Breathtaking Kyoto & Nara: Golden Temples & Sacred Deer Day Tour
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Begin your day from VIP Lounge in Osaka or Kyoto. Your journey begins in Nara, Japan’s ancient capital. Discover the beauty of Nara Park, a historic landmark reflecting the city’s timeless charm. Continue to Todai-ji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site, home to the 15-meter Great Buddha inside the world’s largest wooden structure. Next, immerse yourself in the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. Walk amidst towering stalks and feel the tranquil atmosphere as sunlight filters through the grove. Free time for lunch (note: location may shift to Fushimi Inari depending on traffic). Continue to Kinkaku-ji Temple, also known as the Golden Pavilion. Admire its gold-leaf exterior and serene garden. Finally, visit the world-famous Fushimi Inari Shrine, with its thousands of vermilion torii gates up Mount Inari. Each gate represents a prayer for prosperity and safety, creating one of Japan’s most iconic sights. At day’s end, return to Osaka or Kyoto.
Reviews
Reviews and Rating (Tripadvisor)
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Reviews by Tripadvisor travelers
Nerissa Dolor Q, 10/1/2025 2:30:27 AM
I joined this group tour as a solo traveler. The itinerary is good when you have only few days to stay in Japan. Our tour guide Harry is very friendly and approachable. I enjoyed this tour a lot because we had enough time to explore each and tourist spots that we visited. Highly recommended for all travelers.
TimTamGirl, 9/29/2025 3:04:08 AM
This tour was well planned and included all the highlights needed to get a taste of the main tourist attractions that can often be hard to get to on public transport. Mike was our guide and along with the awesome driver we were always on time and had plenty of exploration time at each spot. We loved the Shabu-shabu lunch too! Do yourself a favour and book this tour!
Voyage68542978562, 9/2/2025 4:34:58 AM
This was a fun way to squeeze Kyoto in a day. The guide, Mike, was very knowledgeable and kept a loose leash which I appreciated. Many of the tourists in our bus had been to Japan before. I wanted to show my boyfriend Kyoto and turn my brain off. Once we got to a destination, he would give us a quick rundown and tell us when/where to be back. This helped feel like we were there on our own. If I come back with friends (who haven’t been) I would do this tour again.
I8822RGjudyh, 8/9/2025 9:06:22 PM
Great cultural sites, plenty of time to see and experience different shrines and traditions!!! Our tour guide, Nick-San, was awesome who took time to get to know people and engage in friendly conversations! Love the Kobe beef shabu shabu! So delicious and worth the price! If walking is an issue for you, be cautious to sign up as there are a lot of walking on this tour! Also, the deers are so docile WHEN you don’t have the food that they want, which are crackers sold by the vendors. Deers will bite if you have the crackers they want! So don’t buy too much crackers if you don’t want to get bitten! Suggest to buy a little bit at a time.
Phala_C, 7/22/2025 10:16:04 AM
It was a nicely paced tour with four stops. The guide was great! With brief information and directions, we were able to go off on our own.
James_B, 7/12/2025 11:41:49 AM
Tour guide Garry is an absolute legend. He isn’t worth his weight in gold, he is worth 10x it!! The guy knows everything and is always willing to go well above good customer service. He truly made the tour a very memorable and lovely day. Cannot express my gratitude to tour guide Garry enough! All the best, James
Matias_V, 7/5/2025 6:24:33 AM
Very nice tour, visiting multiple places in one day. The kobe beef lunch experience is a must from those departing from Osaka.
Nomad36958301726, 7/5/2025 5:58:47 AM
Great experience with Nick. He is very knowledgeable, funny, kind and caring. We had an awesome day visiting Nara and beautiful temples in Kyoto. Thumbs up!!
Storyteller560656, 7/5/2025 5:46:41 AM
The tour was very good. Our guide, Nick was funny, considerate and helpful. We enjoyed Nara Park, temples in Kyoto and Arashiyama bamboo forest. It was extremely hot and a large group but Nick and our driver did an amazing job managing times. If you don’t have a lot of time in Kyoto this is an excellent way to see the main attractions.
Nancy_W, 6/17/2025 12:33:53 AM
This is a good tour that covers great spots. The Kobe beef lunch is outstanding! This tour is on a large bus; there is some explanation about the sites before you arrive at each destination. But when you get to the locations, you are left to wander on your own. If you like that, this is a good tour for you. If you prefer to learn more about the places you choose to visit, choose a privately-guided small tour. Also, if you are on a cruise, be aware that the return time may not be accurate. Based on the schedule listed, we thought we would be back in plenty of time to get back to our ship before “all aboard” time. As we prepared to go to the last site, we asked the guide when he anticipated we would get back to Osaka. It would be more than an hour later than the latest estimate on the website. We ended up having to leave the tour there and take a taxi back to Osaka from Kyoto…an expensive turn of events to get us back to the ship on time.
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- The tour schedule may change without prior notice due to weather, road traffic conditions, and other unforeseen reasons. (There might be delays in returning to the designated location. If the tour is cancelled by the supplier due to extreme weather or natural disaster, you will receive a full refund.
- This tour will depart regardless of weather or traffic conditions, unless you are notified otherwise by the local operator. Trip Advisor / Viator and your local tour operator will not be responsible for itinerary changes due to unforeseen circumstances.
- Depending on the number of participants, English and Chinese commentary might be given in the same bus.
- Infants under 3 years old are free of charge without seat. If a seat is required, please book with children's price
- Please arrive 10 minutes before at your selected meeting point, as your assigned bus & guide will be based on that specific location. The guide has a list of participants for each bus & may not be able to accommodate guests who arrive at a different meeting point. Late arrival or arrival at the wrong location will miss the tour, & refund won't be issued. If you'd like to change your meeting point or unsure about the meeting point, pls notify us at least 2 days before departure for assistance.
- The bus will be departing on time (no exception).
- Please adhere to the scheduled time. We are unable to accommodate delays or wait for any reason. The tour will depart promptly as scheduled to respect all customers' time.
- In case of late arrival or arrival at wrong location, regardless of contact prior to the departure time, refunds may not be granted.
- Please check the photo in the product page & scan the QR code for the meeting point reference.
- Contact # may not be responsive outside of business hours, 9:30am~6pm JST (weekdays only)
- Regarding luggage, we allow one piece of luggage per person during the excursion. Please also ensure that the luggage is manageable and fits comfortably within our vehicle. (The maximum size for luggage stored in the trunk should not exceed a total of 155cm- combined height, width, and depth.) Please also be aware that any items stored in the trunk will not be accessible in between stops on the tour, so keep all valuables with you.
- In general, we do not send out confirmation emails prior to departure. If you would like more information or need to clarify something, please contact us and we will send you the relevant details.
- Upon arrival, please confirm your name with the guide or staff on the participant list.
Departure point
VIP Lounge Kyoto near AEON Mall (08:50 Meet-up/09:00 Departure) Add: 601-8417, Kyoto, Minami Ward, Nishikujo Toriiguchicho, 6−番地 1F Exit Kyoto Station from Hajicho West Exit (八条西口). There is a VIP LINER Bus stop sign in front of VIP Lounge Kyoto.Redemption
Tour schedules are subject to change due to local traffic conditions/unforeseen circumstances. Meeting Points: Osaka VIP Villa Namba Departure (Meeting Time: 07:50／Departure Time: 08:00) 3-minute walk from subway Midosuji Line Namba Station Exit 7. Kyoto VIP Lounge Departure (Meeting Time: 09:00／Departure Time: 09:10) 5min walk from Kyoto Station Hachijonishiguchi Exit (Hachijo West Exit). Note: Kobe Beef Meal option is for Osaka Departure only. ※Please check the photo in the product page & scan the correct QR code of your chosen meeting point. If you wish to get off at Kyoto/Osaka, please kindly let us know beforehand. Kindly verify your meeting point in advance and arrive 10-15 minutes before the departure time. Please adhere to the scheduled time, as we cannot accommodate delays or wait for any reason. The tour will depart promptly as scheduled to respect everyone’s time. Refunds will not be issued for no show, late arrivals or arrivals at the wrong location, even if contact is made prior to departure. In general, we do not send out confirmation emails prior to departure. If you would like more information, please notify us at least 2 days before departure for assistance. Contact number may be unavailable outside business hours (Mon–Fri, 9:30AM–6:00 PM JST).24 hours before travel date - 100% refund
Less than 24 hours before travel date - 0% refund