Kyoto is one of Japan’s most popular cities with more than 50 million visitors each year. It has several ancient and amazing world heritage sites that are often recommended as must-sees by guidebooks and travel blogs. If going to Kyoto soon why not rent a bike to explore this beautiful and historic city? Below are good reasons why cycling is a great option to get around Kyoto:

You can get access to rental bikes easily.

Everywhere in Kyoto there are rental bike shops that can provide you bicycles you can use for getting around. Outside Kyoto Station, for example, you can find several bike shops that offer different kinds of bikes that you can rent for around 1,000 yen for a whole day’s use. So as soon as you get off the Shinkansen you can go to one and start your Kyoto sightseeing adventure right away.

You can travel at your own pace.

Kyoto’s popular tourist spots are spread out around the city. Rushing from one temple or shrine to another just to catch the next train or bus before everything closes for the day can be incredibly exhausting. But with a bike you can manage your time more efficiently, and plan a route that suits your preferred pace. You can stay at one site as long as you want, without having to worry about when the next train or bus is coming.

You can get a close look at the locals’ daily lives.

With a bicycle, it is possible to use the narrow alleys and side streets to get to your next destination. This gives you the opportunity to see old and new residential houses, people in suits on their way to work or kids also on bikes headed for school, and some other off-the-beaten-path scenery that you might not get a chance to see if you are taking the subway or riding the bus.

You can explore some of the areas in the city more thoroughly.

Some of Kyoto’s best places to visit, such as the Philosopher’s Path, are made up of numerous temples, and other attractions that are better explored by bikes than on foot. If you want to do the entire length of the Philosopher’s Path, for example, biking allows you to check out more sites along the way as it is faster than walking. You can start with Ginkakuji Temple early in the morning, stop by a couple of other temples along the way, take a quick rest and grab a bite at a café along the sakura lined canal, and finish at the Nanzenji Temple.

You can get to Kyoto using the Japan Rail Pass from many cities in Japan