Things to do in Tōfuku-ji Temple

Yutaka was a fantastic tour guide, we had a memorable day visiting the temples & we learned lots along the way. He was full on interesting information and local knowledge. The temples were stunning and not too busy with other tourists. Lovely guided meditation session with a monk & a delicious vegan lunch to finish off the tour perfectly. We highly recommend this to anyone looking for an authentic experience.

It is incredible. Not only do they explain what sumo is, but they make you feel and experience it. The staff is very attentive and fluent in multiple languages, and the wrestlers are very nice and fun. I had a great time and had the opportunity to observe and try to move a professional sumo wrestler.

Our guide, Sarah organized this tour extremely well. Her instructions were clear and she guided us to each attraction seamlessly. We had an amazing time both at Ine Bay and Amanohashidate. This tour is a must if you're in Japan!

I had an absolutely wonderful experience today. I learned so much about the history of matcha, which was unexpected. The hosts were friendly and spoke great English. I will definitely visit them again on my next trip to Kyoto.

I received my reminder and instructions the day before the tour and you are requested to join the WhatsApp group for the tour. We meet outside the Nippombashi Station Exit 2. A lot of other tour groups as gather there to London buses so make sure you arrive early enough and keep your eyes peeled for whatever marker they are wearing/carrying. For our tour we had two tour guides, Nox and Rex. They were engaging and shared stories of Japan’s history of Osaka, Amanohashidate, Ine fishing village, and Miyama. This was definitely the highlight of our trip! One tip I would like to share is, make sure you eat breakfast beforehand and also bring a few snacks in case you end up not having time to eat lunch while exploring. Plan to eat in Amanohashidate, because that’s the only place where you’ll have extended time. We opted to have our tour guides purchase tickets for the Ine sightseeing boat tour as well as the chairlift in Amanohashidate. Get the milk and milk pudding in Miyama!

One of the BEST experiences of our Japan trip! From arrival, everyone was kind, patient and welcoming. We were three generations: my mom, me and my 4-year-old daughter, and they found matching kimonos for ALL of us! My mom and I are plus-size, and we had beautiful options without needing the ¥5,000 celebratory upgrade. They even had my daughter’s size and gave her a sweet little add-on. We also booked the 60-minute photography session directly through the kimono shop, and DO IT! 📸 Our photographer was amazing. He posed and directed us, chose beautiful locations, and captured individual, mother-daughter and three-generation photos. It was HOT, we needed restroom breaks, and we had a 4-year-old, but he was incredibly patient and never made us feel rushed. Just LOOK at these photos! We left with more than vacation pictures; we have family keepsakes we’ll treasure forever. 👘💕

We were the first guests to arrive for our 9:30 AM reservation, but we got to the shop at 9:20 AM. The ladies at the front desk were incredibly kind and spoke Chinese. Since we arrived early, we were able to start choosing our kimonos and sashes right away, and then head upstairs for styling. The Japanese stylists on the second floor who helped with dressing, makeup, and hair were also very friendly. The kimonos available were all super beautiful, with various fabrics, making it so hard to choose! The lady on the first floor also helped us pair the perfect sash and accessories, and her aesthetic sense was spot on. (Plus, the stylist on the second floor was super fast; my hair was done in no time!) Overall, it was quick and professional, and the experience was excellent. If we ever come back to Kiyomizu-dera, we'll definitely visit again!

My family and I rented kimonos and paid extra for pictures taken by a photographer that they provided. The kimonos were beautiful and the pictures came out really nice. 100% will recommend and I will suggest to pay extra for pictures because the memories are what matters the most and to have something beautiful to remember is worth every. Also, the staff was very helpful in picking the kimonos, helping us put it on and picking the perfect hairstyle that went well with the kimono each of us picked.

Very fun and informative experience, the staff is friendly and helpful. The host is charismatic and the experience of watching a live sumo show is priceless!! Recommended!! By the way they include drinks so you can enjoy the show and not worry about those yourself