Home > Tokyo > Kyoto Rail Tour by Bullet Train from Tokyo
USD $384.00
Kyoto Rail Tour by Bullet Train from Tokyo
Tokyo, Japan
If you want to see the highlights of beautiful Kyoto but have limited time, zip there and back by bullet train (Shinkansen) on this full-day tour from Tokyo. See Mt Fuji from the train, then visit Kyoto highlights including Sanjusangen-do Hall, Heian Shrine and Kiyomizu-dera Temple on an afternoon city tour with an expert guide. Enjoy lunch upon arrival in Kyoto and transport by comfortable coach during the tour. Return to Tokyo on the evening bullet train to complete your excursion.
After early morning pickup at selected Tokyo hotels or the Hamamatsucho Bus Terminal, transfer to Tokyo Station where you catch the bullet train (Shinkansen) to Kyoto. As you look out of the train window on a clear day, catch sight of revered Mt Fuji. After a 2-hour journey, arrive at mid-day to Kyoto Station where your local guide welcomes you.
Enjoy a Western-style lunch at the New Miyako Hotel before beginning your afternoon city tour in Kyoto. After your meal, travel by comfortable coach to the spectacular Heian-jingu Shrine, a Shinto structure built in 1895 to commemorate the 1,100 year anniversary of the founding of Kyoto. The shrine's design reproduced the architecture of an Emperor’s palace from an earlier era. Outside, walk through the lush gardens next to a large pond.
Next, travel to Sanjusangen-do Temple and marvel at its long wooden structure. Walk inside and be amazed by the main deity of the temple, the Thousand Armed Kannon, who is flanked by 1,000 life-size Buddhist statues that date to the 12th and 13th centuries. Listen as your guide explains the history and significance of the stunning temple.
Afterward, head to the hills for great views over Kyoto and a visit to Kiyomizu-dera Temple, a temple with several magnificent buildings, situated on a hilltop. Hear from your guide about the amazing construction of the temple, which doesn't use any nails. Note the Otowa spring that flows under the temple’s main hall; legend says that anyone who sips its waters will be granted a wish.
After a full afternoon of sightseeing in Kyoto, your guide brings you to the train station in the evening for your return to Tokyo on the bullet train.
I was so very disappointed with this tour! I have been to Kyoto before and was excited to see it again and to share it's beauty with my family, instead we were rushed from one site to another and very little time to actually see anything. There were 3 sights total that we stopped at - 1st sight the shrine - we were given 30 minutes and that included the walk to and from bus 2nd sight temple - we had 40 min to get back to the bus 3rd sight we were given 1 hour - it was a long walk up the steps to the top of the shrine and an amazing view - there are many shops and restaurants along the way and a beautiful walking trail you could take down that wound around through several of the other buildings - no time for shopping, no time to stop and eat dinner, and we were told if we did the walking trail down we would have to hurry as the bus was not waiting.... _br/_ it ended up being a 13 hour day with 2 hours rushing through a few sights - I would NOT recommend this tour. You should definitely see Kyoto, but do a different tour. again - so disappointed!
Review by: Taloneast, December 2017
This was a great tour on the train. Definitely worth having reserve seats on the bullet train. The train hostess was spot on by saying we would be passing Mt Fuji at xx hour and yy minutes. Phenomenal views.
Review by: roger w, December 2017
A must! Perfect organisation, helpful guide Do not afraid, literally holding your hand and putting you to your seat at Shinkansen. The bullet train itself is already a big adventure! One of the best day of our Japan - tour. Kyoto must be visited anyway!
Review by: santapboy, November 2017
Our tour was great. Tour guide KC was very informative and entertaining.
Review by: Lucian I, November 2017
Well-organized, very friendly and professional guide!_br/_ Transferring to Kyoto with the Bullet Train, very comfortable and special, you can enjoy the beauties of the small villages on the train trail._br/_ The trip was in group, the targets visited in Kyoto very crowded._br/_ I can not recommend 100 this trip with departure from Tokyo, too much time lost with the transportation and organization of the group!
Review by: Ali C, November 2017
While it was great to get out of the city for a day, this tour wasn't what we were expecting. It would have been better to spend the night in Kyoto and go see each shrine without a guide. The guide was great for providing information, but we were very rushed and were only able to see 3 shrines. To be honest, after doing a few private tours, we just didn't realize we were going to be put with such a large group and it was difficult to enjoy everything that way.
Review by: Ivan N, November 2017
The whole experience was extraordinary, from the trip by bullet back-and-forth to the visit of the three the most exciting places in Kyoto. Special kudos to our guide whose name unfortunatelly I forgot. She was knowledable and entertaining. The only tiny objection my wife and I had was at the end of the trip when could happen that we could be transportet to the wrong hotel. Fortunatelly it didnt happen, so no damage was done.
Review by: lempakaya, November 2017
It was a fun day! We loved the bullet train. And Kyoto was spectacular. It was actually raining hard the day we went, and we still had a wonderful time. Very well organized, and the tour works hard to make sure you transfer properly from the train to the bus. All the tour guides were friendly and helpful. We appreciated that they set up a cab to take us back to our hotel at the end of the day without additional charge.
Review by: Carlos O, November 2017
Once you're there the sights are amazing, but there are so many people at the temples it's hard to hear the tour guide. There is a lot of down time. Lunch at the hotel is sub-par. By all means, take the green car or you will most likely not get a seat for the ride back to Tokyo.
Review by: Anne K, November 2017
enjoyed the bullet train but 1st class was not worth extra cost. no snacks or drinks unless you paid for them. Not much time in Kyoto but the Sanjusangendo Temple was awesome. Lunch was fun
Review by: rocio anabel M, October 2017
sunrise staff very kind, punctual in kyoto, coordination was perfect with train service
Review by: Jacqueline W, October 2017
Amazing tour! Kyoto is a great city and our tour guide was awesome. I wish we had more time there; if you can do the overnight tour to Kyoto I would recommend that.
Review by: JEANETTE S, October 2017
The bullet train experience was great. The organisation of the tour company in both Tokyo and Kyoto was good. However in saying that, the actual tour of Kyoto did not even start until 2.30pm and finished about 3 hours later. The guide was quite obviously not very fluent in English and so accent was very thick and very hard to understand. Even though we were picked up at around 8 am, the bullet train from Tokyo did not leave until 9.50 am takes around 2 1/2 hours We also waited for over an hour and a half for the train from Kyoto back to Tokyo. Did not get back to the hotel until around 10 pm at night, so this is a long day. Tour company paid for a taxi from Tokyo Station back to the hotel, so happy about that. Really should have stayed a night in Kyoto and seen more of the city as we understand there is so much to see there. Saw lots of ladies/gents dressed in their traditional geisha costumes while there which was great to see. The reason for the 3 stars, was the length of the actual Kyoto tour and the guide very hard to understand
Review by: Esra A, October 2017
This tour was amazing... I am strongly recommended... all stuff is very helpfull and smiley face. Lunch was wonderful also rute was really fantastic
Review by: CUC THI N, October 2017
Very beautiful Kyoto , the company of the tour take good care everybody , a lot of sight seeing , lunch at Kyoto was very good , the tour guide right at the door when you step out of the train , the tour done very late and they have taxi take us straight to the hotel , no worry if you travel by yourself. Excellent Japan tour ! Love it .
Review by: Kelli B, October 2017
This excursion was a MUST! The guides were so wonderful, helping everyone navigate from hotel lobby, bus station to train stations to changing stations. First time in Tokyo so the train station would have been confusing. KC was our guide and he moved us along quickly and we didn't loose anyone! The train was something my husband looked forward to most but we enjoyed the entire day!
Review by: glen.lathrop, October 2017
The local operator Sunrise Tours was excellent. They got a whole group of us through the Tokyo Station at the height of rush hour and on to the right train. They made sure everyone got on the right car the right seat. They were amazing. When the tour arrived in Kyoto agents again were right there standing by our car. They constantly kept an eye on everyone. My only negative comment is that Kyoto is so wonderful I suggest people plan more time. On this tour you take the train in the morning and you tour in the afternoon. I would suggest people take this tour spend the night and then take the morning tour the next day and then take the train back to Tokyo. I think there were 8 different people working on this tour at various places along the way and they all were excellent.
Review by: Paul P, October 2017
Very organized and helpful guides to get you to and onto the train and bus. Kyoto tour guide very knowledgeable. Delicious buffet lunch in Kyoto. Taxis organized to take you right to the hotel on return to Tokyo
Review by: Katrina H, September 2017
We didn't have much time in Japan so this was an ideal way to see more of the country. It was a great opportunity to travel by Shinkansen to Kyoto and see the highlights of such a pretty place.We had a view of Mt Fuji on the way.We visited 3 historic temples/ shrines._br/_ The tour was really well organised from meeting us at our pickup point , to taxis to take us home at the end of the day. The lunch which was included was very good.Our guide in Kyoto was very knowledgable , full of energy and had good English.It took around 12 hours from Tokyo return but was certainly worth it.
Review by: Natalia K, September 2017
I planned to visit Kyoto as one of the most visited destionations of the world :-_br/_ What did I see? A crowdly big city, the charm is lost by numerious tourists :-_br/_ Kamakura is less known and I advice you this small town if you want to discuver a real Japan :-
Review by: Roy G, September 2017
Too long of a day with over 4 hours of it sitting in a first class train seat. No observation car. No dining car. Nice lunch in Kyoto. Two of the three shrines were interesting but at the last shrine I was unable and unwilling to climb as much as was required just to get to the entrance. Once again, all tour guides knowledgeable, friendly and helpful.
Review by: Anthony K, September 2017
Great trip - wish we had more time to explore
Review by: Michelle W, August 2017
From start to finish this tour was terrific. So well organised and wonderful guides. Kyoto was amazing as was the bullet train.
Review by: Doris, August 2017
We only had a few days in Tokyo so bullet train is a must, enjoyed the trip and the lunch, lovely
Review by: charles_lubrido, August 2017
Do the tour yourself. You spend 1/2 the day waiting to join up with other tours that started in Kyoto in the morning.
Review by: Chris F, May 2017
good tour but my only complaint was at the break neck pace it was at. I guess you need to go on that pace since it is a day trip. The guides were great and informative but this tour makes for a long day. Still, if you do not have a lot of time i did not this is probably your best option to see Kyoto.
Review by: Charles H, May 2017
THis tour was well worth the money. We were moved to each point by experts who got us there safely. The train ride added to the day. THe city of Kyoto was beautiful.
Review by: hawi, May 2017
Very organize,5 starts for Mrs yuki
Review by: Rosemary S, May 2017
A good day but long day . The Japanese staff are very efficient and it all goes like clockwork. The time in Kyoto was limited . It is a very expensive tour . I would suggest you provide a bento box lunch to have on the train we wasted too much time at lunch and missed out on the old part . The tour guide was excellent and patient . What was very annoying was we waited at 3 points / stops for late people hence wasted. 25 minutes of time waiting for ignorant people . The time wasted cut short our tour time . Don't go in golden week it's very crowded city .
Review by: Tony E, April 2017
Great tour! Initial booking was a problem as we booked on short notice and put questions in the comments section about seating. The response we received was a rejection of our booking one day before the tour. Turns out that since they could not accommodate our request to be seated on the right side of the train, instead of answering our question, our booking got rejected. Once we rebooked everything turned out fine. They even seated us in first class even though we booked regular seating presumably because they may have ran out of space when they received our second booking?. They led us through the labryinth of train stations and had guides take us from point to point making us feel safe and taken care of the entire time. Upon return they arranged for taxis to take us back to our own hotel instead of the hotel gathering point. Due to all of the travel time, the time actually at the tourist attractions is very brief, but for a day trip to Tokyo I guess that is to be expected. Awesome tour group would definately use them again.
Review by: Richard E, April 2017
It was good that they pickup and drop off from the hotel. No need to worry about transportation end to end._br/_ Lunch in Kyoto was a disappointing western style meal and used up too much valuable trip time._br/_ The temples we saw were great. I wish we had more time at some of them._br/_ The staff was friendly and helpful.
Review by: James B, April 2017
We were really excited about this trip as we had never been on a bullet train. That was an experience in itself. The trains run on time and there are a couple of stops, but they only last a minute. Kyoto deserves more time than the three or so hours you have to visit three shrines and I would probably recommend at least an overnight stay. Our guide on this tour was a little quirky and it may have been that we were moving so fast from site to site. The area at the last shrine we visited was very commercialized and you have to climb a hill lined with shops to get to it. If you are not into shrines, this may not be your trip. If you enjoy the history and art that are represented, then you will enjoy it.
Review by: Yuri H, April 2017
Yoshi are guide is and #34;A-M-A-Z-I-N-G and #34;! He is a wealth of information and has a great sense of humor. He went above and beyond duty. I would only recommend this tour if your in great shape and an keep up with a rapid pace. I saw people struggling to keep up.
Review by: veeseebee, April 2017
There was a lot of ground covered for this tour. JTB Sunrise Tours were very thorough in getting us and the others who also joined this tour from our respective hotels to the correct transport, and train station. The Shinkansen bullet train ride was incredible clean, smooth, and very relaxing. The only disappointing factor was it felt rushed. While the visits to the shrine and two temples were wonderful to see, there was only really approx. 45 minutes to visit each place before needing to get back to the guide/transport. I think omitting one of the temple sites and gaining more time in Kyoto itself would make this tour more relaxing.
Review by: Diane B, March 2017
I enjoyed my tour to Kyoto. The tour guides are extremely friendly and knowledgeable. Lunch was very good at the hotel. My only complaint was that it seemed a bit rushed to get all three temples in to the visit. I would definitely do it again, but stay the night in Kyoto to not feel as rushed. If you only have the one day, this tour is perfect. You really do see a lot and it is great value for the money.
Review by: tonyghiggins, March 2017
The 1000 statues are worth going for alone, the bullet train was great, the tour guide was interesting and funny. I know we had seat assignments, so could not change the train time coming back, but if there was someway of being flexible so we could of caught an earlier train that would be awesome.
Review by: dpvo29, February 2017
Half day tour after getting off the train and you miss the golden pagoda. You really need a full day in Kyoto to get the highlights.
Review by: benny_garcia, February 2017
Train ride was great. Overall great tour.
Review by: Teresa T, February 2017
Very helpful staff. Tour guide was knowledgeable. A lovely way to see Kyoto when you don't have a lot of time.
Review by: Matthew G, February 2017
Great organized tour. They always had someone making sure you were taken care of from hotelnpickup to transfer to the train station to getting everyone on the train, meeting the train at Kyoto to lunch to the local guide. The only issue was getting everyone back in the train to go back to Tokyo.
Review by: Stuart B, January 2017
Very well organized, pick up at local hotel bullet train tickets at the ready... escorted to the train to ensure you get in at the right carriage, the night has to be the 2.15min on the train seeing the lay of the land... no delays as the bullet had its own dedicated line... either over a road or under no crossing.. well and truly worth the price for the whole day out. Stuart
Review by: francoise s, January 2017
Here again, a superb tour, well organized from the hotel pickup back to the hotel...Nothing left to chance! You will not get lost...._br/_ I would recommend only the visit of other temples than the ones we saw. Overall, a great time.
Review by: Zoe M, January 2017
Could have spent more time visiting temples rather than being given shopping opportunities i.e we had over an hour and a half after seeing temples to shop while waiting for the train back to Tokyo. Guides were helpful and informative.
Review by: michaeldeegan, January 2017
excellent and informative tour of Kyoto. Bullet train ride from Tokyo was excellent way to see a lot of the countryside.
Review by: barrie.slee, January 2017
Amazing day out and incredibly well organised from start to finish- great sights lovely lunch tour guides were all excellent_br/_ The Bullet train is incredible - smooth and efficient
Review by: William B, January 2017
Staff were very nice. Excellent food for lunch.
Review by: Job R, January 2017
Not worth it. Too much time wasted before getting the tour started. True time at the three sites and travel in betweem them is very little. 3 hours and 15 minutes to be exact. My wife and I felt robbed.
Review by: JANE W, January 2017
This tour was a little boring because of all the hanging around. More time spent on the bus than on seeing sights. Lunch took too long and was disappointing. There was a lot of hanging around waiting at the beginning, after lunch and before the trip home. The last visit was fantastic but we were only there for an hour of a potential five hour trip. There were too many people on the trip too-- so hanging around for many people to get on a bus. The tour guide was nice - buut not great sadly.
Review by: Cynthia C, December 2016
Doing Kyoto in one day was a ridiculous assumption. It was not worth the 2-hours there and 2-hours back on the train, only to see 3-temples. And one of those was a huge tourist trap!
Review by: Farooha, December 2016
loved all the shrines and temples i visited in Kyoto
RSS Feed