Kyoto is the place where the first Tokugawa Shogun was inaugurated and where the last 15th Tokugawa Shogun gave up his power to the emperor.
On the tour, we will visit the places that are related to the Tokugawa Shoguns.
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
At your hotel in Kyoto or Kyoto station
- TBD
Nijo Castle
Nijo castle was built by the 1st Tokugawa shogun in 1603. He was appointed to a shogun by the emperor in this castle in the same year. It had been used as a Tokugawa Kyoto Palace until 1634 when the 3rd Tokugawa shogun visited this castle from Edo.
The 15th and the last Tokugawa shogun declared to give up his Sovern to the emperor in this castle just before the Boshin War (1868-1869).
This is where Tokugawa shogunate began and ended.
JPY1300
Chio-in temple
Chio-in was build by the high priest Honen in 1175 and is the headquarters of the Jodo (Pure land) sect of Buddhism.
As the Tokugawa family belonged to this sect, this temple became the Tokugawa’s family temple after the 17th century.
The 1st, 2nd and 3rd Shogun rebuilt many halls of this temple. It was said that they rebuilt this big temple to watch the Imperial Court along with Nijo castle.
Free, JPY400 for garden
Konchi-in
Konchi-in was built by the Ashikaga shogun as a Zen temple between 1394 and 1427. It has a beautiful Zen garden designed by the famous garden designer in the 17th century.
One of the three Toshogu (shrine which enshrines the spirit of the 1st Tokugawa shogun as a deity) is here.
JPY500
Gokonomiya shrine
It is not known when this Shinto shrine was established. It is said that water with nice scent is the origin of the faith of this shrine. The main deity is a legendary empress and three of the sons of the 1st Tokugawa shogun took birth bath at this shrine. During the Boshin war, this shrine became one of the fierce battle field.
Free, JPY200 for garden
Ending Point
TBD
This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
Guiding fee
Insurance
Transportation guide and guests
Lunch for guide and guests
*This tour involves a lot of walking, so make sure to wear comfortable shoes.
* This tour is not recommended for those with severe back/knee problems.
* This tour is not covered by insurance.
* Please let me know in advance if you have any food allergies or other dietary restrictions.
Hi!
I had been working for Wakayama Prefectural Government for 38 years, mainly in the field of cultural heritage management and international relations. I am a national certificated English guide and I have a lot of knowledge and experience in the field of cultural heritage management and international relations.
I am very good at cultural heritages.
And Koyasan and Kumano in Wakayama Prefecture are inscribed in the World Heritage List as parts of “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range". I was a project manager of "the Koyasan and Kumano World Heritage Inscription Project” at Wakayama Prefectural Government. I know inside and out of Koyasan, Kumano, Wakayama and other places in the Kansai area.
I have a lot of experience of guiding as I was also in charge of international relations for a long time at the government.
I will be able to provide interpretive guiding service for you around Koyasan, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka and other places as I was a cultural heritage management and international relations professional.
I am sure you will be able to get deeper understandings on Japanese culture and that your trip with me will be memorable one.
If you need a good guide in the Tokyo area, I have a friend on GoWithGuide I can recommend you!
Stephanie W.
“Tour of Nara”
Hiro was a wonderful guide, very friendly and exceptionally knowledgeable. Thank you for our day in Nara !
Hiroyuki T.
Stephany san, Thank you very much for your kind message. It is very good to know that you liked the tour. It was fun to feed deer there, wasn't it? Hiro
Tien N.
“An excellent excursion with Hiroyuki san”
Many thanks to Hiroyuki San for a very informative excursion with a delicious Zen vegetarian meals for lunch. My family was raving about the tour and I was so glad of my decision to book this Kyoto tour with Hiroyuki San .
Hiroyuki T.
Tien san, It was really nice to meet you and the group in Kyoto. I am glad to know you liked the tour. It was also nice that you liked the Zen Tofu Lunch. It was delicious, wasn't it? Thank you Tien san and the group.
Melinda A.
“Hiroyuki is the Zen master of tours”
We had so much fun with Hiroyuki. He was flexible and made sure we didn't see anything we already saw. But more importantly, he made the temples and shrines so much more than what we would have experienced if we toured them by ourselves. He taught us the complex history, politics, and social practices involved with everything we saw. I'm very curious and had many specific questions. He knows so much that he was able to answer and explain everything in detail and in such a way that we were able to understand the development of Japan and how it relates to the temples and shrines we saw. Thanks Hiroyuki! You made our visit so meaningful, educational, and fun!
Hiroyuki T.
Thank you very much for your kind message. I am glad to know that you liked the Zen tour. Our sense of beauty in Japan is based on Zen, now you all understand it. If you have a chance to come back to Japan, I will show you more.
$309/ per group