The city of Kyoto launched an express bus service on Saturday, connecting Kyoto Station with the area's major tourist destinations.
The bus service was introduced as part of the city's efforts to tackle overtourism, a term used to describe the negative impact that an influx of tourists can have on the environment and the daily lives of local residents.
Kyoto's existing buses have been overcrowded with visitors. Through the new tourist-oriented bus service, the city hopes to disperse such visitors and thin the crowds presently clogging local lines that local residents rely on for daily use.
The new service will run buses that stop at popular tourist spots such as the Kiyomizu-dera and the Ginkaku-ji temples, as well as the Gion area.
The service is only available on Saturdays and Sundays, national holidays, the country's bon summer holiday period and the year-end and New Year holiday period.
Fares for the new service are ¥500 for adults and ¥250 for children, compared with the standard fare of ¥230 for other bus services operated by the city.
The Sightseeing Limited Express Bus service is also included in the existing one-day subway and bus pass, which costs ¥1,100 for adults and ¥550 for children.
A woman from Singapore who visited Kyoto with her family said that the fares for the new bus service were a bit expensive, but acceptable.
After using the new service to visit the Kyoto City Kyocera Museum of Art, she said that it was good that the bus was not so crowded.
Another visitor from Tokushima said that she was able to arrive early thanks to the new bus service, adding that the trip was "comfortable" and that she hopes to use it again.