Bicycling is extremely popular in Kyoto: you’ll see office workers commuting by bike, parents running errands with a child seat on the back, and of course, many students pedaling around the city. Much of Kyoto is flat, so it’s very easy to traverse by bike. There are also plenty of bicycle parking lots throughout the city that make it convenient to leave your bike behind while you explore or go shopping.

Many students choose to get around Kyoto by bicycle, and there are a variety of options for new and used bikes in the city to fit most budgets. There are some rules unique to Japan when it comes to purchasing a bicycle, but we’ve put together a handy guide to help students in Kyoto figure it out: The Bicycle-Friendly City of Kyoto.

As always, be sure you follow traffic rules–you can find more information on these in the link above!

Kyoto’s flatness makes it easy to get around by bike, but it also makes it quite easy to walk around the city. It will depend on the distance you’re trying to cover, of course, but in general, Kyoto is extremely walkable and safe. In particular, some districts, like Gion, Higashiyama, and the downtown Kawaramachi areas are perfect for navigating on foot, but if you get tired, there are plenty of other transport options to catch.

Just be sure to use sidewalks when available, and watch out for cyclists speeding by. Another thing you may notice is that foot traffic tends to flow in the opposite direction of car traffic, even on the sidewalks: people tend to separate into along the right and left sides, depending on the direction they’re going!

One of the things that many students report loving about Kyoto is that it’s a city that’s just big enough, without being too big or urbanized. Still, the city is crossed by a number of other train lines that make it extremely easy to take day trips to other areas and large cities in Japan.

JR train lines–as well as the shinkansen–center around Kyoto Station. You can see a simplified version of the Kansai area JR lines here. These routes include destinations like Osaka, Nara, and northeast of Kyoto to Lake Biwa, among others.

Keihan trains, meanwhile, pass through Kyoto’s downtown, through areas like Shijo Kawaramachi, and to popular sightseeing locations like Fushimi Inari Shrine and Tofuku-ji Temple. Keihan trains can take you from Kyoto to Osaka, or connect you to the beautiful Kifune/Kurama areas to the north when you change to the Eizan Railway at Demachiyanagi Station. You can see a simplified version of the Keihan line here.

Another major train you may ride in Kyoto is the Hankyu Railway. The Hankyu Kyoto Line connects Kyoto’s Kawaramachi area to Osaka, but it also connects you to Arashiyama via the Arashiyama Line. See a list of stations along the Hankyu line here.

You can also get to Arashiyama on the Keifuku Electric Railway’s Randen (timetable is in Japanese) Tram, so be sure to check this route as well!

You’ll likely end up using a combination of all of these lines, and together, they make traveling around Kyoto and nearby cities a breeze.

Altogether, these options may feel a bit overwhelming, but if you start with just the transportation you need to get to school and around your neighborhood, you’ll start to find your footing, and soon you’ll be tooling around Kyoto like you always lived here.