Travelling in Japan doesn´t have to bankrupt you. And it is possible to find budget accommodation that isn´t a total dive. K´s House Kyoto http://kshouse.jp/kyoto-e/index.html is a case in point. It is bright, spotless, quiet and friendly. US$20 gets you a comfortable bunk in a 4-bed dorm room. US$31 gets you a double room with an ensuite - an absolute bargain for a couple! It´s not just young backpackers that stay here either. There´s plenty of older travellers and families passing through. There´s a heap of communal space - a fully-equipped kitchen (which comes in handy when you just can´t face another bowl of soba noodles), tables and chairs for eating and writing, a lounge area with tatami mats, an outdoor courtyard and two cheap computers with internet. The showers are delectably hot. It´s about a 10 minute walk from the central Kyoto train station and a couple of blocks from the metro which will whiz you downtown. It´s not overly central if your plan is to party downtown until the wee hours, but with so many temples, markets and sites to see during the day, chances are, you won´t want to.