Daigo Community Bus (醍醐コミュニティバス)
How the bus route began
Originally, there was a bus route run by Keihan bus and Kyoto City Bus in the Daigo area, and it connected Rokujizo Station of the JR Nara Line, Keihan Main Line or Yamashina Station of the JR Tokaido line and the central Kyoto City area (Shijo Kawara machi).
However, when the Kyoto Municipal Subway Tozai Line opened in 1997, there was a reorganization of the bus route that ran within the Daigo area. Consequently, the Kyoto Municipal Transportation Bureau abolished some bus routes in the Daigo area or designated the route to Keihan Bus, while at the same time Kyoto City Bus Daigo Eigyosho (Daigo business office) closed permanently. There was a major reorganization of the bus routes run by Keihan Bus, which was to run routes transferred from the Kyoto Municipal Transportation Bureau.
Given the above, local residents of the Daigo area complained that there was no access by bus to the central Kyoto City area and although there was a bus route on the main road, given that the Daigo area has many residential areas on small hills, it less convenient after the subway opened
Accordingly, local people in the Daigo Ward established 'To Run Community Buses in the Daigo Area Citizens' Association' in September 2001, which was mainly organized by the Residents' Liaison and Discussion Association, and people started to strongly demand a local bus route.
However, it was considered that the government would have difficulty running the bus because of its financial condition, so the local people decided they would run thebus route independently. Incidentally, Kyoto City demanded that Keihan Bus run circulating buses, and in 2002 the decision was made to do so. However, the fare structure and timetable of the bus weren't quite what people had hoped for.
Given such circumstances, after the 'Citizens Association' had meetings with some experts and business groups, they soon began to organize a local bus system that would be run by their own association. In June 2003, a contract for running the bus signed by Yasaka Bus, which would be in charge of running the route buses, and the Citizens Association and other sponsoring companies or groups would support the bus financially. In November 2003 they also applied to the Kinki Transportation Bureau for permission to run route buses. The route bus started running on February 16, 2004.
The situation after the bus started running
The expected number of passengers during the planning of bus operations was approximately 500 each day, but just after ten months of operation the number of passengers increased to 600, thus significantly exceeding the expected figure.
The point at which the cumulative total of passengers reached 100,000 came sooner than had been expected.
The examples of how people used the buses are: students going to school, people going to the hospital or the supermarket from the Daigo area, going from residential areas to Daigo Station (Kyoto Prefecture), Ishida Station (Kyoto Prefecture), or going to sightseeing destinations such as Daigo-ji Temple or Zushin-in Temple. Initially, the route was not included in the area where older people could use the Freedom Pass in Kyoto City; however, in October 2006, due to public demand, approval was given to use the pass.
When the route buses first started operating, people from all over Japan came to see the bus, which was known as a community bus run individually without financial support from an autonomous body.
Characteristics
A special transportation system incorporating the route is organized for the Godairikison Ninno-e festival in February and the cherry-blossom viewing parades in April at Daigo-ji Temple.
In another words, due to the partial road closure from the front of Daigo-ji Temple to the subway station, (Daigo-ji Temple Station), the No. 4 bus route that usually runs in that section is modified.. Consequently, the bus stop 'Daigo Higashi Danchi' (Daigo East Housing Estate) and 'Daigo-ji Temple' will be closed and another bus stop, 'Temporary Daigo-ji Temple,' will be set up on the street connecting Daigo-ji Temple, Daigo Station and the place where Shin Nara-kaido Road makes a multi-level crossing. There will also be an additional temporary bus organized to run only between the Daigo subway station and the temporary Daigo-ji Temple stop. Furthermore, due to the expected heavy volume of transportation on the day, Yasaka Bus will use one of its large yellow coach buses, which is used on the Rakusai area route, and the empty coach will be sent to the Daigo area.
In cherry blossom season, the 'high-speed Daigo-ji Temple' bus will be available.
The route
Route 1
Daigo Subway Station - Daigo General Town Hall - Ogurisu -Ogurisu Central West Housing Estate - Daigo Skate/Konan - Ogurisu Junior High School - Ishida Subway Station - Takeda General Hospital
Route 2
Kaminoyama Housing Estate entrance - Nakayama Housing Estate - Daigo Subway Station - Daigo General Town Hall - Takonda/Nene Hot Spring - Ishida Subway Station - Takeda General Hospital
Route 3 (Route 3B does not stop at bus stops that are indicated in italics)
Daigo Subway Station - Daigo Shinizumi-cho - Habayama Housing Estate - Ichigon-ji Temple Central Entrance/Yomiuri Shimbun YC Daigo - Daigo South Housing Estate Assembly Hall - Hino Elementary School - Shinsei Juzen-kai Group Nagomi no Sato Hospital - Kasugano Elementary School - Higashiaiba-cho -Takonda/ Nene Hot Spring - Subway Ishida Station -Takeda General Hospital
Route 4
Route 4A: Daigo Subway Station → AL PLAZA→ Daigo-ji Temple →Daigo Shin-machi, Toryo High School → Daigo-tenno ryo (Emperor Daigo's Mausoleum) → Kakihara-cho Assembly Hall →Zuishin-in Temple → Daigo Shin-machi / Toryo High School → Daigo-ji Temple → Daigo Subway Station
Route 4B: Daigo Subway Station → AL PLAZA → Daigo-ji Temple → Daigo Shin-machi / Toryo High School → North Daigo Housing Estate → Zuishin-in Temple → Daigo Shin-machi / Toryo High School → Daigo-ji Temple → Daigo Subway Station
Route 4 B line was closed on February 29, 2008.
Route 5
Daigo Subway Station → Daigo General Town Hall → Takonda-cho/Nene Hot Spring → Aiba-cho / Murai Corporation → Ichigon-ji Temple / Daigo Junior High School → Habayama Housing Estate → Daigo tsuji / Daigo Elementary School → Daigo Subway Station