Kyoto Japan

I noticed that people (including me) started to answer your questions about Kyoto under France.

You need to head over to japan-guide.com. It's the best online source for travel info on Japan, bar none - it's really good. Most of your questions are already answered there and will be easy to find. For anything they don't already have posted in an obvious place, they have an excellent forum which gets lots of helpful responses quickly. You would be crazy not to go there right now - it's the answer to your prayers "I sure wish there was a Rick Steves Travel Forum for Japan..."

It's a great resource and Japan is wonderful. You will be wowed.

Fantastic! Thanks so much!

Agree with David, the Japan Guide website is very helpful.

I-The airport is in Osaka. So you do take the train into Kyoto. It is easy to do. Go upstairs at the airport to the JR ticket station. You can buy a card that includes the Kyoto subway. They take only cash. You can get more details on the Internet.
II-Avoid the winter and summer months. Miserable weather. April in Kyoto might be busy because of the geisha dances. May is OK but avoid Golden Week. September is the tail end of monsoon season. Late October and November get busy again with autumn colors and students on school trips. That leaves the first part of October as the best time to go, IMHO. No major holidays or events and the weather should be nice.
III-There's no real city center or downtown. But some people like to stay around Kyoto Station because it is easy to catch the subway to other places. Plus, there are loads of places to eat and shop inside the Station. Or in Gion for the atmosphere. Taxis are plentiful and inexpensive, so hotel location is not so important. Carry your hotel business card. They're usually English on one side and Japanese on the other. Just show the card to the taxi driver.
IV-Hard to say. You can eat cheaply or expensive. Unlike the States, their chain restaurants have tasty food.

V-David answered that one.
JapanesePod101.com has free language lessons. Plus, there is information on culture and etiquette. However, you can get by without Japanese at most major tourist places. Restaurants have English menu. Or there're the plastic models in the window, so you can just point. People are very helpful and friendly. The city is clean and safe. You will love it.
If you have the time and like a challenge, take a Japanese course at your local university. At my university, senior citizens get a discount. Only $5/credit. So a year of Japanese was $40!

I don't know where you live, Jean-Paul, but in Montreal there is a Japanese Cultural Centre which my husband and I found helpful before we went to Japan. Apart from a bit of language and cultural information, we also learned how to make sushi!

I was in Kyoto in early October for about four days. Lots to see and do! We stayed at a guesthouse about 5 mins walk from Kyoto Station. You had a choice of western or Japanese rooms, no breakfast. The price seemed very reasonable. The only complaint was that there was no access to your room during the day so they could clean the rooms. It was well located for Kyoto station, an amazing place with hotel, department store, restaurants, a shopping mall and of course trains and buses. Everyone was very friendly and helpful. Also walking distance to a number of the older temples. We took trips to some of the temples outside the city and to Okayama, beautiful gardens there and a rebuilt castle. Flew in and out of Osaka

We did Kyoto and Nara on a four day three night Viator tour from Tokyo. We took the Bullet Train down to Kyoto. Our hotel was right next to the Kyoto train station.

I don't recommend doing many of the key Kyoto sites on your own, expect perhaps the Philosopher's Trail.
The main sights are not close together and tours are the best way to go. Just be prepared for the huge crowds at the Golden Pavilion. Still, don't miss it, it is amazing.

You would benefit most by spending some time with two or three good guidebooks.