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Day Tours

Kyoto Private Tour: Beat the Crowds at 3 UNESCO Temples

1

DAY(S)

6

DESTINATION(S)

6

GUESTS (MAX)

rooms

Feature

Day Tours

Kyoto Private Tour: Beat the Crowds at 3 UNESCO Temples

1

DAY(S)

6

DESTINATION(S)

6

GUESTS (MAX)

rooms

Feature

Day Tours

Kyoto Private Tour: Beat the Crowds at 3 UNESCO Temples

1

DAY(S)

6

DESTINATION(S)

6

GUESTS (MAX)

From US$230 per person
From US$230 per person

Overview

What You’ll Discover

Overview

What You’ll Discover

We designed this one-day journey around one simple advantage: getting there before everyone else does. While other visitors are still waiting for the first train, your private van has already delivered you to Kiyomizu-dera right as its gates open — one of Kyoto's three UNESCO World Heritage temples on this route, alongside Kinkaku-ji and Tenryu-ji. You'll walk its wooden stage with a fraction of the usual crowd, wander the old lanes of Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka while they're still quiet, and reach Kinkaku-ji at opening time too. By the time the buses catch up, you're already on to Arashiyama's bamboo groves. The whole route wraps up by early afternoon, dropping you back in central Kyoto with the rest of the day free to explore, shop, or simply wander at your own pace.
We designed this one-day journey around one simple advantage: getting there before everyone else does. While other visitors are still waiting for the first train, your private van has already delivered you to Kiyomizu-dera right as its gates open — one of Kyoto's three UNESCO World Heritage temples on this route, alongside Kinkaku-ji and Tenryu-ji. You'll walk its wooden stage with a fraction of the usual crowd, wander the old lanes of Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka while they're still quiet, and reach Kinkaku-ji at opening time too. By the time the buses catch up, you're already on to Arashiyama's bamboo groves. The whole route wraps up by early afternoon, dropping you back in central Kyoto with the rest of the day free to explore, shop, or simply wander at your own pace.

Public transit barely runs this early — a chartered vehicle gets you there first, before standard tours have even left the hotel, and hands you back an entire extra afternoon.

Three UNESCO World Heritage temples in a single private day — Kiyomizu-dera, Kinkaku-ji, and Tenryu-ji, walked at your own pace, no strangers in the frame.

Old Kyoto's quiet stone lanes, then bamboo that blocks out the sky — Sannenzaka and Arashiyama at their most atmospheric, before the crowds arrive.

The day ends on a bridge over the Katsura River, the three UNESCO sites behind you and a whole Kyoto afternoon still ahead.

Highlights

Explore the Highlights of Your Journey

Highlights

Explore the Highlights of Your Journey

  • Kiyomizu-dera Temple — A UNESCO World Heritage hillside temple whose vast wooden stage opens over Kyoto.

  • Sannenzaka & Ninenzaka — Kyoto's best-preserved old stone lanes, lined with traditional shops and teahouses.

  • Kinkaku-ji Temple — the UNESCO World Heritage Golden Pavilion- its gold leaf mirrored perfectly in the pond.

  • Arashiyama Bamboo Grove — Towering bamboo stalks lining a quiet, otherworldly path outside the city.

  • Togetsukyo Bridge — Arashiyama's landmark bridge over the Katsura River, framed by wooded hills.

Illustrated map of Japan with all prefectures and regional boundaries
Illustrated map of Japan with all prefectures and regional boundaries

Information

Where This Journey Takes You

Information

Where This Journey Takes You

This itinerary connects some of Japan’s most distinctive regions, combining iconic highlights with lesser-known destinations to create a seamless travel experience from start to finish.

This itinerary connects some of Japan’s most distinctive regions, combining iconic highlights with lesser-known destinations to create a seamless travel experience from start to finish.

Area

Kansai

Kansai

•

City

Kyoto

Duration

1 Day(s)

Destinations

6 Destination(s)

Group Size (Max)

6 Guest(s)

Pick-up

At hotel in Kyoto City or Kyoto Station

Drop-off

Kyoto-kawaramachi Station

English/ Japanese/ Mandarin

Japanese, English

Itinerary

Explore Every Moment Along the Way

Itinerary

Explore Every Moment Along the Way

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Kyoto Hotel Pick-Up
Meet your guide at your Kyoto hotel for an early start — the whole point of the day is being first through the gates, ahead of the crowds and the tour buses still to come.
Meet your guide at your Kyoto hotel for an early start — the whole point of the day is being first through the gates, ahead of the crowds and the tour buses still to come.
Kyoto Hotel Pick-Up
Meet your guide at your Kyoto hotel for an early start — the whole point of the day is being first through the gates, ahead of the crowds and the tour buses still to come.
Meet your guide at your Kyoto hotel for an early start — the whole point of the day is being first through the gates, ahead of the crowds and the tour buses still to come.
Kyoto Hotel Pick-Up
Meet your guide at your Kyoto hotel for an early start — the whole point of the day is being first through the gates, ahead of the crowds and the tour buses still to come.
Meet your guide at your Kyoto hotel for an early start — the whole point of the day is being first through the gates, ahead of the crowds and the tour buses still to come.
Kiyomizu-dera Temple
Climb the old stone lanes to Kiyomizu-dera's vast wooden stage, held up on tall pillars over the wooded hillside — the whole city spread below, and the crowds that fill this place by mid-morning still nowhere in sight. Held fifteen meters above the hillside on ancient pillars, it's one of the images that defines Kyoto.
Climb the old stone lanes to Kiyomizu-dera's vast wooden stage, held up on tall pillars over the wooded hillside — the whole city spread below, and the crowds that fill this place by mid-morning still nowhere in sight. Held fifteen meters above the hillside on ancient pillars, it's one of the images that defines Kyoto.
Kiyomizu-dera Temple
Climb the old stone lanes to Kiyomizu-dera's vast wooden stage, held up on tall pillars over the wooded hillside — the whole city spread below, and the crowds that fill this place by mid-morning still nowhere in sight. Held fifteen meters above the hillside on ancient pillars, it's one of the images that defines Kyoto.
Climb the old stone lanes to Kiyomizu-dera's vast wooden stage, held up on tall pillars over the wooded hillside — the whole city spread below, and the crowds that fill this place by mid-morning still nowhere in sight. Held fifteen meters above the hillside on ancient pillars, it's one of the images that defines Kyoto.
Kiyomizu-dera Temple
Climb the old stone lanes to Kiyomizu-dera's vast wooden stage, held up on tall pillars over the wooded hillside — the whole city spread below, and the crowds that fill this place by mid-morning still nowhere in sight. Held fifteen meters above the hillside on ancient pillars, it's one of the images that defines Kyoto.
Climb the old stone lanes to Kiyomizu-dera's vast wooden stage, held up on tall pillars over the wooded hillside — the whole city spread below, and the crowds that fill this place by mid-morning still nowhere in sight. Held fifteen meters above the hillside on ancient pillars, it's one of the images that defines Kyoto.
Sannenzaka & Ninenzaka
Wander down Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka while the old stone lanes are still quiet and free of the usual crowds — a perfect time to photograph Kyoto at its most atmospheric, its traditional wooden buildings and preserved streetscapes yours to take in undisturbed.
Wander down Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka while the old stone lanes are still quiet and free of the usual crowds — a perfect time to photograph Kyoto at its most atmospheric, its traditional wooden buildings and preserved streetscapes yours to take in undisturbed.
Sannenzaka & Ninenzaka
Wander down Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka while the old stone lanes are still quiet and free of the usual crowds — a perfect time to photograph Kyoto at its most atmospheric, its traditional wooden buildings and preserved streetscapes yours to take in undisturbed.
Wander down Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka while the old stone lanes are still quiet and free of the usual crowds — a perfect time to photograph Kyoto at its most atmospheric, its traditional wooden buildings and preserved streetscapes yours to take in undisturbed.
Sannenzaka & Ninenzaka
Wander down Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka while the old stone lanes are still quiet and free of the usual crowds — a perfect time to photograph Kyoto at its most atmospheric, its traditional wooden buildings and preserved streetscapes yours to take in undisturbed.
Wander down Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka while the old stone lanes are still quiet and free of the usual crowds — a perfect time to photograph Kyoto at its most atmospheric, its traditional wooden buildings and preserved streetscapes yours to take in undisturbed.
Kinkaku-ji Temple
Time your arrival for Kinkaku-ji's opening and stand before the Golden Pavilion while the pond is still calm — its gold leaf doubled so perfectly in the water it takes a second look to tell which is real, before the tour buses roll in. You've likely seen this image for years; today you walk into it yourself.
Time your arrival for Kinkaku-ji's opening and stand before the Golden Pavilion while the pond is still calm — its gold leaf doubled so perfectly in the water it takes a second look to tell which is real, before the tour buses roll in. You've likely seen this image for years; today you walk into it yourself.
Kinkaku-ji Temple
Time your arrival for Kinkaku-ji's opening and stand before the Golden Pavilion while the pond is still calm — its gold leaf doubled so perfectly in the water it takes a second look to tell which is real, before the tour buses roll in. You've likely seen this image for years; today you walk into it yourself.
Time your arrival for Kinkaku-ji's opening and stand before the Golden Pavilion while the pond is still calm — its gold leaf doubled so perfectly in the water it takes a second look to tell which is real, before the tour buses roll in. You've likely seen this image for years; today you walk into it yourself.
Kinkaku-ji Temple
Time your arrival for Kinkaku-ji's opening and stand before the Golden Pavilion while the pond is still calm — its gold leaf doubled so perfectly in the water it takes a second look to tell which is real, before the tour buses roll in. You've likely seen this image for years; today you walk into it yourself.
Time your arrival for Kinkaku-ji's opening and stand before the Golden Pavilion while the pond is still calm — its gold leaf doubled so perfectly in the water it takes a second look to tell which is real, before the tour buses roll in. You've likely seen this image for years; today you walk into it yourself.
Drive to Arashiyama
Cross the city toward Arashiyama, the bamboo-covered district on Kyoto's western edge.
Cross the city toward Arashiyama, the bamboo-covered district on Kyoto's western edge.
Drive to Arashiyama
Cross the city toward Arashiyama, the bamboo-covered district on Kyoto's western edge.
Cross the city toward Arashiyama, the bamboo-covered district on Kyoto's western edge.
Drive to Arashiyama
Cross the city toward Arashiyama, the bamboo-covered district on Kyoto's western edge.
Cross the city toward Arashiyama, the bamboo-covered district on Kyoto's western edge.
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove & Nonomiya Shrine
Walk the path through the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, towering stalks closing in overhead on either side — the light changes, the noise drops, and you understand why this place has been photographed a million times — and step into the quiet grounds of Nonomiya Shrine along the way.
Walk the path through the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, towering stalks closing in overhead on either side — the light changes, the noise drops, and you understand why this place has been photographed a million times — and step into the quiet grounds of Nonomiya Shrine along the way.
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove & Nonomiya Shrine
Walk the path through the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, towering stalks closing in overhead on either side — the light changes, the noise drops, and you understand why this place has been photographed a million times — and step into the quiet grounds of Nonomiya Shrine along the way.
Walk the path through the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, towering stalks closing in overhead on either side — the light changes, the noise drops, and you understand why this place has been photographed a million times — and step into the quiet grounds of Nonomiya Shrine along the way.
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove & Nonomiya Shrine
Walk the path through the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, towering stalks closing in overhead on either side — the light changes, the noise drops, and you understand why this place has been photographed a million times — and step into the quiet grounds of Nonomiya Shrine along the way.
Walk the path through the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, towering stalks closing in overhead on either side — the light changes, the noise drops, and you understand why this place has been photographed a million times — and step into the quiet grounds of Nonomiya Shrine along the way.
Tenryu-ji Temple
Step into Tenryu-ji, Kyoto's third UNESCO World Heritage temple on this route, and walk its celebrated garden of a pond that borrows the wooded hills beyond as its backdrop.
Step into Tenryu-ji, Kyoto's third UNESCO World Heritage temple on this route, and walk its celebrated garden of a pond that borrows the wooded hills beyond as its backdrop.
Tenryu-ji Temple
Step into Tenryu-ji, Kyoto's third UNESCO World Heritage temple on this route, and walk its celebrated garden of a pond that borrows the wooded hills beyond as its backdrop.
Step into Tenryu-ji, Kyoto's third UNESCO World Heritage temple on this route, and walk its celebrated garden of a pond that borrows the wooded hills beyond as its backdrop.
Tenryu-ji Temple
Step into Tenryu-ji, Kyoto's third UNESCO World Heritage temple on this route, and walk its celebrated garden of a pond that borrows the wooded hills beyond as its backdrop.
Step into Tenryu-ji, Kyoto's third UNESCO World Heritage temple on this route, and walk its celebrated garden of a pond that borrows the wooded hills beyond as its backdrop.
Arashiyama Shopping Street (Free Lunch)
Wander the shopping street of Arashiyama at your own pace and pick lunch from its lanes of local snacks and small restaurants. (Meal at the guest's expense)
Wander the shopping street of Arashiyama at your own pace and pick lunch from its lanes of local snacks and small restaurants. (Meal at the guest's expense)
Arashiyama Shopping Street (Free Lunch)
Wander the shopping street of Arashiyama at your own pace and pick lunch from its lanes of local snacks and small restaurants. (Meal at the guest's expense)
Wander the shopping street of Arashiyama at your own pace and pick lunch from its lanes of local snacks and small restaurants. (Meal at the guest's expense)
Arashiyama Shopping Street (Free Lunch)
Wander the shopping street of Arashiyama at your own pace and pick lunch from its lanes of local snacks and small restaurants. (Meal at the guest's expense)
Wander the shopping street of Arashiyama at your own pace and pick lunch from its lanes of local snacks and small restaurants. (Meal at the guest's expense)
Togetsukyo Bridge & Katsura River
Walk out onto the Togetsukyo Bridge and look along the Katsura River, wooded hills rising on either bank — a brief crossing, but the kind of view that stays with you long after the day ends.
Walk out onto the Togetsukyo Bridge and look along the Katsura River, wooded hills rising on either bank — a brief crossing, but the kind of view that stays with you long after the day ends.
Togetsukyo Bridge & Katsura River
Walk out onto the Togetsukyo Bridge and look along the Katsura River, wooded hills rising on either bank — a brief crossing, but the kind of view that stays with you long after the day ends.
Walk out onto the Togetsukyo Bridge and look along the Katsura River, wooded hills rising on either bank — a brief crossing, but the kind of view that stays with you long after the day ends.
Togetsukyo Bridge & Katsura River
Walk out onto the Togetsukyo Bridge and look along the Katsura River, wooded hills rising on either bank — a brief crossing, but the kind of view that stays with you long after the day ends.
Walk out onto the Togetsukyo Bridge and look along the Katsura River, wooded hills rising on either bank — a brief crossing, but the kind of view that stays with you long after the day ends.
Return to Central Kyoto
Drive back from Arashiyama into central Kyoto in the early afternoon, bringing a memorable morning of Kyoto exploration to a close.
Drive back from Arashiyama into central Kyoto in the early afternoon, bringing a memorable morning of Kyoto exploration to a close.
Return to Central Kyoto
Drive back from Arashiyama into central Kyoto in the early afternoon, bringing a memorable morning of Kyoto exploration to a close.
Drive back from Arashiyama into central Kyoto in the early afternoon, bringing a memorable morning of Kyoto exploration to a close.
Return to Central Kyoto
Drive back from Arashiyama into central Kyoto in the early afternoon, bringing a memorable morning of Kyoto exploration to a close.
Drive back from Arashiyama into central Kyoto in the early afternoon, bringing a memorable morning of Kyoto exploration to a close.
Kawaramachi Drop-Off
The tour ends here around Kawaramachi, central Kyoto's shops and streets just beginning to come alive for the evening.
The tour ends here around Kawaramachi, central Kyoto's shops and streets just beginning to come alive for the evening.
Kawaramachi Drop-Off
The tour ends here around Kawaramachi, central Kyoto's shops and streets just beginning to come alive for the evening.
The tour ends here around Kawaramachi, central Kyoto's shops and streets just beginning to come alive for the evening.
Kawaramachi Drop-Off
The tour ends here around Kawaramachi, central Kyoto's shops and streets just beginning to come alive for the evening.
The tour ends here around Kawaramachi, central Kyoto's shops and streets just beginning to come alive for the evening.

Policies

Important Travel Information

Policies

Important Travel Information

Talk to Our Team

Every journey is different. Our Japan Travel Specialists are here to answer your questions, refine every detail, and help you choose the itinerary that best matches your interests, travel style, and pace.

Talk to Us

Design My Trip

Inclusions

- Charter Vehicles - Tour guide - Entrance tickets and activities to the following: 　・Kiyomizu-dera Temple 　・Kinkaku-ji Temple 　・Tenryu-ji Temple - Inbound Travel Insurance

Exclusions

Cancellation

Additional Info

Talk to Our Team

Every journey is different. Our Japan Travel Specialists are here to answer your questions, refine every detail, and help you choose the itinerary that best matches your interests, travel style, and pace.

Talk to Us

Design My Trip

Talk to Our Team

Every journey is different. Our Japan Travel Specialists are here to answer your questions, refine every detail, and help you choose the itinerary that best matches your interests, travel style, and pace.

Talk to Us

Design My Trip