• Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine - Experience a unique glimpse into Japan’s hidden heritage with this exclusive tour of Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine. This brief yet enriching journey offers exceptional value and a deeper understanding of the shrine’s significance.

Discover the rich history and cultural tales of Fushimi Inari Shrine beyond its iconic vermillion-red torii gates. While many visitors are content with the scenic views, this tour delves into the shrine’s origins and its dedication to the god of grains, Inari. You’ll learn about the fox statues, or ‘Kitsune,’ which serve as messengers to Inari, embodying cleverness and guidance in the business world. By the end of the tour, you might find yourself wanting these cunning foxes on your side.

• Kiyomizu-dera Temple - Explore one of Kyoto’s most beloved temples, Kiyomizu-dera, with a comprehensive 1-hour guided tour. Your English-speaking guide will provide insightful commentary on Japan’s history and culture as you wander through the temple’s stunning grounds, ensuring you don’t miss any key highlights.
• Nijo Castle - Visit Nijo Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site built in 1603 as the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Period (1603-1867).
• Gion - Navigate the narrow alleyways of Kyoto’s Geisha District, Gion, with ease on a guided tour. Perfect for first-time visitors, this tour reveals hidden gems loved by locals and shares the rich history of Kyoto’s past. Highlights include learning about Geisha culture and rituals, and visiting Gion, Pontocho, and Miyagawacho.
• Nishiki Market Shopping District - Nishiki Market (錦市場, Nishiki Ichiba) is a bustling, five-block-long shopping street filled with over a hundred shops and restaurants. Known as “Kyoto’s Kitchen,” this vibrant market specializes in food-related items, including fresh seafood, produce, knives, and cookware. It’s an excellent place to discover seasonal foods and Kyoto specialties like Japanese sweets, pickles, dried seafood, and sushi.

The lively atmosphere of Nishiki Market invites exploration of Kyoto’s culinary delights. The market features a range of stores, from small stalls to larger shops, each specializing in specific food items, all locally produced and sourced.

• Kyoto Imperial Palace - The Kyoto Imperial Palace (京都御所, Kyōto Gosho) was the residence of Japan’s Imperial Family until 1868, when the emperor and capital moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. It is situated in the expansive Kyoto Imperial Park (京都御苑, Kyōto Gyoen), a beautiful park in the city’s center that also includes the Sento Imperial Palace and other attractions.
• Pontocho - Pontocho (先斗町, Pontochō) is one of Kyoto’s most charming dining areas, a narrow alley running from Shijo-dori to Sanjo-dori, just west of the Kamogawa River. The alley is lined with restaurants offering a variety of dining options, from affordable yakitori to traditional and modern Kyoto cuisine, as well as international dishes and exclusive establishments.

Most restaurants, bars, and shops in Pontocho are open from around 17:00 to 23:00, with some also serving lunch. Increasingly, many places offer English menus.

• Higashiyama Ward - The Higashiyama District (東山) along the lower slopes of Kyoto’s eastern mountains is one of the city’s best-preserved historic areas. It’s an ideal place to experience traditional Kyoto, especially between Kiyomizudera and Yasaka Shrine, where narrow lanes, wooden buildings, and traditional merchant shops evoke the old capital’s atmosphere. Recent renovations have enhanced the district’s traditional charm by removing telephone poles and repaving streets.
• Ginkakuji Temple - Ginkakuji (銀閣寺, Silver Pavilion) is a Zen temple nestled in Kyoto’s eastern mountains (Higashiyama). Built in 1482 by shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa as his retirement villa, it was modeled after his grandfather’s Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion). After Yoshimasa’s death in 1490, the villa was converted into a Zen temple.

Ginkakuji became a cultural hub during Yoshimasa’s time, known as the Higashiyama Culture, which had a widespread influence across Japan. This period saw the development of the tea ceremony, flower arrangement, noh theater, poetry, garden design, and architecture.

• Nanzenji Suirokaku - Nanzenji Temple (南禅寺), located at the base of Kyoto’s forested Higashiyama mountains, is one of Japan’s most significant Zen temples. It serves as the head temple of a school within the Rinzai sect of Japanese Zen Buddhism and includes multiple subtemples, making the already large complex even more extensive.

Nanzenji’s history dates back to the mid-13th century when Emperor Kameyama built his retirement villa on the site, later converting it into a Zen temple. Although the temple grew steadily, its buildings were destroyed during the civil wars of the late Muromachi Period (1333-1573). The oldest current buildings were constructed after this period.

• Tofuku-ji Temple - Tofukuji (東福寺, Tōfukuji) is a prominent Zen temple in southeastern Kyoto, renowned for its stunning autumn colors. Founded in 1236 by the powerful Fujiwara clan, its name combines those of two great Nara temples, Todaiji and Kofukuji. Tofukuji has historically been one of Kyoto’s principal Zen temples and is a head temple of a Rinzai sect school.

In autumn, visitors flock to Tofukuji to admire the vibrant foliage, especially from the Tsutenkyo Bridge, which spans a valley of lush maple trees. The view from the bridge is equally spectacular, and the 100-meter-long covered walkway becomes crowded when the colors peak, typically in mid to late November.

• Toji - Toji Temple (東寺, Tōji), meaning “East Temple,” was established at the start of the Heian Period after the capital moved to Kyoto in the late 700s. Along with its now-defunct sister temple Saiji (“West Temple”), it flanked the city’s south entrance and served as a guardian temple. Toji is one of Kyoto’s many UNESCO World Heritage sites.

About thirty years after its founding, Kobo Daishi, the Shingon sect’s founder, became Toji’s head priest, making it a significant Shingon temple alongside the sect’s headquarters on Mount Koya. Kobo Daishi also added many of the large wooden buildings that stand today.

• Kinkakuji Temple - Kinkakuji (金閣寺, Golden Pavilion) is a Zen temple in northern Kyoto, with its top two floors covered in gold leaf. Originally the retirement villa of shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, it became a Zen temple after his death in 1408. Kinkakuji inspired the similarly named Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion), built by Yoshimitsu’s grandson on the city’s opposite side.

Kinkakuji is an impressive structure overlooking a large pond and is the only remaining building of Yoshimitsu’s retirement complex. It has burned down multiple times, including during the Onin War and more recently in 1950 when set on fire by a monk. The current structure was rebuilt in 1955.

• Ninna-ji Temple - Ninnaji (仁和寺) is one of Kyoto’s many World Heritage Sites. Founded in 888 by the reigning emperor, it is the head temple of the Omuro School of the Shingon sect of Buddhism. Historically, a member of the Imperial Family served as Ninnaji’s head priest, earning it the name Omuro Imperial Palace.

Due to wars and fires, none of the original 9th-century buildings survive. The oldest structures date back to the early Edo Period in the 1600s, including the main hall (Kondo), Kannon Hall, Niomon front gate, Chumon inner gate, and the five-storied pagoda.

• Shugakuin Imperial Villa - Shugakuin Imperial Villa (修学院離宮, Shugakuin Rikyū) was built in the 17th century by Emperor Gomizuno and is now managed by the Imperial Household Agency. It comprises the Upper, Middle, and Lower Villa areas, each featuring traditional imperial-style gardens and buildings.

The villa’s name comes from a former temple on the site in the 10th century. Constructed between 1655 and 1659, it included a palace for Gomizuno’s daughter added ten years later. In 1964, the surrounding farmlands were acquired by the Imperial Household Agency and are leased to local farmers.

• Kibune River - Kibune (貴船) is a quaint town in a forested valley in Kyoto’s northern mountains, developed around Kifune Shrine. Legend says a goddess traveled by boat from Osaka up the river to the mountains, where Kifune Shrine now stands.

Dedicated to the god of water and rain, Kifune Shrine protects those at sea. Visitors can obtain unique fortunes written on paper slips that reveal their messages when dipped in water. The inner sanctum, Okunomiya, lies about a kilometer up the valley and features a large rock believed to be where the goddess’ boat is buried.

• Kurama-dera - Kurama (鞍馬) is a rural town in Kyoto’s northern mountains, known for its temple Kurama-dera and its hot spring, one of the most accessible from Kyoto.

Kurama Onsen, a ryokan at the town’s upper end, offers outdoor and indoor baths. Guests can use the baths for free, while day visitors pay 2500 yen for all baths or 1000 yen for just the outdoor bath (rotemburo).

• Ryoanji Temple - Ryoanji Temple (龍安寺, Ryōanji) is home to Japan’s most famous rock garden, attracting numerous visitors daily. Originally an aristocrat’s villa during the Heian Period, it became a Zen temple in 1450 and belongs to the Myoshinji school of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism.

The history of Ryoanji’s rock garden is uncertain, with unknown construction dates and various speculations about its designer. The garden features a rectangular plot of pebbles with 15 rocks arranged in small groups on moss patches, surrounded by low earthen walls. An intriguing design aspect is that at least one rock is always hidden from view.

• Arashiyama - Arashiyama (嵐山) is a scenic, tourist-friendly district in Kyoto’s western outskirts, popular since the Heian Period (794-1185) when nobles enjoyed its natural beauty. It’s especially favored during cherry blossom and fall color seasons.

The Togetsukyo Bridge is Arashiyama’s central landmark, surrounded by small shops, restaurants, and attractions like Tenryuji Temple, bamboo groves, and rental pleasure boats on the river.

• Katsura Imperial Villa - Katsura Imperial Villa (桂離宮, Katsura Rikyū) is a prime example of Japanese architecture and garden design. Completed in 1645 as the residence for the Katsura Family, members of the Imperial Family, it requires a guided tour to visit.

The tour follows a circular walking trail around the central pond, with palace buildings viewed only from the outside. Photography is allowed only in designated spots, and English tours are available.

• Daikaku-ji Temple - Daikakuji (大覚寺) is a large temple in northern Kyoto’s Sagano district. Originally built in the early 800s as Emperor Saga’s detached palace, it became a temple 30 years after his death and is a high-ranking Shingon Buddhism temple.

Daikakuji has played roles in significant historical events, including hosting peace talks in the 12th century that reunited the Northern and Southern Imperial Courts. Featured in the Tale of Genji, the temple retains the ancient court atmosphere and is often used for filming historical dramas.

• Tenryuji Temple - Tenryuji (天龍寺, Tenryūji) is the most important temple in Kyoto’s Arashiyama district, ranked first among the city’s five great Zen temples and a world heritage site. It is the head temple of its own school within the Rinzai Zen sect of Japanese Buddhism.

Built in 1339 by shogun Ashikaga Takauji, Tenryuji was dedicated to Emperor Go-Daigo. The two historic figures were allies until Takauji turned against the emperor. The temple was intended to appease the former emperor’s spirit.

• Yoshimine-dera - Yoshiminedera (吉峰寺) is a Tendai sect temple in Kyoto’s western mountains, similar to Kiyomizudera on the opposite side of town. Established in 1029 by a priest from Enryakuji, it was destroyed in the Onin War and rebuilt in 1621. The temple’s main worship objects are Kannon statues.
• Togetsukyo Bridge - The Togetsukyo Bridge, meaning “Moon Crossing Bridge,” is Arashiyama’s iconic landmark. Originally built during the Heian Period (794-1185) and reconstructed in the 1930s, it offers a picturesque view with the forested mountainside backdrop. A riverside park with cherry trees is adjacent to the bridge.
• Bamboo Forest Street - The walking paths through the bamboo groves offer a pleasant stroll or bike ride, especially when a light wind causes the tall bamboo stalks to sway. Local workshops have used bamboo for centuries to create various products like baskets, cups, boxes, and mats.
• Okochi Sanso Garden - This former villa of actor Okochi Denjiro (1896-1962) is located in Arashiyama’s bamboo groves. Okochi Sanso features several gardens and buildings, including living quarters, tea houses, and gates, viewable only from the outside. Admission includes matcha green tea and a snack.
• Jojakkoji Temple - Founded in 1596, this mountainside temple has small, charming buildings and gates, creating a serene atmosphere. Maple trees and moss line the paths and stairs, and visitors can enjoy views over Kyoto from various spots.
• Nisonin - Nisonin Temple, a hillside temple founded in the mid-9th century, features larger buildings and an understated atmosphere. It is a Tendai sect temple with views over the city from the upper grounds.
• Gio-ji Temple - Gioji is nestled deeper in the forest than Jojakkoji and Nisonin, known for its moss garden and tall maple trees. The temple’s entrance gate and main hall have thatched roofs, with an attractive round window looking into the gardens.
• Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple - Located at the end of Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street, Adashino Nenbutsuji was founded in the early 9th century by monk Kobo Daishi, who placed stone statues for the souls of the dead. The temple grounds are now covered with hundreds of these statues, and a short path leads through a bamboo forest.
• Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple - A ten-minute walk north of Adashino Nenbutsuji, Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple is famous for its 1200 stone statues of rakan, devoted Buddhist followers, each with a unique expression. Created in the 1980s and 1990s, the statues cover the temple grounds on a forested mountain slope.
• Daitoku-ji Temple - Daitokuji (大徳寺) is a large, walled temple complex in northern Kyoto, the head temple of the Rinzai sect’s Daitokuji school of Zen Buddhism. It consists of nearly two dozen subtemples and is a prime location to experience Zen gardens, culture, and architecture. Four subtemples are open to the public: Daisenin, Ryogenin, Zuihoin, and Kotoin (currently closed).
• Myoshinji Temple - Myoshinji (妙心寺, Myōshinji) is a large temple complex in northwestern Kyoto with about 50 subtemples. While most subtemples are closed to the public, visitors can wander the walking paths. The complex resembles Daitokuji Temple in many ways.
• Eikando Zenrinji Temple - Eikando (永観堂, Eikandō), also known as Zenrinji Temple, belongs to the Jodo sect of Japanese Buddhism. Located north of Nanzenji, it is famous for its autumn colors and evening illuminations. The temple has a long history and features various buildings and a pond garden.
• Sanjusangendo Temple - Sanjusangendo (三十三間堂, Sanjūsangendō), or Rengeo-in, is a temple in eastern Kyoto known for its 1001 statues of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. Founded in 1164 and rebuilt after a fire in the 13th century, it is a significant cultural site.
• Kennin-ji Temple - Kenninji Temple (建仁寺), near Hanamikoji and Shijo streets, offers expansive grounds and two tranquil karesansui (dry landscape gardens). Thought to be Kyoto’s oldest Zen temple, it provides a peaceful retreat from the city’s bustle.

• Meet up with guide on foot within designated area of Kyoto
• Licensed Local English Speaking Guide
• Customizable Tour of your choice of 3-4 sites from ‘What to expect’ list

• Transportation fees, Entrance fees, Lunch, and Other personal expenses
• Private Vehicle
• You cannot combine multiple tour groups.
• Guide Entry fees are only covered for sights listed under What to Expect.