Kyoto Tours

Visit two popular attractions outside Kyoto on a full-day trip: beautiful Himeji Castle and the Hakutsuru Sake Brewery. You’ll take a ride on a famous Shinkansen Bullet train, tour one of the best examples of a Japanese castle in the country, and sample potent sake rice wine.

Your full-day tour starts with a Bullet train ride to Himeji to visit the Himeji Castle, one of Japan’s most famous castles and designated a World Cultural Heritage site. The castle’s sublime form and white walls have earned it the nickname “WhiteHeron Castle”. The castle grounds are divided into inner and outer-walled zones, with gates built around maze-like spaces to confuse enemies, and a double moat for extra protection.

After lunch at Kokoen Garden, a short distance from Himeji Castle and designed in various styles from the Edo period, it's off to the Hakutsuru Sake Brewery, founded in 1743. The company has maintained old sake-brewing traditions combined with the latest techniques. The museum exhibits the process of sake making and its history, and includes a sake tasting.

Experience the magic of Kyoto on a full-day sightseeing tour of Japan’s cultural jewel. You’ll visit Kyoto’s most popular attractions and enjoy a buffet lunch at the Kyoto Handicraft Center.

Known as the cradle of Japan’s cultural heritage, Kyoto was Japan's capital and the emperor's residence from 794 until 1868. It is now the country's seventh largest city, with a population of 1.4 million people and a modern face, though it remains Japan’s most traditional city.

Highlights on your comprehensive full-day tour of Kyoto include:

• Nijo Castle, the Kyoto residence of the Tokugawa Shogun
• Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion), home to perhaps the world's most authentic and exquisite Japanese garden
• Kyoto Imperial Palace, the residence of the Imperial family until the capital was relocated to Tokyo in 1868
• Buffet lunch at Kyoto Handicraft Center
• Heian Shrine, reflecting the elegance of daily life in the ancient Japanese court
• Sanjusangendo Hall, a long wooden hall housing 1,001 statues dating back to the 13th century
• Kiyomizu Temple, with sweeping views of Kyoto from its lofty terrace

Explore the cultural treasures of Kyoto and Nara on a full-day tour from Kyoto. You’ll tour Kyoto in the morning, enjoy a buffet lunch at the Kyoto Handicraft Center, then take an afternoon tour of Nara’s temples and shrines.

Known as the cradle of Japan's cultural heritage, Kyoto was Japan's capital and the emperor's residence from 794 until 1868. On your morning tour of the city you’ll see the main highlights of wonderful, culture-rich Kyoto, including Nijo Castle, the Kyoto residence of the Tokugawa Shogun. The castle was built in 1603 and is noted for the contrast of its solemn appearance and gorgeous interiors.

You’ll also visit Kyoto's most popular temple, Kinkakuji Temple, the home of perhaps the world's most authentic and exquisite Japanese garden, as well as the celebrated Golden Pavilion. At the ancient Kyoto Imperial Palace you’ll visit the former residence of the Imperial family, which clearly shows the Japanese taste for purity, simplicity and calmness. Here you'll also visit the Shishinden Imperial state chamber where enthronement ceremonies took place.

After lunch (free soft drinks included) and shopping at the Kyoto Handicraft Center, you'll see demonstrations of Japanese traditional arts and crafts before traveling to Nara, in Japan's Kansai region. Nara was the country’s first permanent capital city, and has an abundance of Unesco World Heritage sites, including some of Japan's oldest Buddhist temples. You’ll visit the Todaiji Temple housing a great image of Buddha, colorful Kasuga Shrine with 3,000 lanterns, and the Deer Park, where tame deer freely roam and can be hand-fed.

Tour Highlights Include:

• Nijo Castle
• Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion)
• Kyoto Imperial Palace
• Buffet Lunch at Kyoto Handicraft Center

Stroll through rural bamboo groves and visit mountain temples outside Kyoto on this morning walking tour of the Sagano and Arashiyama districts. You’ll experience the tranquil beauty of Japan’s rural temples and gardens, and experience Japanese life outside the big cities.

Your morning walk begins at Sagano, northwest of the Kyoto Basin, with a stroll through the verdant Sagano Bamboo Grove surrounded by mountains in the greater area of Arashiyama.

Then it’s on to Jojakkoji Temple, spectacularly located halfway up a mountain. Jojakkoji was the final home of Empress Dowager Kenrei-mon-in, a principal character in the Tale of the Heike, one of the most important works of classical Japanese literature. It is said to have been built as a nunnery, and has a history reaching back to the 6th century. The temple's principal treasure is a statue of the Jizo and a pagoda surrounded by Japanese maples.

Next you’ll visit Tenryuji Temple, one of the head temples of the Rinzai Zen School and established in 1339 by Takauji, the first shogun of the Ashikaga Shogunate. The temple is famous for its landscaped garden, which unlike the temple buildings has survived in its original form.

Finally, you’ll take a walk over Togetsukyo Bridge (Crossing Moon Bridge). The present bridge was rebuilt in 1934 using steel but faithfully copying the structure of the original bridge.

Tour Highlights Include:

• Nijo Castle
• Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion)
• Kyoto Imperial Palace
• Kyoto Handicraft Center

Please see the information in 'Itinerary' for details about visiting each place.

Kyoto was Japan's capital and the emperor's residence from 794 until 1868. It is now the country's seventh largest city with a population of 1.4 million people and a modern face.

Over the centuries, Kyoto was destroyed by many wars and fires, but due to its historic value, the city was not chosen as a target of air raids during World War II. Countless temples, shrines and other historically priceless structures survive in the city today.

Heian Shrine
The brightly colored shrine with its vermilion pillars and green roof, and its enchanting inner gardens and ponds, reflects the elegance of life in the ancient Japanese court.

Sanjusangendo Hall
A renowned long wooden hall housing all of 1,001 statues of Kannon, Bodhisattva, that date back to the 13th century.

Kiyomizu Temple
A quaint old lane lined with pottery shops lead up to this famous temple. Enjoy a sweeping view of the entire city of Kyoto from its lofty terrace.

Nara is located in the Kinai plain, less than one hour from Kyoto. Due to its past as the first permanent capital, it remains full of historic treasures, including some of Japan's oldest Buddhist temples.

Tour Highlights include:

Todaiji Temple
Todaiji Temple, constructed in the 8th century, is one of Japan's most famous and historically significant temples. In it's huge precincts are various national treasures of Japan. The Daibutsuden (Great Buddha Hall) is one of the world's largest wooden buildings. Once of Japan's best-known temples, it enshrines a gigantic bronze statue of Buddha. A wonder of religious architecture.

Deer Park
Over 1,000 tame deer roam freely in the verdant 1,250 acres peaceful park. If you wish to feed the deer, they will gladly eat from your hand. Special food is sold in the park grounds (not included).

Kasuga Shrine
The most famous and beautiful Shinto shrine in Nara, it features some 3,000 antique stone and bronze lanterns.

Mt. Hiei Enryaku-ji Saito/Jodoin - Enryaku-ji Kaikan (Experience Zen Meditation)

Experience seated Zen Meditation practices at one of the first Buddhist temples in Japan before visiting Hieizan Enryaku-ji
This temple on Mt. Hiei is one of the Three Great Temples of Japan, and is the principal seat of the Tendai School of Buddhism. The temple was founded by the great Buddhist monk, Dengyo Daishi Saicho. The temple is divided into three areas, the Todo (Eastern Pagoda), the Saito (Western Pagoda) and Yokawa.