Hi my wife and I mid 60's first time in Japan and Kyoto, will be in Kyoto for a week in mid Oct. We can't figure out what is a better area North or South Higasiyama...We are interested in cultural sites, not night life, would like a quiet area, but where we can access trains to get around..Can anyone compare these two areas or suggest a mid range place with and English speaking staff to help us navigate ? Thanks much !

The Higashiyama subway station is in the north end which also is not far from Keihan Sanjo Station (on the Kehan (non-JR) Main Line that goes to Nara).

>> English speaking staff to help us navigate
What do you mean by that? What help?
You could visit the TIC at Kyoyo Station (assuming it is open and staffed)

Find Higashiyama which is one stop east of Sanjo:

Thanks, this is really helpful. It looks like staying near the Higashiyama stop is the most central. I have mapped out this..as a rough outline.From subway stop Higashiyama

Philosopher’s path - 25 minute walk

Nanzen -ji - 20 minute walk

Kiyomizu -dera (south Higashiyama) - 28 minute walk- 18 minute train

Fushimi Inari -Taisa (south) - 28 minute train with walk

Arashiyama (northwest) -45 minutes 35 minute train and walk to Roan -ji

Roan -ji (northwest) - 40 minutes 20 minute walk to Kinkaku

Kinkaku -ji (northwest) 40 minutes
"Helping us to navigate" means suggestions for going places, reasonable restaurants, tickets we might have to book ahead and just general logistics as they might arise....Once in Barcelona a helpful desk person showed us a completely different and better way to get somewhere than the books and sites that we were looking at. Since we have never been to Japan before, we thought it would help to have helpful English speaking staff...

Thanks this is really helpful. It looks like staying near Higashiyma station is the best option. I have made a rough guide.From subway stop Higashiyama

Philosopher�s path - 25 minute walk

Nanzen -ji - 20 minute walk

Kiyomizu -dera (south Higashiyama) - 28 minute walk- 18 minute train

Fushimi Inari -Taisa (south) - 28 minute train with walk
Arashiyama (northwest) -45 minutes 35 minute train and walk to Roan -ji

Roan -ji (northwest) - 40 minutes 20 minute walk to Kinkaku

Kinkaku -ji (northwest) 40 minutes

"Help navigate" means general help - reasonable restaurants, help getting tickets to things if we need them, and any unexpected logistics. Once in Barcelona, a friendly desk person showed us a completely different way to get somewhere that the books and sites we were looking at. Since this is our fist time in Japan, we thought it would be good to have places with helpful, English speaking staff. if you know any, quiet, not to expensive places, we would love to hear suggestions or any other ideas about Kyoto we would love to from you. Thanks !

I can't help with Kyoto hotels. When you mentioned tickets it occurred to me that you are asking for a hotel with a concierge, like the Westin Miyako. The webpage for just about any lodging is going to mention that they have English speaking staff, if they actually do. If not, you will likely find some English spoken. You are not likiely going to be asking questions that they haven't heard many times before. They probably know some 'hotel English'. They should understand that you are asking about restaurants because the Japanese word is resutoran. Towels is taoru. They might have an English map (which you probably should have picked up at the TIC so that you could figure out how to get to your lodging).

Admission/event ticket info and purchase can be found online. Rail tickets you can buy at a machine in English. In olden days I found that JR staff understood 'railway English' well enough to buy tickets or get seat reservations. At JR Odawara station the ticket guy gave me a seat reservation on the next shinkansent to Kyoto. It was a Kodama train. I should have known better to ask for a Hikari train.

A lot of signage will be in English and Japanese. That was true at JR stations 20 years ago and still true but with the addition of Chinese and Korean. Announcements in Englsh. Even heard Spanish notifications once on JR Nikko Line.

Anyway, my point is that you might (probably do) consider that having English speaking staff is a preferenece and not a requirement.

This webpage might help: Higashiyama District - Kyoto Travel (japan-guide.com)

On the first map notice that north is to the left N<- That map shows five bus stops south of Higashiyama subway station that you could use to get to the station. So, staying farther south is nbd.

You may check Hotel Mume, Kyoto Higashiyamaso, or Ryokan Gion Sano.

Keep in mind that Kyoto can get busy with tourists, so staying in a quieter area like Higashiyama can provide a more peaceful environment to relax after your sightseeing adventures.

Yes thanks we booked a place in Higashiyama for that very reason..

Awesome! Enjoy your travel