Dubbed by locals as Kyoto's most beautiful street, Shirakawa (??) is a few minutes' walk from central Gion and the Hanamichi (????) area. It is off the beaten path, and there seemed to be no sight of other tourists when we visited it. The street runs into a Y-shape, with a little shrine situated at the intersection.
One of Kyoto City's most famous streets, Hanamikoji is situated in the Gion district. This historic area hearkens back to the Japan of yesteryear, with its traditional wooden merchant houses and quaint ochaya, or teahouses.
Kyoto's Old Market StreetsKyoto has a number of shopping arcades which have adapted to cater to tourist crowds. A few examples are Nishiki Market, Teramachi Street and Shinkyogoku Street which consistently pull in travelers looking to shop.
The subways and trains are the most convenient way to get around the city. Buses are less convenient, but cover almost the whole city. Taxis are plentiful and reasonably cheap. They're sometimes cheaper than buses for groups of three or four on short trips.
Japan is much cheaper than you think, especially now with a weak yen. And Kyoto is much cheaper than Tokyo. Indeed, Kyoto is one of the cheapest major destinations in the developed world.