Shore excursion: PrivateFull Day Kyoto Tour From Osaka/Kobe Port
Overview
Available languages
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Tour itinerary is designed based on hiring a car/van for 10 hours (JPY 120,000 for up to 5 pax, JPY 140,000 for up to 8 pax) cash payment on the day tour, cash to the driver) to provide ample time to visit Kyoto's most iconic cultural & historic landmarks, ensuring a comprehensive experience of the city's rich heritage.
This is a private tour, exclusively for your group-no mixed participants
Ideal for cruise ship guests, with guaranteed on-time return to port
Fully customizable itinerary to match your available time, interests & pace
Itinerary (Customizable):
08:00 Meeting at Osaka or Kobe port
10:00 Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
11:30 Kinkaku-ji temple
13:00 Nishiki Market- Lunch break
14:30 Pontocho and Gion area (Geisha district)
16:00 Fushimi Inari shrine
16:45 back to the port
18:00 Drop off in the port and tour finish
Additional Info
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
What To Expect
Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine
Known as Kyoto's most iconic shrine. Immerse yourself in the spiritual beauty of Fushimi Inari Taisha, famous for its thousands of vibrant vermilion torii gates winding through the forested slopes of Mount Inari. Explore hidden pathways, discover centuries-old shrines, and learn about the history and traditions of Japan's revered deity of prosperity and success. Perfect for culture enthusiasts, photographers, and first-time visitors, this experience offers an unforgettable journey through one of Kyoto's most celebrated landmarks.
Kinkakuji Temple
Discover the breathtaking beauty of Kinkaku-ji Temple, Kyoto's iconic Golden Pavilion, shimmering brilliantly against its serene pond backdrop. Stroll through the exquisite gardens, reflecting the harmonious blend of nature and artistry that defines this UNESCO World Heritage site. Perfect for culture enthusiasts and photographers, this tour promises an unforgettable glimpse into Japan's architectural splendor and tranquil elegance.
Options
Guiding and management fees
What‘s Included
Transportation cost is NOT included. Please carefully review the exclusions listed below.
Entrance fee - Kinkakuji Temple
Tour management, Tour guiding, Driver arrangement of pick up and drop off
Guide fees
Transportation cost: JPY 120,000 for up to 5 pax, JPY 140,000 up to 7 pax
If the start time is after 10 am, tour duration is shortened to 10 hours, or extra fee for driver
If the total tour duration is more than 10 hours, extra charge is required for the guide and the car
Personal Expenses
Gratuities are always appreciated but never expected (In case your experience was exceptional)
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
46 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Irish Kyoto Krew
Jacinta O,Jun 1, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00This was a fantastic day trip around Kyoto. The booking was easy and our contacts at Viator (John and Brent) were very quick to respond to my last minute request and organised a vehicle for 8 travellers and a guide at midnight the night before we needed it. The driver was very professional and his vehicle was excellent. The guide (Noriko) was incredible. She was local and very knowledgable and answered out plethora of questions. She took us to 5 different locations including temples, forrests, stunning waterfront locations and 2 different maket and local shopping locations. We were thrilled with our day and could not fault it.
One of our best guided tours in Japan.
pierrelabrie,Jun 1, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00A wonderfully beautiful day of visiting lasting about 10 hours, with an excellent French-speaking guide, Terry! The vehicle was impeccable. The guide was attentive to our preferences and areas of interest. Everything went as planned; the welcome, etc. We will highly recommend Terry to any visitor who wishes to explore Kyoto on foot, by bike, or by car.
Have Mariko introduce you to her city Kyoto
Samuel K,May 10, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00We were picked up by car and driven from Kobe to Kyoto for a full day tour. Our tour guide Mariko met us at the first location. Mariko was excellent. She was not native to Japan but had one parent that was Japanese. She was raised in Canada but had moved to Kyoto many years ago. She was fluent in both English and Japanese. Mariko's knowledge of Japan and the culture was excellent. She gave wonderful commentary and was able to answer all our questions. A highlight was exploring an arcade street (shotengai) which is a covered pedestrian shopping, eatery street. Mariko was able to teach us Japanese etiquette and point out interesting food stalls that she personally recommended. We had an appointment at 2:30 for a komono wearing and a tea ceremony and she got us to the appointment right on time. This tour was a mix of walking and transferring to different sites via car. This worked well and was time efficient.
We are on the Oceania in...
jeffheydt,May 3, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00We are on the Oceania in Japan and didn’t book a tour thru them , We waited for the last minute and went through Viator and found a last minute tour which turned out to be Fantastic, The guide was amazing she knew everything about Japan, Extremely knowledgeable, They supplied a great Driver with a nice spacious van as there were 4 of us, Was a long day but we saw probably more things than we would of seen if we took the tour thru the Ship, Plus much better Value, We would definitely use them again and recommend them to all , Much better experience than a Ship tour , Yes we did both and we can’t compare them, Viator is much better and professional
Best tour company
Laurie S,Apr 16, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Absolutely enjoyed working with Japan Experiences and Tour company. Abu and his team are 5 star and we really covered this area and got to experience the incredible cherry blossoms .
Don’t miss the 120000 yen on top of the price for the car.
Trudy R,Apr 15, 2026
- Review from Viator
3.00The guide was very good and the tour was excellent. However don’t make the same mistake I did about paying an additional 120000 yen for the car and driver. The tour organiser did not txt until it was too late to cancel the tour.
Fantastic Tour
Jane A,Apr 11, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.007 of us spent an amazing day with Ahmed in Kyoto. Prior to the trip communication was excellent and on the day our driver was right there when we got off the boat. Ahmed was so knowledgable about everywhere we visited, took great photos of our group and knew exactly where to take us to avoid crowds where possible. I cannot recommend this tour enough it was absolutely five star. Thank you Ahmed !
Lovely way to see the highlights
422cathyh,Apr 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a lovely day visiting many highlights of the Kyoto area. Yukari gave us so much information about Kyoto and each place we visited.
Outstanding Kyoto tour from Kobe Port
Marie J,Mar 31, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Fabulous excursion with our very knowledgeable guide! We visited several highlights including the Golden Pavillion, the Bamboo Forrest, and a spectacular Shinto Shrine! Very good English.
Kyoto with family
ALBERT T,Mar 20, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Ahmed was a fantastic guide. His English is perfect, and his knowledge of the sites visited was impeccable. The pace of the tour was perfect. He is very professional and conscientious. We highly recommend this tour.
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Operated by Japan Experiences and Tours