KYOTO-NARA Custom Tour with Private Car and Driver (Max 13 pax)

8-Hour Custom Tour with Private Car and Driver.

Please select your most favorite sites in KYOTO-NARA and share with us your other special requests. We will help you plan the route, draft itinerary and make advanced reservations if necessary.

VEHICLE
We will arrange car for you based on the number of people in your group (maximum of 13 people). Our available cars are Land Rover Discovery, Toyota Alphard, HIACE, Grand Cabin, Commuter

DRIVER
The driver will drive and walk with you at most sites. However, there are some sites the driver cannot join you due to following reasons:
1.) some drivers need to take a rest/break at least 1 site during the tour
2.) when the parking lot is full especially during peak seasons
3.) where it is difficult to park/too pricy to park ...

REMARKS
a.) You can always amend the itinerary even while traveling with the driver on the day
b.) Extra charge will be applied for over time service, picking-up/dropping-off at Kansai International Airport (KIX)

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Nara Park, 469 Zoshicho, Nara 630-8501 Nara Prefecture

Nara Park (Nara Kōen) is a large park in central Nara. Established in 1880, it is the location of many of Nara's main attractions including Todaiji, Kasuga Taisha, Kofukuji and the Nara National Museum. It is also home to hundreds of freely roaming deer.

Considered the messengers of the gods, Nara's over 1000 deer have become a symbol of the city and have even been designated as a natural treasure. Deer crackers are for sale around the park, and some deer have learned to bow to visitors to ask to be fed. Nara's deer are surprisingly tame, although they can be aggressive if they think you will feed them, so make sure not to tease them with food.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Todai-ji Temple, 406-1 Zoushi-cho, Nara 630-8587 Nara Prefecture

Todaiji Temple - Large Temple with a Big Buddha Statue

Todaiji (Tōdaiji, "Great Eastern Temple") is one of Japan's most famous and historically significant temples and a landmark of Nara. The temple was constructed in 752 as the head temple of all provincial Buddhist temples of Japan and grew so powerful that the capital was moved from Nara to Nagaoka in 784 in order to lower the temple's influence on government affairs.

Todaiji's main hall, the Daibutsuden (Big Buddha Hall) is the world's largest wooden building, despite the fact that the present reconstruction of 1692 is only two thirds of the original temple hall's size. The massive building houses one of Japan's largest bronze statues of Buddha (Daibutsu). The 15 meters tall, seated Buddha represents Vairocana and is flanked by two Bodhisattvas.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Kinkakuji Temple, 1 Kinkakujicho, Kita-ku, Kyoto 603-8361 Kyoto Prefecture

Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) is a Zen temple in northern Kyoto whose top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf. Formally known as Rokuonji, the temple was the retirement villa of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, and according to his will it became a Zen temple of the Rinzai sect after his death in 1408. Kinkakuji was the inspiration for the similarly named Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion), built by Yoshimitsu's grandson, Ashikaga Yoshimasa, on the other side of the city a few decades later.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine, 68 Fukakusa Yabunouchicho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto 612-0882 Kyoto Prefecture

Fushimi Inari Shrine (Fushimi Inari Taisha) is an important Shinto shrine in southern Kyoto. It is famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates, which straddle a network of trails behind its main buildings. The trails lead into the wooded forest of the sacred Mount Inari, which stands at 233 meters and belongs to the shrine grounds.

Fushimi Inari is the most important of several thousands of shrines dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. Foxes are thought to be Inari's messengers, resulting in many fox statues across the shrine grounds. Fushimi Inari Shrine has ancient origins, predating the capital's move to Kyoto in 794.


Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Arashiyama, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto 616-0007 Kyoto Prefecture

TOGETSUKYO BRIDGE

The Togetsukyo Bridge (lit. "Moon Crossing Bridge") is Arashiyama's most iconic landmark. It was originally built during the Heian Period (794-1185) and most recently reconstructed in the 1930s. The bridge looks particularly attractive in combination with the forested mountainside in the background. A riverside park with dozens of cherry trees is located just adjacent to the bridge.

BAMBOO GROVES

The walking paths that cut through the bamboo groves make for a nice walk or bicycle ride. The groves are particularly attractive when there is a light wind and the tall bamboo stalks sway gently back and forth. The bamboo has been used to manufacture various products, such as baskets, cups, boxes and mats at local workshops for centuries.

Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Kiyomizu-dera Temple, 1-294 Kiyomizu, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto 605-0862 Kyoto Prefecture

Kiyomizudera (literally "Pure Water Temple") is one of the most celebrated temples of Japan. It was founded in 780 on the site of the Otowa Waterfall in the wooded hills east of Kyoto, and derives its name from the fall's pure waters. The temple was originally associated with the Hosso sect, one of the oldest schools within Japanese Buddhism, but formed its own Kita Hosso sect in 1965. In 1994, the temple was added to the list of UNESCO world heritage sites.

Kiyomizudera is best known for its wooden stage that juts out from its main hall, 13 meters above the hillside below. The stage affords visitors a nice view of the numerous cherry and maple trees below that erupt in a sea of color in spring and fall, as well as of the city of Kyoto in the distance. The main hall, which together with the stage was built without the use of nails, houses the temple's primary object of worship, a small statue of the eleven faced, thousand armed Kannon.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Gion, Kyoto 605-0074 Kyoto Prefecture

Gion is Kyoto's most famous geisha district, located around Shijo Avenue between Yasaka Shrine in the east and the Kamo River in the west. It is filled with shops, restaurants and ochaya (teahouses), where geiko (Kyoto dialect for geisha) and maiko (geiko apprentices) entertain.

Gion attracts tourists with its high concentration of traditional wooden machiya merchant houses. Due to the fact that property taxes were formerly based upon street frontage, the houses were built with narrow facades only five to six meters wide, but extend up to twenty meters in from the street.

The most popular area of Gion is Hanami-koji Street from Shijo Avenue to Kenninji Temple. A nice (and expensive) place to dine, the street and its side alleys are lined with preserved machiya houses many of which now function as restaurants, serving Kyoto style kaiseki ryori (Japanese haute cuisine) and other types of local and international meals.

Interspersed among the restaurants are a number of ochaya (teahouses), the most exclusive and expensive of Kyoto's dining establishments, where guests are entertained by maiko and geiko.

Another scenic part of Gion is the Shirakawa Area which runs along the Shirakawa Canal parallel to Shijo Avenue. The canal is lined by willow trees, high class restaurants and ochaya, many of which have rooms overlooking the canal. As it is a little off the beaten path, the Shirakawa Area is typically somewhat quieter than Hanami-koji Street.

Many tourists visit Gion hoping to catch a glimpse of a geiko or maiko on their way to or from an engagement at an ochaya in the evenings or while running errands during the day. However, if you spot a geiko or maiko, act respectfully. Complaints about tourists behaving like ruthless paparazzi are on the increase in recent years.

The ultimate experience is being entertained by a maiko or geiko while dining at an ochaya. As expert hostesses, maiko and geiko ensure everyone's enjoyment by engaging in light conversation, serving drinks, leading drinking games and performing traditional music and dance.

The services of geiko are expensive and exclusive, traditionally requiring an introduction from an existing customer. In recent years, however, some travel agencies and hotels have started to offer lunch or dinner packages with a maiko to any tourist with a sufficient budget. There are even a few companies which target foreign tourists without Japanese language skills.

A more accessible experience is the cultural show held everyday at Gion Corner at the end of Hanami-koji. Aimed at foreign tourists, the show is a highly concentrated introduction to several traditional Japanese arts and include short performances of a tea ceremony, ikebana, bunraku, Kyogen comic plays and dances performed by real maiko. If you are in Kyoto in April, check out the Miyako Odori with daily dance performances by maiko.

Shijo Avenue, which bisects the Gion district, is a popular shopping area with stores selling local products including sweets, pickles and crafts. Gion is also known for the Gion Matsuri, the most famous festival in Japan. Ironically, the most spectacular events of the festival are held outside of Gion on the opposite side of the Kamo River.

A visit to Gion is best combined with a stroll through the nearby Higashiyama District between Yasaka Shrine and Kiyomizudera. This area has more preserved streets and traditional shops selling all kinds of local foods, crafts and souvenirs.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Sanjusangendo Temple, 657 Sanjusangendo Mawaricho, Higashiyama-Ku, Kyoto 605-0941 Kyoto Prefecture

Sanjusangendo (三十三間堂, Sanjūsangendō) is the popular name for Rengeo-in, a temple in eastern Kyoto which is famous for its 1001 statues of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. The temple was founded in 1164 and rebuilt a century later after the original structure had been destroyed in a fire.

Measuring 120 meters, the temple hall is Japan's longest wooden structure. The name Sanjusangendo (literally "33 intervals") derives from the number of intervals between the building's support columns, a traditional method of measuring the size of a building. In the center of the main hall sits a large, wooden statue of a 1000-armed Kannon (Senju Kannon) that is flanked on each side by 500 statues of human sized 1000-armed Kannon standing in ten rows. Together they make for an awesome sight.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Kyoto Imperial Palace, 3 Kyoto-Gyoen, Kamigyo-Ku, Kyoto 602-0881 Kyoto Prefecture

The Kyoto Imperial Palace (京都御所, Kyōto Gosho) used to be the residence of Japan's Imperial Family until 1868, when the emperor and capital were moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. It is located in the spacious Kyoto Imperial Park (京都御苑, Kyōto Gyoen), an attractive park in the center of the city that also encompasses the Sento Imperial Palace and a few other attractions.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Nijo Castle, 541 Nijo-jo-cho, Horikawa-nishi-iru, Nijo-jo-dori, Nakagyo-Ku, Kyoto 604-8301 Kyoto Prefecture

Nijo Castle (二条城, Nijōjō) was built in 1603 as the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Period (1603-1867). His grandson Iemitsu completed the castle's palace buildings 23 years later and further expanded the castle by adding a five story castle keep.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Eikando Zenrinji Temple, 48 Eikandocho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8445 Kyoto Prefecture

Eikando (永観堂, Eikandō), formally known as Zenrinji Temple, belongs to the Jodo sect of Japanese Buddhism. Located just north of the large temple complex of Nanzenji, Eikando is very famous for its autumn colors and the evening illuminations that take place in fall. The temple has a long history, and there are a variety of buildings and a pond garden that visitors can explore.

A court noble of the Heian Period (710-1185) donated his villa to a priest, who converted it into a temple under the name Zenrinji (lit. "temple in a calm grove"). At its founding, Zenrinji was part of the Shingon sect and its first head priest was a disciple of the great Kobo Daishi, the sect's founder.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Ginkakuji Temple, 2 Ginakuji-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8402 Kyoto Prefecture

Visit Ginkakuji - the Silver Pavilion - built by Yoshimitsu's grandson, Ashikaga Yoshima, on the other side of the City a few decades after Kinkakuji.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Nishiki Market Shopping District, Nakauoyacho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto 604-8054 Kyoto Prefecture

Visit Nishiki Ichibe - a narrow, five block long shopping street lined bemire than one hundred shops and restaurants known as Kyoto's kitchen.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Horyu-ji Temple, 1-1 Horyuji Sannai, Ikaruga-cho, Ikoma-gun 636-0115 Nara Prefecture

Horyuji Temple (Hōryūji) was founded in 607 by Prince Shotoku, who is credited with the early promotion of Buddhism in Japan. Horyuji is one of the country's oldest temples and contains the world's oldest surviving wooden structures. It was designated a world heritage site in 1993. Horyuji's temple grounds are spacious and separated into two main precincts, the Western Precinct (Saiin Garan) and the Eastern Precinct (Toin Garan).

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Kasuga Taisha Museum, 160 Kasuganocho, Nara 630-8212 Nara Prefecture

Kasuga Taisha is Nara's most celebrated shrine. It was established at the same time as the capital and is dedicated to the deity responsible for the protection of the city. Kasuga Taisha was also the tutelary shrine of the Fujiwara, Japan's most powerful family clan during most of the Nara and Heian Periods. Like the Ise Shrines, Kasuga Taisha had been periodically rebuilt every 20 years for many centuries. In the case of Kasuga Taisha, however, the custom was discontinued at the end of the Edo Period.
Beyond the shrine's offering hall, which can be visited free of charge, there is a paid inner area which provides a closer view of the shrine's inner buildings. Furthest in is the main sanctuary, containing multiple shrine buildings that display the distinctive Kasuga style of shrine architecture, characterized by a sloping roof extending over the front of the building.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Kofuku-ji Temple, 48 Noboriojicho, Nara 630-8213 Nara Prefecture

Kofukuji (興福寺, Kōfukuji) used to be the family temple of the Fujiwara, the most powerful aristocratic clan during much of the Nara and Heian Periods. The temple was established in Nara at the same time as the capital in 710. At the height of Fujiwara power, the temple consisted of over 150 buildings.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Nara National Museum, 50 Noboriojicho, Nara 630-8213 Nara Prefecture

The Nara National Museum (奈良国立博物館, Nara Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan), located in Nara Park, is an art museum which primarily displays Japanese Buddhist art. Established in 1889, the museum retains its original building and is joined by a new wing that is connected to the original building by an underground passage.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Nigatsu-do Temple, 406-1 Zoshicho Todaiji Temple, Nara 630-8587 Nara Prefecture

The Nigatsudo Hall is a short walk on the hill east of the Daibutsuden Hall and offers nice views of the city from its balcony. The hall is the site of the spectacular Omizutori ceremonies, held in March every year.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Hase-dera Temple, 3-11-2 Hase, Kamakura 248-0016 Kanagawa Prefecture

Hasedera Temple (長谷寺) is located in the mountains east of central Sakurai. The temple was founded in 686, and now serves as the head temple of the Bunzan school of Shingon Buddhism. Situated in a valley, Hasedera has over 30 buildings built up along the hillside that visitors can spend a long time exploring. The main hall is at the very top and offers a great view of the surroundings from its balcony, particularly during the cherry blossom (sakura) and autumn color (koyo) seasons.

Duration: 30 minutes

You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.