January 2010

Cutting Transfer and Waiting Time for Subways and Buses

25 January 2010

From the latter part of May, Kyoto city will introduce two projects to improve the convenience of the subway and the city bus services.

Firstly, the "Cinderella Cross" will facilitate smooth transfer to the last subway trains for all directions at Karasuma-Oike station which is the transfer hub of the subway Karasuma and Tozai lines. The last trains of the day in all directions will stop at Karasuma-Oike station for about three minutes and then leave the station at 11:55 p.m. simultaneously.

Secondly, subways and buses will operate at more regular intervals. In the subway, trains will leave the stations every ten minutes from 9:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., and the transfer time at Karasuma-Oike station will be about five minutes during that time period. For the bus service between the Kyoto station and Kawaramachi-Imadegawa during daytime on weekdays, a city bus will leave the bus stop every four minutes, and consequently, waiting time will be shortened by up to about four minutes.

For further details of the subway, call the High Speed Train Department Transport Section of the Traffic Bureau on 075-863-5224; and for further details of the bus, call the Automobile Department Transport Section of the Traffic Bureau on 075-863-5132.

Postponement of Subway Fare Rise in Fiscal 2010

The city announced that the subway fare rise planned for fiscal year 2010 was postponed in consideration of the severe social economic situation of the citizens of Kyoto, and because of an increased investment from the general account of the city to the subway, which was facilitated by an expansion of the national bond issue system.

However, significant improvement in the funding deficit ratio is still required, and a rise in fares is considered to be inevitable in the future.

To minimize influence on public life, Kyoto city will tackle the problem by stimulating further increases in income and passenger numbers, while making efforts to significantly suppress personnel expenses.

For further details, call the Planning Section of the Traffic Bureau on 075-863-5061

Kyoto City Fire Department's New Year Ceremony

18 January 2010

On January 10, 2010, the annual New Year event of the Kyoto City Fire Department (Dezome-shiki Ceremony) was held in front of Kyoto Kaikan in Okazaki, Sakyo ward.

This event is held every year to pray for safety and security, and a new year without fires. About 2,800 people including the Fire Department staff and citizens joined the event and performed fire extinction drills and parades.

During the ceremony, the Mayor of Kyoto, Mr. Kadokawa made a speech, saying, "I request your continued strong support to sustain Kyoto as a safe and secure city."

After the speech, newly-appointed members of the "Armored Branch Group" and Fire Department staff in their newly designed fire-fighting clothing were introduced. Self-defense fire fighters for companies, voluntary citizen fire prevention groups and children of the fire fighting club paraded in the area.

The number of fires in the city in 2009 was 186, which is the lowest number since the inauguration of the Kyoto City Fire Department in 1948.

The everyday efforts of ordinary people are more important that anything in fire prevention. We highly appreciate your continued cooperation.

For further information, call the Kyoto City Fire Department on 075-212-6623.

The map was created by using the sales income of designated charge for household garbage bags in order to urge people in Kyoto to use the collection points.

Fourteen kinds of map were created for the wards and ward branch areas in the city. They show the collection points and schedules (day and time) for five materials including waste cooking oil, fluorescent lighting tubes, dry batteries, sake and beer bottles and paper packaging.

The maps have been distributed from January 15th at ward offices, ward branch offices and district public cleaning promotion offices, etc.

We appreciate your cooperation in the recovery of recyclable resource materials at the collection points, which promotes the reduction and recycling of garbage and the reduction of CO2 emissions.

For further details, call the District Public Cleaning Promotion Section on 075-213-4960

"Daisuki! Kyoto Donation" campaign

4 January 2010

Kyoto city is launching the "Daisuki! Kyoto Donation" Campaign. If you make a donation to Kyoto city through the home town tax system, you can enter a lottery for 19 hotel coupons for two people or restaurant coupons for two people.

To take part in the campaign, a donation of ten thousand yen or more should be made between December 15, 2009 and January 31, 2010.

The coupons are donated by hotels supporting the campaign.

Kyoto city will send the coupons to the winners of the lottery in early February. Please note that participants cannot select the kind of coupon if they win.

Application forms for the donation are available at the information desk in the City Hall and the Kyoto tourist information desk on the second floor of the Kyoto Station Building, etc. If you would like to use a credit card for payment, please apply through the Kyoto city homepage.

We are expecting people who support the work of Kyoto city to contribute to "Daisuki! Kyoto Donation." Donations from the citizens of Kyoto are very welcome.

For further details, please call the Finances Department on 075-222-3290.