Kyoto and Nara Day Trip from Kyoto
Badge of Excellence
Kyoto, Japan
- 10 to 11 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
·
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Discover the history and religions of ancient Japan during this full-day exploration of Kyoto and Nara. See Kyoto’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed Kinkaku-ji and Nijo Castle, along with its Imperial Palace. Then drive from Kyoto to Nara to explore its own World Heritage Site, Todai-ji Temple, plus Kasuga Shrine. This hassle-free day trip includes a guide and hassle-free air-conditioned transport between sites.
- Full-day sightseeing tour of the ancient sites of Kyoto and Nara
- Check off top sights, including Nijo Castle and Kinkaku-ji
- Travel to the city of Nara to see the Great Buddha of Todai-ji temple complex
- Stress-free air-conditioned transport is included
What's Included
- National Government Licensed English Guide Interpreter
- Lunch (only if you select "With Lunch" option when booking)
- Admission fees and transportation costs included in the tour
- Fees other than those listed in Includes
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- JTB SUNRISE TOURS DESK KYOTOJapan, 601-8003 Kyoto, Minami Ward, Higashikujō Nishisannōchō, ３１ B1F AVANTI
[For guests selected Kyoto Start & End Option] Please meet at Kyoto Avanti B1F, Sunrise Tours desk, (across from Kyoto Station Hachijo Exit)
End point
- Kyoto StationHigashishiokoji Kamadonocho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, 600-8216, Japan
[For guests selected Kyoto Start & End Option] Tour ends at Kyoto Station around 6:30pm. No drop-off service to hotels will be provided. Please head back to the hotel on your own.
Operating hours.8:20 am
Itinerary
See the best that the historic cities of Kyoto and Nara have to offer during this full-day tour of the cities’ top temples and sights. It’s a great introduction to the culture and traditions of ancient Japan, along with some time at a nature park thrown in for good measure.
Begin your excursion by stopping by two of Kyoto’s most important highlights with your guide, starting with a stop at Nijo Castle, which was the home of the Tokugawa Shogun until the mid-1800s. This World Heritage-listed site, constructed in 1603, is renowned for the contrasts between its intricate interior and solemn exterior façade.
Head next to Kinkaku-ji, the city’s most popular religious site and what is considered by many to be one of the world’s most elaborate Japanese gardens. Check out the temple’s Golden Pavilion, a 3-story building sheathed in gold leaf and situated beside a picturesque pond, where you can take some great photos.
Move on next to Kyoto’s Imperial Palace, where you have a chance to see the Shishin-den, a key site for important state ceremonies, before wandering the palace’s beautiful grounds.
If you’ve chosen the upgraded option, take a break for an included lunch, then re-board your bus for the drive south to Nara, where you stop by two of the temples and shrines that form the city’s own UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit Todai-ji, a religious complex known for housing one of the world’s largest statues of the Buddha (Great Buddha Hall) before continuing to the adjacent Nara Park.
Make your next stop of the day at Kasuga Shrine, renowned for the more than 3,000 lanterns lining its interior. Finish your excursion at Nara’s Deer Park, a famous section of Nara Park with free-roaming groups of deer.
Begin your excursion by stopping by two of Kyoto’s most important highlights with your guide, starting with a stop at Nijo Castle, which was the home of the Tokugawa Shogun until the mid-1800s. This World Heritage-listed site, constructed in 1603, is renowned for the contrasts between its intricate interior and solemn exterior façade.
Head next to Kinkaku-ji, the city’s most popular religious site and what is considered by many to be one of the world’s most elaborate Japanese gardens. Check out the temple’s Golden Pavilion, a 3-story building sheathed in gold leaf and situated beside a picturesque pond, where you can take some great photos.
Move on next to Kyoto’s Imperial Palace, where you have a chance to see the Shishin-den, a key site for important state ceremonies, before wandering the palace’s beautiful grounds.
If you’ve chosen the upgraded option, take a break for an included lunch, then re-board your bus for the drive south to Nara, where you stop by two of the temples and shrines that form the city’s own UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit Todai-ji, a religious complex known for housing one of the world’s largest statues of the Buddha (Great Buddha Hall) before continuing to the adjacent Nara Park.
Make your next stop of the day at Kasuga Shrine, renowned for the more than 3,000 lanterns lining its interior. Finish your excursion at Nara’s Deer Park, a famous section of Nara Park with free-roaming groups of deer.
1
Nijo Castle
50 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
2
Kinkakuji Temple
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
3
Kyoto Imperial Palace
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Kasuga Grand Shrine
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
5
Todai-ji Temple
1 hour 10 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- 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, and from December 26 to January 3. (Closed on the following day if Tuesday is a holiday.) If closed, Ryoan-ji Temple will be visited instead
- Participants will walk from the parking lot to Todai-ji Temple (about 25 min one-way). Please inform us at the time of booking if any person in your group is using crutches or a wheelchair, or has a chronic illness that makes it difficult to walk for long distances
- At Kasuga Taisha Shrine, the tour will also enter the Main Sanctuary special visit area. However, in case the special visit area cannot be entered due to events or operational circumstances, the Kasuga Taisha Museum or Todaiji Museum will be visited instead
- Refunds will not be issued in case the tour visits aforementioned alternative destinations
- The order of activities and arrival times may differ depending on road conditions and congestion at destinations
- Seats may not be designated
- [Only for guests selected With Western-style Lunch option] Lunch will be a Western-style set menu. For those who would like a vegetarian meal, please make sure to inform us at the time of reservation. If requests are not provided in advance, same-day changes cannot be accepted
- [Only for guests selected With Indian Thali Lunch option] Lunch will be an Indian thali set menu suitable for vegetarians. Menu: 3 kinds of curry (bean curry, vegetable curry, spinach and potato curry), vegetable pakora (Indian-style vegetable tempura), plain yogurt, naan or roti, rice (Indian rice), salad, 1 serving of non-alcoholic drink
- Customers for Indian thali lunch and Western lunch will be served in separate dining area. On the day of the tour, the meal cannot be changed to a Western-style lunch/Indian thali lunch
- Halal, gluten-free, and other meal requests are not available
- For those who don't require lunch, please make a booking for the 'No Lunch' option. Customers with No lunch option will have free time to eat on their own in the Kyoto Station area
- Children up to 5 years old may join free of charge, but will not be provided with bus seats or lunch. If bus seats or lunch is 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
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 40 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Laureen_D
KC was hands down the best tour guide we had during our two-week stay in Japan—and that's saying a lot because we had several excellent guides. He was incredibly knowledgeable and informative, sharing insights with the perfect balance of politeness and humor. We were laughing all day long while learning so much. KC's genuine personality and warmth made the experience unforgettable. We absolutely loved him and can’t recommend him highly enough!
Reviews
4.4
based on 447 reviews
ardsat, Oct 2025
Momo our guide was great. All the places we went were heritage sites . Safety was addressed and times when we were all suppose I come back . Wet really enjoyed our excursion. Highly recommend this trip.
Steven_H, Jul 2025
The one day tour is a great way to see a lot in a short period of time. All 5 stops were spectacular and the guide (KC) did a fantastic job of explaining everything. Of course, at each site you could spend many hours, but this was a great way to see a lot and learn a lot in Kyoto and Nara.
Pamela_M, May 2025
Enjoyable experience. Meet our needs & expectations. We were able to manage the lenght of the trip..
Michelle_S, Apr 2025
We had a great tour with KC. He was friendly, funny and had a wealth of knowledge regarding the several temples and Shrines and historical information.
Thank you to the lady who brought us back to Osaka and helped us navigate our way back to our Hotel. Im sorry we didn't know your name.
John_G, Apr 2025
More free time at Nara would have been good. Long walk at the end of the day from and to the bus station
Georsadd_G, Mar 2025
It was a fantastic way to explore Kyoto and Nara, with a really knowledgeable guide who spoke excellent English and shared lots of interesting info.
Response from Host, Mar 2025
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed exploring Kyoto and Nara with our knowledgeable guide. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you again for more memorable time in Japan.
Santhosh_G, Mar 2025
It is a very nice introductory tour to Kyoto and Nara and the guide was very informative and fluent in English.
Wendy_O, Nov 2024
Our guide, KC, was delightful. Very knowledgeable and perfect English. He seemed to anticipate every question and answered all of them before we asked them. Tour does Kyoto sites in the morning. Have to take off shoes at Nijo Castle. Did lunch then Nara in the afternoon. We did the tour with lunch but you have an hour to get lunch on your own at the Kyoto train station area, near the JTB Sunrise office. Had we known that we might've done lunch on our own. We tipped KC and the bus driver, Kitano-san, at the end and they were very grateful. Highly recommend.
William_R, Nov 2024
This is a wonderful tour, we got to see so many great parts of Kyoto and Nara. Our tour guide Casey was hilarious and informative, we learned so much and he had us laughing the entire trip. Traveling from place to place on your own can be quite expensive and exhausting, especially in Kyoto where many of the points of interest are spread-out. Booking this tour was very simple and convenient, and our tour guide Casey make the trip fabulous
Thanks Casey!
Grace_W, Oct 2024
We had a great time with Yuki. She was very informative about all the places we visited. And on the way to Nara, she would give us more history and culture of Japan. She even warned us about some deer that could be quite aggressive if you have food in your hand. And she wasn't wrong. I had quite a scary moment with the deer. They bite! So watch out. Other than that, all the world cultural heritage sites were beautiful. No matter what, they were full of tourists so don't expect much serenity. Lunch was at the Kyoto Avanti (back to where we started in the morning). It was simple but delicious. All in all, we like the tour, highly recommended
Linda_P, Sep 2024
We were fortunate to have a knowledgeable, engaging, thoughtful and entertaining guide. The choice of sights provided a well balanced look at Kyoto and Nara.
Sam_T, Sep 2024
Guide was amazing, very informative, it would be difficult to fit as much in by yourself in a single day.
john_v, Jul 2024
Great Tour - Friendly. Had an incident not related to the tour where I had to miss the second part. The reason for the lower rating was not related to what was seen, rather communicating with the company. I just needed an email to submit to insurance that I was on the tour, but unable to continue with the second part due to problem. Tour company won't respond. Said to contact Viator. I responded and asked only for an email, I am not seeking a refund. No response. Not the best, considering I am just asking for a verification letter. Can't recommended if something were to go wrong and the company hoes silent
Bing_M, Jun 2024
The choice of sites in our itinerary was excellent. Our guide Yoshito is humorous and knowledgeable and made our trip very enjoyable. We had a wonderful time!
Lubna_A, Jun 2024
Nara was beautiful very nice I wish I only date night off by self as I can see more and I need more tired and they.
Halle_M, May 2024
The tour was really fun - got to see a lot of places and Nara was awesome with the deer and big Buddha. Would recommend for folks. Mi Yuki did a great job with guiding and historical facts.
My only issue was the initial meeting point it wasn’t very clear so it was hard to find if you aren’t familiar with the Kyoto station!
Herbert_K, May 2024
Busy schedule for both city. Enjoyed.
Dongin Buddhist temple at Nara was quite big; almost size of a palace. Guide KC was very nice.
Ritienne_C, May 2024
We really enjoyed this day trip. It was well organised. Yuki our guide was amazing. She really went into detail when explaining the history of the sites we visited and she could answer all our questions. Highly recommended.
Abdulla_G, May 2024
Outstanding experience visiting shrines and temples, and learning the history of Japanese rule by Shoguns.
Tammy the tour guide was truly outstanding and helpful. She paid attention to the needs of every tourist in the group and kept everyone entertained.
Fay_N, Apr 2024
As in all tours, we felt rushed and couldn't enjoy each stop fully.
The included lunch was tasty, but I was disappointed that we paid for 3 full tours and could only receive 2 entrees. I noted on my reservation that one of us, due to severe allergies, would be bringing her own food. We were hoping that her husband could enjoy the double entree. However, upon request for her entree, we were told that it was not available because we noted that she'd have her own food. I simply noted that to be sure there wouldn't be a problem.
Is it possible to receive any credit for her meal that no one was able to eat?
Kit_S, Apr 2024
Amazing and quick for of some of Kyotos highlights. Not recommended when you’re not good at walking. The deer in Nara were very cute
Roberto_Q, Apr 2024
Be ready to have a day packed with amazing views and great photo opportunities.
The service provided by Momo and the driver was amazing.
Please, be on time on the bus! So the tour can work great for everyone.
William_B, Apr 2024
Keicy the tour guide was was knowledgeable, informed and excellent. The bus was comfortable and the lunch was exceptional.
Gregory_S, Apr 2024
This was an absolutely great tour. Our guide, Momo, had the perfect personality, was very engaging and entertaining and was very skilled at keeping everyone on time in a kind, gentle but firm way. Sites visited were awesome, lunch (italian) was a pleasant surprise and the bus very comfortable. Great Job!!!
Leanne_H, Apr 2024
I highly recommend this experience! It was a great way to see a lot of key historical sites (and pet and feed some mostly friendly important deer) in Kyoto and Nara. Miyuki really brings the meaning of her name. Happy beauty! She was an excellent guide and had a lot of information that she could provide and was happy to answer any and all questions and take a few pictures as well. Mr. Kawabata was an incredible driver and also incredibly polite! We had a great time, learned a lot, and saw incredible sites. Definitely recommend if you're an English speaker visiting Japan for the first time! Arigatou gozaimasu!!
Amanda_K, Mar 2024
They entire day was amazing! Our guide, hands-down, made this an unforgettable tour!!! We were a family of 9 and a bus full of tourists that didn't listen or follow the plan and he still made it enjoyable and educational for all!!!
JENNI_S, Mar 2024
We were very disappointed with this tour. We discontinued after 1.5 hours. Unfortunately there were many sick passengers on the bus without masks. We addressed our concerns twice with the tour guide but we were dismissed. We had people behind us that clearly had the flu - coughing, sneezing and snorting. We were not prepared to put our own health at risk. Very disappointing response from Viator when we escalated a complaint with no refund,
Alice_H, Feb 2024
Great way to see many sites at once in both Kyoto and Nara! Guide was great and informative! Bus was clean.
Jim_M, Dec 2023
An incredible experience. The sites were amazing and our guide Etsuko was knowledgeable and gracious. I would highly recommend this tour to everyone.
Veronica_G, Nov 2023
The person on the bus spoke very poor English. Had difficulty communicating with the passengers. As a result, when we came back to the bus at exact the time he had indicated to us in Nara, the bus had already left without us. The local company did not provide any contact information. They did nothing to contact us.
Likely to Sell Out
From $188.20
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Likely to Sell Out
Kyoto and Nara Day Trip from Kyoto
447
11 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$188.20
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Explore Similar Things to Do
- Half-day Tours
- Photography Tours
- Walking Tours
- Historical Tours
- Fashion Shows
- Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises
- On the Ground
- Private Sightseeing Tours
- Cultural Tours
- Kyoto
- Half-day Tours - Otsu
- Walking Tours - Otsu
- Historical Tours - Otsu
- Half-day Tours - Uji
- Walking Tours - Uji
- Historical Tours - Uji
- Half-day Tours - Nara
- Photography Tours - Nara
- Walking Tours - Nara
- Historical Tours - Nara
Attractions in Kyoto, Japan
- Arashiyama Park Tours & Tickets
- Pontocho Alley Tours & Tickets
- Kyoto Imperial Palace (Kyoto Gosho) Tours & Tickets
- Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Trail Tours & Tickets
- Togetsu-kyo Bridge Tours & Tickets
- Ryoan-ji Temple & Garden Tours & Tickets
- Heian Shrine (Heian Jingu) Tours & Tickets
- Sannenzaka & Ninenzaka Tours & Tickets
- Sanjusangen-do Temple Tours & Tickets
- Kyoto Station Tours & Tickets
- Maruyama Park (Maruyama Koen) Tours & Tickets
- Fushimi Inari Shrine (Fushimi Inari Taisha) Tours & Tickets
- Byodo-in Temple Tours & Tickets
- Kyoto Tower Tours & Tickets
- Kennin-ji Temple Tours & Tickets