Arriving at Kansai International Airport, Traveling to Kyoto, Checking in to The Chapter Kyoto

   In case you're curious about what I paid for airfare. On 1/10/23 I paid $1,350.75 (with taxes and fees) for the following flights:

10:45 am
San Francisco, CA, US (SFO) to
2:50 pm
Osaka, JP (KIX)


4:50 pm
Osaka, JP (KIX) to
11:05 am
San Francisco, CA, US (SFO)

   So you can see that I arrived at KIX at about 3:00PM on March 31st, 2023. 

I picked up my checked bags and headed toward the JR train station that is within the airport. In my notes, I had written "exchange Haruka discount voucher at the green machine," but the lines for all of the machines were SUPER long and I was worried I wait in the wrong line. So, I showed my voucher to the employee next to the gate and he pointed me toward the JR ticket office. There was a line there as well, but not as long. (By the way, I think I had noted the directions for a different type of pass then the one I ended up buying. I used Klook to book the Haruka Express train to Kyoto.) I showed my receipt at the JR ticket office and received my actual train ticket.

   The train ride from KIX to Kyoto's main station was not particularly scenic, but if you're a Hello Kitty fan like me, you will get a kick out of the trains decorative theme.

   From Kyoto station, it is only a short bus ride to The Chapter Kyoto. However, having just been on an hour-and-a-half train ride, which was preceded by a 12-hour flight, I opted to take a cab.

   Despite this being my third trip to Japan, this was my first time taking a cab and I was a bit nervous. Well, it went great! The arrival area of Kyoto station was full of employees standing by and eager to help. When I said I want a taxi, rather than pointing the way, the employee actually walked me all the way to the appropriate line. It turns out Kyoto Station maintains 2 taxi stands, with one being especially for foreigners. This was a relief to me because I would hate to be picked up by someone who didn't want a customer who can't speak Japanese. 

   Now, I had previously read that telling your cab driver the English-language name of your hotel (or other destination) is not likely to meet with success. Instead, I planned ahead and printed out about a half dozen copies of my hotel's address in both English and Japanese. I handed one of these to the taxi driver. This worked great throughout my trip. This particular cab ride was less than $15 USD. Well worth it when you're jetlagged and just don't want to ride a bus.

   By the way, when I did ride city buses in Kyoto, most had signage asking not to bring your luggage aboard. When it comes to arriving to and departing from your hotel, I would suggest either using a luggage delivery service or taking a cab. Kyoto city buses don't have any room for luggage!

   The Chapter Kyoto is a modern hotel with western-style rooms. Stays include access to their in-house onsen, which I had completely to myself almost every time that I went there. The breakfast buffet was more expensive than other (non-buffet) options in the area, but it's a chance to try foods that you wouldn't normally order, so I would suggest giving it a try at least once during your stay. 

   The location of The Chapter Kyoto is really convenient. Only a few blocks from the canal that runs along Kiyamach-dori. You can follow that canal to the Pontocho neighborhood or the Kawaramachi shopping and dining area. It's also only a few blocks from the Kamo river.

   So that's how I got from San Francisco Airport to The Chapter Kyoto. Feel free to comment with questions or related experiences.