Top Kansai Day Trips

Explore Amanohashidate and Ine with a Japanese local guide and photographer on a private tour by car. Enjoy the views from Amanohashidate View Land, try the traditional “matanozoki” pose of looking between your legs, and discover Ine’s waterfront funaya boathouses, with a small boat ride offering a closer view from the bay. Hospitality comes first. I welcome only one private group per day, giving families, couples, and friends the time and personal attention to enjoy the journey at their own pace. Along the way, I share local insights and help you discover food spots suited to your tastes. Photography during the tour and an original LEO Journey Guidebook are included, so you can relax and take home personal memories of your day. Admission and boat fees are paid separately. The itinerary can be adjusted within the booked tour duration to suit your interests, taking weather, traffic, and boat operations into account.

Embark on a captivating day tour exploring Kyoto’s southern treasures. Departing from Kyoto Station, this expertly chosen route showcases the best of the city’s southern region during the autumn season. Begin in Uji, where you'll visit the Byodoin Temple, renowned for its stunning Phoenix Hall, which is featured on Japan’s 10-yen coin. Enjoy the temple’s elegant architecture and tranquil setting. Next, experience the iconic Fushimi Inari Shrine, famous for its thousands of vibrant vermillion torii gates that create a mesmerizing pathway through the forest. The tour culminates at Tofukuji Temple, celebrated for its breathtaking autumn foliage. The temple’s expansive gardens and the scenic Tsutenkyo Bridge offer some of Kyoto’s most spectacular fall colors, providing a perfect finale to your tour. This route, carefully selected by local experts, ensures you experience the seasonal beauty and cultural highlights of Kyoto’s southern area.

Walk through the landscapes where Japan’s earliest history and mythology took shape on the ancient Yamanobe no Michi, widely regarded as Japan’s oldest named road. This approximately 11-kilometer guided hike winds through peaceful rice fields, orchards, forests, and traditional farming villages in the Nara countryside. Visit Omiwa Jinja, one of Japan’s oldest shrines, where sacred Mount Miwa itself is worshipped as a deity, and discover enormous kofun burial mounds associated with Japan’s earliest rulers. Along the way, explore hidden shrines and Chōgakuji Temple before finishing at Isonokami Jingu, another of Japan’s oldest Shinto shrines. Experience authentic rural Japan while uncovering the myths, traditions, and history behind the origins of Japanese civilization.

Escape the bustle of Kyoto and journey north to Japan’s scenic coastline. Perfect for nature lovers, culture seekers, and travelers craving slower rhythms, the route blends one of Japan’s Three Scenic Views, a rare seaside village, and dramatic coastal landscapes. Great for those who want to experience rural Japan’s beauty and culture.