Fushimi Inari Shrine, famous for many torii gates like an orange tunnel. But most tourists just visit only the entrance. I would like to show you the deep inside of Fushimi Inari Shrine through tunnel and take you to the top of mountain. From Inari mountain, we will walk a part of “Higashiyama trail” hiking course, then we will visit the family temple of imperial house and Sanjusangen-do temple.
JR Kyoto Station
Meet you at JR Kyoto Station
First, we will visit Fushimi-Inari Shrine which is famous for many orange gates called Torii. Torii literally means that your wishes will be granted. Let's go there and wish for something.
We are climbing up to the top of Mt.Inari walking through many Torii gates just like an orange tunnel. You may feel a strange atmosphere in the sacred mountain.
Let's enjoy trekking on the mountain path and historical street. You can enjoy panoramic views from the path.
It can be said that Sennyuji Temple is not so well known temple even among Japanese people, but I think It is the one of hidden gems in Kyoto. Because this temple has been family temple of the emperors and their families since olden times.You can see some beautiful wooden buildings with chrysanthemum crests on the ground.
After having lunch, we are going to Sanjusangen-do temple. This temple is very famous for many statues of Kanon Bodhisattva, deity of mercy. It houses 1001 life-sized statues of Kanon and one main image, originally constructed in Heian period( 12th century). It's also famous for Japan's major archery contest.
See you off at Sanjusangen-do temple or Kyoto station
JR Kyoto Station
This tour is a walking tour, but not so tough. It includes Fushimi Inari Shrine, the most popular tourist’s destination and the top of Inari Mountain. Walking under the thousands of Torii gates, we will enter the sacred world of Mt. Inari where the deity came to earth.
Sennyuji temple might be a lesser known place even for Japanese people, but this temple is very venerable because it has been worshiped by aristocrats and imperial house for a long time. I will take you to old mausoleums of the emperor and aristocrats, in confidence.
At Sanjusangen-do temple you may be mesmerized by the 1001 statues of Kanon Bodhisattva and guardian deities from India in the old wooden hall. It’s also well known as a venue for the famous Japanese Archery contest called "Toshiya". My ancestor "Daihahiro WASA", he is a record holder of the contest. I will show you the evidence of it at the temple!!
-My services as your Tour Guide
-My transportation fare
* This tour might be extended due to various circumstances such as weather conditions etc. In such case, I would NOT charge any extra guide fee.
-Transportation fare (140JPY for JR from Kyoto Sta. to Inari Sta.)
-"Bento" Boxed Lunch,drinks, and snacks
-Entrance fees (Sennyuji(500JPY) temple and Sanjusangendo(600JPY) temple)
-Personal expenses
-Taxi fare from Sanjusangen-Do temle to JR Kyoto Station: around 1,000 JPY (if needed)
*It takes you about 20 minutes to walk to Kyoto Station.
I usually use public transportation systems such as trains, buses, taxi, and so on.
I like outdoor activities. If you would like to do hiking, cycling etc., please feel free to ask me in advance.
You are going to walk in Inari Mountain area for about three hours. So I recommend you should wear sneakers or hiking shoes and bring a rain wear or umbrella in case of shower, and also bring some water and snacks to appease your thirst and hunger temporarily.
You can have Obento lunch (Boxed lunch) in the Inariyama mountain if you like. Some good Obento and bottles of drink are sold at Kyoto station.
In case of rain, I would like to take you to Fushimi Inari shrine (the main hall and a part of orange tunnel ), Tofukuji big Zen temple, Sennyuji, and Sanjusangen-do by car.
This was our third trip with Koichi. He was always professional, pleasant, patient and accommodating to our needs. He is also quite knowledgeable about the places we visited, speaks good English and flexible to changes to our itinerary. He was always on time to pick us up, and at the end of the day, never fails to brings us back to the hotel lobby even after 5 PM. Koichi is like a old friend. You will immediately feel comfortable around him and have a great time. What else can I say: I highly recommend him!
Hi! Racquel san, Wow! I am almost in tears because of your wonderful comments. What an honor to hear you say that I am like an old friend. If you have a chance to visit Japan next time, I would love to meet you and travel with you. Koichi
This was our 4th/last tour on this trip with Koichi san. We toured Osaka, Kyoto and Nara previously with him. It was the end of year holidays so the town was quiet and some shops closed. We only went to Hikone castle and Genkyuen garden (we saw early blooming cherry blossoms!) and a bit of a look-see in the town. Koichi san was always a fountain of interesting information, and of invaluable help with public transport. He was patient, cheerful and thoughtful throughout. We’re glad he recommended this tour, because even through our tiredness, we found Shiga poetic and magical. Thanks to Koichi, we immensely enjoyed our trip.
Hi! Racquel san, Arigato very much, vising my hometown, Shiga. There are many more places I would like to introduce to you. Please come again next time and visit the places we skipped this time. I am sure you will discover something new. Koichi
Koichi san put together a thoughtful itinerary for our family of 6, going to historical and beautiful spots in Kyoto. We visited temples, Arashiyama, Gion and others. We skipped some spots in the itinerary for a more leisurely pace. His knowledge of the public transport system is invaluable. This tour is an excellent introduction to Kyoto. Koichi san made our visit so much fun and interesting. He also took wonderful photos! We’d certainly love to come back to further explore.
Hi! Racquel san, Thank you for your wonderful review. I am more than happy to hear that you are pleased. By the way, I also work for the City Transportation Bureau, so I know most thigs about city subways and buses. I would be able to offer you the most effective means of transportation. Next time, I hope you will get to know Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan, more deeply. I look forward to seeing you again. Koichi
Koichi san is very professional, courteous, fun, knowledgeable and patient. He toured us in Osaka castle and Shitennoji temple, and other interesting places in between. We ate at a family-style restaurant due to different food preferences in our party of 6. He is very flexible in changing the itinerary to suit personal interests and physical capabilities. He is very physically fit, which made us think of improving our own physical fitness! We ended up at the Dotonbori (where our hotel was located) with a fun finale at the Glico sign. His help with the trains is invaluable; we otherwise would have a hard time with public transport on our own. He made us feel comfortable during this first time visit in Osaka/Japan, that we felt comfortable enough to venture into mostly Japanese-only shops and restaurants after. Highly recommend!
Hi! Racquel san, Thank you for your review. The time I spent with Raquel san and family members was a very enjoyable time for me too. I wish I could have introduced you to more delicious foods and places to see. I sincerely hope that you will have the opportunity to visit Japan again. Let’s attack some castles next time too, like the old TV program “Fu-un Takeshi-jo.” Until then, please keep your Ninja skills trained. Koichi