Kyoto's Golden Legacy: Imperial Palace & Kinkaku-ji Morning
Price From $60.17 per person
Lowest Price Guarantee
This tour is recommended for those traveling to Kyoto for the first time. Visit popular sightseeing spots efficiently, all before noon! This tour is accompanied by a National Government Licensed English Guide Interpreter. Visit the World Heritage Site of Nijo Castle. The impressive, elaborate carvings and decors in the Ninomaru Palace are a must-see. Visit Kinkaku-ji Temple, with its beautiful golden Shariden (a building in which Buddha's ashes are enshrined), and see its elegantly beautiful garden. See the Kyoto Imperial Palace, which was used as the Emperor's residence until about 150 years ago.
Reviews
Reviews and Rating (Tripadvisor)
5 stars
Reviews by Tripadvisor travelers
ravenm999, 10/21/2025 4:43:55 AM
Had an excellent time seeing more sights of Kyoto! It was good to go in the off season, as the crowds were not thick, and we were able to take our time with the golden pagoda, the imperial palace, and the shogunate castle. Our tour guide Keicy, was very helpful, kind, and energetic! He taught us so much about the context and history, and was very funny and gave recommendations for other things to do and see!
Boholano1, 10/21/2025 4:40:07 AM
Our guide Momo-san was excellent As a Japanese local, Momo-san provided a lot of insight at all the sites we visited in the morning. She was always mindful of how everyone was keeping up and made sure to provide alternate walking options. A lot of history and background information of our sites visited was shared with us.
SnuggeBunny, 10/17/2025 11:17:00 PM
KC provided a wonderful tour of Kyoto while we were visiting from San Diego. We visited 3 destinations and learned a lot about the history of Japan.
Compass01481934377, 10/17/2025 11:16:46 PM
This tour was well organized and it takes you to places hard to reach in your own. The bus was very comfortable and the tour guide, K C, gave you the highlights of the 2 palaces and the golden temple.
Companion482015, 10/17/2025 11:13:31 PM
KC was an amazing tour guide. He is very knowledgeable and very funny. I totally enjoyed the tour. Very organized and hospitable.
332leeannec, 10/14/2025 4:18:03 AM
KC our guide was very knowledgable, approachable and friendly. We didn't feel rushed round the sites and really enjoyed the pace and experiences. This was a really good tour to avoid stress of getting from each place and would definitely recommend.
B2150HIsuem, 10/13/2025 11:23:49 PM
Etsuko was a brilliant guide. She was very informative and we felt we learned such a lot about Kyoto history and about the Shinto and Buddhist religions. Kind of tied it all together. The 3 places we visited were exceptional and we felt we had enough time to enjoy them. The bus was cool and comfortable. Would definitely recommend this tour
496earlp, 10/13/2025 11:01:31 PM
Very informative and enjoyable morning tour of Kyoto. Our host was very knowledgeable and was more than happy to assist with answering further historical questions. She was also polite and warm.
X3673ETmariat, 10/13/2025 11:00:32 PM
Very good tour! Short and sweet! Will see temple ,shrine and castle. If you have seen your fill you may want to skip this if not it is a good introduction!
Passenger535589, 10/12/2025 11:05:14 PM
We had a wonderful guide with us, alot of energy and very good english. We learnet alot from him and the tour about the culture and history of these historic sites in kyoto! It can we kinda hard to find the meetup point for the tour. So give yourself good time at kyoto station and dont be afraid to as staff at the station!
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- At reception, please show your reservation confirmation sheet, a printout of the reservation confirmation e-mail, or show the e-mail on your mobile device screen to staff.
- The order of activities and arrival times may differ depending on road conditions and congestion at destinations. Seats may not be designated.
- As the Kyoto Imperial Palace is closed to visitors on Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a holiday) and on days when there is an Imperial Household Agency event, the tour will visit Kitano Tenmangu Shrine instead. If the closed day falls on the 25th, the tour will visit Nishi Hongan-ji Temple.
- Nijo Castle is closed on Tuesdays in January, July, August, and December. (Closed on the following day if Tuesday is a holiday.) If closed, Ryoan-ji Temple will be visited instead.
- After sightseeing at Kyoto Imperial Palace, the bus will stop by the lunch venue for the 1-day tour. After that, participants will be dropped off at Kyoto Station.
- Refunds will not be issued in case the tour visits aforementioned alternative destinations.
- Seats may not be designated.
- Children up to 5 years old may join free of charge, but will not be provided with bus seats. If bus seats are required, please make a booking under the child rate.
- Parental permission in writing is necessary for all tour participants under the age of eighteen. Any participant under the age of fifteen or not yet enrolled in middle school must be joined by a parent or guardian on the tour.
Departure point
Depart from the Sunrise Tours Desk in Kyoto Avanti B1F, across from Kyoto Station Hachijo Exit. Meet at 8:20am.Return details
This tour is recommended for those traveling to Kyoto for the first time. Visit popular sightseeing spots efficiently, all before noon! This tour is accompanied by a National Government Licensed English Guide Interpreter. Visit the World Heritage Site of Nijo Castle. The impressive, elaborate carvings and decors in the Ninomaru Palace are a must-see. Visit Kinkaku-ji Temple, with its beautiful golden Shariden (a building in which Buddha's ashes are enshrined), and see its elegantly beautiful garden. See the Kyoto Imperial Palace, which was used as the Emperor's residence until about 150 years ago.Redemption
・If you have arrived at the pickup location but have trouble finding the meeting point, you can call the local operator JTB Sunrise Tours on +81 3 5796 5454 (7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Japan time) for assistance. ・You can refer to below link for specific directions: https://www.sunrise-tours.jp/en/access/avanti24 hours before travel date - 100% refund
Less than 24 hours before travel date - 0% refund