku Bus

   

Raku Bus (a City bus for three popular area in Kyoto City)

Kyoto City operate a foreign-tourist-friendly bus service, RAKU BUS ("Raku" meaning Kyoto), along three Kyoto City Bus routes that travel through popular sightseeing areas. The buses are distinctively painted with images of the four seasons in Kyoto, and provide enhanced on-board announcements in English.

The Raku Bus leaves from platform D2 at Kyoto Station. The cost is ¥220 per ride, but the day passes are accepted as well.

#101

To Higashiyama, Heian Shrine, Ginkakuji Temple

(East route): From Kyoto Station the bus goes to the Higashiyama area such as Sanjusangen-do Temple, Kiyomizu-dera Temple and Yasaka-jinja Shrine. Then, it goes to the Okazaki area such as Heian-jingu Shrine, Eikan-do Temple and Nazen-ji Temple and goes to Ginkaku-ji Temple. Then it comes back to Kyoto Station.

# 102

To Nijo Castle, Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine, Kinakaku-ji Temple

(Central route): From Kyoto Station the bus goes to Nijo Castle, Horikawa Imadegawa where Nishijin Textile Center is located, Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, Kinakaku-ji Temple and Daikoku-ji Temple. It finally goes to Kitano Tenman- gu Shrine, Kinkaku-ji Temple and Daitoku-ji Temple. It finally goes to Kitao-ji Bus Terminal and then comes back to Kyoto Station. At Kitano Hakubai-cho, Bus Route 101 connects to the Keifuku Railway bound for Arashiyama.

#103

To Ginkaku-ji-Kinkaku-ji Temple, Daitoku-ji Temple

(North route) From Ginkakuji-michi the bus goes along Imadegawa Street to Kyoto Imperial Palace, Nishijin Textile Center, Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, Kinkaku-ji Temple. It finally goes to Daitoku-ji Temple and then comes back. At Kitano Hakubai-cho, The bus connects to the Keifuku Railway bound for Arashiyama. At Demachiyanagi-eki- mae, it connects to the Eizan Rilway bound for Kurama.

Board the bus from the back door. Please walk towards the front. The exit door is at the front. The fare should be paid when getting off the bus.

One-day passes for City Buses

These passes are good one whole day on City Buses within a designated area of Kyoto City. (There is a diagram of this area printed on the passes.) If you get off a bus outside of the designated area, you will have to pay the difference in fare.

• Adults: 500yen Children: 250yen
• You don't necessarily have to go back to Kyoto Station to catch another bus. I took the 100 bus from Kyoto Station to Ginkaku-ji, and then after touring Ginkaku-ji, I walked to the nearby 102 bus stop to ride it to Kinkaku-ji. The stops for the 100 and 102 were a couple blocks from each other.
  Raku Buses(100 / 101 / 102) do not run in a circle; those going around in a circle are line two hundreds: 202 / 203 / 204 / 205 / 207 / 208. So, for exaple, if you start your trip from JR Kyoto focusing on Ginkakuji and Golden Pavilion, you can ride a raku bus100 to Ginkakuji, transfer to a raku bus102 from there to Golden Pavilion and hit it back to JR Kyoto from it on raku bus101. One important thing to note is, there's almost always one bus station located across from the other on the same street, either of which goes in the opposite direction. So you can't afford to wait at the station you've got off at. No, you don't have to get back to JR Kyoto for the second leg. FYI, you can get a non-raku204 at Ginkakuji-michi to make it directly for Golden Pavilion, which I did about a month ago. As for a 500-yen one-day freepass, you can buy one from a vending machine in each bus station platform at JR Kyoto Bus Terminal: there's a gray-colored stand-alone stantion-like stuff by the fence / pillar with a plastic model imbedded under the small glass screen..
  You can buy the 500 yen day bus pass just about anywhere near the bus stops in Kyoto city bus routes.
  Usually stationary or book stores and alike. You don't have to go back to the JR station area to purchase one.
  We bought ours in Gion area. 
• The bus stops at these signs.

Detail: How to board the bus Link
http://www.city.kyoto.jp/koho/eng/access/transport.html