A Virtual Tour of Kyoto
A Virtual Tour of Kyoto
Kyoto is normally a popular destination for tourists, but now with the pandemic still going on in 2021, we can’t travel anywhere. So please enjoy our virtual tour of Kyoto and start looking forward to your next trip !
Start Your Virtual Kyoto Tour Here
These are some original videos from our guides. Enjoy some of the most wonderful places in Kyoto from the comfort of your home! Let’s start with one of the most popular views of Japan, the Golden Pavillion, and view our way through Japan’s ancient capital.
The name ‘Rokuon-ji’ means ‘Temple of the deer garden’ probably doesn’t sound familiar to you. It is much better known by its informal name ‘Kinkaku-ji‘ or ‘Temple of the Golden Pavilion’. This shiny, beautiful structure is a Buddhist temple of the Zen type that was founded in 1397. It was the resting villa of the third shogun, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, who reigned during the Muromachi Period. In Kyoto, it is very common to see people dressed in the traditional clothes of Japan, kimono. There is even a rather peculiar place that honors the designs of this beautiful garment. The place is known as The Kimono Forest. This is a must-see promenade for people heading to the bamboo forest, located in the Arashiyama area.
Visiting Kyoto and not visiting the Gion district is like not having gone to the original capital. Gion is an unforgettable walk that is recognized worldwide for its unique beauty and tradition. This is the place where, if you are lucky, you can spot geisha on their way to work. The Heian Jingu shrine was established in 1895 to commemorate the 1,100-year anniversary of the return of the capital to Heian, which is today’s Kyoto.
Located in the famous Gion district in Kyoto, the Yasaka Shrine stands out for its great beauty and wonderful architecture. The bamboo forest is one of the most popular tourist sites in Kyoto, and it is located in Arashiyama. You can take very beautiful pictures here!
Walk Japan Guided Tours
The Kyoto Tour is a fully-guided tour suitable for anyone who is an occasional walker and can walk for more than one to two hours in comfort. Read more on Tour Levels here.
A two-day city tour. Each tour day is fully guided and starts, depending on the day’s itinerary, at either 8:00am or 8:45am and finishes at 5pm. For customers joining the Nakasendo Way tour, please note that Day 2 of the Kyoto tour finishes at 5pm, and the Nakasendo Way starts at 6pm the same day.
The maximum group size for this tour is 12 persons. We have no minimum size. If we accept a booking we guarantee to run the tour.
Walk Japan's two-day Kyoto Tour takes us through the city's rich history while exploring in depth some famous and some less well-known areas that were instrumental in making Kyoto the cultural capital of Japan. We glean a unique look into Japan's old capital; its history, arts, crafts and people.
Kyoto was originally known as Heian-kyo, the capital of peace and tranquillity, and modelled on Chang-an, the great capital of the Chinese Tang empire. Kyoto remained the home of the imperial court for eleven centuries before it was removed to Tokyo in the late 19th century. Over 1100 years as the imperial home, Kyoto justly became one of the great cities of the globe. At times it experienced turbulence and violence but – often at the same time – it was where some of the most distinct and exquisite arts and one of the world’s greatest cultures were cultivated. This was so to the extent that today to talk of the culture of Kyoto is often to talk of that of Japan as a whole. Our gently-paced walking tour unveils Kyoto’s importance at the heart of Japanese culture and history in typical Walk Japan style, inimitable and fascinating.
2,000 temples and shrines, 17 of which are listed by UNESCO as world heritage sites, together with many gardens and other sites of interest make for an overwhelming number of places to visit in Kyoto. Of these, Walk Japan’s Kyoto Tour visits some of the famous and not-so-famous to provide a coherent and fascinating experience, for an understanding of how the city came to nurture such arts as Noh Theatre and chado, the Way of Tea. We learn of the colourful historical personalities such as the Ashikaga shoguns Yoshimitsu and Yoshimasa, the Tea master Sen-no-Rikyu, Haiku poet Basho and the great samurai warriors Kiyomori and Nobunaga.
We learn how much of the beauty that resides in Kyoto and Japanese culture developed in spite of internecine warfare, treachery and murder, combined sometimes with its rulers’ Nero-like indifference to the surrounding mayhem. We also enjoy a hands-on experience of chado, also known as the Tea Ceremony, in the company of a expert tea master who penetrates to the heart of this often misunderstood art.
Day 1 of Walk Japan’s Kyoto tour has a focus on tea and the refined culture, which imbues Japanese culture and customs to this day, that developed around it. We will learn how chado developed through Kyoto’s pivotal Higashiyama Culture, reaching its apogee with the great master Sen-no-Rikyu. The day culminates when we make a cup of tea for each other in the chado style.
On Day 2 we stroll through Kyoto’s Kitayama culture, which was centred on what is possibly the most recognisable icon of Japan, the Golden Pavilion at Rokuon-ji temple. Here the arts of Noh Theatre, Kyogen – a comical theatre – and suiboku ink and wash painting developed and flourished. A distinct contrast follows as we visit the subtle Ryoan-ji temple, which is synonymous with its mysterious rock garden that is justly considered the supreme example of its type. We then travel to Arashiyama on the western edge of the city. Here we go a little off the beaten path for a stroll through a park and elegant bamboo groves, an enduring image of Kyoto, to some of Kyoto’s lesser known attractions including a small but exquisite temple set in a moss garden.
Walk Japan’s Kyoto Tour consists of a two-day itinerary. On both days we meet at the day's starting point as indicated in the itinerary. Walk Japan provides detailed instructions on how to join the tour at its starting point. Please note that Kyoto’s transport system is very comprehensive and easy to use. Taxis, in particular, are reasonably priced and the drivers honest and almost invariably very helpful.
Each day ends at 5pm in central Kyoto. Your Walk Japan tour leader will help arrange onward travel to your accommodation or other desired location, or give recommendations for some of the myriad excellent local restaurants.
Walk Japan's two-day Kyoto Tour takes us through the city's rich history while exploring in depth some famous and some less well-known areas that were instrumental in making Kyoto the cultural capital of Japan. We glean a unique look into Japan's old capital; its history, arts, crafts and people.Kyoto was originally known as Heian-kyo, the capital of peace and tranquillity, and modelled on Chang-an, the great capital of the Chinese Tang empire. Kyoto remained the home of the imperial court for eleven centuries before it was removed to Tokyo in the late 19th century. Over 1100 years as the imperial home, Kyoto justly became one of the great cities of the globe. At times it experienced turbulence and violence but – often at the same time – it was where some of the most distinct and exquisite arts and one of the world’s greatest cultures were cultivated. This was so to the extent that today to talk of the culture of Kyoto is often to talk of that of Japan as a whole. Our gently-paced walking tour unveils Kyoto’s importance at the heart of Japanese culture and history in typical Walk Japan style, inimitable and fascinating.2,000 temples and shrines, 17 of which are listed by UNESCO as world heritage sites, together with many gardens and other sites of interest make for an overwhelming number of places to visit in Kyoto. Of these, Walk Japan’s Kyoto Tour visits some of the famous and not-so-famous to provide a coherent and fascinating experience, for an understanding of how the city came to nurture such arts as Noh Theatre and chado, the Way of Tea. We learn of the colourful historical personalities such as the Ashikaga shoguns Yoshimitsu and Yoshimasa, the Tea master Sen-no-Rikyu, Haiku poet Basho and the great samurai warriors Kiyomori and Nobunaga.We learn how much of the beauty that resides in Kyoto and Japanese culture developed in spite of internecine warfare, treachery and murder, combined sometimes with its rulers’ Nero-like indifference to the surrounding mayhem. We also enjoy a hands-on experience of chado, also known as the Tea Ceremony, in the company of a expert tea master who penetrates to the heart of this often misunderstood art.Day 1 of Walk Japan’s Kyoto tour has a focus on tea and the refined culture, which imbues Japanese culture and customs to this day, that developed around it. We will learn how chado developed through Kyoto’s pivotal Higashiyama Culture, reaching its apogee with the great master Sen-no-Rikyu. The day culminates when we make a cup of tea for each other in the chado style.On Day 2 we stroll through Kyoto’s Kitayama culture, which was centred on what is possibly the most recognisable icon of Japan, the Golden Pavilion at Rokuon-ji temple. Here the arts of Noh Theatre, Kyogen – a comical theatre – and suiboku ink and wash painting developed and flourished. A distinct contrast follows as we visit the subtle Ryoan-ji temple, which is synonymous with its mysterious rock garden that is justly considered the supreme example of its type. We then travel to Arashiyama on the western edge of the city. Here we go a little off the beaten path for a stroll through a park and elegant bamboo groves, an enduring image of Kyoto, to some of Kyoto’s lesser known attractions including a small but exquisite temple set in a moss garden.Walk Japan’s Kyoto Tour consists of a two-day itinerary. On both days we meet at the day's starting point as indicated in the itinerary. Walk Japan provides detailed instructions on how to join the tour at its starting point. Please note that Kyoto’s transport system is very comprehensive and easy to use. Taxis, in particular, are reasonably priced and the drivers honest and almost invariably very helpful.Each day ends at 5pm in central Kyoto. Your Walk Japan tour leader will help arrange onward travel to your accommodation or other desired location, or give recommendations for some of the myriad excellent local restaurants.
This itinerary for the Kyoto Tour is ground-only, beginning at the starting points as indicated for each day of the tour in the itinerary and ending around 5pm in central Kyoto. Prior to the tour, Walk Japan will provide detailed instructions for travelling to the meeting point on both days.
For customers joining the Nakasendo Way tour, please note that Day 2 of the Kyoto tour finishes at 5pm, and the Nakasendo Way starts at 6pm the same day.
Day 1
The group meets at 8:00am for transfer to Ginkaku-ji, the Silver Pavilion temple, which was built by the eighth Ashikaga shogun in the late fifteenth century. In the beautiful surroundings of this temple we begin our look at Higashiyama (East Mountain) Culture and its greatest development, chado, the tea ceremony. The Silver Pavilion, an exquisite structure which is silver in name only, is set in beautiful gardens and provides an apposite setting for our exploration of Kyoto culture. A leisurely stroll from the temple along the Philosopher's Path, through quiet suburbs and past many temples, brings us to the Heian-jingu Shrine. Here we delve into Japan's Shinto roots and gain an idea of how Kyoto used to look in its earliest days. A nearby museum is the setting for an entertaining introduction to the many and splendid crafts of the city.
Afterwards we transfer by taxi to Daitoku-ji temple, one of Japan’s finest Zen monasteries, a complex of main and sub-temples covering 56 acres. We enjoy lunch within Daitoku-ji at a restaurant specialising in shojin ryori, delicious vegetarian temple cuisine, after which we soak up the serene atmosphere and learn about the temple’s greatest resident, the tea master Sen-no Rikyu. We then take a short stroll to meet our tea master for the day. In his expert and insightful company we experience chado and make tea for each other.
Although the tour does not extend into the evening, your tour leader will be available to make suggestions regarding where you may like to eat your evening meal.
Day 2
The second day starts with a visit to Nijo-jo castle, where we will see the magnificent audience halls built for the Tokugawa Shoguns, the rulers of Japan in the Edo Period. Transferring to Rokuon-ji temple by taxi, we are introduced to Kitayama (North Mountain) Culture in the environs of Kinkaku, the Golden Pavilion. The pavilion, coated in gold leaf and reflected in a lake, is probably Japan’s most recognisable icon.
We travel on to nearby Ryoan-ji temple and its world-famous garden, considered the epitome of a Zen garden. From there it is a short walk to a small train station, where we ride a local tram-cum-train to Arashiyama in the west of Kyoto. Following lunch, we stroll through the low hills of Arashiyama. The scenery is more reminiscent of rural Japan than a city and here we visit a gorgeous, almost delicate temple that is associated with Gio, a concubine of Taira-no-Kiyomori. Taira was a central figure in the Tale of Heike, the epic story of the power struggle between the Taira and Minamoto Clans that engulfed Japan in the twelfth century.
We continue on our walk through quiet elegant suburbs before taking another train back to central Kyoto where the tour ends.
This itinerary is subject to change.
The itinerary for the Kyoto Tour is ground-only, beginning at the starting point as indicated for each day of the tour in the itinerary, ending around 5 pm in central Kyoto. For customers joining the Nakasendo Way tour, please note that Day 2 of the Kyoto tour finishes at 5pm, and the Nakasendo Way starts at 6pm the same day.
The airport closest to the tour’s start at Kyoto is Osaka’s Kansai International Airport. Transfer is also easily made from both Tokyo’s Narita and Haneda International Airports.
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FROM OSAKA’S KANSAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KIX)
From Osaka’s Kansai International Airport, Haruka Express trains depart to Kyoto Station, where the train terminates. The journey costs about JPY3,290 per person and takes approximately 1 hour 15 minutes. From here, take a taxi to your accommodation.
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FROM TOKYO’S HANEDA AIRPORT (HND)
From Tokyo’s Haneda International Airport, Keikyu Line trains depart to Shinagawa Station, where Shinkansen bullet trains then depart for Kyoto. The journey costs about JPY13,900 per person and takes approximately 3 hours 10 minutes. From here, take a taxi to your accommodation.
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FROM TOKYO’S NARITA AIRPORT (NRT)
From Tokyo’s Narita International Airport, Narita Express trains depart to Tokyo Station, where shinkansen bullet trains then depart for Kyoto. The journey costs about JPY16,240 per person and takes approximately 3 hours 30 minutes. From here, take a taxi to your accommodation.
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The pre-tour pack includes detailed instructions, including a map, for travel to the starting point of the tour.
Temples, Treasures, and Teahouses
Japan is an ancient and enigmatic land, and our insider’s journey reveals fascinating aspects of it that few travelers see. In Matsue, a castle town in the northwest, we explore its 400-year-old feudal stronghold and the elegant samurai houses encircling it (with the cherry blossoms of spring enhancing our visit!). At Kinosaki Onsen, a traditional hot springs town on the Sea of Japan, we soak up the classic ambience and savor the fresh seafood. We’ll walk the lanes of storied Kyoto, seeking off-the-beaten path temples and gardens, with a grand finale in Takayama in the Japanese Alps, where we’ll join in the fun of the cherry blossom festival. Artisan visits, onsen baths, culinary treats, and the warm hospitality of the Japanese welcome us at every turn.
This trip was very interesting and a great introduction to Japan—a nice mix of urban and rural. Our days were full of interesting sights and experiences, still leaving time for us to explore on our own. We definitely gained insights into Japanese culture.
— Lynne R., New York, NY
Itinerary at a Glance
Days 1-4, Apr 3- 6, 2023
Osaka / Matsue
In Matsue, where we stay in our favorite riverside ryokan, we walk the labyrinthine paths of the castle and stroll the peaceful woodlands around it, alive in spring with camellias and azaleas in bloom. The local tofu stalls and sake factory are on our walks, and at the celebrated Adachi Museum of Art, we explore its vast and surreal garden, designed as a “living painting.”
Days 5-6, Apr 7- 8, 2023
Kinosaki Onsen / Izushi
We travel a beautiful coastal route along the Sea of Japan to under-the-radar Kinosaki Onsen, a hidden gem of a town and a local favorite since the 8th century. We’ll enjoy the classic sukiya architecture and, of course, relaxing soaks in hot springs. Each onsen (hot spring) in this town is uniquely designed and heralded for its specific curative properties and legendary history. We’ll also visit the Edo-era castle town of Izushi to sample its unique style of soba (buckwheat noodles).
Days 7-10, Apr 9-12, 2023
Kyoto
Thousand-year-old Kyoto offers a blend of exquisite gardens, venerated temples, tea houses, and folk arts. We’ll visit local artisans and explore the smaller temples and gardens in hidden corners of the city.
Days 11-14, Apr 13-16, 2023
Takayama / Spring Festival
This mountain town has a heritage revealed in wooden shrines and temples built by Hida master craftsmen in the Middle Ages. Here we witness the Takayama Festival, one of Japan’s most beautiful celebrations, complete with a mikoshi (shrine) procession, elaborately decorated floats pulled through the streets, and karakuri doll performances. Depart Day 14 via Osaka.
