Arashiyama is the hottest tourist destination. It is incredibly beautiful in spring and fall because of its cherry blossoms and autumn leaves.
In the fall, the leaves turn brown or red! In the outstanding Tenryuji, you will see a beautiful garden with beautiful mountains in the background. There are many other beautiful places with touching stories in this area. On the way back to downtown, we can visit two world heritage sites, Kinkakuji and Ryoanji. What a wonderful route!
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
At you hotel lobby
Your hotel or the station
At your Hotel Lobby in Kyoto, etc.
Togetsukyo Bridge
Symbol of the Arashiyama area. The moon crossing bridge.
Tenryuji Temple
You will see the beautiful garden with beautiful Arashiyama and Kameyama in the backdrop.
The Bamboo Grove and the Kameyama Park
A Hot spot among foreign tourists! You must feel it's exotic.
And panoramic views from the Kameyama Park.
Lunch
We can spend time in a small, quiet, home-like restaurant
We will use some gorgeous restaurants when we need to book during the high season.
Jojakkoji Temple/ or other temple
Beautiful temple with stunning autumn foliage.
Ryoanji temple
Zen Buddhist temple, famous for its dry garden, admired by Queen Elizabeth. Please feel the universe of Zen Buddhism.
Kinkakuji Temple
Golden Temple. Top of the must-see list in Japan.
Visit at the best time of the day.
Hotel
Your hotel or the station
Ending Point
At you hotel or train station
This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
guide fee, hotel pick-up
transportation fee (you and the guide): taxi(about 4,800 yen) bus or metro( depends)
lunch (you and the guide) of about 3,000 yen /per person, or a more reasonable lunch of about 1,200 yen
admission fees of about 3,000 yen/per person, no guide required
If you have any food allergies, please let me know at least 3 days in advance.
This tour is mostly flat or downhill, but there are a few uphills. Please wear comfortable walking shoes.
To avoid being in a hurry, let's use taxis. Taxis are not expensive in Japan, and you can easily catch one in Kyoto.
We will visit many must-sees efficiently in limited hours.
I will plan to visit scenic beauties at a good time of the day.
I will take some photos of you, and you will see a lot of photogenic spots.
You will have a happy time in Kyoto.
Hi, I am Shuji, a licensed tour guide living near Kansai International Airport.
I taught world history in high schools for four decades. So, I can explain Japanese culture or history in an easier way tailored to you who have different cultural and historical backgrounds.
I also practiced Kendo, Japanese fencing, for more than four decades, and now I enjoy growing vegetables and going fishing. Therefore, I can also share some Japanese culture and its nature.
I have traveled to more than 25 countries and all over Japan. I’m also passionate about photography and know many photogenic places in Japan.
If you prefer to go off the beaten track, I can take you to hidden gems, including some cozy restaurants. Of course, I also know how to enjoy the crowded, most popular tourist sites. I am here to make your trip stress-free. See you soon!
“Shuji-san's way is the right way!”
First off I wanted to thank Shuji-san for a wonderful experience in Kyoto with my family and friends. We live in Tokyo and decided to take a 1.5 day trip down to Kyoto with out of town guests from the US. Shuji-san was extremely accommodating and was able to help adjust his suggested itinerary with a customized agenda to help ensure that we could see some of the primary sites that were more crowded in addition to the lesser known shrines and areas that across Kyoto. We traveled also with our 2 x boys aged 13 & 10 years old and Shuji-san was also connecting with them to make sure that they were also having a great experience as well. We trusted Shuji-san to help us deliver an experience for our friends and he was able to surpass our expectations. His knowledge and experience was super helpful and our Kyoto visit would not have been the same if it wasn't for him. Even though we have been to Kyoto several times ourselves, this added experience and help navigating the locations was a great way to compliment our exploration. Highlights included an appreciation of the beauty of temples, the fall foliage as noted by the agenda, spontaneous photos and a less traveled aqueduct bridge through one of the temples. Thank you Shuji-san. It was a pleasure meeting you and we hope to cross paths again. ありがとうございました。お時間を割いていただき、会話も楽しめ、素晴らしい経験ができました。どうぞ良いお年をお迎えください。
Shuji O.
Hi Richard, Thank you for a very thorough review. I'm happy I got it. I called this tour 'Less Crowded, Stunning Fall Foliage - Kyoto'. But since you were with your friends who were visiting Kyoto for the first time, I changed it on the spot. But the most exciting thing was that you and your kids chose 'Adventure' from my last suggestions. It was already a little dark, but we enjoyed the last place. You made our tour very great. Yes, I enjoyed it a lot too. Even though you live in Japan, guides can make your trip to Japan different. See you again in the near future again. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
“Shuji is one of a kind!”
I had a wonderful time exploring with Shuji, an exceptional guide. The temples and gardens were stunning and captivating. The experience of walking around the small streets was fantastic. Shuji was eager to share his knowledge, which was both interesting and informative. His expertise and support were beyond my expectations, and I will always be thankful. You are truly the best!
Shuji O.
Thank you for your wonderful words, which seem too good for me! I'm so glad you enjoyed the places and our experiences. Yes, we had an extraordinary time in Kyoto, avoiding the crowds. We rarely have such a special moment. You were so interested in Japanese nature, culture, and heritage. I hope you can visit Japan again and add more Goshuins. See you again!
Alyssa A.
Deep in Nara from Osaka by car ~ Off the beaten track ~
“Enjoy a Historical Tour in Nara!”
Traveling with Shuji felt like going on a field trip, especially with his background as a history teacher. He took the time to explain several major cultural locations, including the art displayed in museums, but also adjusted the tour to include a trip to Nara Park based on my request for my daughter. If you're looking for something different, highly recommend talking to Shuji to personalize your trip!
Shuji O.
Thanks for the great review. We enjoyed the beautiful and historic temples, Hasedera and Horyuji, avoiding the crowds as much as possible. We also enjoyed playing with the deer in the popular Nara Deer Park. We enjoyed wonderful places in the best season of fall foliage. I hope this will be a good memory for your family.
$317/ per group