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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
“Thank you for our tour Yoshi”
We departed Osaka in the morning of this tour, and Yoshi kindly adapted the tour’s schedule to include him guiding us to the correct station for travelling to Kyoto. This was our third consecutive day spent with Yoshi as our guide, and he was just as friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. It was a particularly hot day, so he allowed us plenty of breaks in the shade with cold drinks. We saw the golden pavilion, bamboo forest, thousand-shrine gate and Gion geisha district. All were really enjoyable despite the oppressive heat, and adapted our tour to finish a little early at our request because of our long hot day. He also went out of his way to arrange a delicious vegetarian monk set lunch at the temple in the bamboo forest area, which was in a Michelin-star tatami-mat floor room. Our time with Yoshi was overall superb. He is a wonderful guide for first-time visitors who my family and I couldn’t recommend more.
Yoshiharu K.
(46 reviews)Dear Tom Actually, I was super-suprised for not only the value of the tip but also the paper wrapping the tip up. It was very famous temple's paper. The temple is famous for the origin of "Manga" comics in Japan. There were famous pictures on the paper! Anyway, thank you for your evaluation and tip. And I hope you will have good trip and return home safely. Yours sincerely, Yoshi
“Thank you Yoshi! ”
Yoshi guided us to the sights of Nara including shrines, a giant bronze buddha and Nara park. He always put our preferences and wishes first, especially with the hot September sun. He is kind and considerate, and overall great company to travel with. He is really helpful on public transport by clearly informing us where our stops are and where to go, always checking back to make sure we are all accounted for and well.
Yoshiharu K.
(46 reviews)Dear Tom Thank you for your evaluation and your tip Y(^^)Y. The tour day was very hot but there were few tourists. So we were easy to visit those destinations.(Every cloud has silver lining?) I am very happy to hear you are satisfied with the tour. Yours sincerely, Yoshi
“Yoshi is a great guide”
Yoshi was very friendly and guided us around to explore Osaka including Dotonbori and street markets. He helped us acquire an Osaka underground ICOCA card to use for all kinds of public transport. Such a friendly and keen guide who kept an eye out for us every step of the way whilst teaching us about each area!
Yoshiharu K.
(46 reviews)Dear Tom Thank you for your evaluation and your tip Y(^^)Y. Stations in Osaka are busy and very complicated. So I was keen not to make customers loose the way. By the way, you can use ICOCA card in some vending machines, for instance to buy coke. Please check the machine having "ICOCA" mark.I guess you can use all value of ICOCA before leaving Japan by drinking a lot of coke (^^). Yours sincerely, Yoshi
