Kinkakuji Temple is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. Kinkakuji is famous for its stunning architecture, with the top two floors covered in gold leaf and beautifully reflected in the surrounding pond. Originally built in the 14th century as a retreat for Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the temple was later converted into a temple. The gardens surrounding the temple were also carefully designed in detail to showcase the beauty of the traditional Japanese landscape. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular tourist attraction.
Arashiyama is a pleasant, natural tourist destination located in the western suburbs of Kyoto. The area has been a popular tourist destination since the Heian period (794-1185), when aristocrats enjoyed its natural surroundings. Arashiyama is especially popular in the fall for its autumn foliage and in the spring for its cherry blossoms. The Togetsu Bridge is the central trend mark of Arashiyama, from which you can enjoy a panoramic view of the vast river. Near the bridge, there is a boat pier, the famous bamboo grove street, many restaurants, and shopping for even the youngest visitors.
In Kyoto’s historic Gion district, you can learn about the fascinating history of Geisha while exploring the actual streets where they still work today. Enjoy beautiful riverside scenery, traditional streets, the exteriors of historic teahouses, and the unique atmosphere of old Kyoto as you discover the history behind this special district. Our friendly local guides will share the rich history, traditions, and fascinating stories of Geisha culture, one of Japan’s most treasured cultural traditions. During the cherry blossom and autumn foliage seasons, you can also enjoy Gion’s beautiful seasonal scenery. We can stop along the way so you have time to take photos and capture these special moments.
Explore the timeless beauty of Kyoto as you stroll through the historic streets of Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka toward the iconic Yasaka Pagoda. The charming stone-paved streets, lined with traditional wooden shops and teahouses, offer a glimpse into the atmosphere of Japan’s Edo period. Especially during cherry blossom season and around sunset, the five-story Yasaka Pagoda rising above the traditional streets creates one of Kyoto’s most beautiful and historic views. Whether shopping for traditional Kyoto crafts, tasting local delicacies, or simply enjoying the peaceful atmosphere, a visit to Ninenzaka, Sannenzaka, and Yasaka Pagoda is a wonderful way to experience Kyoto’s rich culture and traditional charm.
Kiyomizu-dera is one of Kyoto’s most iconic landmarks, famous for its magnificent wooden architecture and its impressive wooden stage extending over the hillside. From here, you can enjoy beautiful views of Kyoto surrounded by cherry and maple trees. The temple was built using traditional Japanese craftsmanship, with its famous wooden structure constructed without the use of nails. The temple grounds are also home to Jishu Shrine, dedicated to the deity of love and matchmaking. Visitors can try walking between two famous stones with their eyes closed. If they successfully reach the other stone, it is said that they will be blessed with good fortune in finding true love. Kiyomizu-dera is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and offers especially breathtaking scenery during the cherry blossom and autumn foliage seasons. With its remarkable architecture, beautiful natural surroundings, and rich cultural heritage, Kiyomizu-dera is truly a must-visit destination in Japan!
Fushimi Inari is one of Japan's most gorgeous, powerful, and famous shrines and one of my recommended tourist destinations. The view of the thousand torii gates leading to the top of the mountain is breathtaking, and even if you get tired on the way, there is a place to turn around so that even those with weak legs can enjoy the view. Many visitors are satisfied with the beautiful scenery. Fushimi Inari has a lot of history and animal gods are enshrined, and there are statues of foxes and animals in many places as you walk along.
Such an amazing day! We got to customize our tour route and saw Nara, the Golden Temple, and the Bamboo Forest. Hosei was very knowledgeable and fun. We also loved the lunch spot he chose. 10/10 day!
Wonderful day trip from Osaka to Kyoto. Riku was a great guide throughout the day and we very much appreciated his insights and guidance. Would absolutely recommend!
Absolutely incredible experience - what a fantastic tour!! We took this tour in lieu of a cruise-provided excursion and it so far exceeded our expectations (and at less than half the price per person of a cruise-sponsored excursion). Even though we had very limited time, we saw all the major highlights of Kyoto. Housei was the best guide and he did an incredible job educating us about what we were seeing, not only at the landmark sites, but as we drove around. We relied on Housei’s recommendations for snacks, lunch and the best way to enjoy the sites. Housei came up HUGE on his suggestion of how best to see Arashiyama on a hot and very crowded day. Truly a magnificent experience and made our visit to Kyoto special.
We were provided a driver not a guide. He was nice & polite; however, we learned nothing during all car rides about the city or areas we were passing. At 2 sites he walked us through but only read the sign or a sentence from his phone. We asked questions, he gave short answers which we then researched and found to be incorrect. The other 2 sites, we went alone. And we waited for lunch for 20 minutes only to have his CEO jump in front of us with his tourists. Causing us to wait another 10 minutes. We immediately contacted Viator. Refund claim denied.
It was incredible hosei was so friendly The experience was 5stars I would definitely recommend every penny was worth it and would love to do it again
One of the best days of our trip! We had Riki as our tour guide and he was absolutely amazing…extremely knowledgeable and patient as he guided around all of the temples and shrines. Highly recommend!
We had a wonderful day exploring Kyoto with Hosei. We had made other commitments after the tour, and Hosei was happy to accommodate our request to end early and in a very different part of the city. We learned so much from our tour and experienced so many peaceful moments. Hosei was knowledgeable and shared so much information with us. He also answered our questions about Japanese culture. The car was comfortable. The tour was fascinating. Everything was perfect!
We had an absolutely wonderful experience with our guide, Riku, who took us on a day trip from Osaka to Kyoto. From the very beginning, everything was perfectly organized, allowing us to relax and fully enjoy the journey. Riku’s planning was thoughtful and efficient, making sure we saw the highlights without ever feeling rushed. What truly made the day special was Riku himself—his warm personality, great sense of humor, and ability to connect with everyone in our group, especially our teenagers. He kept them engaged and interested throughout, which is no small feat! His knowledge of the area, combined with excellent recommendations for spots, food, and timing, made the entire experience feel seamless and personalized. We couldn’t have asked for a better guide. Riku turned a simple day trip into a memorable and enjoyable adventure for the whole family. Highly recommended!
We made this trip as a family of six and it was great! Our guide was patient and kind. We taught us a lot about the many places we have been together and showed us great local food. We enjoyed this trip and would recommend it at any time!!
We booked this tour as a group of 4 friends travelling on a cruise ship. The private tour was organised around our cruise schedule where we disembarked after 4pm, so our tour was planned around tourist destinations that were lit up at night. It was really beautiful and great to see the sights with no crowds! Walking through the Tori gates at night was spooky and added to the atmosphere - we even found an unexplained ‘ghost’ pic on our phone the next day. We also went to a fabulous sushi restaurant for dinner which added to the experience. Tatsuya was a great guide and spoke perfect English. He was a lot of fun and we really enjoyed his company.
We booked this tour as a group of four cruising around Japan. The cruise ship docked late afternoon and this tour perfectly suited our needs with pick up and drop off to cruise port, and a private tour in the evening. Our guide Tatsuya was fantastic and a lot of fun. We loved seeing all the tourist spots lit up at night, no crowds, and the sushi restaurant we went to for dinner was amazing. If you like doing your own thing and being able to customise your trip, and dodge the big daytime tourist crowds, this is the tour for you!
We had an amazing experience exploring Kyoto thanks to Shunsuke. He was very friendly, easy to talk to, and made the entire trip feel fun and relaxed. Our conversations ranged from Japanese culture and history to international business, cars, football and he brought each topic to life with insight, enthusiasm and good jokes! On top of that, his recommendations for local Japanese food were fantastic - especially the sashimi. We tried some of had the freshest, most unforgettable sashimi platter at a local restaurant that was not known to many foreigners. If you’re looking for a guide who’s knowledgeable, personable, and a very good driver then we would highly recommend Shunsuke. Out visit to Kyoto was truly unforgettable and we were very lucky to see lots of cherry blossom trees so early in the season 🌸🏯🍱🍻👏
It was a great tour with a lot of fun and learnings about the Japanese history. Riku, our guide did a fantastic job. We had an amazing day.
Riku was an amazing tour guide! He was very knowledgeable and kind. We saw so much of Kyoto in one day and were so happy we booked this private tour.
Riku was outstanding! I highly recommend him. Great tour, went to all the places we wanted to see and took us to a great ramen place. Book you tour thru them. You will love it!
Me and my family are in kyoto for only 4 days and this was amazing!! 3 of us in total, this tour was amazing! We were joking around, learning, and overall was one of the most enjoyable tours during our entire japan trip!! Two adults and one teenager and everyone had the best time!
Richu was such a great tour guide! Very personable. Good English. We enjoyed ourselves very much! Probably my favorite excursion from our cruise ship. :) thank you!
Riku did an amazing job. He showed us around the best spots, and created a wonderful itinerary for our day. Not only did we see the highlights of Kyoto, but we also got to experience the local charm as well. We can’t recommend this enough.
Riku was an amazing tour guide. He knew all the best spots to go, offered helpful suggestions, and planned a very comprehensive itinerary. We were able to see some of the best places in Kyoto while also getting the local feel for the city.
Our family came in from Taiwan for four days in Kyoto, my wife and I along with our two girls , 6 and 9 years old. We had a wonderful time. First we went to Nara, then to Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine, the bamboo forest and ending at Gion street. Shunsuke was great, his English was perfect. The family really enjoyed Nara, feeding the wild deer and the Bamboo forest the most. I highly recommend the rickshaw ride when exploring the bamboo forest and waiting to feed the deer until we entered Nara park. Thank you, Shunsuke, for a very well done tour, your kindness and knowledge of the areas we visited. I would definitely recommend your services to our family and friends. Not written by AI ;)
TEN/TEN, very informational and all requests were handled. Would recommend this experience to anyone coming to the area.
We had a family trip and it was the most amazing tour/tourguide we’ve been on while traveling abroad! He took us to all the shrines and parks you see online but showed us the paths with no lines ☺️
We do these day trips each time we travel. Nice young man, fun and perfect to go around. Insane driver. The English was perfect!
We had the best experience with Tatsuya! He not only provided great information but also took us to a great sushi restaurant and honored our requests. He never rushed us and understood/helped with my mobility issues, so it was the perfect way to see so many Kyoto and Nara highlights.
This was a great tour to do with a family of four. Our guide took us to good stops and had lots of knowledge on each one. I would recommend this to anyone, especially those looking for a fun experience with a guide.
An excellent experience for our family of three adults, including one member who required partial use of a wheelchair. From the start, the tour was thoughtful, flexible, and extremely well organized. We were treated to an expansive yet relaxed visit to Kinkaku-ji, the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, and Shimogamo Shrine, all guided by Riku. Riku was knowledgeable, patient, and attentive, especially when it came to mobility considerations. He adjusted pacing as needed, suggested the most accessible routes, and made sure everyone felt comfortable and included throughout the day. Nothing ever felt rushed, and we were able to truly enjoy each location while also learning meaningful historical and cultural context. This tour struck a perfect balance between sightseeing and personal attention, making it ideal for families or groups with accessibility needs. We couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to Kyoto, and we highly recommend both the tour and Riku as a guide.
I had a wonderful solo trip around Kyoto with Riku as my guide. He was warm, knowledgeable, and made every stop feel meaningful. His easygoing nature and thoughtful explanations helped me appreciate the city on a deeper level. I felt completely comfortable and well taken care of throughout the day. Highly recommend Riku for anyone looking for a friendly and insightful Kyoto experience!
I have had many tour guides given my preference to have someone who is knowledgable plan my itinerary and having a stress free tour. I usually have a great experience, but this time around I have to say that I’ve had one of the best days in my travels. I was lucky enough to have Riku as my tour guide as he was well experienced and gave amazing recommendations. He took his time in explaining the history of The Golden Palace and took to an amazing local okonomiyuki restaurant that has earned a place in favorites. To maximize my experience in the short day that I had, he made the wise suggestion of using the riksho service to see the Bamboo forest, having access to areas reserved for this service. Riku was very attentive throughout the day making sure I was comfortable and was able to accommodate a couple of my own personal requests. I know I will go back to Kyoto to enjoy the city again, but as far as first impressions go, this tour experience is unbeatable!
Was amazing, Riku is very friendly and knowledgeable got us everywhere we needed to go safely and also fulfilled special requests.
Tatsuya, was an amazing guide! We have a very smooth and great experience. Kyoto is a magical place and the experience with this company make it very especial. Highly recommend their services.
Riku provided a lively and fun tour of Kyoto. In addition to famous temples and gardens, he found us a local family small restaurant that was a wonderful and delicious experience. It was great to have him doing the driving too. I would highly recommend Riku as a guide.
A great day in Kyoto with Riku. He was able to get us around a very busy city to see everything we wanted and we shared a great meal at a local restaurant we never would have found on our own. The Golden Temple, Arashiyama and Fushimi Inari Taisha were amazing.
Our guide, Riku, was excellent! He provided a wealth of information at every stop. He was very flexible with any request, and took us to a great lunch. Highly recommend.
The highlight experience of our trip to Kyoto. Riku our guide was a delight to spend the day with touring the city. We could not have seen what we saw without him driving us all thru town. What a well spoken young man sharing his city with us. From temple to shrine to Nara Park and the Bamboo Forest, it was a spectacular journey. I would highly recommend this tour with Riku for everyone.
A full day of fun with Riku. We explored for 8 hours. Riku took us to his favorite spot for ramen after we visited the deer in Nara, the Bamboo forest and some temples and shrines. His car is roomy and CLEAN. Riku is kind and very knowledgeable. You will not be disappointed.
Loved our day with Riku! What a great way to jumpstart our stay in Kyoto. Riku was full of information about the local sights and also about Japanese culture. He also took us to an amazing local Ramen restaurant. Highly recommend!
Tatsuya San is a very jovial, energetic n friendly guide. He captured all the best moments in our pictures . He made this the most memorable and beautiful trip. We are grateful to have his companion walking through the unforgettable beautiful Kyoto.
Deer feed in Nara, then an extended walk through the Arashiyama bamboo grove in Osaka and finally as a highlight the ascent through the 1000 gates of the Fushimi Inari Shrine. Riku has accompanied us excellently and explained everything very friendly and professional. Anytime again! Absolutely recommend!
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