How to ride a local bus in Japan: doors, numbered tickets and paying
Checked against 12 official sources. 9 minute read.
What to know first
Japanese buses use one of two systems, and the door you board by tells you which. Use the front door on flat-fare city buses in Tokyo: pay once as you board (¥210 on Toei buses, by IC card or cash) and leave by the rear or middle door. On distance-fare buses, common in regional towns, you board at the middle or rear door, tap your IC card or take a small numbered ticket (整理券, seiriken), watch the fare screen above the driver, and pay at the front when you get off. Kyoto City Bus is the exception that catches people out: on most of its flat-fare routes you still board in the middle and pay ¥230 at the front as you leave, as of 11 October 2026. Carry coins or a topped-up IC card: Toei buses accept only ¥1,000 notes, and Kyoto City Bus changes ¥1,000 notes and coins on board but asks you to change ¥2,000, ¥5,000 and ¥10,000 notes before you ride. Regional operators work the same way; Sanko Bus in Kumamoto, for example, changes ¥1,000 notes and ¥500, ¥100 and ¥50 coins and gives no change from the fare box.
Next step: Before your first ride, check your IC card balance is at least ¥1,000; then you never need the change machine.
- Kyoto bus-only one-day pass
- Sales ended end of September 2023
- Kyoto Subway and Bus One-Day Pass
- ¥1,100 adult, ¥550 childcity page dated 9 October 2026
- Kyoto Sightseeing Express (EX100/EX101)
- ¥500 adult, ¥250 child; Saturdays, Sundays and holidays
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On this page
Which bus are you on? Situation by situation
| Your situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Front door opens, sign says 前乗り (front boarding) | Board at the front, tap IC card or put the fare in the box, then move inside. |
| Middle or rear door opens, sign says 後乗り or 中乗り | Board there. On a distance-fare bus, tap your IC card on the reader by the door or pull a numbered ticket from the machine. On a Kyoto City flat-fare bus that door has neither, so just get on and pay as you leave. |
| No IC card, no change, and it's a distance-fare bus | Take a numbered ticket; break a ¥1,000 note at the change slot before your stop, not as you reach the front. |
| Your stop is next | Press a stop button (降車ボタン, the "tomarimasu" bell) as soon as the announcement names it. |
| The fare screen shows your number with a price | That is your fare; it rises as the bus travels, so check it just before you stand up. |
| You forgot to tap in when boarding | Tell the driver before tapping out and say where you got on; the driver will tell you how to pay (operators don't publish a standard rule for this, as of 11 October 2026). |
| Kyoto, weekend, Kyoto Station to Kiyomizu-dera | Consider the Sightseeing Express bus EX100/EX101 (¥500, fewer stops) or walk part of the way from a train station. |
| You have a large suitcase | Avoid the bus; Kyoto City asks visitors with big bags to use taxis, trains or luggage delivery instead. |
Worked example 1: a regional distance-fare bus
Numbers here are illustrative; the system is the same everywhere.
1. You board at the middle door and take a numbered ticket printed 7. (With an IC card, you tap the reader instead and skip the ticket.)
2. Above the driver is a screen with numbers 1 to 30 or so. Each number has a fare next to it. When you boarded, box 7 showed ¥180.
3. Twenty-five minutes later, your stop is announced. You press the bell. Box 7 now shows ¥480.
4. You only have a ¥1,000 note. While the bus is stopped at the stop before yours, you feed the note into the change slot on the fare box. It returns ¥1,000 in coins.
5. At your stop, you drop the numbered ticket and ¥480 into the fare box together. The driver doesn't hand you change; the box doesn't either, which is why you change the note first.
With an IC card the whole thing is: tap in at the middle door, tap out at the front. The reader shows the fare and your remaining balance.
Worked example 2: should you buy a day pass?
Tokyo (Toei buses, flat fare). A single adult ride is ¥210. The Toei Bus One-Day Pass is ¥500 for adults. Three rides cost ¥630 one by one, so the pass wins from the third ride. You can buy it on board within the 23 wards, except on route 江東01: as a paper pass for cash, or loaded onto a Suica or PASMO and paid from the card's balance (tell the driver before you tap; it can't be loaded onto ICOCA or other IC cards). You can also buy it in the RYDE PASS app before boarding; use it within 28 days of buying. Advance sales of the paper pass ended on 30 September 2026, and the paper pass stops being sold on buses after 31 March 2027; the IC-card version stays on sale on board.
Kyoto (city buses plus subway). A flat-fare city bus ride is ¥230 for adults and ¥120 for children. Sales of the bus-only day pass ended at the end of September 2023, so the choice now is the Subway and Bus One-Day Pass at ¥1,100 for adults. Four bus rides cost ¥920; five cost ¥1,150. The pass pays off at five bus rides, or fewer if you mix in the subway. A typical first day (Kyoto Station to Kiyomizu-dera, on to Gion, then Ginkaku-ji and back) is four bus rides, so pay as you go unless you add a subway ride.
Riding a Japanese bus, step by step
Find the right bus. Google Maps shows routes and live departures for most city buses; operator apps and Japan Transit Planner (NAVITIME/Jorudan) cover the rest. At the stop, check the route number and the destination on the front display. On busy Kyoto routes, look for the route number on the side too, because two routes can share a stop.
Board by the right door. Look at the door as the bus pulls in. A sign by each door says 入口 (entrance) or 出口 (exit). Queue in a line at the stop; let people off first.
Pay or tap.
IC card: Suica, PASMO, ICOCA and the other nationally interoperable cards work on most city buses in big cities. Many regional operators accept them too, but some have dropped them: Sanko Bus in Kumamoto, for example, stopped accepting the national IC cards on 16 November 2024 and now takes its own Kumamon IC card, contactless bank cards and cash. Check the operator's "how to ride" page before you go. Tap the reader marked with the IC logo. On distance-fare buses you tap twice: in and out.
Cash: on Toei buses in Tokyo's 23 wards the fare machine gives change, and the only note it takes is ¥1,000. Kyoto City Bus fare boxes give change from a ¥500 coin or ¥1,000 note; change ¥2,000, ¥5,000 and ¥10,000 notes before you board. On buses with a separate change slot, change your money first, then put the exact fare in the fare box. Never hand money to the driver.
Contactless bank cards: some operators accept touch payment with credit and debit cards (Sanko Bus in Kumamoto does on its local routes), but Toei and Kyoto City buses don't list it as a payment method as of 11 October 2026, so carry an IC card or coins as well.
Ride. Sit or hold on; buses brake sharply. Priority seats near the front are for older, disabled or pregnant passengers. Keep calls off and bags on your lap. Announcements on city buses in Tokyo and Kyoto come in Japanese and English; the screen at the front shows the next stop in English on newer buses.
Get off. Press the bell when the next stop is announced. Stay seated until the bus stops; drivers would rather wait than see you fall. Walk to the exit door, pay or tap, and step off.
Kyoto City Bus: what's different in 2026
Middle door in, front door out. On most flat-fare routes you board at the middle door and pay ¥230 at the front as you leave. Queues to get off are slow because everyone pays at one box. Some sightseeing routes, such as the Raku buses, have used front boarding since March 2019.
This will change. On 29 January 2026, Kyoto City announced it will switch 60 of its 84 routes, the flat-fare ones, to front boarding and middle-door exit, with surveys and design from fiscal 2026, stop works from fiscal 2028, and completion targeted for the end of fiscal 2028 (March 2029). Until your route changes, follow the door signs.
Two-tier fares are planned, not decided. In its overview of 3 June 2026, the city says it plans a "resident-priority fare" on flat-fare routes within fiscal 2027 (April 2027 to March 2028): ¥200 for Kyoto residents and a new standard fare of about ¥350–400 for everyone else. It still needs a change to the city's fare bylaw by the council and national approval of the fare. As of 11 October 2026 the Transportation Bureau had announced no decision. Residents would be identified by linking an IC card to their My Number card, and cash payers would pay the standard fare.
Sightseeing Express buses. EX100 runs from Kyoto Station via Gojozaka (Kiyomizu-dera), Gion and Okazaki Park (Heian Shrine) to Ginkaku-ji; EX101 runs from Kyoto Station to Gojozaka. They operate on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, cost ¥500 for adults (¥250 for children) and accept cash, IC cards and the Subway and Bus One-Day Pass. On these two routes you already board at the front and pay as you board, then leave by the rear door.
Big bags. The city asks visitors not to bring large luggage onto buses. Use the station's hands-free counters or forward the bag; see sending luggage hotel to hotel.
Use the train when you can. Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama and Nijo Castle are all easier by rail; buses are best for Kiyomizu-dera, Gion, Ginkaku-ji and Kinkaku-ji.
Your next step
On your first bus, stand where you can see the doors as the bus arrives. If the front door opens, pay as you board; if the middle door opens, tap in or take a numbered ticket and keep it until you get off. On a Kyoto City flat-fare bus there is no reader or ticket at that door; you pay at the front as you leave.
Key facts, checked 11 October 2026
Toei Bus fare (23 wards, general routes): ¥210 adult (IC ¥210), ¥110 child (IC ¥105); tax included; only ¥1,000 notes accepted; up to two children aged 1–5 free per accompanying passenger.
Toei Bus One-Day Pass: ¥500 adult, ¥250 child; advance sales of the paper pass ended 30 September 2026; on-bus paper sales end 31 March 2027.
Kyoto City Bus flat fare: ¥230 adult, ¥120 child; tax included; up to two children aged 1–5 free per accompanying passenger aged 6+ (all free with a parent).
Kyoto City Bus notes and change: ¥1,000 notes and ¥500/¥100/¥50 coins changed on board; ¥2,000, ¥5,000 and ¥10,000 notes to be changed before boarding.
Kyoto bus-only one-day pass: Sales ended end of September 2023.
Kyoto Subway and Bus One-Day Pass: ¥1,100 adult, ¥550 child (city page dated 9 October 2026).
Kyoto Sightseeing Express (EX100/EX101): ¥500 adult, ¥250 child; Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
Kyoto front-boarding switch: 60 of 84 routes (flat-fare routes); announced 29 January 2026; target end of fiscal 2028 (release of 29 January 2026).
Kyoto resident-priority fare: Planned, not decided: within fiscal 2027 on flat-fare routes; ¥200 residents, about ¥350–400 others; needs a council bylaw change and national approval; no decision announced (city overview of 3 June 2026).
Sanko Bus (Kumamoto), regional example: National IC cards not accepted since 16 November 2024; Kumamon IC card, contactless bank cards and cash accepted; ¥1,000 notes and coins changed, no change given.
Sources for this section: Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation, Toei Bus fares and how to ride · Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation, Toei Bus One-Day Pass · Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, city bus fares (children and infants) · Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, FAQ on riding city buses (notes and change) · Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, review of discount tickets (bus one-day pass sales ended September 2023) · Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, Sightseeing Express buses and the Subway and Bus One-Day Pass (page dated 9 October 2026) · Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, front-boarding announcement · Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, resident-priority fare overview (3 June 2026) · Sanko Bus, how to ride
Questions about this guide
Can I pay a Japanese bus fare with a credit card?
Usually not in Tokyo or Kyoto. Some regional operators, such as Sanko Bus in Kumamoto, take contactless bank cards, but carry an IC card or coins. To add money to your IC card, use a station machine or a convenience store till; see Suica, cards and mobile wallets.
What if I don't have enough change?
Use the change slot for a ¥1,000 note while the bus is stopped. Larger notes are the problem: Toei accepts only ¥1,000 notes, and Kyoto City Bus asks you to change ¥2,000, ¥5,000 and ¥10,000 notes before boarding. Neither publishes what happens if you have only a large note, so break it at a convenience store or station before you get on.
Do I need to tap my IC card when I get on a flat-fare bus?
Once, at the door where you pay. On a front-boarding flat-fare bus that's when you board; on Kyoto City Bus it's when you leave.
Is it rude to talk on the bus?
Quiet conversation is fine. Phone calls aren't. For the bigger picture on shared spaces, see Japan manners without panic.
Do children pay?
Children aged 6–11 (or still at primary school) pay the child fare: Toei ¥110 (¥105 by IC card), Kyoto ¥120. Children aged 1–5 ride free, up to two per accompanying adult or older child on both Toei and Kyoto City buses; in Kyoto, all of them ride free if a parent is with them. Babies under 1 ride free in Kyoto. A child aged 1–5 riding alone pays the child fare.
Official pages for this guide
The rules in this guide come from the official pages below. Japan, Booked. does not book or submit requests on your behalf.
- Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation, Toei Bus One-Day Pass
- Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation, Toei Bus fares and how to ride
- Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, Sightseeing Express buses and the Subway and Bus One-Day Pass (page dated 9 October 2026)
- Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, front-boarding announcement
- Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, top page
- Hands-Free Kyoto
- Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, resident-priority fare overview (3 June 2026)
- Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation, Toei Bus FAQ (notes accepted)
- Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, city bus fares (children and infants)
- Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, FAQ on riding city buses (notes and change)
- Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, review of discount tickets (bus one-day pass sales ended September 2023)
- Sanko Bus, how to ride
Read next
- Japan luggage forwarding hotel to hotel: timing, prices and receiving rulesForward luggage between Japanese hotels: hand it over two days before check-in, ¥3,160 from Tokyo to Kyoto, and what to do if an Airbnb can't receive it.
- Suica, cards and mobile wallets for your Japan tripChoose between a phone-based wallet and a physical card, then fit it alongside your other travel payments.
- A practical guide to everyday etiquette in JapanLearn the everyday habits that help you enjoy trains, restaurants and shared spaces while respecting local life.
Sources and how this guide was checked
Published · Based on official sources · no affiliate links
Official sources
These official sources explain the rules and conditions used in this guide. Live availability and your own booking, admission or service outcome still need to be confirmed for your trip.
- Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation, Toei Bus One-Day Pass
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: Toei Bus One-Day Pass.
Last checked - Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation, Toei Bus fares and how to ride
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: Toei Bus fare (23 wards, general routes).
Last checked - Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, Sightseeing Express buses and the Subway and Bus One-Day Pass (page dated 9 October 2026)
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: Kyoto Subway and Bus One-Day Pass; Kyoto Sightseeing Express (EX100/EX101).
Last checked - Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, front-boarding announcement
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: Kyoto front-boarding switch.
Last checked - Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, top page
What this confirms: Background source checked for this guide.
Last checked - Hands-Free Kyoto
What this confirms: Background source checked for this guide.
Last checked - Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, resident-priority fare overview (3 June 2026)
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: Kyoto resident-priority fare.
Last checked - Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation, Toei Bus FAQ (notes accepted)
What this confirms: Background source checked for this guide.
Last checked - Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, city bus fares (children and infants)
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: Kyoto City Bus flat fare.
Last checked - Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, FAQ on riding city buses (notes and change)
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: Kyoto City Bus notes and change.
Last checked - Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, review of discount tickets (bus one-day pass sales ended September 2023)
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: Kyoto bus-only one-day pass.
Last checked - Sanko Bus, how to ride
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: Sanko Bus (Kumamoto), regional example.
Last checked
About this guide
Front or middle door, numbered tickets, the fare screen and change machines explained, with Tokyo and Kyoto fares and when a day pass pays off.
Checked against official sources on 11 October 2026. Fares checked on Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation, Kyoto City Transportation Bureau and Sanko Bus pages on 11 October 2026. Fares quoted include consumption tax. Japan, Booked. is independent and this page has no affiliate links.
How we checked this
Sources and limits of this guide
These dated notes show what each source supports, and what you still need to check yourself.
If columns are cut off, scroll sideways. Keyboard: focus the table, then use Left/Right Arrow keys.
| Question | What we found | Where it comes from | What this means for your trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toei Bus fare (23 wards, general routes) | ¥210 adult (IC ¥210), ¥110 child (IC ¥105); tax included; only ¥1,000 notes accepted; up to two children aged 1–5 free per accompanying passenger | Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation, Toei Bus fares and how to ride | Checked 11 October 2026. Recheck before you rely on it. |
| Toei Bus One-Day Pass | ¥500 adult, ¥250 child; advance sales of the paper pass ended 30 September 2026; on-bus paper sales end 31 March 2027 | Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation, Toei Bus One-Day Pass | Checked 11 October 2026. Recheck before you rely on it. |
| Kyoto City Bus flat fare | ¥230 adult, ¥120 child; tax included; up to two children aged 1–5 free per accompanying passenger aged 6+ (all free with a parent) | Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, city bus fares (children and infants) | Checked 11 October 2026. Recheck before you rely on it. |
| Kyoto City Bus notes and change | ¥1,000 notes and ¥500/¥100/¥50 coins changed on board; ¥2,000, ¥5,000 and ¥10,000 notes to be changed before boarding | Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, FAQ on riding city buses (notes and change) | Checked 11 October 2026. Recheck before you rely on it. |
| Kyoto bus-only one-day pass | Sales ended end of September 2023 | Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, review of discount tickets (bus one-day pass sales ended September 2023) | Checked 11 October 2026. Recheck before you rely on it. |
| Kyoto Subway and Bus One-Day Pass | ¥1,100 adult, ¥550 child | Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, Sightseeing Express buses and the Subway and Bus One-Day Pass (page dated 9 October 2026) | Checked 11 October 2026; city page dated 9 October 2026. Recheck before you rely on it. |
Based on official sources, linked below.
Guide updates Reviewed
When this guide was checked and what changed
- First published
- Last checked
- Check again by
- What we checked
- Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation, Kyoto City Transportation Bureau, Hands-Free Kyoto and Sanko Bus, checked 11 October 2026.
- Latest update
- : First published: flat-fare and distance-fare buses, numbered tickets, fares and change on Toei, Kyoto City Bus and a regional operator, and a step-by-step ride, checked against official pages on 11 October 2026.
The date above reflects when these checks were last run. If an individual source was rechecked later, you’ll see that date next to it below. Other copy edits are listed in the update history.
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Japan, Booked. is run and edited from Japan. The same editor checks the Japanese and English sources, writes the traveller-facing guidance and keeps the correction history up to date.
What changed
Update history
- First published
First published: flat-fare and distance-fare buses, numbered tickets, fares and change on Toei, Kyoto City Bus and a regional operator, and a step-by-step ride, checked against official pages on 11 October 2026.
If an operator, organiser or product changes in a way that affects the guide, we check it again sooner. Reader reports help us spot what to investigate, and we verify them against current official information before publishing. Read our update and corrections policy. See every guide's review schedule. Suggest an improvement to this guide.