Kyoto Transportation 110th Anniversary of Kyoto Buses

京都市公営バス110周年

Kyoto historically has been quick to adapt to and introduce new technologies and ideas.

The stereotype of a city is frozen in time, wed to ancient monuments and customs, is absolutely false.

Today marks the 110th anniversary of service for Kyoto's city buses. Kyoto was the first city in Japan to have bus service. The first city buses rolled out on September 20, 1903.

Almost ten years earlier, Kyoto opened the nation's first trolley service - the Kyoto Shiden - in 1895.  The "chin chin" trains (the sound of the bell) were a beloved feature of the city. Most of the lines, however, were ripped up in 1978 in order to increase space for cars and buses.

One portion of the Keifuku Randen line runs along city streets for a stretch, but otherwise the old street cars are but a fading memory.

For transportation geeks, it is possible to ride one of Kyoto's old trolley cars. At Meiji Mura, outside of Nagoya, the trains are still carrying tourists on a short trip.


© CycleKyoto.com

CycleKyoto Home Page

Tags Japan Touring Kyoto Cycle Japanese

Kyoto City Subway and Buses in Black for Third Year in a Row

京都市３年連続で黒字　１２年度決算、地下鉄や市バス改善

In other Kyoto transportation news, the city announced that in fiscal 2012 the city bus and subway system was 170 billion yen (roughly $170 million) in the black. That is up from 85 billion yen in the black in the previous year.

The source for this, a Kyoto Shinbun article, did not note the reason(s) for the improvement in finances of the city's main public forms of public transportation.

The article focused on arcane data that would please an accountant, but we wonder:

Was it because of cuts in service?
Increased ridership?
Better management?
More tourists?


© CycleKyoto.com

CycleKyoto Home Page

Tags Japan Touring Kyoto Cycle Japanese

Every Lane is a Bike Lane

全ての車線は自転車のレーン

God, we love this sign.

And, on the back of a bus - in California!

This photo comes courtesy of Baltimore Spokes, and is of a typical city bus in Los Angeles.

Here in Kyoto, buses are for the most part hulking, smelly, dangerous creatures. However, the drivers, impatient as some of them can be, are aware of cyclists.

That is, they expect a commuter on his bike to be in front of the bus, behind the bus, to the side of the bus.

Thus, unless a cyclist is half-mad or the driver half-asleep, trouble is rare.

© CycleKyoto.com

CycleKyoto Home Page

Tags Japan Touring Kyoto Cycle Japanese