Temples, Prayer Halls, Shrine, Rock Garden, and Bamboo
In this former capital city, there is a plethora of Buddhist temples and we’ll visit some of the most interesting ones, where we’ll encounter history, statuettes, and a beautiful bamboo forest.
* No payment required at this time. Osaka Day Tours will soon contact you and confirm tour date availability. If your chosen date is available, you will be able to lock in your tour at that time.
Tour Time: 9:00-17:00 (8-hour tour) or 8:30-18:30 (10-hour option)
Tour Guide: Kevin Riley
Included: All transportation, entry fees, lunch, and pickup & dropoff at your accommodation or cruise ship.
Standard Kyoto Van Tour
- Drive a cobbled street with beautifully preserved homes and inns, some with ancient thatched roofs.
- Visit a small temple with a unique history, a sporty collection of tanuki figures, 8000 tiny statuettes from over 1000 years ago, and a bell that rings out prayers.
- Learn about Obon, memorial services, and other aspects of life in Japan.
- Follow a picturesque path through a quiet bamboo forest – a perfect spot for photos.
- Visit a temple with over a thousand small statues, each with their own personality, and find your own personal favourite. I’ll share mine with you.
- Bask in the serene atmosphere of a beautiful rock garden designed by a Buddhist monk in the Edo period. We’ll follow wooden walkways to other wonderful gardens and a waterfall that can be enjoyed with a cup of tea.
- A stop at the massive Buddhist prayers halls in the center of Kyoto might present you with the chance to witness a prayer session in action.
- Lunch at a small eatery frequented by tradespeople will provide you with a good selection of ramen (four styles), gyoza dumplings, fried rice, and other hearty dishes.
- A walk up through red (well, not really red) torii gates takes you to a peaceful pond, a quiet respite, and another bamboo forest.
* No payment required at this time. Osaka Day Tours will soon contact you and confirm tour date availability. If your chosen date is available, you will be able to lock in your tour at that time.
Other Options
Since your tour is your own private tour, you can easily substitute/add other interesting visits to your itinerary. These include, but are not limited to:
- The Thirty-three Ken Hall. The longest wooden structure in Japan displays 1001 kannon statues.
- The Imperial Palace, which served as the home of Japan’s emperor until the move to Tokyo in 1869 and is still maintained.
- Nishiki Market. A long covered shopping street that was a fish market in the Edo period.
- The Golden Pavilion, which sits on a pond and has its top two floors covered in gold leaf.
- The Silver Pavilion, which isn’t really silver, but a beautiful sun-burned wood and, in my opinion, the best example of wabi-sabi.
- The Philosopher’s Path. A quiet walk along a gentle stream, which allows you to enjoy a peaceful time.
Please note any desired options in the Special Request section of the tour request form.
* No payment required at this time. Osaka Day Tours will soon contact you and confirm tour date availability. If your chosen date is available, you will be able to lock in your tour at that time.