There are a lot of Buddhism temples and Shinto Shrines in Kyoto. This tour focuses in three UNESCO World Heritage temples with beautiful gardens, Fushimi Inari Shrine which is famous for a lot of red Torii gates and Bamboo Forest in Arashiyma to feel the profundity of Kyoto.
If you are interested in the places which are not listed here, like Nijo Castle, Kyoto Imperial Palace, Gion, Nishiki Market, Sanjusangen-do, Kiyomizu-dera and others, just let me know, I will customize a tour for you.
At your hotel in Kyoto or Kyoto station
Fushimi Inari Taisha was founded in 708, before Kyoto became the capital as a shrine for agriculture, and it later added the role of commerce and attracted the devout faith of the common people. It is the main shrine of 30,000 Inari shrines nationwide, and is famous for the 1,000 torii gates that stand on the pilgrimage road leading to the Okuno-in, but 10,000 torii gates are lined up on the pilgrimage road leading to the summit.
This bamboo forest in Arashiyama is the most famous one in Japan and has been a tourist destination for a long time. The promenade that walks under the sun shine through the bamboo trees of a 20-meter-high represents the beauty of Japan. The observation spots of the Hozu Valley and the famous Togetsu Bridge are also nearby.
If you want to try authentic Zen vegetarian lunch, please let me know beforehand
Built in 1450 by a daimyo (war lord), this temple is very well known for its Rock Garden. This simple garden with only 15 rocks lined up in a rectangular garden with pebbles is itself the spirit of Wabi and Sabi that finds beauty in simplicity. Many artists say that they were inspired by this garden, which is also a place to practice Zen.
Built in 1397 as the residence and office of the 3rd Ashikaga shogun, this luxurious building was converted into a Zen temple after the shogun's death. At the top of the three-story building is a statue of the Golden Phoenix with Eternal Wishes, and the third and second floors are covered with gold leaf. There is a garden with a pond with the image of the Pure Land of Paradise (heaven) in front of the building which reflects the Golden Pavilion on its water.
At your hotel in Kyoto or downtown Kyoto
guide fee
Insurance
Transportation fee
Entrance fee
Lunch for guests and guide
As we will walk a lot, comfortable shoes are recommended.
Tours are NOT covered by insurance. Make sure to be covered by your own insurance.
Transportation fare, entrance fees and lunch are NOT included in the guide fee.
Direct payment will be occurred in CASH on the spot on the day of the tour.
As bus ride in Kyoto is sometimes hectic, I recommend to use a taxi to and from Kinkaku-ji to avoid this,.
He was very attentive to what the kids might loke and he took them to all the right places!!! Thank you for a memorable day!
Thank you very much for your kind message. I am glad kids liked the tour. See you later for Nara tour.
Hiro was the most gracious guide/host for our family. He is incredibly kind and thoughtful of our time. He made sure we knew how to navigate through the crowds and find the the best spots for photos. He is well educated and easy to understand and does a lot to make sure we have a good grasp of the history. Hiro is a must guide to have!
Thank you very much for your kind message and pictures. It was really nice visiting Nara and Osaka Castle with you and your wonderful family yesterday. It was very hot and a little hurry, but we had a wonderful day, didn't we? It's sometimes very difficult to do a tour with teenagers. But your family was different. You were all smiling all the time. There's a saying in Japan, "fortune goes to a smiling family". May fortune goes to you. Have a safe trip, bon voyage!
Went as a solo traveller, he is extremely knowledgeable about the history and culture surrounding mt koyasan. Shared many of his insights and made for a very fruitful and enjoyable day trip to koyasan!
Thank you very much for taking my Koyasan tour today. It was hot but I had a wonderful time with you. Have a safe trip and I will be looking forward to seeing you again.
Hiro you are a Rockstar!! I booked a small group tour with Hiro for both Kyoto and Osaka and the experience was fantastic. Hiro and I communicated a number of times pre-travel to solidify the 2 day itinerary. He was very open to ensuring we were able to see and experience what we wanted, our itinerary was very much personalized for us and was flexible. At the last minute we threw out a request to shop for Japanese carving knives and without issue he worked it into our itinerary. One of the things that our group appreciated about Hiro was that he didn’t just take us to locations and shared information, he asked us questions and then challenged us to truly experience the location. At the Ryoaji Temple he got us to sit, clear our minds, search for inspiration and then attempt to see the 15 rocks so that we could be “perfect”! Forcing a group of Canadian to essentially “stop and ponder life”, was something that we didn’t know we needed, until we did it! During our tours we also visited the Golden Temple, Osaka Castle, Dontombori shopping and other spots. Hiro truly helped us better understand the nuance of Japanese cultural. My group really loved him! The depth of knowledge and the ability to convey feeling as well as knowledge just added to the experience. Anyone who is visiting Kyoto and Osaka and is looking for “more than just a tour”, should connect with Hiro! Thank you so much Mike Expedia Cruises Oakville South (Ontario/Canada)
Mike-san, It was really nice to visiting Kyoto and Osaka with you the other day. You and your group were so nice that I enjoyed the tour myself. To be honest, I was a little worried about Ryoan-ji, the Rock Garden. In fact, there are some people who don't understand the values of the Rock Garden. But you all liked it and everyone became perfect. Please come back to Japan someday. There are a lot more to see in Japan. I will be looking forward to seeing you again.