In Kyoto, there are a lot of cultural properties. Of them, seventeen temples and shrines are included in World Heritage. On this tour, we will visit some of them Osaka to feel the profundity and splendor of Kyoto.
If you are interested in the places which are not listed here, for example, if you would like to visit Kyoto Imperial Palace, Nijo Castle, Silver Pavilion, Gion, Kiyomizu-dera, Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka, Sanjusangen-do and others, just let me know. I will customize the tour for you.
TBD (at your hotel)
Arashiyama is very well known for cherry blossoms and autumn leaves. Located in the west of Kyoto City, it has been a typical tourist destination in Kyoto for more than 1200 years. The Togetsu Bridge and the Bamboo Forest are the symbols of Arashiyama.
Ryoanji is a Zen-style temple built in 1450. It is well known all over the world for its Zen-style Rock Garden. It became so famous after Queen Elizabeth II of England praised it when she visited the temple in 1975. However, exact construction date, intention and the name of the designer of the garden still remain unclear.
Kinkakuji Temple, which was built in 1397, is also called the Golden Pavilion because it used to be a noble villa. Japan at the time when Kinkakuji Temple was built was rich both in national power and culture due to the trade with Ming. The symbol of it is the gorgeous structure of Kinkakuji, which is filled with gold foil.
Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine is a guardian shrine for rice cultivation and business, worshipped by a lot of people. We will make a pilgrimage under the famous One Thousand Torii gates here to wish prosperity.
TBD (at your hotel)
In this tour, we will visit some of the World Heritage sites and other cultural properties in Kyoto.
I will meet you at your hotel in Osaka before taking a train to Kyoto.
I will reserve train seats for you for round trip (optional and subjects to availability).
You may follow the model itinerary, or you may choose places you want to visit. I will customize a tour for you.
If you want to customize a tour, please let me know TWO DAYS PRIOR to the tour date.
I used to work for a prefectural government for a World Heritage project as a manager. I have a lot of knowledge on the World Heritage sites. I will be able to give a very intellectual guidance to you.
guide fee
Insurance
Transportation fare, entrance fees and lunch (you and guide),
Transportation fare
Ask for details
As this is a TRAIN and WALKING tour, comfortable shoes are recommended.
Tours are NOT covered by insurance.
Transportation fare, entrance fees and lunch for guests and guide are NOT included. Ask for details.
Direct payment will be occurred in CASH on the spot on the day of the tour.
I used to work for a prefectural government as a director of Cultural Heritage Management Department. I have a lot of knowledge on cultural properties and the World Heritage sites in Japan. I will give an intellectual guidance to you based on my knowledge and experience.
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.