Tokyo to Kyoto for less than ￥18000

Instead of spending ￥18000 going TKY to KYT
Buy a shinkansen trip to Osaka (OSK) or Nara (NR).
You'll always be given 2 separating tickets:
1 to Kyoto, 1 to OSK/NR.
They cost ￥14000 and ￥13000 respectively.
As both lines will stop at Kyoto station anyway,
Just hop off the train,
Get out of the station with the 1st of your 2 tickets,
You can use the 2nd ticket another day to visit Osaka
or Nara for a day trip. 
You do need to use it within 4 days
before that second ticket becomes invalid.
You save yourself ￥5000~￥3000
which you can enjoy something else with,
and you get another trip to another lovely city.

Alternatively,
Fly, for less than ￥9000 with an early flight.
But the trip to the airport usually adds up to a higher cost.