Home > Kyoto > Kyoto and Nara Day Trip from Kyoto including Nijo Castle
USD $136.00
Kyoto and Nara Day Trip from Kyoto including Nijo Castle
Kyoto, Japan
Explore the cultural treasures of Kyoto and Nara on this full-day tour from Kyoto. In the morning, visit UNESCO World Heritage sites Nijo Castle and Kinkaku-ji, as well as Kyoto Imperial Palace. Then travel to Nara to visit World Heritage–listed Todai-ji temple complex (including Great Buddha Hall) and Kasuga Shrine. Plus, see the famous wild deer that roam Nara (you can even feed them!) and enjoy a Japanese and Western-style lunch buffet. It's a packed day, but by the end you'll have seen some of Japan's most important ancient landmarks.
Your day trip starts with morning pickup for the Kyoto sightseeing portion of your tour. Known as the cradle of Japan's cultural heritage, Kyoto was the country’s capital and home of the Japanese emperor from 794 until 1868. Thus, it boasts many important temples and other sites, several of which make up the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto UNESCO World Heritage site.
With your guide, visit some of the highlights of this ancient city, starting with Nijo Castle, the Kyoto residence of the Tokugawa Shogun until the mid-1800s. This World Heritage–listed castle was built in 1603 and is noted for the contrast of its solemn appearance with its gorgeous interiors. You have about 50 minutes here to explore.
Next, visit Kyoto's most popular temple, Kinkaku-ji, another World Heritage site and the home to what is perhaps the world's most exquisite Japanese garden. It’s also home to the celebrated Golden Pavilion, a 3-story structure covered in gold leaf and extended out over a pond. Make sure your camera is ready because it makes a great photo op. Spend about 45 minutes here.
Continue your tour to Kyoto Imperial Palace, the former residence of the emperors of Japan. During your 40 minutes here, visit the Shishin-den, where important state ceremonies took place, and get a feel for the Japanese aesthetic of purity, simplicity and calmness as you explore the palace grounds.
Take a break from sightseeing for lunch, and then re-board your coach for the 1-hour drive south of Kyoto to Nara, where you’ll visit two of the temples and shrines that make up the UNESCO World Heritage site the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara.
Start at Todai-ji, a temple complex famous for being home to one of the world’s largest bronze statues of the Buddha, housed in the Great Buddha Hall. You have about one hour here to explore the temple grounds and surrounding Nara Park.
Then head to colorful Kasuga Shrine, famous for the 3,000 bronze lanterns that line its interior. You have 40 minutes here before continuing to a section of Nara Park, aka Deer Park, where tame sika deer roam freely and can be hand-fed (special food can be purchased from vendors, if you wish). If time and/or traffic conditions permit, you will also stop at a souvenir shop before heading back to Kyoto, where your day trip ends.
This is the trip to take if you have limited time in the Kyoto area. Kyoto in the morning, a buffet lunch, and Nara in the afternoon. Highly recommended.
Review by: Alistair S, July 2018
This was a good way to see some of the highlights of Japan's cultural capital and its neighbour Nara. Particularly impressive was the Golden Pavilion.
Review by: HANAN K, July 2018
There was no guide as was promised only an assictentthat didnt speak and didnt explain anything only brought us with bus to the places very gery bad
Review by: sulinda yeo, July 2018
We can visit several places in one day in very efficient way. Tour guide and driver are very friendly. We really enjoy the tour
Review by: MICHAEL T, June 2018
very good trip
Review by: Kana K, June 2018
Had a lovely time learning and seeing the beautiful sites of Kyoto and Nara my favourite part had to be Todaji temple with the numerous deer walking around outside the temple is a site to behold, The tour guide had really good english and I learned a lot on the trip.
Review by: Erika, May 2018
Unfortunately we had a rainy day :, But we try to make the best of the day. The place were awesome, yet I felt we didn't have time to see everything well. We were rushing the whole time! Buffet was ok. Psycho yes that was her name and Yuki were awesome and fun.
Review by: Kimberly An Y L, April 2018
Our tour guide in the morning was a bit boring.. it left like a field trip where you really get much information unless your standing beside the tour guide, plus she wasn't that good either. Lunch buffet was not bad especially for the cost of the trip. I thoroughly enjoyed !the afternoon trip to Nara. Our tour guide had such an extensive experience. He was able to make jokes and had vast knowledge in different cultures and made every tourist feel special. He started to teach reading basic japanese like identifying signages for washrooms. He was very entertaining and when it got to the actual tour, he had a lot of insights. Overall experience was really memorable especially the deer feeding
Review by: pavlovsdog67, April 2018
My brother and I thoroughly enjoyed our day tour around Kyoto and Nara. We visited a number of significant historical sites in the area where our guides did a wonderful job of informing us of their stories. My brother is confined to a wheelchair, and all staff were very helpful throughout the day, making sure we were able to access as many areas as possible. Only the Shinto Shrine at Nara defeated us with it's many steps. The provided lunch was basic, but filling. I would recommend this tour to anyone wishing to gain the most from a one day visit to the area.
Review by: lori f, April 2018
This tour you do not want to miss. We loved the deer!
Review by: juliebrawn, April 2018
A long day with an early start but worth it.
Review by: Melissa M, April 2018
This was a really good day tour of the main sights of Kyoto. You get to skip the lines and are transported easily to the sights that are far from Kyotos Centre. We did Nara in the same day which we preferred so that we have more free days and it was very pleasant and the guide was amazing!
Review by: Barbara L, April 2018
To optimize the places we could see in the Kyoto area we decided on a day tour. We'd used Viator in another country and had a good experience, and this one was no exception. Good guides with very acceptable English and knowledge. We will use them again under the same circumstances. Lunch was a bit unorganized and typical tour food, but we didn't leave hungry. Riding on the comfortable bus was more efficient than navigating the trains and city buses on our own. Viator delivered as promised.
Review by: Sam F, March 2018
The sights were interesting, but the tour went way too fast. There was just enough time to walk past everything, with a quick look. A self-tour would be a little less informative, but give you the time to appreciate everything at your own pace.
Review by: antonia w, March 2018
Great guides and itinerary. We took this tour at the end of December when several sites were closed. We were aware of this and the alternative sites were great.
Review by: wilsonmar, March 2018
Excellent detail commentary.
Review by: Anthony R, February 2018
Would recommend this tour. We enjoyed it very much. Nijo Castle is a must see. The Castle is breathtaking. Thank you.
Review by: Yamila Victoria V, February 2018
It is a very good option for a quick visit to Kyoto and Nara. Sadly, my trip was on a festive day so I could't get inside in some temples. However it was very nice.
Review by: Laura H, February 2018
This tour covered so much, in terms of content and variety. Our guides were fantastic and very helpful. I loved learning the history of the many temples we visited. My favourite place however was Nara, as we got to observe and feed deer, which was a unique experience.
Review by: Jose R S, February 2018
This tour was excellent. I recommend it to everybody.
Review by: JVC, January 2018
Great tour if you want to cover a lot. Buffet lunch was great and shabby-shabu dinner was even better!
Review by: David J, January 2018
Great way to explore the atrea.
Review by: Marla M, January 2018
Very well planned out and great tour guide. Made for an enjoyable day.
Review by: Alla B, December 2017
Overall it's very good tour. In Kyoto part of the tour they show Nijo and Imperial palace which are very similar. You could see inside of Nijo palace which is very impressive and gives you a picture of shogun life. I would change Imperial Palace for some Kyoto shrine or temple to make Kyoto part of the tour more diversified. Nara tour was perfect and we were lucky to have much better tour guide for Nara than for Kyoto.
Review by: monika h, December 2017
I nice Tour to get to know Kyoto and Nara. We thoroughly enjoyed!
Review by: Mitchell Y, November 2017
Pretty good tour. It's a bit rushed at times, but I don't think it can be helped since you're going through places that close before a particular time. The tour guides were good at explaining what we were seeing as we went through the Kyoto and Nara areas.
Review by: PIRES C, November 2017
This tour was amazing!
Review by: Connie S, November 2017
The day trip was very well organized with sufficient free time to explore and take pictures. The places visited in this day trip was well-maintained and very beautiful. Our guide, Ms Machiko is very experience and knowledgeable. We enjoyed this day trip very much.
Review by: Ash.Y, November 2017
Great tour for someone who plans to cover the most popular sites in Kyoto and Nara in one day. It's a bit rush and you won't have enough time to explore by yourself._br/_ But the tour guides were really good at telling stories and kept the tour informative and entertaining all the way including bus drive.
Review by: EKT, November 2017
We particularly enjoyed Nara Park, with all of the deer! The entire day was well guided and very educational. Beautiful sites.
Review by: Fernando, November 2017
Great tour, great service from viator. Nara is a special place, no doubt about it. If you are an animal lover, it is the tour to take.
Review by: Tina G, November 2017
Our guide wasn't that interesting or engaged. The number of sites on this tour makes it a bit overwhelming. Not enough time at each site to take things in and too much time spent at terrible lunch and forced shopping. Makes it easier get to each site, but pretty much embodies most negative things about tours.
Review by: Kathy T, November 2017
A very easy relaxed way to fit many sights in with great commentary. Yuki was a great guide.
Review by: Michele F, October 2017
This tour was amazing!
Review by: t t v n, October 2017
Awesome
Review by: Benny S, October 2017
This tour takes us to various historical places in Kyoto and Nara. Our family really enjoyed this tour
Review by: Heidi A, October 2017
Too rushed! Would not recommend
Review by: Drany S, September 2017
The tour was great. After getting picked up, the tour buses took us around Kyoto to see Nijo castle and the Golden Pavilion. Lunch buffet was good. Then the tour separated into groups depending on your tour. The afternoon tour including my sister and I got on a separate bus to visit Nara.
Review by: Christos K, September 2017
bad weither, rainy, otherwise the best excursion as far as content is conserned.
Review by: Ivy M, September 2017
My husband and I loved the tour. Our guide, KC, was so informative, entertaining, and kind. After walking a lot in Japan, it was nice to sit back and relax while someone else did the planning and driving. Got to see the highlights and KC pointed out good picture spots. Great job!
Review by: Aileen F, September 2017
Overall was a good experience. I want o come back.
Review by: Julio R, September 2017
Very good trip, perhaps a little rush too many things to see / muy buen viaje tal vez un poco apurado
Review by: Alexander S, September 2017
Beware of bowing deer!!! This is a great day trip from Kyoto, very interesting and humbling experience with the massive Buddhist temples.
Review by: Parth P, September 2017
AMAZING !!!!!!
Review by: julianac81, September 2017
Tour was really good and our tour guide was great! She kept us entertained the entire time as we had to spent an hour on the bus to Nara. A person was left behind but it was totally her fault. We waited for her 10 minutes and she never showed up everything in Japan runs in time, which is great and considerate with everybody's time. Great tour to see Kyoto and Nara in one day.
Review by: Sophie A, September 2017
This tour was very large lots of people, and I found it difficult at times to hear our tour guide although she was a very good tour guide, and I really would recommend her! as we were all so far away. If I were to do a day tour in Kyoto again, I would personally rather go on a smaller, more personal tour. I would also have preferred if the tour went to Gion as well, as we just drove past Gion and did not stop there, but I would have really liked to see it. In some ways, I think the tour focused too much on temples/castles and not so much on modern Kyoto. The lunch we had was at a bus tour buffet restaurant and was quite average.
Review by: Helen N, September 2017
This tour was amazing! It was worth the money.
Review by: Evelyn R, May 2017
I loved this tour, there is no way you can see all of these sites on your own in one single day. Tour goes on a very tight and busy schedule though, you don't even have time to buy a bottle of water on the sites, however I understand that schedule needs to be that way in order to cover all. Completely enjoyed the tour, great value for your money.
Review by: Ciaran C, May 2017
The guides were wonderful. Very friendly, and knew their stuff inside out. Would give them 4 stars easily. Got to see everything on the list._br/_ A major flaw was the lunch time. Lunch was included but in our particular case we only had 20-25 minutes to queue up with a lot of people 40/50 and then eat. The food was very much canteen food - functional in that it got you fed but not something I would be going back for. If you have time I would recommend splitting these trips over two days.
Review by: Mike C, May 2017
The overall trip a bit rush on each site visit . We have 2 tour guide each for morning and afternoon . Have difficulty on listening to the 1st guide but much better on the afternoon one ._br/_ Will recommend this trip for those want to cover as many spot as possible .
RSS Feed