Zen garden tour along Kinugake and the extended road
Joined 2018
There is a road named "Kinugake" road along the foot of mountain in northern Kyoto.
This tour is along the road and extended parts of the road to west and east.
The name "Kinugake" means covering with silk. When the Emperor Uta said he wanted to see snow in the summer, he was comforted by covering the Kinugasa mountain with silk. This road named after this story.
This tour starts from Tenryu-ji and ends at Daitoku-ji visiting Ryouan-ji and Golden Pavilion. We will visit these good Zen gardens.
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
In the lobby of your hotel in Kyoto
Tenryu-ji and Bamboo trail
Tenryu-ji was renovated in 1343 by Muromachi-Shogun Takauji Ashikaga to mourn passed Emperor Godaigo who used to be an opponent of the shogun. The garden, Sogenike garden is a early time Zen garden.
Lunch around Ryoan-ji
Ryoan-ji
Ryouan-ji was built by Hosogawa clan which was chief of government in 1450, Muromati period. But no one knows about the foundation of the stone garden. One of the theory of when the stone garden was built is around 1800. The garden became famous after Queen Elizabeth visit the garden in 1975.
Golden Pavilion
In 1397 Ashikaga-Shogun Yoshimitsu Ashikaga bought a temple from the aristocract, Kintune Saionji and started to built his private office to govern the regime. After he died, the office changed to Zen temple. However, this garden is not Zen garden but strolling pond garden.
Daitoku-ji (Daisen-in)
In 1325 retired Emperor Hanazono ordered to build this temple. The Emperors had been taking care of the temple, but Ashikaga-Shogun didn't. In spite of it the temple was popular among aristocrats, local lords, merchants and intellectuals and expanded. There are 24 sub-temples and Daisenin is one of major sub-temple built in 1513. The garden is a typical dry garden in Muromachi period.
Ending Point
Your hotel in Kyoto
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
-Transportation fee between guide house and your hotel in Kyoto
-Hotel pick-up fee in Kyoto
-Guide fee
-Public transportation fee during this tour
-Admission fee
Tenryuu-ji temple 500yen
Golden Pavilion 500yen
Ryouan-ji temple 600yen
Daitoku-ji Daisenin 500yen
-Lunch.
-Public transportation fee to Kyoto from outside of Kyoto and pick up fee (If your hotel is out of Kyoto city). Please ask the fee.
Tour Important Information
If your hotel is out of Kyoto city, please ask the fee.
Important message from the supplier
I can guide you from Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, and Nara if you pay the pick up fee.
Please ask the fee.
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 2018
About Tour Guide Yoshiharu K.
Hi! I'm Yoshiharu. Please call me Yoshi. Yoshi means "good" in Japanese! I'm a good man (^^);;;.
I was born in Kyoto but I lived there 3 months. Then my family moved to Osaka and I grew up in Osaka.
So I am almost Osakan.
When I was young, my hobby was traveling by bicycle. I went cycling around most part of Japan except Shikoku.
In my family rule, Shikoku is in bad direction because my grand father died just after his Shikoku pilgrimage.
So I want to have a cycling tour not only in Kyoto (coming soon!) but also all part of Japan someday.
I am interested in Japanese history.
I am a National Certificated Guide. And I have "Kyoto Tourism Culture Certification 3rd grade", "Osaka Expert Certification 3rd grade", "Nara Concierge 2nd grade" and "Karuizawa Web test 3rd grade".
So I have expert knowledge about Kyoto, Osaka, Nara and Karuizawa and common knowledge about Kobe.
Besides I like gadgets, so I can guide you DenDen town in Osaka.
When you have a chance to visit Kyoto or Osaka or other city in this area,
please contact me anytime and join my tour!
I'll be looking forward to seeing you, spending wonderful time with you.
Reviews
Andrea F.
“First Day in Kyoto”
Yoshiharu was our guide for our first day in Kyoto. He was prompt and very sweet. It was a bit difficult for us to understand him as he tried to explain things to us, but he got us around and made suggestions to visit less busy temples that were interesting. We were just looking for a local guide that could navigate us around as we found our bearings and Yoshiharu did just that.
Yoshiharu K.
Dear Andrea Thank you for your evaluation. But I could not find what you were interested in. You seemed to be satisfied. And maybe my explanations were difficult. When you felt difficult in my explanation, I wish you had asked me questions. My explanation could become easier. Maybe you walked long. But Higashiyama and Kawaramachi area have to be busy and have no good transportation. Next time I will improve my guide to have more fun in mind of mentions above. Yours sincerely, Yoshi
Lindsey C.
“Great Osaka tour with Yoshi!”
My husband and I had a great guided tour with Yoshi in January 2024. Yoshi is very knowledgeable and it was fun spending the day with him! Yoshi created a great itinerary, and we were able to see a lot in a short amount of time. His extensive knowledge of Osaka’s history was truly impressive, particularly his detailed explanations about Osaka Castle. He also shared engaging insights about other historical events and landmarks, bringing the city's rich cultural significance to life. Thanks to Yoshi, we were able to get so much out of our short amount of time in Osaka and gained meaningful insights that enriched the rest of our time in Japan. We are so grateful for Yoshi’s guidance and kindness and we recommend his tour to anyone visiting Osaka. Thank you, Yoshi, for making our trip so special—you’ve given us memories we will not forget!
Yoshiharu K.
Dear Lindsey Thank you for your evaluation. I am very happy that you enjoyed Osaka in spite of closing shops in Kitchen ware street. If you visit around this area, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe or Nara again, I will make the tour as you like. Anyway thank you so much. Yours sincerely, Yoshi
Ann S.
“Street walking/shopping”
He is so very knowledgeable, and helpful. And if you have specific questions or needs, he will help you! Very nice, and easy going. I bought many items.
Yoshiharu K.
Dear Ann Thank you for your evaluation! I also enjoyed the tour because I could know new things in Bukkouji-street. For instance, in Japanese cooking knife shop, the very old master used google translation to communicate with foreign customers. I was very surprised. Anyway, thank you very much. Yours sincerely, Yoshi
$247/ per group
More tours by Yoshiharu K.
Kyoto highlights (Kyoto departure)
This Kyoto highlight tour includes the most popular destinations in Kyoto, Arashiyama Bamboo trail, Golden Pavilion, Gion (Geisha district), Fushimi-Inari shrine(Hundreds of Shrine gates) in one day. I believe this tour is suitable for beginner of Kyoto travelers.
Osaka Highlights (Osaka departure)
This Osaka highlights tour includes popular destinations in Osaka, Osaka castle, Kuromon Ichiba Market, Dotonboti district in one day. I believe this tour is suitable for beginner of Osaka travelers.
Nara Highlights from Kyoto or Osaka
Nara is located about 40km south from Kyoto and 30km east from Osaka. It is an older capital than Kyoto and as old as Osaka. It was about 1300 years ago. There are ancient temples. Most of them are older than Kyoto and are not Zen temple. Nara is quieter than Kyoto and Osaka. More than one thousand friendly deer live with Nara citizens. And also Nara has a lot of local food like Sushi, Ramen and so on. You would be able to have unique experience.
Himeji : Hyogo Golden Route (one of five tours)
Hyogo prefecture is about 150km long in north-south direction. There are many sight seeing spots, not only Kobe, Himeji but also Izush-Toyooka, Tanba-Sasayama Awaji island. So Hyogo government decleared "Hyogo Golden Route" as recommended tours. I would like to guide those areas where tourists do not know well. Each area is one day tour. You can have a different experience from Kyoto or Osaka.
Other Popular Art, Culture, & Historical Tours in Kyoto
Short Hike in a Peaceful Temple and Forest in Eastern Kyoto
Experience the charm of tranquility in a mountain temple. Seikanji is a temple in Mt. Kiyomizu (242m high), which enables us to look down a fan-shaped view of the Kyoto area from the temple grounds covered with green moss. The temple retains such anecdotes as the emperor’s tragic love and the Waka poem composed by the incarnation of Buddha. We hike along a path at the mountain's edge from the less crowded tiny Seikanji temple to the heavily crowded huge Kiyomizu-Dera temple.
Zen temples with beautiful gardens, Fushimi Inari and Bamboo Forest
There are a lot of Buddhism temples and Shinto Shrines in Kyoto. This tour focuses on three UNESCO World Heritage temples with beautiful gardens, Fushimi Inari Shrine which is famous for a lot of red Torii gates and Bamboo Forest in Arashiyma to feel the profundity of Kyoto. If you are interested in the places which are not listed here, like Nijo Castle, Kyoto Imperial Palace, Gion, Nishiki Market, Sanjusangen-do, Kiyomizu-dera and others, just let me know, I will customize a tour for you.
Fully customizable your own private tour in Kyoto
There are so many great places in Kyoto that you probably want to visit but perhaps not enough time. Also, Kyoto is getting very crowded due to a lot of foreigners visiting there. It is best to have a local person guiding you to come up with a plan that suits your preference. I can create a tour with you which includes not only popular places like the Golden Pavilion and Fushimi Inari but small temples with Wabi Sabi such as those in Sagano and the oldest Japanese sweet shop in Murasakino.
Private tour Fushimi Inari, Golden Pavilion, Nijo Castle, Nishiki Market Start form Kyoto or Osaka
Kyoto is the ancient and modern blend seamlessly. Join me on a private tour to explore two of Kyoto's most iconic landmarks: Fushini Inari, Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion and Nijo Castle, culminating in a vibrant exploration of Nishiki Market. Enriching journey through Kyoto's past and present, where each moment promises a new discovery.
