Full day Kyoto Walk in Fushimi, Arashiyama, Monkey, and Kinkakuji
Description
This 8-hour full-day tour offers a fantastic mix of Kyoto’s iconic temples, serene landscapes, and lively wildlife, all while using convenient public transit to minimize travel time. It's designed for those looking to experience both the peaceful and vibrant sides of Kyoto in one unforgettable day.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Meet your guide by the statue of the fox "Kitsunezo", in front of the JR Inari train Station. Your guide will be wearing the Japan Tour Adventure "JTA" uniform.
Begin your day with one of Kyoto’s most famous and mystical locations: the Fushimi Inari Shrine. Known for its thousands of vermillion torii gates winding up Mount Inari, this sacred site offers travelers an immersive experience through Japanese spiritual history, and wander through the tunnels of torii gates, pausing to capture photos of the beautiful red pillars.
Stroll through the ethereal Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, a serene path surrounded by towering green stalks that sway gently in the breeze. It’s one of the most unique natural landscapes in Japan. Walk through the forest at a leisurely pace, allowing yourself to get lost in the peaceful atmosphere. This is a great place for meditation and photography.
Just next to the Bamboo Forest is Tenryuji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Kyoto’s most significant Zen temples. Its beautiful gardens, designed centuries ago, reflect a masterful blend of Japanese landscape art. Take your time to explore the traditional Zen garden and its surrounding ponds, admiring the contrast between the architecture and lush greenery.
Take a break from the bamboo and explore the main street of Arashiyama. Choose between free time in the area of joining the guide for a proper lunch time at a restaurant, skipping the line, and resting while eating a well-deserved full meal (lunch fee not included).
Cross the Togetsukyo bridge and enjoy the view of the river.
A short hike up the hill from the bamboo grove, Iwatayama Monkey Park is home to wild Japanese macaques. At the top, you’re rewarded with a fun encounter with these animals and sweeping panoramic views of Kyoto. The climb is a bit steep but short (about 20 minutes). Once at the summit, you can feed the monkeys and enjoy the fantastic cityscape. ALTERNATIVE - FREE TIME Guests who do not wish to enter the monkey park will have an additional 60 minutes of free time, to wander around the area, visit local shops, and explore the surroundings, until the monkey park group comes back down to continue the tour. thank you. IMPORTANT: While most guests can do this hike, it is not recommended for people with leg/knee injuries, and depending on the guest's physical condition, the hike can take longer than 20 minutes. Thank you for your understanding.
Finish your day at "Kinkakuji", the Golden Pavilion, a Zen temple famous for its top two floors entirely covered in gold leaf. The temple's reflection in the surrounding pond is mesmerizing, especially in the afternoon light. Walk the path around the pavilion and take in the meticulously designed landscape, which changes dramatically with each season. The group will then get in the bus and/or train, to Kyoto station, where the tour will officially end. Guests are free to leave the group after the golden temple, if the wish to stay around the area, or if they wish to go back privately by taxi or by any other way. thank you.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- While single travelers can book this tour directly, there is a "2 guests minimum" rule to give the tour a GO. in case of a single guest, the session might be cancelled and the guest will be notify as soon as possible, offering a rescheduling, or a full-refund.
- The access to the top of the Monkey Park consists of a short hike (15-20 minutes) through a steep path. Please get comfortable shoes and make sure you are in a reasonable physical condition to do it. Thank you.
- IMPORTANT: As we understand that some guests might not be willing to visit the monkey park, those who do not wish to go will have free time around the main area of Arashiyama, with a specific time and meeting location to catch up with the group coming back from the Monkey park.
- ⚠️PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY⚠️ This is NOT a private tour. It's a group tour that can have up to 12 people.
- Please note that this is a WALKING TOUR using public transportation, not a bus tour. Transportation (train, bus) is not included in the tour. We highly recommend you to get an IC Card, ICOCA or SUICA, to deal with transportation smoothly.
- Please note, this tour is APPROXIMATELY 8 hours, meaning it can differ by around 30 minutes before or after the estimated time.
- Our guide will contact you through whatsApp on departure time if you have not arrived, so please download WhatsApp prior to this tour. This will make any last minute communication easier between the guide and the guests.
- Please get to the meeting location 15 minutes before the departure time. As we have other groups in the tour, we cannot accept any late guests. If you are late to the tour, YOU CANNOT JOIN the tour and will not be given a refund. Thank you for your understanding.
- OTHER LANGUAGES (FRENCH / GERMAN / SPANISH) Some guides from our team can speak more than English and Japanese, but we cannot guarantee a specific language other than English on a shared tour. To confirm the availability of your preferred language on the date you wish to book our tour, Please contact us prior to your booking. Thank you.
- Not recommended for people with leg/knee problems
Reviews(27)
Great day experiencing Kyoto with Christophe! He was very knowledgeable about all the places we visited and about Japan in general! Using the trains and buses, and walking some of the quieter streets, was also a great way to get to know and see Kyoto. A very insightful, interesting, and fun day!
Tom was the best guide we have had in Japan. He was extremely knowledgeable of Japanese history and clearly explained all aspects of the culture. He was very kind and easily adapted to our interests.
Thank you so much for your wonderful 5-star review! We truly appreciate your kind words and are delighted to hear that you enjoyed learning more about Japanese history and culture during your tour. I'm sure Tom will be delighted to hear your thoughtful comments. Thank you again for choosing Japan Tour Adventure. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back to Japan in the future! Warmest regards from all of us, Ayumi / JTA Team ⛩️
We spent a superb day with Raphaël who was very friendly and interesting. A tour rich in cultural and historical information. We highly recommend it to discover the beautiful places of Kyoto.
Merci beaucoup pour votre merveilleux avis cinq étoiles ! Nous sommes ravis d'apprendre que vous avez passé une excellente journée avec Raphaël. Il sera très heureux de savoir que vous avez apprécié sa gentillesse ainsi que ses explications sur l'histoire et la culture de Kyoto. Merci pour votre recommandation et d'avoir choisi Japan Tour Adventure. Nous espérons vous accueillir de nouveau lors de votre prochain voyage au Japon ! Avec nos salutations les plus chaleureuses, Ayumi / JTA Team ⛩️
Tom was a great guide. He was knowledgeable and flexible in the timing and direction in the tour. We spent the whole day with him and would recommend him to anyone.
Thank you so much for your wonderful 5-star review! We're delighted to hear that you had such an enjoyable day exploring with Tom. He will be especially happy to know that you appreciated his knowledge, flexibility, and ability to tailor the tour to the group's pace and interests. It means a great deal to us that you spent the whole day with Tom and would recommend him to others. Creating memorable and personalized experiences is exactly what we strive for, and we're so pleased that your tour reflected that. Thank you for choosing Japan Tour Adventure. We hope to welcome you back on another adventure in Japan in the future! Warmest regards, Ayumi / JTA Team ⛩️
We had a wonderful day seeing all the top sights around Kyoto. Raphael was an EXCELLENT tour guide. Very knowledgeable about the history of the sights and area. He let us choose our pace at all the stops and was always willing to take pictures of us. We were able to see the Inari gates, bamboo forest, monkey park and golden temple. Lots of walking but worth it for all the beautiful sights we saw. And having Raphael to guide us took away the stress of navigating on our own. Book this tour!
We had a wonderful and incredibly knowledgeable guide. Matheus knew all the shortcuts and the best spots for photos, allowing us to avoid the crowds while still seeing the highlights. His local expertise made the experience smooth, enjoyable, and much more memorable. We highly recommend him to anyone visiting the area.
We got really lucky on this tour with my 26-year-old son. We booked a group tour, but it ended up being just the two of us, so we basically had a private experience. From the very beginning, our guide Matheus was absolutely amazing. He provided clear explanations throughout the day, helped us navigate trains, buses, and key locations, and pointed out the best photo spots as well as great places for shopping and eating. His knowledge and guidance made everything so easy and enjoyable. We also really appreciated the background information he shared about the temples and shrines—things we would never have known without a guide. He was open to sharing information about his family and life in Japan, and we felt like we were walking with a friend. We truly enjoyed the tour and his company. It was an unforgettable full-day experience in Kyoto visiting Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama, the Monkey Park, and Kinkaku-ji. Highly recommended! Thank you!!
We were fortunate to discover Kyoto with Raphaël, and the experience was exceptional from start to finish. Raphaël is passionate, knowledgeable, caring, and above all, incredibly pedagogical. He does not simply "give tours": he narrates Kyoto, its history, traditions, culture, and daily Japanese life with immense passion and intelligence. Thanks to him, we discovered beautiful places and also understood what makes this city so unique. The day was perfectly paced, tailored to our desires, and always in a very pleasant atmosphere.
We had an unforgettable day in Kyoto thanks to our guide, Matheus! There is no way we could efficiently navigate trains, trams, buses, best spots for photos, shopping, eating, etc without his expertise! Our guide also shared background information about the temples and shrines that we would not have known without guidance! Crowd size for our tour was great- another family dropped after the first attraction and we ended up on a private tour! Admission fees were included in the tour. Atmosphere was great- (busy, but manageable with a guide!). This is best for people who are prepared to walk most of the day. Wear comfortable walking shoes!
Thank you so much for taking the time to share such a detailed and thoughtful review with us! We’re truly delighted to hear that your day in Kyoto was so unforgettable. It’s wonderful to know that the experience felt smooth and enjoyable, and that you were able to explore so many places comfortably thanks to the guidance along the way. Discovering temples, shrines, and local spots while learning the stories behind them really makes the day even more special. 🌿 We’re especially grateful for your kind words about Matheus — he will be very happy to hear that his support and knowledge helped make your experience so seamless and memorable. Thank you as well for your helpful tips about walking and preparation — we’re sure future guests will appreciate them too! Thank you again for choosing to explore with us. We hope these beautiful memories stay with you for a long time, and we would be honored to welcome you again in the future. 💛 Warmest regards from all of us ⛩️ Ayumi / JTA Team
We had an amazing tour of Kyoto with Alice. She went above and beyond to tailor our itinerary to the many interests of our family. She also went out of her way to help us navigate the train system and feel comfortable getting back to Shin Kyoto, for us to catch the return train back to Osaka at the end of our day. We have two teenagers that wanted to try different local sweets and souvenir shops. She helped us locate the best stops. We loved the shrine and temples. The bamboo forest and monkey park were big highlights as well. It was a full day but one that allowed us to create special memories of the beautiful Kyoto. We had a 5 star day with Alice!
Thank you so much for your wonderful and detailed review — it truly means a lot to us 😊 We are absolutely delighted to hear that you had such a memorable day in Kyoto with Alice. Your kind words made us all smile, and Alice will be especially happy to read your message! It makes us so happy to know that the experience could be tailored to your family and that you were able to create such special memories together. Thank you again for your heartfelt recommendation — we would love to welcome you back for another beautiful adventure in Japan ⛩️ Warmest regards from all of us, Ayumi / Japan Tour Adventure Team
