Home > Osaka > Kyoto Morning Tour of Kinkakuji Temple, Nijo Castle and Kyoto Imperial Palace from Osaka
USD $85.00
Kyoto Morning Tour of Kinkakuji Temple, Nijo Castle and Kyoto Imperial Palace from Osaka
Osaka, Japan
See Kyoto highlights on this 6-hour tour from Osaka! Visit two UNESCO World Heritage sites — Ninjo Castle and Kinkaku-ji Temple (Golden Pavilion) — as you tour Japan’s former capital with an experienced local guide. You’ll also visit the Kyoto Imperial Palace and the Kyoto Handicraft Center, traveling round-trip by train from Osaka. Enjoy impressive displays of the seasons at these landmarks, including cherry trees in full blossom in spring!
Your guide will pick you up from your selected hotel in the morning and accompany you to the Osaka railway station. Board the JR rapid service train for Kyoto and relax on the 30-minute ride to the former imperial capital. Upon arrival, you’ll disembark and begin your 6-hour tour of the city, where Japan’s emperors resided from 794 until 1868. Your comfortable coach delivers you to top attractions where you’ll hear expert commentary from your guide. Begin at Nijo Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site built in 1603 to house Tokugawa shoguns for more than two centuries. Observe the solemn appearance of the castle's massive gate and stone walls surrounded by a moat, in contrast with its decorative interiors painted in gold leaf. You’ll find fantastic photo opportunities in any season amid the garden’s plum and cherry tree groves. Note: When Nijo Castle is closed you’ll visit Ryoan-ji Temple instead. Next, walk around one of the world's most exquisite Japanese gardens at the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Kinkaku-ji Temple. View the revered Golden Pavilion before a visit to the Kyoto Imperial Palace. A residence of the imperial family until the capital was relocated to Tokyo in 1868, the palace clearly shows the Japanese taste for simplicity, purity and tranquility. You'll also view the Shishinden imperial state chamber where enthronement ceremonies took place. Note: When the Kyoto Imperial Palace is closed, the tour will visit Kitano Shrine (Kitano Tenman-gu) instead. This famous shrine, known as the god of study, has been designated a national treasure. Many people here pray for success in passing school entrance examinations by touching a statue of ‘Ushi-san’ (Mr. Cow), which represents scholarship. Enjoy a buffet lunch (own expense) and some shopping at the Kyoto Handicraft Center before your tour concludes with a return trip by JR rail back to Osaka Station, where you’ll make your own way back to your hotel.
Got to see a lot of stuff, I especially liked going to the Golden Pavilion. The trip was planned out very well and I had no issues figuring anything out because it was super easy to follow and understand.
Review by: Willliam R, November 2017
The tour guide was very knowledgeable and informative but we felt very rushed throughout the tour. The tour description stated that the tour included shopping at the Kyoto gift exchange and an optional lunch but when asked about this was informed that if we wanted to do this we were responsible for our own travel back to Osaka. We were very disappointed that the tour description was different then what we actually were offered. Because of this would not recommend this tour.
Review by: Michael Y, October 2017
Great Tour. Well organized and great value but that's Japan. A great way to see few nice spot of Tokyo get to go on the Bullet train. Great value as the 1 way bullet train cost alone is probably half of the tour cost. Lunch was good too as we opt to include lunch if you like Japanese food.
Review by: Luca C, October 2017
The inside of Nijo Castle was beautiful. Kyoto Imperial Palace was majestic. Kinkakuji Temple was amazing, the walk around the grounds was breath-taking.
Review by: Barbara G, August 2017
Place was serene and very beautiful. The gardens were beautiful
Review by: cywchar, July 2017
Very good tour. A guide met us at a hotel in Osaka and accompanied us on the JR Special Rapid train to Kyoto Station. At Kyoto Station we joined up with the tour guide and more participants in the Kyoto Morning Tour. The tour bus left from Kyoto Station. We took the morning tour on a Sunday morning. This was good as we were able to avoid the crowds at the three major attractions.
Review by: Rawdhah Saleh s, March 2017
This tour was amazing!
Review by: James T, February 2017
Although this was by design a short, half-day trip, it definitely covered some of the must see locales in Kyoto. Our itinerary had us staying in Osaka, but we were advised that Kyoto would provide some better sights and history, so we signed up for this trip, which had us take a bus to Kyoto and a train back--that said, we actually had a tour guide with us for the train back, so there were no issues finding our train which would have been relatively straightforward anyway--Japanese train stations can be daunting, but are well-signed with plenty of English-speakers to assist wayward travellers. All 3 specific locations visited were amazing, and the guide was extremely knowledgeable and spoke English fluently--a marvelous time!
Review by: Joseph L, February 2017
More drive by than tour
Review by: pjosh227, November 2016
Amazing!
Review by: Boon Kok C, September 2016
Efficient way to visit 3 places of interest in half a day with a very good and knowledge guide. Recommended for people with limited time but wants to visit these 3 places of interest
Review by: Brook T, July 2016
This tour was amazing!
Review by: jameshan2001, June 2016
This tour was amazing!
Review by: nari, June 2016
alot of people in our group. The tour guide stated they are behind schedule for some reason and was rushed at all the sights. Not sure why their problem has to inconvenience the customers. One tiny tour guide with 20 or more people and she walked really fast. You need to keep up literally fast pace walking to hear what she says. I dont even remember where we went to and saw. Waste of money I do not recommend this tour.
Review by: ALFREDO JR D, April 2016
our tour guide was very knowledgeable and accomodating
Review by: Rostyslav Y, February 2016
nice
Review by: Lourdes B, October 2015
This tour was very interesting and a must tour for people who have penchant for Japanese history. It was well organized, too.
Review by: GLENN L S, July 2015
I was disappointed that we were not able to visit Nijo Castle, although I understand the reason and the temple we did visit instead was very nice. I did not think our tour guide helped to enhance the tour experience. His descriptions were factual but not interesting.
Review by: Doroteia D, June 2015
Great tour from Osaka to Kyoto, we saw few temples including the golden pavilion, tour guide spoke very well English
Review by: Janet Lee T, June 2015
Comprehensive and complete trip. We were well taken care of.
Review by: Charles W, June 2015
We enjoyed this tour from beginning to end!_br/_
The tour employees were with us every step of the way._br/_
Their English was great. We understood everything they said._br/_
In hindsight we should have booked with Viator in Toyko_br/_
instead of the Holland America Cruise Line tour._br/_
It was very disappointing._br/_
Next time we will certainly look into the Viator tours first.
Review by: DINH P T, June 2015
Very good tour, take a lot of photos and beautiful day.
Review by: donaldducks, February 2015
Lots to see in the morning. Staff were friendly and informative. Very professional. Only problem was too little time at the 3 shrines.
Review by: Shiri B, January 2015
Unfortunately, the day in which we chose to do this tour - there was a significant train delay which meant that we needed to rush a lot. I think however the tour guide was brilliant - he was good to elaborate on the History of Kyoto and Japan as a whole which was very interesting however my friends and I felt it was rushed - I would have liked to have spend some more time in the Kinkakuji Temple - however the timing of the license obtained for the Imperial Palace prevented us from doing this. All in all - I would recommend this tour however, I think it may actually be possible to complete the exact same tour listed above far cheaper once you get to Osaka by using taxis for each of these places.
Review by: N M S G, December 2014
Great tour. The tour guide is very knowledgable and has a good sense of humor.
Review by: Nico, December 2014
Great tour. The tour guide is very knowledgable and has a good sense of humor.
Review by: paonilinchee, November 2014
Unfortunately we were not able to visit Imperial Palace due to scheduled closure._br/_
You should make an effort to inform your customers of this forseen incident, so as changes of date can be made. We missed 1/3 of the tour thus making this trip not so worth the money.
Review by: mimie, July 2014
Overall, very nice tour. I met the tour guide (first tour guide) at Granvia Hotel Osaka and later with a group of other tourists we took the JR train to Kyoto. At Kyoto, a coach was waiting for us, and we visited the Nijo Castle, a temple and Kyoto Imperial Palace. The whole trip was well-organized. The tour guide (second tour guide) at Kyoto explained everything clearly. Later at around 12:30pm, I was sent back to the hotel near Kyoto JR station, and the first tour guide took be back (by train) to Osaka. Thanks Viator!
Review by: Merry S, May 2014
Excellent itinerary and guide.
Review by: MARIO L L C, April 2014
Nice tour, kindly Guides, but the time is very short for those 3 visits.
Review by: SUI WAI K, March 2014
Great tour and excellent service by the guide.
Review by: Bryan C, January 2014
Very nice tour, the tour guide is very good.
Review by: Jason C, December 2013
Excellent tour guide, fantastic locations!!!
Review by: ELENI T, August 2013
Worth doing !!!
Review by: Elmer C, August 2013
On-time schedule and tour guide was very helpful. Good choice for a short tour of Kyoto
Review by: Maria Ana M, June 2013
My family and I is fully satisfied with this tour. Our guide is so helpful and always smiling. Our children learned a lot from this tour that they can share beautiful and memorable stories to their friends.
Review by: Penny O, December 2012
The tour was as described and was well planned. I enjoyed the tour guide and the other guests. The sites were beautiful and interesting.
Review by: Denise W, October 2011
Good tour. I went on a Saturday, so no Imperial Palace as advertised. I would choose a different day if I could. Overall a nice tour.
Review by: Mikhail K, January 2011
All was very good and worth of price paid. No negative comments.
Review by: Mikhail K, October 2010
All was very good and worth of price paid. No negative comments.
Review by: Cm_D, October 2010
Guides were on time, very friendly and accommodating. couldn't ask for more.
Review by: Cm_D, September 2010
Guides were on time, very friendly and accommodating. couldn't ask for more.
Review by: KAVIN SIM, September 2010
Great trip to major tourist attractions such as Imperial Palace, Nijo Castle and other tourist spots. Tour guid was caring and well trained with information pertaining to explaination of history of places we visited
Review by: Catherine C, Philippines, April 2010
We went to the Nishi Homanji Temple I don't know if this is the same as Kinkakuji Temple then to the Nijo Castle & finally the Golden Pavilion. We didn't go to the Imperial Palace. All these are Unesco Heritage sites & really worth seeing. Unfortunately, it rained the whole time we were there! and worse my shoes gave up on me and there was nowhere to buy a replacement except the Handicrafts Center which was the last stop of the tour! Imagine my predicament in the Golden Pavilion!
Review by: John R, February 2010
Our guide was very prompt and met us exactly where where we expected. The sites were very interesting, and we spent plenty of time at each site. Our guide was very friendly.
Review by: Aretina B, January 2010
The morning tour was great! I have no complaints about it.
Review by: MONIQUE D, January 2010
Mid August in Japan is awfully hot and humid; I suggest going at a better time of year. The tour sites were fantastic but there were too many on the tour. We had a hard time hearing anything from the back of the group. We still enjoyed the tour!
Review by: John R, United States of America, October 2009
Our guide was very prompt and met us exactly where where we expected. The sites were very interesting, and we spent plenty of time at each site. Our guide was very friendly.
Review by: Aretina B, United States of America, August 2009
The morning tour was great! I have no complaints about it.
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