KYOTO
Kyoto’s most-loved days out.
The 14 most popular bus & sightseeing tours in Kyoto. What each one involves, how long it runs, what it costs, and who you book with.
A jam-packed one-day Kyoto bus tour with air-conditioned comfort, multilingual audio, and UNESCO temple highlights including Kiyomizu-dera, Arashiyama, and Fushimi Inari.
Most Popular“Ciel and her company were very accommodating especially the first part of the tour. Will recommend this tour to our friends and family.”
Flexible Kyoto hop-on hop-off bus with open-top views, 7-language audio, and convenient stops at top sites like Nijo, Kinkakuji, and Kiyomizu.
“It was fun. Very well tabulated bus service and stops. Enjoyed the two routes. It gives a good flavour of the city. Takes thru new and old city buildings.”
One day pairing Nara’s World Heritage temples and deer with a Uji matcha workshop, led by an English guide from Kyoto.
“This was an excellent tour. Our guide was great - very informative, organized and positive. She provided some training in Japanese and good cultural context. The temple in Nara was exceptional. The tour operator was Japan Panoramic tours. Our guide was At-chan.”
Half-day Nara from Kyoto with English guide: Tōdai-ji Great Buddha, Kasuga Taisha, deer park, and Japanese lunch.
“Such a good experience. Emiko-san was very knowledgeable and was happy to answer all of the group's questions. We took the train from Kyoto to Kintetsu-Nara and then took a small private bus around Nara. The sites we visited (Todai-ji, Kasagutaisha Shrine, the deer) were all amazing. The weather was bad but Emiko-san made the…”
Katsuo-ji Daruma wishes, Arashiyama bamboo calm, Togetsukyo bridge views, and golden Kinkaku-ji in one 9–10 hour bus day.
“Willa was wonderful from start to finish! She communicated very well from the night before and throughout the day to ensure our trip ran smoothly! She gave us some descriptions of the places we were visiting and tips on maximizing our time. We were able to enjoy all of the attractions and get fantastic pictures…”
A guided half-day trip from Kyoto to Nara’s major temples and deer park, with lunch included and admission handled for Todai-ji.
“Had a great day at Nara, our guide Tammie gave us lots of information on route. There is a lot of walking but times allows for steady pace. The Buddha shrine is breathtaking such an immense structure. We had fun feeding the deers they are vRead more”
One day in Kyoto with the Sagano Romantic Train, the Hozugawa river boat ride, and free Arashiyama bamboo time.
“Boat ride is 2 hours and slow. Seats are just a plank and no back rest. Everyone is crammed. Great service but boat was a waste of time. Train ride was nice.”
See Amanohashidate’s famous sandbar by boat and Miyama’s thatched village on an easy guided day trip from Osaka or Kyoto.
“Very good trip. Fair bit of bus time but worth it to get to interesting out of city experiences and venues. Bus seats were small by North American standards but otherwise fine. Our guide "Harry" did a good job. Always wish I could have spent more time at each stop but that is usual price…”
English-guided Kyoto highlights in one day: Kiyomizu-dera, Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama, Tenryu-ji and Kinkaku-ji, with lunch on full day.
“Beautiful shrines, temples, and palaces. Huge amount of walking and stairs. Lunch was good and plentiful.”
Full-day bus tour from Kyoto to Hiroshima and Miyajima with ferry, Great Torii photos, and Peace Memorial Museum time.
“An important experience for anyone who is interested in history and is aware of the harm that human beings can cause. The temple is beautiful and Hiroshima, a historic landmark. It's very impactful going there. Really. The service was very well served and we learned more and more about the temple and the sad historical…”
Kyoto’s Sagano Romantic Train plus Hozugawa river boat ride, Tenryuji temple, Arashiyama bamboo, and lunch on an English-guided day.
“A bit disorganised to begin with but the places visited were lovely. Lunch was average at the buffet. Unfortunately we had a family group that didn’t follow our guide’s instructions so we had to wait for them several times and were late for one paRead more”
A flexible Kyoto hop-on hop-off bus with panoramic open-top views, multilingual audio, and stops near Kinkaku-ji, Kiyomizu-dera, Gion, and more.
“I have never had a bad experience with Viator, having utilized them for years, until now. We spent a lot of money on these tickets, and the experience was terrible. I feel guilty leaving only one star as I know Viator only subcontracted this tRead more”
Every district, every season, and every way to see the old capital.
