What to do first when you arrive at KYOTO
Drop off your luggage at Kyoto Station to deliver to your hotel
Although there are many coin lockers at Kyoto Station, it's difficult to find available lockers on the holidays.
The locker fees at Kyoto Station are generally the same, with small lockers costing 400 yen, medium lockers costing 500 yen, and large lockers costing 700 yen.
There are two types of coin lockers: one that uses transportation IC cards such as ICOCA as the key, and another type is traditional-type lockers that require coins.
Only ICOCA lockers have the option to check availability on their website.
Coin lockers that require coins are not covered by this search site, so even if all the boxes on the search screen are marked with X, there may still be some available traditional-type lockers.
However, wandering around Kyoto Station looking for an available locker is a waste of time.
My recommendation is to use a service that delivers your luggage to your accommodation.
Crosta Kyoto
Crosta Kyoto is located on the first basement floor of Kyoto Station. If you go to Crosta Kyoto by 2 p.m. on the day of your arrival at Kyoto Station, they will deliver your luggage to your hotel around 5 p.m. on the same day.
The service is very convenient and costs only 1,000 yen. Just add a few hundred yen to the coin locker fee.
If you put your luggage into a coin locker at Kyoto Station before sightseeing, you will need to return to the station to pick it up before heading to your hotel. Considering the travel time and transportation expenses to return to Kyoto Station, a few hundred yen is a pretty good deal.
Sagawa Express
There is a similar service provided by Sagawa Express, which was founded in Gion, Kyoto, that delivers luggage to hotels.
The fee varies depending on the size of the luggage, but it is almost the same as that of Crosta Kyoto.
If you exit from the Karasuma gate on the north side of Kyoto Station, it would be best to go to Crosta Kyoto.
On the other hand, if you exit from the Hachijo gate on the south side, it would be better to request home delivery from Sagawa Express.
By the way, the Shinkansen passes through the southernmost track of Kyoto Station, so if you head to the Hachijo gate you can reach the Sagawa Express counter via the shortest route.
Get useful info at Kyoto Tourist Information Center
The Kyoto Tourist Information Center on the north-south passage of the second floor of Kyoto Station is very convenient.
You can check the real-time blossom status of flowers in various parts of Kyoto and the congestion status of famous tourist spots. Not only maps but also many flyers for events in each area and tourist spots are available.
You can also ask for help with reservations for tourist attractions that require an advanced booking.
Get Subway & Bus One-Day Pass
In Kyoto, there are multiple types of one-day tickets available for each railway company, but if you have the Subway & Bus One-Day Pass, you can cover most of the major tourist sites.
There is a vending machine in the Kyoto Tourist Information Center, but it is usually crowded. It is recommended to purchase tickets at other locations if the line is long.
There is also a vending machine near the D1 bus stop at the Karasuma gate.
You can also purchase Subway & Bus One-Day Pass at the bus ticket center right next to the bus stop.
There is also a vending machine for Subway & Bus One-Day Pass next to the subway ticket machine.
Please note that Subway & Bus One-Day Pass can only be purchased with cash.
Check weather forecast
Tourist spots that are located away from the central area of Kyoto, such as Ohara and Arashiyama, often have open spaces without roofs, making it difficult to enjoy sightseeing on rainy or snowy days, so it's better to visit on sunny days.
On the other hand, the central area of Kyoto has many arcade shopping streets, so you can enjoy shopping in between visiting shrines and temples.
Once you arrive in Kyoto, send your luggage to the hotel using a delivery service and enjoy Kyoto by traveling around with a Subway, Bus One-Day Pass, making your trip light and convenient.
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