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Offered languages
- Japanese
- English
Discover Kyoto's forested north on a flexible 10-hour private car tour linking Kurama-dera, Kifune Shrine and Ohara's moss-covered Sanzen-in. Enjoy Kyoto hotel pickup and drop-off.
Max 6 and Max 9 options include an English-speaking driver-cum-guide for basic assistance, not licensed guiding. Other vehicle options provide a driver only, without guaranteed English.
Default small-vehicle route: Kyoto hotel → Kurama-dera → Kifune Shrine → optional summer kawadoko lunch → Sanzen-in → Kyoto hotel. Riverside dining runs May–September and needs a paid reservation; rain may move it indoors. Meals and tickets are excluded. Arashiyama or Kinkaku-ji can replace stops if agreed in advance. Ruriko-in is not part of this tour.
Contact us 24 hours ahead for changes. The 10 hours include driving, sightseeing, waiting, lunch and hotel return. Traffic, stairs, restaurant availability and large-vehicle road restrictions may change stops. All visits are not guaranteed.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
Pickup is available from hotels, accommodations, stations, or agreed pickup points within Kyoto city.
Please provide the exact pickup address, hotel name, building name, entrance details, pickup time, passenger count, luggage count, and a reachable phone number or WhatsApp after booking.
For hotel pickup, please wait in the hotel lobby or at the main entrance at the scheduled pickup time. For station pickup, please provide the station name, arrival time, and preferred exit in advance. For apartments or private accommodations, please provide the full address and entrance instructions.
The driver will wait for up to 30 minutes free of charge from the scheduled pickup time.
Waiting time beyond the free 30 minutes or tour overtime beyond the selected duration may require an additional fee based on vehicle type: vehicles with 14 seats or fewer cost JPY 5,000 per hour, 18-seat vehicles cost JPY 10,000 per hour, and 44-seat buses cost JPY 10,000 per hour.
Night service between 22:00 and 07:00 may require an additional JPY 2,000 per hour.
Please keep your phone or WhatsApp reachable on the tour day. If the pickup information is incorrect, incomplete, or we cannot contact you, the tour may not be provided as scheduled.
Pickup and drop-off points may be adjusted if stopping or parking is restricted by hotel, station, traffic, or local regulations.
The listed price includes pickup and drop-off within Kyoto city. Pickup or drop-off within Osaka city requires an additional JPY 5,000 per booking. Kansai International Airport, Kobe Port, or Maizuru Port pickup/drop-off requires an additional JPY 10,000 per booking. Other areas are subject to a separate quotation.
Itinerary
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1Kiyomizu-dera Temple
Discover Kurama-dera, a historic Buddhist temple located on the forested slopes of Mount Kurama. Explore the temple's peaceful surroundings and admire the traditional architecture, mountain scenery and atmosphere of this spiritual destination. The temple grounds are reached by uphill paths and steps. Guests may use the temple's small cable railway when operating, but some walking and additional steps are still required. Your visit focuses on accessible sections of the temple according to your fitness level, available time and operating conditions. The full mountain hiking trail between Kurama and Kifune is not included in the default itinerary. Completing that trail would require additional time and advance route adjustments. This is an independent temple visit. The English-speaking driver-cum-guide does not provide professional historical commentary or a guided mountain hike.
1 hour 20 minutes • Admission ticket not included -
2Kifune Shrine
Visit Kifune Shrine, a historic Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity of water and located in a scenic mountain valley. Admire the shrine's iconic stone stairway lined with traditional red lanterns and surrounded by beautiful trees. Explore the main shrine area, enjoy photographs and experience the peaceful atmosphere of northern Kyoto. Guests may discover the shrine's traditional water-related rituals and purchase fortune slips or souvenirs at their own expense. The full three-shrine pilgrimage is not guaranteed within this short visit. Vehicle access and parking are subject to local restrictions. The driver may need to drop guests at a permitted location rather than directly in front of the shrine.
35 minutes • Admission ticket free -
3Sanzen-in Temple
Travel to Ohara, a peaceful rural district in northern Kyoto, and visit the historic Sanzen-in Temple. Explore beautifully maintained Japanese gardens, traditional temple halls and tranquil pathways surrounded by trees. Admire the temple's famous moss-covered garden, known for its rich green scenery and small Jizo stone statues. Sanzen-in offers a quieter temple experience than Kyoto's busiest central sightseeing districts. The appearance of the moss, flowers and surrounding trees changes with the weather and season. Guests explore the temple independently. The English-speaking driver-cum-guide provides basic assistance but does not include professional explanations inside the temple. There is no parking lot within the temple grounds. Visitors must walk from a permitted parking or drop-off area to the entrance.
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission ticket not included
Additional info
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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