Aichi DOES have the highest traffic fatality rate in Japan

Just get a mamachari with gears. Best bikes for Kyoto. Don't worry about anything fancy.

I'm a bit unlucky because I live on Nishioji (basically an uphill slant from Gojo to Kinkakuji), and the mamachari I have now has no gears. But my old one had gears and it was perfect for everywhere in Kyoto.