Access to Venue

Please be advised that the nearest international airport to Kyoto is Kansai International Airport, or Kan-Ku (KIX). It is the easiest way to arrive the conference venue from Kansai International Airport by taking a shuttle service operated by MK Skygateshuttle Company or Yasaka Taxi Company.

If your travel agent offers you only the flight to Tokyo International Airport, or Narita, you need to take a domestic flight from Narita to Itami (ITM), a local airport for domestic use. There is no service from Narita to Kansai Airport.

There are only four flights a day from Narita to Itami, most of them are evening flights. If you arrive Narita in the early morning, you need to wait several hours to connect to the local flight to Itami. You can take a limousine bus service from Narita to Haneda, a local airport for Tokyo where you can take one of the frequent domestic flights from Tokyo (Haneda) to Osaka (Itami ITM).

If you prefer taking a bullet train, known as Shinkansen, from Tokyo to Kyoto, which takes about 2 hours and half. You need to take a train from Narita airport to Tokyo Central Station for about an hour.

1: Via Kansai International Airport KIX (mostly recommended)

Two taxi companies (MK Skygateshuttle and Yasaka Kansai Airport Shuttle) operate shuttle services. From the airport to Heian Kaikan will cost you 3,500 yen (about US$30) with one luggage. An additional luggage will be charged 1,000 yen each.

There are train services from Kansai International Airport to Kyoto Central Station. It costs 3,500 yen (about US$30). You also need to take a taxi cab from Kyoto Central Station to Heian Kaikan. It costs you about 1,000 yen. It would not be recommendable to take this option with your heavy luggage.

A taxi cab from Kansai International Airport to Heian Kaikan costs you more than 22,000 yen (about US$200). Not recommendable unless you are very rich.

2: Via Tokyo (Narita) International Airport

2a: Taking a domestic flight from Narita to Itami airport (ITM)

• All you have to do is to wait at Narita airport for a domestic flight to Itami.
• From Itami airport, MK Skygateshuttle to Heian Kaikan will cost you 2,300 yen (about US$20) with one luggage. An additional luggage will be charged 500 yen each.
• A taxi cab from Itami Airport to Heian Kaikan costs you about 10,000 yen (about US$90). If you are coming in a party of three, 3,333 yen each is not so bad.

2b: Taking a domestic flight from Haneda to Itami airport (ITM)

• You need to move to Haneda airport to take a domestic flight to Itami.
• Airport Limousine bus service from Narita to Haneda is mostly recommended. It takes about 75 minutes and costs you 3,000 yen. (There is a bullet train service from Narita airport to Tokyo Central Station. Then, you need to change two times to arrive at Haneda airport. It is not recommended to take this route with your heavy luggages.)
• From Itami airport, MK Skygateshuttle to Heian Kaikan will cost you 2,300 yen (about US$20) with one luggage. An additional luggage will be charged 500 yen each.
• A taxi cab from Itami Airport to Heian Kaikan costs you about 10,000 yen (about US$90). If you are coming in a party of three, 3,333 yen each is not so bad.

2c: Taking a bullet train from Tokyo Central Station to Kyoto Central Station.

• First, you take a Narita Express train operated by JR (Japan Railway Co.) from Narita airport to Tokyo Central Station. It costs you 2,940 yen (about US$25).
• Then, change to Tokaido Shinkansen at Tokyo Central Station. It takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes to Kyoto Central station. It costs you 7,980 yen (about US$75).
• On the way to Kyoto, you can see Mt. Fuji on your right side.
• The train stops at Kyoto Central station only a short time, please be ready for getting off before the arrival at Kyoto.
• From Kyoto Central Station, a taxi cab takes you directly to Heian Kaikan in ten minutes, 1,000 yen, about US$8.00. (There's a subway service from Kyoto Central Station to Imadegawa Station, but you need to walk about 7 minutes from there to the hotel. It is worth taking a taxi cab from Kyoto Central Station to the hotel.)