GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!
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GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!

Iwate World Heritage Half Day Tour

Luke Kinsella

by GoWithGuide travel specialist:Luke Kinsella

Last updated : Apr 28, 20222 min read

Itinerary Ideas

We introduce the most popular itineraries amongst our customers who choose tours on GoWithGuide. We hope it helps you to plan your perfect itinerary during your trip to Japan. In our fifth post of the series, we focus on the World Heritage of Iwate.

 

Experience the Historic Monuments and Sites of Hiraizumi on this four hour World Heritage tour of Iwate's Hiraizumi. Visit Motsu-ji Temple with its garden of the Pure Land, before learning about the area of Hiraizumi itself. Enter the Golden Hall at Chuson-ji, before taking a walk through the ruins of an incredible World Heritage site, at Muryoko-in Ato.

 

1. Motsu-ji Temple

At this World Heritage site, you can freely walk around The Pure Land Garden, which has preserved the culture of the Heian period for over 800 years. Experience a certain calmness and tranquility as you explore the stunning landscapes that seamlessly mix nature with Buddhism.

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2. Hiraizumi Cultural Heritage Center

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Inside this museum, you can learn the history of the World Heritage site of Hiraizumi. Video screens offer explanations into the history of the area, and rare artefacts can be observed within. A great place to gain knowledge of a town with a cultural heritage, before setting out to freely explore Hiraizumi alone.

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3. Chuson-ji Temple

The highlight of Chuson-ji Temple is the Golden Hall, constructed in 1124 to create a perfect expression of paradise, the stunning hall has been designated as a World Heritage site as well as a treasury of art. Inside there are hidden treasures and Buddhist statues that can't be seen anywhere else.

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4. Muryokoin Ruins

The remains of a temple built in the image of Byodo-in Temple, Kyoto, now a World Heritage site feauting temple ruins and a huge pond. Here you can experience one of the Historic Monuments and Sites of Hiraizumi, and learn about the collapse of the Fujiwara clan.

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Written by Luke Kinsella

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GoWithGuide’s writers are passionate travel specialists sharing unique tips and essential information for global explorers.

Kyoto Tour Guide - Hiroshi Y.

Hiroshi Y.

4.67 / 5
(327 reviews)
Japan

Hello,I am HIROSHI YOKOYAMA. Please call me Hiro, not "hero". I have been lived in kyoto for more than 30years. So, I am very familiar with the city of Kyoto and a unique culture developed in Japan as well. I can offer you not only historic places like Nijo castle, Kinkakuji temple ,Kiyomizu temple etc., but also off the beaten track spots Nijo jinya house or nicknamed "ninjya house" ,Katsura Imperial Villa etc.. I am really looking forward to seeing you .                                                                                                                                 

Kyoto Tour Guide - Toshiyo O.

Toshiyo O.

4.69 / 5
(251 reviews)
Japan

I was born and raised in Kyoto.Kyoto has a lot of things to see and experience. Kyoto is an ancient city with a lot of world heritage. I am happy to show you both traditonal aspects of Japan and modern things. I use public transportation and I am good at walking. Also I am very flexible.                                                                                                                                  

Kyoto Tour Guide - Yoshihisa T.

Yoshihisa T.

4.97 / 5
(227 reviews)
Japan

Hi. My name is Yoshihisa. Call me "Yoshie", please. It means good or O.K. in Japanese. I live in Joyo City, Kyoto Prefecture, located just in between Kyoto and Nara. I was born and raised in Iga, Mie Prefecture. Iga is a birthplace of ninja and a renowned haiku poet, Matsuo Basho. I might be a descendant of ninja. I aim at becoming a linguistic ninja, following a part of Basho's lifestyle with the incorporation of seasonal changes into my tours. In addition to visiting famous temples and shrines, I invite you to lesser-known places of historic interest. Once in a month I go hiking or mountain climbing with some friends mainly in mountains surrounding Kyoto and Nara basins. Recently I have got intrigued by the charms of Buddhist statues, which are manifestations of people's wishes and prayers. I also like izakaya (Japanese-style taverns) hopping, tasting delicious dishes and locally brewed sake at reasonable prices. Especially I like communicating with people from home and abroad, talking face to face. Some of the above-mentioned elements are included in my walking tours. I hope you will discover new aspects of cultural and natural beauty in Kansai area through one of my tours which you could never gain otherwise. One of my favorite phrases that come from Zen Buddhism is Ichigo Ichie or this meeting-but only once in a lifetime. My interpretation goes this way: This place and this moment never cross again. Each and every good encounter, however, lingers on like the sound of a temple bell. Won't you explore a deeper world of Japanese culture in Kyoto, Nara and Osaka with me?                                                                                                                                  

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