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Kyoto Day Trips from Osaka
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Day Trips
125 Tours & Activities
9 hours (Approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English and 4 more
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What you can expect during your visit
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Face masks provided for travelers
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
Gear/equipment sanitized between use
Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Regular temperature checks for staff
Temperature checks for travelers upon arrival
Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
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Overview
Take a deep dive into traditional Japanese culture and history during this full-day trip to Kyoto and Nara from the center of Kyoto or Osaka. Enjoy the atmosphere of Kyoto’s Arashiyama district and admire the beautiful grounds of the Kinkaku-ji temple. Then head to Nara and see the wild deer of Nara Park. Multiple pickup points and lunch upgrade options are available.
- Explore traditional Kyoto and Nara during a day trip from the center of Kyoto or Osaka
- Marvel at Kyoto sights like the Arashiyama district and Kinkaku-ji temple
- Optional upgrade with choice of buffet or Beef Shabu Shabu set lunch
- No need to organize coach transport and schedule; entrance fee included
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Receive a morning pickup from Namba, after which you’ll transfer by bus to Kyoto.
Begin your exploration of this UNESCO-recognized capital of Japanese culture in the city’s Arashiyama district. Visitors who arrive in this striking area in April will be treated to the visual feast of blooming cherry blossom trees, while those who arrive in November are likely to experience the area’s fiery fall colors. During the summer months you’ll be able to observe locals participating in cormorant fishing. Another pleasant option for your time in Arashiyama is the Sagano Bamboo Forest, where you can enjoy a 328-foot (100-meter) walk along the edge of Tenryuji temple.
Take a break around mid-day for lunch. Guests who have paid for the lunch option will enjoy either a set or a buffet featuring more than 60 different Kyoto dishes or Beef Shabu Shabu. Following your meal, continue to Kinkaku-ji temple (Temple of the Golden Pavilion) where you can admire this elegant complex’s collection of serene gardens and neatly-manicured grounds and learn about its construction by Ashikaga Shogun Yoshimitsu.
Leaving Kinkaku-ji, continue to Nara and proceed to Nara Park, a preserve known for the 1,200 wild deer that freely roam its grounds. Visitors can purchase “senbei” snacks to feed the animals for 150 Yen per stack. Following your trip to Nara Park, you’ll return by bus to your original departure point in Namba. The participants from JR Kyoto Station return to Kyoto from Nara by train on your own (about 45 - 50 minute-ride). Your guide will explain how to get to Kintetsu Nara Station, and provide a train ticket to Kyoto Station.
Begin your exploration of this UNESCO-recognized capital of Japanese culture in the city’s Arashiyama district. Visitors who arrive in this striking area in April will be treated to the visual feast of blooming cherry blossom trees, while those who arrive in November are likely to experience the area’s fiery fall colors. During the summer months you’ll be able to observe locals participating in cormorant fishing. Another pleasant option for your time in Arashiyama is the Sagano Bamboo Forest, where you can enjoy a 328-foot (100-meter) walk along the edge of Tenryuji temple.
Take a break around mid-day for lunch. Guests who have paid for the lunch option will enjoy either a set or a buffet featuring more than 60 different Kyoto dishes or Beef Shabu Shabu. Following your meal, continue to Kinkaku-ji temple (Temple of the Golden Pavilion) where you can admire this elegant complex’s collection of serene gardens and neatly-manicured grounds and learn about its construction by Ashikaga Shogun Yoshimitsu.
Leaving Kinkaku-ji, continue to Nara and proceed to Nara Park, a preserve known for the 1,200 wild deer that freely roam its grounds. Visitors can purchase “senbei” snacks to feed the animals for 150 Yen per stack. Following your trip to Nara Park, you’ll return by bus to your original departure point in Namba. The participants from JR Kyoto Station return to Kyoto from Nara by train on your own (about 45 - 50 minute-ride). Your guide will explain how to get to Kintetsu Nara Station, and provide a train ticket to Kyoto Station.
Itinerary
After lunch, you will tour the Kinkaku-ji temple. Kinkaku, a pagoda made to house the sacred relics of the Buddha, has given this temple the popular name of Kinkaku-ji (Temple of the Golden Pavilion). But the official name of this branch temple of the Rinzai sect Zen temple of Shokoku-ji is Rokuon-ji. This complex, whose gardens and architecture focused around a central Golden Pavilion, was said to evoke paradise on earth. And the view of Kinkaku which is reflected in the Kyoko-chi (Mirror Pond) is very beautiful. This was built by the third Ashikaga Shogun Yoshimitsu for his own villa but turned into a temple after his death. This temple was rebuilt in 1955.
Duration: 45 minutes
Admission Ticket Included
Upon arrival at Arashiyama, you will tour the Arashiyama district located in the Western part of Kyoto. This area becomes most attractive around early April and late November when the cherry blossoms bloom and fall color seasons usually peak. During the summer months, traditional cormorant fishing is practiced on the Hozu River for tourists to watch. One highly recommended spot is the Sagano Bamboo Forest. It is a pleasantly cool 100m long walkway that begins from the side of the world heritage Tenryuji Temple. Later, you will have a buffet lunch filled with an assortment of 60 Kyoto dishes or a Beef Shabu Shabu lunch (if meal is selected).
Duration: 2 hours
Admission Ticket Free
Traveler Photos



Traveler Tips
- "we got to see the golden temple, and bamboo forest and the bowing deer, a little bit of everything in one day so it was well worth it if you are limited on time !" See review
- "Oh and don't be late or we will leave without you." See review
- "I would definitely recommend taking this tour that covers the highlights of Kyoto and Nara." See review
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Product code: 20415P6
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