FWIW, due to overcrowding on the buses, the city of Kyoto officially advises everyone to take the subway or trains rather than buses whenever possible. Due to long lines, waiting times on routes such as between Kyoto Station and Gion or Kiyomizu can be as long as 30 minutes. Buses typically run at more than 400% capacity and often will not allow passengers to board. The buses always used to board at the rear, but they have recently tried experimenting with boarding at the front so that the driver can control the number of passengers that squeeze on. Especially on crowded routes going to Kyoto Station, it is not uncommon to be refused boarding.
Last edited by OsakaWino; Nov 18, 2019 at 6:33 pm