Cycle Hidden Kyoto Canals Zen Temple and Kamo River

3 hours (approximately)
Offered in: English

Most Kyoto tours rush you from temple to temple. This one doesn’t.

We will cycling through a different side of Kyoto,which side most visitors never find. It’s green, quiet, lived-in,and full of stories

What's Included

Japanese sweet break (wagashi & seasonal treats)
Nanzen-ji Sanmon admission
Use of bicycle
Additional entrance fees beyond the itinerary
Personal expenses

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

Meeting Point:
In front of the "Takayama Hikokuro Statue" (Dogeza Statue) at Keihan Sanjo Station, Exit 5.
How to identify your guide:
To ensure you find us easily, your professional guide will be waiting at the statue holding a personalized welcome sign with YOUR NAME on it.

End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Duration: 3 hours (approximately)
  • 1
    Gion Shirakawa

    Ride alongside a willow-lined canal through a neighborhood that still feels like old Kyoto — quiet water, old shopfronts, and a heron that never seems to be in a hurry

    15 minutes • Admission ticket free
  • 2
    Heian Shrine

    We ride past the great torii gate of Heian Shrine — one of the largest in Japan, its vermillion almost too vivid against the trees. A quick stop for photos, then we continue.

    15 minutes • Admission ticket free
  • 3

    Before we enter, we stop at a boulder carved with a haiku: “Step through this gate — and the cool breeze comes of itself.” Nanzen-ji doesn’t ask you to believe anything. It just asks you to slow down — and somehow, you do. We climb the Sanmon gate for a panoramic view over the treetops, then find the brick aqueduct — built in the Meiji era to carry water from Lake Biwa through the grounds — one of those things you don’t expect to find inside a Zen temple.

    40 minutes • Admission ticket included
  • 4
    Kamo River

    The tobi-ishi stepping stones are simpler than you’d expect — and more fun. After crossing, we find a spot on the riverbank. The loungers go up in seconds (river breeze only, no pump). Japanese sweets appear. The river keeps moving. You don’t have to.

    45 minutes • Admission ticket free

Additional info

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Specialized infant seats are available
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Sanmon gate involves a staircase climb
Supplied by Amazing Kyoto - Private Cultural Tours

Tags

Mountain Bike Tours
Half-day Tours
Private and Luxury
City Tours
Bike Tours
Small Group
Short term availability

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

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