Hankins Portfolio: Writing Sample
The writing section of my portfolio is a piece I wrote during my travels in Asia. For each city I visit, I try to analyze and critique its transportation system to see what ideas and lessons can be taken from them. This article focuses on Kyoto, Japan.
The Copenhagen-esque City with a Missed Connection: Kyoto, Japan
When I think of the world’s most bikeable cities, I tend to think of Copenhagen, Amsterdam, and other European cities. When I think of Kyoto Japan, I think of great Japanese historical monuments and its many heritage sights. However, after visiting the city myself, I think that the former Japanese capital is also a contender to be one of the world’s great bike cities. The reasons are plentiful — the city is almost entirely flat, bike lanes are plentiful, and many streets are back roads with slow cars (if any at all). Furthermore, the city is compact enough that anyone can get around town in 10–20 minute rides. The city buzzes with cyclists going every which way.
I’m glad Kyoto was able to take advantage of its physical features that make for a bikeable city, and invested in the infrastructure to make that happen. Many of the bike lanes are also protected, and oftentimes are on the sidewalk side instead of on the automobile’s asphalt. Kyoto’s road network is also a contributing factor, as it is mainly a grid system with many safe roads for cycling, and the main roads that are faster will have bike lanes to ensure a safe ride.
However, I did learn of one unexpected aspect of bicycling in Kyoto: a cyclist can only park in designated bicycle parking, and that violators are prone to be towed. I learned about this from a kimono rental shop owner, Taka, who shared his thoughts with me on the transit system in Kyoto. This came as quite a surprise to me, as I’ve always gotten the sense that in the US, anywhere any pole or railing that I can lock my bike to is fair game (though there is often no choice with how little legitimate bike parking there can be).
Thankfully, it appears that there was ample bike parking in areas, especially near big attractions, such as the Kyoto Imperial Palace. With all that being said, Taka concluded that biking is the best way to get around Kyoto, and my observations concur with him.
He also discussed his thoughts on public transportation in Kyoto, which could be summarized with saying that it takes too long to get around. While Kyoto has two subway lines, multiple train routes, and a frequent and robust bus network, it can take a surprisingly long time to get around. I noticed the same thing, but could not quite figure out why, until he offered a simple explanation. There is no rail link between Kyoto Station (Kyoto’s main point of entry and bustling hub of activity) and Central Kyoto, where much of the action is. The subway from Kyoto Station does brush against the western edge of central Kyoto, but that still leaves 10 to 15 minutes walking. I’ve made a quick map showcasing the dilemma below.
In place of that are three bus lines (the 4, 17, and 205) at a combined frequency of about 5 minutes, and of the dozen or so that I rode on, each one was full to the brim. The high ridership of these bus routes demonstrates the ineffectiveness of the subway line connecting the two areas. There are also private rail lines: the Keihan line, that goes North-South just across the river from central Kyoto, and the Hankyu Kyoto line that goes East-West into central Kyoto from Osaka, but neither connects with Kyoto station.
I can only wonder the circumstances that prevented the building of a rail line for this busy corridor, but I hope that city officials and policy planners can figure out a way to connect the two bustling centers of Kyoto. For now, the best way around is by bike, just make sure to find parking!
