Home > Tokyo > Kyoto and Nara 2-Day or 3-Day Rail Tour by Bullet Train from Tokyo
USD $612.00
Kyoto and Nara 2-Day or 3-Day Rail Tour by Bullet Train from Tokyo
Tokyo, Japan
Leave Tokyo on the bullet train to visit the heritage-filled cities of Kyoto and Nara, staying overnight in Kyoto, on your choice of a guided 2-day or 3-day excursion. Visit Nara’s many gorgeous temples and shrines on the first afternoon, then have a full-day tour of Kyoto’s highlights on the second day. Have the option of a second night in Kyoto, with the third day free to explore the city further. Return trip by bullet train to Tokyo and hotel transfer is included on both tours.
Choose from the 2-day or 3-day tours of Kyoto and Nara, which include all transportation; accommodation in Kyoto at your choice of a first class or tourist class hotel; a professional guide to show you the sights during the day; evenings free to spend as you choose; and lunch on the first and second days. Ask your friendly guide or hotel staff for recommendations of where to find other great meals.
Have the option to return to Tokyo late on the second day or remain in Kyoto for one more day, the choice is up to you depending on whether you choose a 2-day or 3-day tour. Please note, you will be taken to the train station to catch your bullet train but the guide will not accompany you on the train journeys. You will be met in both Tokyo and Kyoto for transfer between your hotel and the train.
Both the 2-day and 3-day options are detailed in the Itinerary below. Note that Day 1 and the daytime portion of Day 2 are the same for both tours.
This was really an excellent tour. We saw a lot and it was extremely well organized:_br/_ Pros: 1. You are picked up from your hotel we were at the Keio Plaza and brought to the Tokyo train station by the tour guide who places you on the train with your group. Seats are assigned so no rushing to get a good seat. _br/_ 2. As soon as you exit the train you are told to just stay put. There was someone already there to pick us up, bring us to lunch and then direct us to the tour bus. Lunch was excellent. Then the afternoon tour begins. There is no possibility of getting lost._br/_ 3. The first tour is to Nara. The large Buddha is amazing. You can actually go inside of it. A trip to Kasuga Taisha Shrine and seeing and feeding the free roaming sacred deer is amazing. _br/_ 4. We stayed at the Kyoto Hotel Okura which provided excellent breakfast buffet and excellent room and service._br/_ 5.The 2nd day was also well organized. The castle, Gold Pavilion and Imperial Palace were amazing._br/_ 6. Having the 3rd day on our own was a bonus. We took cabs to the Monkey Park, the Gian District and the thousands of traditional gates that make up the Fushimi Inari Shrine on the outskirts of Kyoto, Japan. Cabs are not as expensive in Kyoto. We had plenty of time to get back to the hotel and be escorted to the train and then to our hotel in Tokyo. _br/_ 7. This tour was well worth the price considering that bullet train and hotel and all entrance fees as well as lunch are included._br/_ Cons: 1. If you stay at the Okura hotel breakfast will be extra. The breakfast buffet though is delicious._br/_ 2. Wear your broken in comfortable shoes because you will be doing a lot of walking._br/_ Overall an excellent tour and I would highly recommend it.
Review by: Enrique R, March 2018
Amazing tour, great accommodation, the tour guides were very friendly and helpful. _br/_ The tour is really complete, the main stops are awesome. I strongly recommend it.
Review by: ss, February 2018
The 2-Day tour to Kyoto and Nara was amazing. Very well organized. I highly recommend to take this tour!
Review by: Hal P, December 2017
What was impressive about the tour was how well it was organized. Every event was on time with well spoken informative guides who were friendly, polite and personable. While popular shrines and temples were visited that would be in travel guides, the tour provided the ability to see sights in a short period of time that you would probably be able to do on your own. If it is your first visit to Japan, personalized guidance to the Bullet Train departure platforms as well as local trains if you are staying outside of Tokyo is provided at all destinations. Any of the hotels offered standard, traditional Japanese or luxury is perfectly acceptable. This tour is highly recommended,
Review by: Denise C, November 2017
Very well organized tour. Guides were very good.
Review by: MATTEO V, October 2017
What an amazing Tour...Saw beautiful places and experienced the bullet Train....Recommend it to all
Review by: Peter K, October 2017
We had a really good time. A very well organised and planned 2 days - all went like clockwork. Trains buses etc all worked very well. The stay in the New Miyako Hotel was perfectly good and very convenient - positioned right by the station with its many food and drink facilities - really useful for the evening after the day 1 tour. First day we had no issues at all - a good lunch in previously mentioned hotel, and a good tour to Nara with good guides. Second day consisted of two good separate tours to various parts of Kyoto - one morning and one afternoon tour. However, between these two tours we felt we were 'abandoned' with over two hours to fill at a small craft centre which was near to nothing else in town, and which was pretty limited in entertainment value. The included lunch both Western and Japanese food at the craft centre was of very poor quality, totally cold, and in somewhat downmarket surroundings and definitely not befitting what was a fairly expensive tour. It did take the shine off an otherwise great experience and much enjoyed couple of days.
Review by: david n, September 2017
Well organised, guides good but difficult to understand, interesting sights, accomodation good._br/_ Maybe a little rushed.
Review by: Nancy B, August 2017
This trip was fabulous from beginning to end. The tour company took care of every detail including putting us on the Bullet Train in Tokyo, meeting us on the platform in Kyoto and reversing this process to get us back again. This attention to all the details allowed us to enjoy the beauty of the countryside and the splendors of Kyoto because they took very good care of us. We would take this tour again. Loved it.
Review by: mer3448, July 2017
This tour was amazing!
Review by: manuel gerardo l, June 2017
excelent
Review by: Elise R, April 2017
The local tour operator for Viator on this tour was wonderful in moving the people smoothly from Tokyo to Kyoto and back via the bullet train. They are very organized for logistics every day of the tour. But while actually touring in Kyoto and Nara, you are combined in a big tour bus of about 40 people to view the sights, With one guide who often speaks to only the closest 5 - 10 people, it is not the most intimate experience. If you don't like large groups, from all ethnic backgrounds which is interesting, but often include tourists who need to be taking selfies constantly, this may not be the tour for you. But if you want a really organized tour that gets you from Tokyo to Kyoto and Nara and back and to many of the most important sights including the bullet train experience, this tour does all the work for putting this together for you. We stayed at the New Miyako hotel, which has nice sized rooms for Japan, is extremely conveniently located by Kyoto Station and had a very helpful staff.
Review by: Rajan B, January 2017
Very nice arrangements
Review by: Rajan B, January 2017
Excellent
Review by: atirado, January 2017
Great way to get to know the city and buy Japanese ceramics...
Review by: anne, November 2016
Very well organized. My accommodations were great. The guide was very good with a great sense of humor. I would recommend this as a good way of seeing Kyoto and the neighboring area.
Review by: Baxy, October 2016
Brilliant trip, all very well arranged. Kyoto and Nara are very crowded tourist destinations so good to have planned visits. Some guides were better than others! Transfers all worked well. All things Japanese are very punctual and efficient.
Review by: HENRY C, September 2016
My wife and I really enjoy our two days visit to Kyoto and Nara, the staff and tour guides are very knowledgeable, and we have learned a great deal about their culture, expecailly the Japanese hotel we stay in, what an experience.
Review by: Frederick F, September 2016
Good tour. Great Hotel in Kyoto
Review by: Neale C, September 2016
This was the best tour we have ever taken. The escorted service from Hotel lobby to train to tour to hotel and then escorted all the way back just so good. We saw everything we wanted to see and experienced Japanese culture.
Review by: RON S, August 2016
great trip - wonderful things to see - well organized
Review by: William C, July 2016
1. Time to arrive at the waiting station was not consistent. The time on the confirmation letter told us to be there at 8:15am but the time on the website indicated 9:10am_br/_ 2. Confusion on tour company name. When we booked we saw the name Viator but when the greeter picked us up she indicated that she was from Sunrise_br/_ 3. The greeter was very friendly and knowledgeable
Review by: William C, July 2016
This tour was amazing!
Review by: tcurini2, June 2016
This tour was amazing!
Review by: Carlos A C, June 2016
Very friendly and attentive staff , babysitting you all the way to the train seat !! Kyoto experience very nice !
Review by: Perikala vijayananda K, June 2016
Very well organized, we have no problems, guides were excellent, helpful, obedient,very well taken care of us,forgotten their names.
Review by: Edouard V, April 2016
If you want to see and experience the traditional Japanese way of live, you have to get out of Tokyo. Kyoto was spared during WW2 so a lot of the architecture and culture has remained untouched. It is quite a delight. Also, we stayed in a Japanese style hotel which was both enjoyable and an eye opening experience in itself. Again, our guides we experienced and knowledgeable. The 2 day trip is 50 less than the 3 day trip and we found the price a little steep. But definitely a worthwhile excursion.
Review by: Prabhsaran S, April 2016
Great tour very organized. The tour guides were funny and kept you engaged. Be prepared it can be tiring especially if your not used to walking. But that and #39;s Japan for you. You can be dropped off to a specific place during the tour upon request. Must do. Highly recommend it.
Review by: James S, February 2016
Really Great guides lots of history, hotels and food wnderful! Superior organization at every turn!
Review by: David P, January 2016
Excellent organisation throughout - train, hotel and tours - with very informative and friendly guides. We especially want to thank our guide on the Kyoto sightseeing day for his excellent and enthusiastic presentation - he made it all come to life!
Review by: esdok, January 2016
Very organized . Enjoyed the trip.
Review by: Jody B, January 2016
It was excellent, however we didn't like our hotel. Very over rated, small and dark and limited restaurant choices especially for breakfast. Would never recommend. Good guides
Review by: leigh m, December 2015
hello Viator_br/_ I highly recommend this 3 day rail tour all transfers where very easy -- the pick up was on time and the tour staff walked us to the station up onto the platform and waited till the train arrived excellent service
Review by: wolfe.connie, December 2015
This was a fantastic, highly organized tour. If you are afraid to go to a new place because of the language barrier like I was, this guided tour is an excellent option. We added the third day in Kyoto. Once we learned our way around with the tour group, we were able to successfully get to the Kyoto Bamboo Grove and to an area just east of Nijo Castle to see some art exhibitions. I would book a tour with them again if heading to another country!
Review by: George G, November 2015
This was an excellent tour for us from Tokyo prior to our cruise. We had two nights in Kyoto with a half day tour of Nara, including the fascinating deer park, when hundreds of tame deer greet the visitors. You can pet or feed them as you like. The second day includes key sites in Kyoto like the Golden Pavilion, Nijo Castle, ancient Imperial Palace. After an excellent lunch, we visited Sanjusangen-do Temple and its 1001 Buddas, which is a must see in Kyoto. Also, two more temples, including the Kiyomizu-dera Temple with great views of the city. The third day we visited the Silver Pavilion and did the Philosopher's Path that day with more great sites to see. We stayed at the New Miyako Hotel, which was nice with a great location across the street from the main rail station. Great tour, highly recommend it. Japanese tour company was excellent.
Review by: hortense h, October 2015
This tour was great, the guides were good, especially mickey and yuki.
Review by: JT, September 2015
No hotel pickup even though we were staying within minutes of Shinjuku and a clutch of big name hotels and Tokyo's largest rail station was definitely a disappointment but the bullet train and arrangements to get there were well made. Hotel in Kyoto Okura was excellent and the arrangements for food were very good. There was just too many temples and shrines for two days plus the bullet train.
Review by: Mika T, August 2015
Really nice 2-day tour to experience Kyoto and Nara. Everything is made really easy for the traveller. We stayed in New Miyako Hotel in Kioto which was really nice. Even when we get back to Tokyo Eki, there was private luxury taxi arrenged to us to get to our Hotel in Shinjuku. Highly recommended, worth every penny.
Review by: rlafaille, August 2015
Not very pleased. We thought we had a 2 day your. It turned out to be touring for 2 days. Changing busses and guides for every event, Having to schlep our luggage everywhere. Would not recommend at all. The hotel room was great, the service at the restaurant in the hotel was bad, we walked out.
Review by: Brian M, August 2015
Very well planned and thought out. Every staff member and guide was very professional. All the guides were extremely knowledgable. You definitely get to see a lot on the tours. I was almost templed out by the end of my trip!
Review by: Soheila S, July 2015
Staff was great. Only the Kyoto morning guide was not good.his accent was really bad and he told too many none sense stories unrelated to our world. Really boring. I was ready to tell him to shut up. Loved the pickup and attention. The hotel in Kyoto was great. I think the Nara tour was lame. Not enough time there.
Review by: Francine M, June 2015
Great trip nice hotel nice people
Review by: Melanie H, June 2015
A great tour and extremely enjoyable. The only thing I would have done differently is stayed an extra day or two in Kyoto as I would have love to see more of this beautiful city. New Miyako Hotel was very nice and the tour staff have a desk in the front lobby. They went above and beyond by guiding me to my seat in the Shinkansen and meeting me on the platform upon arrival both ways. Additionally, when I arrived in Tokyo, I was escorted to a pre-paid taxi and dropped off directly at my hotel, which was not on the hotel pick-up list. It was a very nice surprise!
Review by: David S, June 2015
A bit rushed at times but a very enjoyable visit. The hotel was excellent and all of the transportation was first rate. Not clear on your site was the fact that not only did we have hotel pick-up but Sunrise also provide taxi return to our hotel back in Tokyo.
Review by: Neal, May 2015
Very organized from hotel pickup to drop off. Delicious lunches. Their Japanese sub-contractors were the height of courtesy, foresight, and knowledge. We had minor issues with traffic in Kyoto however they made accommodations to honor their commitments. Truly first class.
Review by: Chun Yee P, May 2015
This tour is amazing!nice hotel and nice place.all inclusions in tour details are provided.
Review by: fourmurrays, April 2015
Tour of Kyoto was exceptional. We were lucky enough to have the same tour guide for the morning and afternoon tours and he was very informative and was very organized. We were able to hear him even when there were competing tours right next to us. Lunch in Kyoto at The New Miyako Hotel was very good.
Review by: Diana L, March 2015
This tour its a must! It was fantastic we were able to go to kyoto the 1st day and saw beatiful temples, then the second day we went to nara.
Review by: Gary C, March 2015
The tour is quite nice but the return trip to Tokyo should depart earlier so that you can arrange dinner plans in Tokyo. The return train trip should depart at 4:30 p.m. instead of 6:15 p.m. Shorten the tour by 2 hours on the last day.
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