Getting around Kyoto?

I'll be staying at the Kyoto Okura and getting in at Kansai International in Osaka.

The hotel has suggested that I use the shuttle bus, but the shuttle service says to call 2 days ahead of time.

Any easier/cheaper ways for this gaijin to get from the airport to his hotel?

There's busses leaving infront of the airport to other cities- one to Kyoto as well.
You can buy the ticket from a ticket machine (close to the busses), and if I remember ir right, the ticket was something like 3000 yen. (approx 20 euros?)
It stops at various places, but you can stay off for example at the Kyoto Station, and continue to your hotel from there by public transport or by taxi.

窶堙??堙?窶堋?窶堙ｨ窶堋ｪ窶堙?‖窶堋ｿ窶堙停?堋ｳ窶堙ｱﾂ（