Kyoto Subway System

In addition to buses and taxis, Kyoto offers two subway lines to travel around the city. The Karasuma Line (North & South) and the Tozai Line (West, East, and Southeast) stop at 31 different stations around Kyoto. A map of the subway lines along with bus routes can be found here.

Nojo-jo Castle is easy to reach via the Tozai Line.

Subway Fares
A one-day pass to ride the subway is ¥600. Another option is purchasing a one-day subway and bus combination pass for ¥900. Otherwise, single use fares will run between ¥210 and ¥350 per trip.
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Subway Operating Times
The Kyoto subways run about 5:30 a.m. until almost midnight daily. It is a fast and convenient way to move around the city. It will take around two minutes to travel from station to station. You can review more specific station travel information here.
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Limitations of the Subway System
The two subway lines are great for moving around central Kyoto to some of the popular attractions and areas. It can be faster to take the subway to reach certain areas of Kyoto that would otherwise require a long bus ride. However, the subway system does not stop at every place in Kyoto you may want to visit. A combination of using the subway along with buses or renting a bicycle is worth considering to maximize your time.  

The Gion area is easily accessible via the Tozai Line