Explore the intricate temples and serene gardens of Kyoto on this 4-hour guided tour visiting some of the imperial city’s most important religious and cultural sites. Check out Sanjusangendo Temple, the longest wooden structure in Japan and home more than 1000 Kannon statues, Fushimiinari Taisha Shrine, the head shrine of the god Inari and the supreme views afforded from Kiyomizu Temple high above Kyoto. This excursion to Kyoto’s top temples also includes all entrance fees.

Walk through Sanjusangendo Temple, Japan's longest wooden structure
Sweeping views of Kyoto city from Kiyomizu Temple
Plenty of photo opportunities
Informative and friendly guide

What's Included

Professional guide
Air-conditioned vehicle
Hotel drop-off (select locations in Kyoto only)

Gratuities
Food and drinks

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

JTB SUNRISE TOURS DESK KYOTO
Japan, 601-8003 Kyoto, Minami Ward, Higashikujō Nishisannōchō, ３１ B1F AVANTI
Please meet at Kyoto Avanti B1 Floor(Sunrise Tours desk) by 1:20pm, the tour departs at 1:30pm.

Start time

01:30 pm

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

See the most picturesque temples and beautiful gardens that Kyoto has to offer on this 4-hour afternoon tour, with guide, stopping at some of the city’s most significant religious monuments. Gain new insight into the traditions of ancient Japan and get plenty of photo-taking opportunities as you visit a selection of its beautiful temples and shrines.

Begin your tour by meeting your guide at Avanti Tour Desk near Kyoto Station in the afternoon. The city of Kyoto today is home to more than 1.4 million residents, and as it has evolved, it has seamlessly blended its modern architecture with a wealth of religious and cultural structures that date back to the city’s days as Japan’s capital from 794 through 1868. Although the city has been ravaged by many years of war and fire, it was not significantly damaged by bombing raids during World War II, meaning many important ancient structures still survive to this day.

Head over to the visually-striking Fushimiinari Taisha Shrine, a wildly colorful building bearing bright-red columns and a green roof. The interior of this beautiful structure is perhaps even more impressive, harboring a series of immaculate gardens and placid ponds. Please note the tour will not enter the site’s Shin-en garden.

Next move on to Sanjusangendo Temple on the eastern edge of Kyoto for your day’s first stop. This beautiful religious site, home to 1,001 statues of Kannon, Bodhisattva and was built in the 13th century, is famous for being the longest wooden building in the entire country, spanning more than 394 feet (120m) in length.

Proceed next to the famous Kiyomizu Temple, stopping to browse the rows of pottery stores that line the streets leading up to the site. This elegant UNESCO World Heritage site, also known as Kiyomizu-dera, offers panoramic views of Kyoto and the surrounding area from its spacious terrace and many walkways lining the nearby foothills of Higashiwama mountain. When the tour concludes, drop-off service is available at select locations in Kyoto.

Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Sanjusangendo Temple

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Kiyomizu-dera Temple

1 hour 10 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Infants must sit on laps
Not wheelchair accessible
At reception, please show your reservation confirmation sheet, a printout of the reservation confirmation e-mail, or show the e-mail on your mobile device screen to staff.
If the minimum number of participants (1) is not met by 4 days before the scheduled date, the tour on that date may be canceled.
Participants will walk from the parking lot to Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine (about 15 min one-way). Thank you for your understanding.
Near public transportation
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions

Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level
The order of activities and arrival times may differ depending on road conditions and congestion at destinations.
Seats may not be designated.
Depending on the number of tour participants, transportation to be used may be other than a large bus (mid-size bus, small bus), a hired car (van, minivan - MK Co., Ltd. or Yasaka Group), or a taxi.
This tour promotes Environment(Eco)-friendly efforts and Cross-cultural Understanding as stated under Sunrise Tours' Sustainable Development Goals. We advocate for responsible travel, and urge one and all to become responsible travelers.
This is a carbon offset product where a portion of the tour booking charge is spent on renewable energy. By converting some CO2 emissions during the tour to green energy, it's possible to contribute to activities protecting the planet's future.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 40 travellers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

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.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Traveller Photos

Traveller Tips

This is a nice tour especially if you only have an afternoon.

Reviews

4.5

73 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travellers.

Showing 1-10 of 73 reviews

Fast Paced

Pearl_C, May 2023

Lots of walking and not enough time to see each spot. 40 min each stop, we seemed very rush, not by the guid but by the short time. Not much time to shop around or view temples thoroughly. The guide was great, but not much history of each stop, just more like the transport to each stop and ticket provider. For someone with a short amount of time it is good.

Good tour but rushed

Sara_M, Apr 2023

Your leader gave good explanation on each temple and shrine but we were only given 30 minutes at each location and it felt very rushed. If I had to do it over again, I would have just gone on my own.

Glad we did it

RogerJ_B, Apr 2023

Our guide was great good personality and lots of information the office was a little hard to find because it was in the basement of a big building

Excellent tour guide

Eleanor_B, Apr 2023

Donna-San was excellent. This tour was a wonderful way to see the three key sights/sites of Kyoto. Hassle free and good value.

Great tour guide made the tour enjoyable

Kun_H, Apr 2023

The guide was very friendly and humorous. He made the tour fun and enjoyable. I had really good talks with him during the tour. Recommend.

Lots to see in an Afternoon!

Patrick_O, Feb 2020

This is a nice tour especially if you only have an afternoon. Be sure to be on time as we were late as we got lost a little bit. Hakata station is large and our cab driver dropped us on the wrong side. Give yourself enough time to find the Sunrise office. The three stops were very interesting. Kyoto has a lot to see so maybe a full day tour would be better. Our tour guide was good. Worthwhile tour.

Crowded but unforgettable!

Andree_L, June 2019

The guide was friendly, informative, funny, and explained a lot about Japanese history and customs which I had not read of heard before. Nothing could be done about the crowds at the sites and in the lovely small streets of Kyoto, but everything that could be controlled and organized was very well done. Sanjunsangendo was one of the most intense experiences of my life!

Great afternoon out in Kyoto

Kathy_K, Apr 2019

Knowledge guide, very inclusive to everyone on the tour. Efficient visits to three sites but plenty of time to see everything. Enjoyed this tour very much

Not to miss

LEILA10, Sept 2018

Kiyomizu Temple is a sight not to miss. Tour was flexible enough to accommodate our request to stay behind.

We were only in Kyoto for one day...

Kellie B, Mar 2018

We were only in Kyoto for one day, so this afternoon tour was perfect! We got to see you three really cool places, one Shinto shrine and two Buddhist temples. Kiyomizu was by far my favorite temple out of all the ones I have seen throughout Japan! Our tour guide Jessie was nice and informative!

We really enjoyed this first...

James M, Jan 2018

We really enjoyed this first afternoon, not only in Kyoto, but in Japan. Getting a feeling for Kyoto and its history was a good way to begin. Our tour guide, Amy, was excellent and we admired the way she looked after our group of 43. Temples and Shrines were nicely explained and we had just enough time to enjoy each stop.

Very good tour. The climb to the...

Carole B, Sept 2017

Very good tour. The climb to the Kiyomizu Temple was strenuous, especially on a hot sunny day.

It was one of my favorite tour...

Loucita S, Sept 2017

It was one of my favorite tour. Very informative and I was able to practice some of the cultures' belief.

This was a lovely afternoon. Our...

janet s, Aug 2017

This was a lovely afternoon. Our guide was both educational and funny. Plenty of time to see the temples, have a quick ice cream and a bit of shopping. It was unfortunate that the first temple was setting up a huge stadium that day. We missed getting the iconic shot. I would recommend.

Our knowledgeable tour guide and a...

Beatriz_S, Mar 2017

Our knowledgeable tour guide and a relaxed pace allowed us to enjoy the sights around Kyoto without worrying about anything. Would have liked a bit more time in some locations, but still enjoyed the tour.

This small tour was amazing. Our...

Esther M, Mar 2017

This small tour was amazing. Our guide spoke really good english and she was so much fun! It was totally worth it although it was fast paced.

Well organized. Our guide also...

Therese_C, Jan 2017

Well organized. Our guide also recommend us to a few places to check-out after the tour.

It was so nice to be able to visit...

Jessica K, July 2016

It was so nice to be able to visit three temples in cool air-conditioned bus with a great tour guide, especially it was very hot and humid in Kyoto! I can't imagine how we would have done it without this option.

My family and I really enjoy Kyoto...

Monica K, July 2016

My family and I really enjoy Kyoto Afternoon tour. It was half day tour but it was really worthed, to us it save our time. For those who has limited time in Kyoto, this one is really recommended.

Fantastic tour, Love half day tours...

Damien C, Apr 2016

Fantastic tour, Love half day tours - there is just enough not to be overwhelmed or bored.

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