Access and Hotel

Venue

The conference will take place at Kansai Seminar House, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, which is located in the north-east part of the city.

Kyoto is often called the "Japanese heartland", and it is said that it is impossible to know the real Japan without knowing Kyoto. For over 1,000 years, Kyoto was the capital of Japan, the heart of culture and politics. Furthermore, Kyoto is unique within Japan in that it was virtually untouched during World War II, leaving a myriad of temples, shrines and a castle intact. This legacy has been recognized by UNESCO, which has designated seventeen separate sites within Kyoto's borders as World Cultural Heritage sites.

Natural scenery, temples, shrines, towns and houses intermingle with a poignant historical beauty in Kyoto. Tea ceremony, Japanese flower arrangement, Nishijin-brocade, and many other unique Japanese traditional cultures and industries continue to thrive in Kyoto.

Travel Information

Weather
Average temperatures in October in Kyoto range from a high of 24.3 degrees to a low of 15.1 degrees in Centigrade. The average temperature is 19.2 degrees in Centigrade.

Access to Kyoto

From Kansai International Airport (KIX) to Kyoto Station

  1. Take Kansai Airport Express train "Haruka" operated by West Japan Railway Company. The station is in the airport. It runs every 30 - 60 minutes and takes about 75 minutes to Kyoto station. The reserved seat ticket costs 3,290 or 3,690 Yen (variable by season), and the non-reserved seat ticket 2,980 Yen.
  2. Airport Limousine bus service to "Hachijo" Exit of Kyoto station is available. It runs about every 30-50 minutes. and takes about 90 min. The cost is 2,500 Yen.
  3. You can access directly to the venue and most of hotels in Kyoto city by Shuttle Omnibus service. The cost is 3,500 Yen. Please refer to the links below for more detailed information and reservation.

Kansai Airport website: http://www.kansai-airport.or.jp/en/index.asp

From Osaka International (Itami) Airport (ITM) to Kyoto Station

  1. There exists Airport Limousine bus service to "Hachijo" Exit of Kyoto station at every 20 minutes. The bus stop is in front of the airport exit. It takes about 50 min., and the cost is 1,280 Yen.
  2. You can access directly to the venue and most of hotels in Kyoto city by Shuttle Omnibus service. The cost is 2,300 Yen. Please refer to the link below for more detailed information and reservation.

Osaka Airport website: http://osaka-airport.co.jp/en/

Kansai Area Map



To Kansai Seminar House (from Kyoto station or from the airports)

  1. From Kyoto Station, take subway Karasuma-line bound for Kokusaikaikan, and get off at Matsugasaki station ( http://www.city.kyoto.jp/koho/eng/access/subway.html). It takes about 16 minutes from Kyoto station to Matsugasaki station. Ticket fare is 280 JPY. You can buy ticket using the automatic ticket vending machine. If you go by taxi, it is better to get off the subway at Kitayama Station (one stop before Matsugasaki). Of course, you can walk from the subway station to Kansai Seminar House, but it will take more than 30 minutes.
  2. From Kyoto station, you can most easily come to Kansai Seminar house by taking taxi. Taxies are always waiting for passengers just outside of the both "Main" (called "Karasuma") and "Hachijo" Exits of the station. It takes about 40 min. and the cost is about 3,000 Yen. No tipping is necessary in Japan.
  3. From Osaka (Itami) or Kansai airport, Shuttle taxi services directly to the Seminar house are also available. From Osaka (Itami) airport, It takes about 2 hours and the cost is about 2,300 Yen. From Kansai airport, It takes about 3 hours and the cost is about 3,500 Yen. No tipping is necessary in Japan.

Kyoto City Map and Kansai Seminar House



Practical Information

Currency and Money Exchange
The unit of Japanese currency is "Yen". There are four kinds of bills (10,000 Yen, 5,000 Yen, 2,000 Yen, 1,000 Yen) and six kinds of coins (500 Yen, 100 Yen, 50 Yen, 10 Yen, 5 Yen, 1 Yen). Only Japanese Yen (JPY) is acceptable at ordinary stores and restaurants. The exchange rate of Japanese Yen is about 100 yen to one US dollar as of May 2013. You can buy Japanese Yen at international airport exchange centers or at authorized city banks in Japan.

VAT
VAT (value added tax) of 5% is included in all goods purchased in Japan.

Traveller's Checks and Credit Cards
Traveller's checks are accepted only by airport, leading banks, and major hotels; and the use of traveller's checks is not popular in Japan. VISA, MasterCard, Diners Club, and American Express are widely accepted at shops and restaurants in urban areas. Many ATMs in Japan do not accept foreign credit cards for cash advances. We recommend you to exchange your currency into Yen when you arrive at the Kansai (KIX) or Itami (ITM) airport or obtain Yen in your own country.

Electricity
Electricity is supplied at 100 volts, 60 Hz AC in western Japan including Kyoto and Osaka.