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Eastern Kyoto, Short Hike in a Peaceful Temple and Forest

key stone and open fan-shaped view

locations of soap opera at temple gate

temple grounds covered with moss

Emperor Takakura's Mausoleum

stone monument at the entrance of Uta-no-Nakayam

foot path leads to Kiyomizu-derain the forest

stone statues of Jizo at the back gate

floating stage in Kiyomizu-Dera

looking up at the stage

temple grounds in cherry blossom season

Kiyomizu-zaka in front of Main Gate of Kiyomizu-de

Sannei-zaka

Nene-no-michi

Kodaiji Temple

overlooking Kyoto City

West gate of Yasaka Shrine

Gion Divine Water in Yasaka Shrine

Eastern Kyoto, Short Hike in a Peaceful Temple and Forest

Art, Culture, & Historical

Joined 2024

Yosshi S.

5.00 / 5

(7 reviews)

Identity Verified

Interview-Based Quality Checks

Kyoto

English, Japanese (Native)

6 hours

Private tour (only you and Yosshi S.)

Up to 5 people

Experience the charm of tranquility in a mountain temple.

Take a 3km walk around the foothills of the Higashiyama Mountain Range, visiting shrines and temples along the path. Starting at Seikanji Temple on Mt. Kiyomizu (242m height), follow the Uta-no-Nakayama Road to Kiyomizu-dera. Then, go through Sanneizaka and Nene-no-michi, and reach Maruyama Park and Yasaka Shrine. Along the way, we can feel old stories of tragic love while enjoying panoramic views of the Kyoto cityscape.

Itinerary

This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!

12:00 PM

Meeting Point

At your hotel or any convenient place in Kyoto City center.

Seikanji Temple

>Seikanji Temple/founded in 802, and Sei-Kan refers to Pure-Tranquility

#a fan-shaped view of the Kyoto area can be seen from Kaname-Ishi (Key Stone) on the grounds, which supposedly grants a heartfelt wish to anyone who asks

#tragic episode between Emperor Takakura and a court lady in the 12th century

#locations of TV soap operas in the 1970s

Uta-no-Nakayama Foot Path

#Uta-no-Nakayama (meaning Mid Mountain of Poetry)/temple legend said that a monk was strolling along the path and called out to a beautiful woman, she replied with a meaningful Waka poem

Kiyomizu-Dera Temple

#built in 778 on the side of Mt. Otowa in 778(rebuilt in 1633 with the broad #Koyasu Pagoda, Otowa Waterfall, Main Hall with floating stage (13m high supported with 139 pillars), overlook the panoramic view from the temple stage

Series of paths connecting the temples and shrines

>Kiyomizu-zaka, Sannei-zaka, and Ninen-zaka/approach to Kiyomizudera Temple with lots of fabulous shops and restaurants on the load

>Hokanji Temple (Yasaka Pagoda) and Yasaka Koshindo Temple on Yasaka-dori

>Nene-no-michi/approach to the Kodaiji Temple and Entokuin Temple

#Nene, an outstanding woman and wife of a feudal load, built Kodaiji Temple to commemorate the soul of a deceased husband, and resided in the nearby Entokuan Temple in the 17th century

Maruyama Park & Yasaka Jinjya Shrine

>Maruyama Park (8.7ha/21 acres)/built in 1886, a landscape garden with Mt. Higashiyama in the background

>Yasaka Jinja Shrine/established in 656, holds the Gion Festival with floats processing every July

Ending Point

At your hotel or any convenient place in Kyoto City center

Want to personalize this tour?

This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.

Inclusions & Exclusions

What‘s included

>guide fee, hotel pick up in Kyoto City center

What‘s not included

>transportation fee (you and guide/per adult)/some 2000JPY

>admission fee (you/per adult)/Seikanji Temple (donation), Kiyomizu-Dera Temple(400JPY), Kodaiji Temple(600JPY)

>short break/lunch/dinner

Tour Important Information

>Please note that the itinerary may change if traffic is congested or tourist spots are crowded.

>Please wear comfortable shoes as we will walk up the slopes and stairs at the foot of the mountains.

>Please bring Japanese yen, as the additional fees are often charged in CASH.

>The tour is not insured, so I hope you get travel insurance.

Important message from the supplier

>I mainly work in the daytime (e.g. from 9:30 am to 7:00 pm)

>If you want a listed/customized tour, please message me in advance. I will confirm facility availability in the itinerary dates: opening dates/hours, need a reservation or not.

>Please note that my tours are leisurely, on foot and by public transport.

>My tour schedule may change if transport or tourist spots are crowded.

Cancellation Policy

Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time

Joined 2024

Yosshi S.

5.00 / 5

(7 reviews)

Identity Verified

Interview-Based Quality Checks

About Tour Guide Yosshi S.

Thank you for visiting my page.

I’d love to guide you to an ancient capital city with over 1,000 years of urban development history and a 100-year film history. I grew up in OSAKA and studied in KYOTO. Then, I worked in TOKYO and Osaka as an urban planning expert for national and local governments for 20 years. I have been striving to create cities where residents can live safely and comfortably and where visitors are attracted by their charms.

Quitting my career, I became a freelancer and a National Licensed Consulting Engineer (Urban and Regional Planning). I inspect urban development sites and film locations at home and abroad, and post about the charm of these picturesque towns on social media (90 cities in 30 countries up to now).

Present-day Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara formed a metropolitan area centered on the Imperial Palace from the 7th to the 19th centuries, serving as the political, economic, and cultural center. Residents still cherish their connections with local temples and shrines, continue to host local events, maintain traditional lifestyles, and protect their cultural heritage.

These three cities offer a unique landscape each season: cherry blossoms in spring, lush greenery in summer, autumn foliage, and snowy scenery in winter. They are also easily accessible within a 1-hour train ride, with an international airport (KANSAI) and seaports (OSAKA, KOBE).

I am not only a National Licensed Guide Interpreter but also a General Travel Service Manager. I create an ideal customized tour for you, combining your preferences with my knowledge of transportation options and sightseeing spots.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Reviews

Chuck Y.

5 / 5

May 1, 2025

Osaka : OLD & NEW Tour 6 hours

May 1, 2025

Osaka

6 hours

“A very nice day in Osaka”

Yoshi was knowledgeable and happy to show the city to us at a leisurely pace. A very nice man who did a great job of speaking at a loud enough level so we could all hear him which was appreciated. He was very hospitable and we appreciated that.

Yosshi S.

Dear Chuck Thank you for sending me such a warm review. Osaka is a commercial city, so Osaka citizens are interactive and talkative. We looked at citizens' lives while strolling to the bustling shopping streets and the OKONOMIYAKI place. At the Rose Garden, we could see the harmony with roses, the rivers, and the skyscrapers. Thank you for including me as one of your close friends during the tour and for the topics we shared. I hope Osaka will be one of your friends' fond memories. Regards Yosshi

John M.

5 / 5

Apr 23, 2025

Hike along the Philosopher's Path brings three pleasures in one place.

Apr 23, 2025

Kyoto

8 hours

Customized

“Kyoto visit to Imperial Palace gardens and tour of Palace State Guest House, with a special tour of the guest house. Also, Philosopher’s Walk, national Treasure Silver Palace, and Kyoto Aqueduct. ”

We had a very high quality time with Yosshi S for our visit in Kyoto. He was well prepared from both experience and study, and gave us rich background into each site to result in a strong connection with Kyoto’s history, its rich spiritual traditions and its very special people living and working in Kyoto. We are grateful for this day and would recommend Yosshi S. with our highest regard.

Yosshi S.

Dear John, thank you for your review. We had the experience of seeing how to treat guests at the state guesthouse and having a lunch of Kyoto pickled sushi at a shopping street where ordinary people shop. The Philosopher's Path is a course where I often walked with friends during my student years. Walking with John on the tour, I got back the feeling of being a student. Unfortunately, I could not become a philosopher, but I learned the philosophy of "going my way" and became a guide. Thank you very much. Yosshi

John M.

5 / 5

Apr 23, 2025

Nara, Mixed Scenery with Temples and Mountains

Apr 23, 2025

Nara

8 hours 30 mins

“Mixed scenery with towns, temples, and National Museum of Nara”

Yosshi S provided us with a joyful life adventure for our day with him in Nara. He was helpful in finding our ways to Nara’s treasures, gardens, temple grounds, and shrines as well as an English audio-guided tour of the National Museum of Nara, containing unique treasures on special exhibition for the period of our visit. We would recommend others for Yosshi’s informative, well-researched, and personalized tours, aimed to give us a full appreciation of a place, its people, and what is special about both.

Yosshi S.

Dear John, Thank you for your valuable review. The day of our planned tour was the opening day of the National Treasures Exhibition at the Nara National Museum, so I decided to take you to the museum and let you fully appreciate the national treasure Buddha statues. The city of Nara has a long history of more than 1,300 years since Heijo-kyo. The citizens of Nara enjoy this long history through the deer relaxing in Nara Park, crawling through the pillar hole of the Great Buddha Hall, and the Karakuri Toy Museum. Those are appealing and attract both domestic and international tourists. I am happy to have conveyed this to you through this tour. Thank you. Yosshi