Premium tour of Kyoto (1) : Arashiyama, Nijo-jo Castle & Kinkakuji temple

Highlights

Tatsuhiro N.

4.23 / 5
(30 reviews)
Kyoto
Japanese (Native), English
8 hours
Private tour (only you and your group)
Up to 15 people

Why not enjoy your holidays in Kyoto? You can certainly get in touch with many things Japanese that we are proud of. They are old temples and shrines...

Meeting Point

At your hotel

(1) Togetsukyo bridge (2) Nijo-jo Castle Karamon gate (3) Kinkakuji golden pavilion

Natural surroundings and powerful structures

Ending Point

At your hotel

What to Expect

Why not enjoy your holidays in Kyoto? You can certainly get in touch with many things Japanese that we are proud of. They are old temples and shrines, cultural assets and the beautiful natural surroundings. You can also enjoy dropping in at souvenir stores and buy exquisitely made products, such as folding fans, porcelain and traditional Japanese cakes. I would like to take you to the following places, which are the three representative tourist destinations in this city:

(1) Arashiyama

It is the place where all the traditional natural beauties of Japan are combined together. They are Togetsukyo bridge, bamboo grove and the old temples. If you go up to the observation spot, you can enjoy the magnificent view of the gorge below. You can also see rickshaws of the olden times drawn by young people with smiling passengers on board. There are souvenir shops selling variety of goods and products.

(2) Nijo-jo Castle (World Cultural Heritage Site)

This castle was built in the early 17th century by the Tokugawa Shogunate government for the purpose of protecting the Kyoto Imperial Palace and as the accommodations when Tokugawa Shogun was in Kyoto. It was subsequently enlarged by successive Shogun. It is the castle as well as the palace, where you can see the powerful structures and beautiful gardens. You can learn, in addition, how great the power of Tokugawa Shogun was.

(3) Kinkakuji temple (the Golden Pavilion) (World Cultural Heritage Site)

The history of this temple began when the third Shogun of the Muromachi period acquired a tract of land in this area from a powerful statesman in 1397 and built a villa of his own to entertain the Emperor and members of the nobility. The upper two levels of the temple are covered with pieces of gold foil and are shining brilliantly against the background of the rich greenery. The pond in the foreground reflects the golden structure. It looks like the materialization of Pure Land of Buddha in this world. In addition, on the top of the golden structure is the shining phoenix.

Want to personalize this tour?

  • Our tours can be customized according to your needs and preferences
  • Click below to tell us what you are looking for:

Inclusions & Exclusions

What‘s included

guide fee, hotel pick-up in Kyoto area

What‘s not included

transportation fee (you and guide), lunch, dinner, entrance fee, hotel pick-up in areas outside Kyoto region


Important Information

This place is hugely crowded at any time of a year. Please be careful so that you will not be separated from your group or get lost.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you(guide) wait if we (customers) are late for the appointment?

I can wait for you for up to 30 minutes for free, but if you are late any further, I will charge you 1,000 yen per 30 minutes.

How much is the transportation fee?

(1) Arashiyama: One-way JR fare is 240 yen from Kyoto station.

(2) Nijo-jo castle: One-way bus fare is 230 yen from Kyoto bus terminal.

(3) Kinkakuji temple: One-way bus fare is 230 yen from Kyoto bus terminal.

How much are the entrance fees?

(1) Arashiyama: 500 yen for the entry to Tenryuji temple.

(2) Nijo-jo Castle: 600 yen.

(3) Kinkakuji temple: 400 yen

What are the closing hours?

(1) Arashiyama: 5 p.m. for Tenryuji temple.

(2) Nijo-jo Castle: 4 p.m.

(3) kinkakuji temple: 5 P.m.

Reviews

S

Stan J.

5 / 5
May 19, 2023

Great tour!

Tatsuhiro was a knowledgeable and friendly guide. He was generous in helping us to figure out transportation, even beyond what was needed for his tour. Super nice guy.

Tatsuhiro N.

Hi Stan-san, Thank you very much for your favorable comment. It is encouraging and inspiring. I am glad you enjoyed the tour of Kyoto and that you have known part of our society. I wish you all a good luck and the promising future for your children. Regards, Hiro

Renee S.

5 / 5
May 3, 2023

Amazing and incredible day!

Due to shortage of time we dedicated one day to see some of the major sites in Kyoto. Hiro san was our guide that day and we were so lucky to have met him! He is amazing and has endless amount of energy, full of enthusiasm and knowledge. He took us every where and we had such a fun day! Very impressed by his stamina and eagerness to please. He is just a wonderful man and we wish him all the best!

Tatsuhiro N.

Hi Renee- & Nadir-san, Thank you so much for your compliment. I really enjoyed the day visiting some of the sights in Kyoto with you under the perfect weather. It was fun listening to you talk about your country and part of your life while we were chatting in the open-air cafe. It was interesting to learn that the U.S. movie "Magnificent Seven" was in fact a copy of Kurosawa`s "Seven Samurai." I wish you a good luck and good health. And the same for Steven-san. Regards, Hiro

M

Matan O.

5 / 5
Apr 12, 2023

Awesome time with tatshuhiro

I want to start off with saying what a great individual tatshuhiro was. So kind and understanding and really put us in first place above anything. He was very knowledgeable and took us to all the best places. He also stayed longer with us to make sure that we saw everything we wanted to see. A+ service. He really went above and beyond. I highly recommend. Thank you again for everything

Tatsuhiro N.

Hi Matan-san, Thank you very much for your favorable comment. I feel a bit embarrassed for it, though. I am glad, above all that we were able to complete today`s tour safely despite the chilly rain and cold wind. And many thanks for your treat to lunch and snack. I wish you all happiness and good health. Regards, Hiro

S

Sumit S.

5 / 5
Apr 2, 2023

Great Guide

Hiro is a great guide with plenty of knowledge of Kyoto. He was accommodating and flexible. Highly recommended

Tatsuhiro N.

Hi Sumit-san, Thank you so much for your favorable comment. It is really encouraging and I will work harder from now on to make the city of Kyoto better known and for the greater understanding with people with different cultural backgrounds. I wis you all the best of luck, especially for your promising kids. Regards, Hiro

$216/ per group