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Less visited temples with beautiful gardens and more in Kyoto-feel Wabi and Sabi
Joined 2019
If you have visited the most visited temples and shrine in Kyoto and wants to visit quieter and less visited ones, consider this tour as an option. Choose an area or two that interest you and let me know.
I will customize a tour for you. Please be noted that we will not have enough time to visit all of the temples listed here in a day.
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
TBD (at your hotel)
Ichijo-ji Area
Ichijo-ji is a calm area at the foot of a mountain where war lords and aristocrats set up villas after the 16th century, and it is a place where you can spend a quiet time away from the hustle and bustle. Recently, it is also famous for ramen as well.
＠Shisen-do
This is a Zen temple built in the 17th century by a high-ranking samurai. This temple is very well known for its white sand garden with a stream and flowers of the season. JPY700
＠Enko-ji
This temple was build by the 1st Tokugawa Shogun as a Zen school.
This temple is very well known for its dry landscape garden and moss garden. JPY500
＠Manshu-in
This MONZEKI temple dates back to the 8th century. MONZEKI is prestigious temple where the Imperial family member served as a head priest. JPY600
Higashiyama Area
＠Konchi-in
This Zen temple was established in the 11th century and had been supported by Tokugawa shoguns after the 17th century. JPY500
＠Tenju-an
This temple is famous for its dry landscape garden with diamond-shaped stones bordered by moss across a white sand garden. JPY500
＠The Nanzen-ji Garden
This is Japan’s first Zen temple established by the Imperial order and was considered to be a temple “on top of the five Zen temples in Kyoto. JPY600
Daitoku-ji Area
Daitoku-ji is a Zen temple located in northern part of Kyoto city. It was established in 1325 and its Gotama Buddha is its main buddha. Stand on the premise are the temple complex centered by the Buddha’s Hall and twenty sub- temples. It is deeply connected to the tea ceremony and had a great influence on Japanese culture. As this temple is not open for public, we will visit four of the sub-temples which are open for public.
＠Daisen-ji
This Zen temple established in 1509 and is the head of the sub-temples of Daitoku-ji. The main hall is the oldest Hojo building in Japan and is designated as a national treasure. The dry landscape garden here is designated as a special place of scenic beauty . JPY500
＠Ryugen-in
This temple was established by war lords in 1502. Main gates are original from its foundation and are the oldest buildings in Daitokuji.
This temple is also very well-known for its stone garden. JPY350
＠Zuihou-in
This Zen temple was established by a Christian war lord in 1535. This temple has a garden that resembles a cross made of seven stones. JPY400
Myoshin-ji Area
Myoshin-ji which was built by an emperor in 1340 is the biggest Zen temple in Japan. This is the head temple of the 3,350 Myoshi-ji Zen temples throughout of Japan. Many Buddhism building like the gate, the hall and the pagoda are lined up in the large temple complex.
＠Taizo-in
This Zen temple established in 1404 is very well-known for its gardens. In the dry landscape garden, big rocks are boldly assembled to express waterfalls, Buddhism sacred mountains and islands, and a bridge. JPY600
@Daishin-in
This 1479 built Zen temple is famous for its "Aun Garden". It is a relaxing garden with white sand, moss, and rocks centered on the rocks which represent the Three Buddhas. JPY300
@Keishun-in
This temple has four Zen gardens which were built in the 17th century and each garden has different meaning. JPY400
Ending Point
TBD
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
guide fee
Insurance
Transportation fare, entrance fees and lunch (you and guide),,
Ask for details
Tour Important Information
As this is aTRAIN and WALKING tour, comfortable shoes are recommended.
Tours are NOT covered by insurance.
Transportation fare, entrance fees and lunch for guests and guide are NOT included. Ask for details.
Direct payment will be occurred in CASH on the spot on the day of the tour.
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 2019
About Tour Guide Hiroyuki T.
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, Osaka and other places in the Kansai area as I am 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.
Reviews
Judith S.
Zen temples with beautiful gardens, Fushimi Inari and Bamboo Forest
“Best Guide We Had In Japan”
We spent a delightful day with Hiroyuki doing his Kyoto Temple Tour. He was personable, spoke excellent English and was a font of information. I highly recommend him and will be passing his name on to our friends who are planning to travel to Japan.
Rowena S.
Historic Monuments of Ancient Capital of Nara - from Osaka
“Excellent Guide in Osaka”
Thank you, Hiroyuki san for the smooth planning with you about this tour and for taking good care of our guests.
Hiroyuki T.
(144 reviews)Thank you very much for reviewing the tour. They were really a nice family. It was very nice for me as well to spend time with them. Please give my best wishes to them. Hiro
Marc K.
Zen temples with beautiful gardens, Fushimi Inari and Bamboo Forest
“Hiro san: A perfect host”
We hired Hiro for two tours in Kyoto. One for “must sees” and another tour where we freestyled and visited less common places. Hiro was prompt and easily switched gears as we needed. He has a complete grasp on the cultural, religious, and artistic under-pinning of all things Japanese. A virtual encyclopedia and wealth of knowledge. Awesome awareness of our needs and answered our questions endlessly. We loved going to lunches and one dinner with him. As non-Japanese speakers, it was so relaxing to have him help us understand meal customs and menus! Excellent guide and highly recommended!!
Hiroyuki T.
(144 reviews)Thank you very much for your kind message. It was so nice spending time with you in Kyoto. And thank you very much for wonderful meals, Ramen, Okonomiyai and Kaiseki. I was happy that you liked them very much. Do you remember the location of that Ramen restaurant? You will have to come to Kyoto to have it again! Please take good care of yourself. Hope our lines will cross again sometime in the future.
$291/ per group
Reserve
