Budget tourists in Kyoto

Overnight trains and buses (and flights) are a mixed bag for us vagabond travelers.

On the positive side, you can get to a new location without wasting a day, traffic delays and congestion are usually less, and you save the cost of a night’s hotel stay.

The downside: quality sleep is difficult.

After many such trips in India and other countries, we booked a night bus from Mount Fuji (Kawaguchiko Station) to Kyoto, Japan.

The cost for two adult tickets on the first class bus – including taxes – was $90 (a 9+ hour ride).

The night trip allowed us an extra full day to enjoy the Mt. Fuji area. Our Airbnb host graciously held our luggage after morning checkout, allowed us free use of bicycles for the day, and even drove us to the station in the early evening. The bus trip itself; smooth and uneventful — but, as expected, sleep was uneven.

Hai, Kyoto!

We ended up at the Kyoto central station (the main train and bus terminal) at 6:00 a.m. Way too early for our next Airbnb check-in and in a sleep deprived fog. (Incidentally, the other transport option – the high-speed train – would have cost between $60 and $100, per person, and taken about two-and-a-half hours.)

We grabbed coffee and McMuffins at a McDonald’s inside the station – and Starbucks brew a while later to keep us going. And as Kyoto came to morning life we explored the central city on foot. Wow!

The photos above are of the massive Kyoto station – a structure known as ‘the matrix’. It’s one of Japan’s largest buildings; a futuristic glass and steel construction, 15-stories high, loaded with offices, shops, restaurants, tourist and transport services, a mall, concert venue, rooftop park and views, skywalk, helipad, hotel, and more. To our bleary eyes it was like some world from Star Wars… lol. And here I thought Kyoto was an ‘old city’.

But minutes later – old it was. The photos below are from the ancient Nishi Honganji Buddhist temple . Constructed (and reconstructed repeatedly after fires) at this site – just two blocks from the Kyoto ‘Matrix’ – in 1591. The biggest and most awe inspiring Buddhist temple I’ve ever seen (and we’ve seen a lot in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, etc.). Info at the site said the central ‘Founders Hall’ is one of the world’s largest wooden buildings.

Honestly, Kyoto is a very old city (the Japan capital/emperor’s residence from 794 to 1868) – but today mixed seamlessly with everything modern, too. After getting into our Airbnb, we’ve now spent days exploring both old and new in this beautiful place. Surrounded by mountains, Kyoto is a bustling and spotlessly clean metropolis with dozens and dozens of old temples, gardens, shrines, parks, markets, museums, rivers and canals, 7-11s — and the former Imperial Palace complex.

Ranked as Japan’s seventh largest city, with a population of nearly 1.5 million inhabitants, Kyoto is also a huge tourist draw. And we’ve seen some of the summer throng at various attractions. Honestly, some places have a bit of a fake ‘Disney’ vibe. Old areas have been redone to accommodate tourism and commercialism.

Thankfully, our 10-day stay at a large (for Japan) Airbnb in our budget for $52 per night on the fringe of the most popular areas has worked out well. For $6 total per day our host provided two rental bikes, too — perfect to traverse the many narrow streets and old alleyways that make up central Kyoto. On our slower schedule we can pick and choose our places and pace.

Now half-way through our Kyoto stay, we’ve also taken some walking tours, visited many temples and parks (mostly free), and eaten meals both in and out. A nice dinner in an average establishment can be had for under $15 per plate – excluding alcohol. Tax in Japan is 10% on everything. Tipping is not customary. (I’ve found take-out beers for under $1 at Welcia – a major drug store chain).

We’re finding costs for Kyoto – and Japan in general – are manageable. Everything is way more expensive than India or Philippines, but well below the U.S. or U.K. We’d say prices overall are equal to what we paid in Romania, Bulgaria, and Türkiye last summer. (Truthfully, we scored some post-Covid housing at very low prices in eastern Europe). Our $3,000 per month Japan budget goal could be attainable (but we’ll likely go slightly over).

In coming days, we plan more sightseeing, bike-riding, eating & drinking, playing tourist, and trying to stay cool. It’s been in the mid-90’s all this past week. Next weekend we’ll be ‘down the road’ in Osaka – barely one hour away by bus. No overnight sleep issues for that destination.

As always, be thankful and generous, happy trails & more beer.

Life is NOW!