Using JAPAN RAIL PASS in Kyoto

Does JAPAN RAIL PASS (JR Pass) cover Kyoto City Subway or Kyoto City Bus ?

The answer is NO.

With JR Pass, you can only ride JR line (train) and West JR Bus line in Kyoto.

Let’s check the map below which is the JR line and the West JR Bus line.

In Kyoto, there are 7 different train companies such as Hankyu, Keihan, Kintetsu, Keifuku, Eizan, Kyoto City Subway in addition to JR line.

Among them, you can only ride JR line with JR Pass.

Also there are mainly 4 different bus companies (Kyoto City Bus, Kyoto Bus, Keihan Bus and West JR bus) in Kyoto city.

But you can only ride West JR bus with JR Pass.

From Mar. 2o21, JR bus accepts “Bus One-day Pass” released by Kyoto City Bus, within the area between Kyoto station and Takao (Jingoji temple, Kozanji temple).

Unfortunately, this Bus One-day Pass is discontinued at the end of September 2023. (If you have already had the pass before discontinuation, you can use it until the end of March 2024.) From October 2023, only “Subway & Bus One-day Pass” is available.

Depending on your destination, this type of Subway & Bus One-day Pass may be a good deal, if you want to visit all over Kyoto city.

Only with JR Pass, what attractions can you go to in Kyoto ?

For example, using JR line, you can go to Arashiyama (the picture above), Fushimi-inari Shrine and Umekoji Park.

Also using west JR bus, you can go to Kyoto Aqurium, Ryoanji Temple and Ninnaji Temple.

If you do not mind walking from stations or bus stops, you can go to Nijo Castle, Kinkakuji Temple (golden pavilion) and some other famous spots.

The followings is the list & map of some attractions for each line, please check.

♦♦〈 JR Kyoto station〉♦♦

  • Toji Temple (15 min walk, the picture above)

  • Sanjusangendo Temple (more than 20 min walk)

♦♦〈 JR Sagano Line〉♦♦

  • Kyoto Aquarium (the picture above, 5 min walk from Umekoji-Kyotonishi station∗ open on Mar. 16, 2019)

  • Umekoji Park, Kyoto Railway Museum (near Umekoji-Kyotonishi station∗)

  • Nijo-jo Castle (15 min walk from Nijo station)

  • TOEI Kyoto Studio Park (5 min walk from Uzumasa station)

  ◊ Arashiyama area (walking from Saga-Arashiyama station)

• Togetsukyo Bridge 10 min,
• Tenryuji Temple 13 min,
• Monkey Park 15 min,
• Bamboo Forest 17 min
• Jojakkoji Temple 20 min

 ♦♦〈 JR Nara Line〉♦♦

   • Tofukuji Temple (10 min walk from Tofukuji station)

   • Fushimi-inari Shrine (near Inari station, the picture above)

   • Byodoin Temple (Uji city, 10 min walk from Uji station)

  ♦♦〈West JR Bus Line〉♦♦

  • Kyoto Aquarium (near Kyoto aquarium bus stop)

  • Kitano tenmangu Shrine (7 min walk from Kitano-Hakubaicho bus stop)

  • Kinkakuji Temple (golden pavilion, 10 min walk from Waratenjin-mae bus stop)

  • Ryoanji Temple (near Ryoanji-mae bus stop, the picture above)

  • Ninnaji Temple (near Omuro-ninnaji bus stop)