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Offered languages
- English
Kyoto's most famous sights are full by ten in the morning. This tour goes before that.
We meet at Kyoto Station at 6:45 and are at Fushimi Inari soon after seven, when the gates are at their quietest. From there a short train ride takes us to Kiyomizu-dera, then down through the stone lanes of Higashiyama and Gion to Kennin-ji, Kyoto's oldest Zen temple, where the tour ends at around 11:30 — with the rest of your day still ahead of you.
Your guide lives in Kyoto and knows these places well. Along the way you will hear why the gates are red, what the foxes hold in their mouths, and why you may only drink from one stream at Kiyomizu. And at every stop, your guide will take photos of you on your own phone, so you go home with pictures of yourselves rather than just selfies.
The group is small, the pace is unhurried, and there is an optional break halfway. The route uses public trains between areas; there is no hotel pickup.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
Meet your guide in front of the Central Gate (Chuo-guchi) of JR Kyoto Station, on the north side facing Kyoto Tower. Look for the guide holding a flag. Please arrive by 6:40. We leave on the first train after 6:45, and we may not be able to wait for late arrivals.
The tour ends at Kennin-ji Temple, near Gion, at around 11:30. It is about a 10-minute walk to Gion-Shijo Station (Keihan Line) and Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station (Hankyu Line). Your guide will show you the way to your next stop.
Itinerary
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1Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine
We arrive shortly after 7:00, before the tour buses. After a group photo at the great gate, your guide shows you how to purify yourself at the water basin, then we walk through the Senbon Torii — thousands of vermilion gates donated as thanks for answered prayers — up to the Okusha prayer hall, where you can try the Omokaru stone. Your guide takes your photos inside the gates on the way back down, when it's quieter.
1 hour • Admission ticket free -
2Kiyomizu-dera Temple
A short train ride takes us to Kiyomizu-dera, founded in 778. Stand on the famous wooden stage, built over a cliff without a single nail, and drink from one of the three streams of the Otowa Waterfall — each brings a different blessing, and you may choose only one.
1 hour • Admission ticket not included -
3Sanneizaka
Walk down the stone-paved lanes below the temple, lined with old wooden houses. If you like, we take a short break here for matcha sweets or a coffee (not included).
45 minutes • Admission ticket free -
4Yasakanoto
The five-storey pagoda at the top of the lane is one of the most photographed views in Kyoto. We stop at the best angle for your photo.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
5Yasaka Shrine
We pass through Yasaka Shrine, home of the Gion Matsuri festival, which began over a thousand years ago as a prayer to end an epidemic.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
6Hanamikoji Street
Walk slowly down Hanamikoji Street in Gion, Kyoto's most famous geisha district, and learn about the world of geiko and maiko — and how to respect it.
20 minutes • Admission ticket free -
7Kennin-ji Temple
We finish at Kennin-ji, Kyoto's oldest Zen temple, founded in 1202 by the monk who brought both Zen and green tea to Japan. See the giant twin dragons on the ceiling and the circle-triangle-square Zen garden.
35 minutes • Admission ticket not included
Additional info
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Additional info
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Walking tour of about 5 hours (around 13,000 steps) with many stairs, slopes and uneven stone paths. Please wear comfortable shoes.
- Not wheelchair accessible: Fushimi Inari and Kiyomizu-dera involve many stairs and there is no vehicle. The guide can help with train boarding but cannot provide physical support on stairs.
- We take two short train rides. An IC card (ICOCA, Suica, PASMO, including one on your phone) makes this quick. If you don't have one, please arrive by 6:35 to buy a ticket.
- Please bring about 1,500 yen in cash. Temple admissions are cash only (Kiyomizu-dera 500 yen, Kennin-ji 800 yen).
- The tour runs in light rain. If it is cancelled due to a typhoon or a weather warning, you will be offered a full refund or another date.
- Your guide will ask before using any photo of you on our pages or social media.
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.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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