Cultural Kyoto & Nara: Temples and Traditions

Explore Fushimi Inari, Kinkaku-ji, and Nara on a guided bus tour from Osaka/Kyoto. Enjoy traditional meals, stunning temples, and friendly deer encounters.

Duration: 10 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Arashiyama - Begin your journey with a visit to the enchanting Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, one of Japan’s most stunning natural wonders. Walking among the towering bamboo stalks feels like stepping into another realm. The gentle sway of the bamboo and the tranquil ambiance provide a peaceful retreat, making it a truly memorable experience. Don’t…
What's Included
  • Lunch
  • All Fees and Taxes
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • English or Chinese Speaking Guide
What's Not Included
  • Entrance fee to Todaiji temple (Optional)
  • Hotel Pick up / Drop off
  • Lunch (Optional)
Additional Information

Embark on an adventure from either Osaka or Kyoto to explore Japan’s most renowned attractions.
Begin your exploration at the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, where sunlight streams through the towering bamboo, creating an enchanting ambiance.
Savor a traditional meal at Kyoto Wasabi, a 120-year-old townhouse that retains the allure of old Kyoto. Delight in…

Location
VIP Villa Namba
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.4
(66 Ratings)
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Denisa_d
Oct 30, 2025
Truly Delighted - The Kyoto and Nara tour was an absolute delight, thanks in large part to exceptional tour guide, Nick worked diligently to cater to our needs, maintain a lively atmosphere and create a lasting memories, his dedication and expertise truly made the tour special, and for that, we are extremely grateful. Bravo Nick!👏👏👏👏👏
Review provided by Viator
Yongy494
Oct 30, 2025
Excellent guide. - Excellant knowledge and passion of explaining history and tradition of each place visited yesterday. Very kind to explaining the location we arelooking for our extra activities in tour. Strongly recommend Nick san. Two thumbs up.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
John_f
Oct 22, 2025
Amanda was an excellent... - Amanda was an excellent guide. Very informative and answered everyone’s questions. Lunch was delicious and also traditional.
Review provided by Viator
Rebecca_b
Oct 19, 2025
This was a fun... - This was a fun experience. VIP Tours did a good job keeping us on track with all of the activities. We were given ideas of where to go & what to see after we were escorted to where we were going.
Review provided by Viator
Gjrundle
Oct 15, 2025
Big day around Kyoto - Very good tour - excellent value. Started 8am got back 7pm. Saw three excellent tourist attractions that would have taken 3 days on our own plus lunch. English guide was very good.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Virginiaco7472yg
Oct 14, 2025
Sensational jam-packed tour with Eric - There is so much to do in Kyoto. With only three days here it made sense to book a tour. It was the best decision. It was a long day but a great day. You pack a lot in. The bus started in Osaka and picked us up in Kyoto just after 9. We were home by 7. The itinerary in order was: the stunning gold Kinkaku-Ji Buddhist temple and exquisite garden; the heritage listed bamboo forest; lunch of beef shabu shabu at a 120 year old Kyoto inn; the remarkable Senbon Torii (a thousand red gates); and feeding the deer at Nara park. Everything was included in the price except for the entry to see the sensational great Buddhist Hall in Nara Park with its giant Buddha. We had over an hour in each place. Eric our guide was fantastic. He spoke to us on the bus about the significance of each location plus lots of insights about life in this part of Japan. It’s never easy herding tourists but he politely kept us on schedule so we could get to each site in time. I highly recommend this tour) and the bus was very comfortable).
Review provided by Tripadvisor
439meikag
Oct 15, 2025
Relaxing Day Trip - This was such a great day trip from Osaka to Kyoto and Nara. Our friendly tour guide provided us with a tour and a history lesson throughout our journey. Our first stop was the bamboo forest. It was so peaceful and glorious. Before our next stop, we had lunch at an amazing restaurant. The wagyu beef hot pot was absolutely delicious. Next, we traveled to Nara, where you can choose to visit a Buddhist Temple or walk through a deer park. We chose the temple and the views were spectacular. Lastly was the temple with the famous Tory gates.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Penny_w
Nov 11, 2025
Too long on bus - Day was too long as each location was too far apart. Spent more time on bus than exploring. Each stop was an about an hour so not much time to explore each area. We chose to take a Uber back from last stop as it would have been an 11 hr day if we didn't. This day needs to be better put together for locations and much more efficient.
Review provided by Viator
Julie_b
Oct 16, 2025
Not recommened - Tour guide smoked and his smelled like cigarettes. Tour was rushed and we missed many of our stops. Was nothing like itinerary
Review provided by Viator
Carmelita_r
Oct 30, 2025
Unreliable tour guide - Tour guide cancelled without any explanation. Very unreliable and unprofessional. It is so frustrating and disappointing because we then have to plan a new tour last minute and they were all sold out.
Review provided by Viator
From $65
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).