Kyoto Arashiyama Lantern Festival, Fushimi Inari Shrine, Nara tour

This trip was for the Arashiyama Light and Moon event on October 22nd. Special thanks to our tour guide, Angela, for helping us with our luggage. We also appreciate her hard work in preparing the itinerary and providing detailed explanations of the routes and directions. The deer in Nara were really clever, just like Angela said, and so adorable! Fushimi Inari Shrine was as impressive as ever; the torii gates still have a mysterious allure. I finally bought the fox messenger my mom has been wanting! 😁 Finally, the Arashiyama Moon Path was so beautiful. Luckily, Angela told us to pay attention to the shops as we walked, and we ended up buying a ton of stuff!🤣 Thanks again to the professional Angela, definitely highly recommended! 👍

We originally booked this tour for 14 adults, one child, and one toddler. At the last moment, we needed to cancel four adults and they were very accommodating and helpful with the refund process. The night before the tour all the necessary information was sent via email, which made pickup very smooth. At each location instruction was very clear and of course everything was timed to a tee. The tour guide, Apple, was very friendly, informative, and attentive. She didn’t just have us disembark at each location but instead walked us to a good starting point (or meet up location) for the area. We had a toddler and stroller which slowed us down some but she made sure we received the same information as everyone else…even if she had to wait a few extra minutes. We were a little hesitant with a toddler but it all worked out really well. All around, awesome experience and would recommend this tour to anyone visiting the area.

This tour was absolutely amazing from start to finish! The itinerary was well-organized, and we got to visit so many iconic spots in one day — the stunning Fushimi Inari Shrine with its endless red torii gates, the friendly deer at Nara Park, and the magical Arashiyama Lantern Festival, which was truly the highlight of the evening. A special shoutout to our tour guide (Apple) — they were incredibly kind and patient! I got a bit lost finding the first meeting point, but the guide waited for me an extra 10 minutes and even helped me get there. Everything went smoothly throughout the day — comfortable transportation, good timing, and enough free time to explore and enjoy local food. The Lantern Festival in Arashiyama was absolutely breathtaking — the glowing lanterns and peaceful atmosphere made it feel like a dream. ✨ Highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Kyoto or Osaka! It’s the perfect mix of culture, nature, and unforgettable scenery. I’d definitely join again! ❤️

The tour guide was attentive and kind. This tour is perfect for Osaka hotel guests who haven't visited these major attractions before, prefer not to transfer trains, and like to sleep in until noon. Although the time spent in Nara and Fushimi Inari is a bit short, there's plenty of time in Arashiyama. The Arashiyama Hanatouro illumination is beautiful, attracting both Japanese and foreign tourists. It's quite crowded, but slightly less so compared to Fushimi Inari Shrine and Nara Park. It's recommended to have dinner or do some shopping before entering the Hanatouro, as most shops in Arashiyama close around 6 PM, except for a few small shops at the entrance of the bamboo forest.

An extremely satisfactory tour experience, the best I've had on a group tour! The tour guide was a very polite and responsible university student studying in Japan. He contacted us the night before via WhatsApp with the meeting information. Each time he introduced a scenic spot or meeting arrangement, he would repeat it in English and Mandarin, and he made good use of WhatsApp to constantly update the itinerary status. His time management was also excellent, with no delays at all! Especially near each meeting time, he would remind everyone in the group to prepare to return, including the tour bus license plate number and the designated boarding location. He also considered that there were both elderly and young people in the group, providing itinerary suggestions and informing us of the locations of restrooms, etc. Regarding the itinerary: Nara: You can feed the sika deer in the park, or follow the guide to see Todai-ji Temple/Buddha statues. The guide also carefully reminded everyone of precautions and how to be careful when observing the deer. Kyoto Fushimi Inari: A popular spot for taking photos of torii gates/temples. Since we had already been there, we didn't go up to the torii gates, but instead strolled around the shopping street, eating and buying souvenirs. It's also nice to find a dessert shop to sit down and relax when you're tired, extremely pleasant. Kyoto Arashiyama area: I've always loved this place. From Togetsukyo Bridge, Arashiyama shopping street, Tenryu-ji Temple to the bamboo forest, there is an atmosphere of tranquility and leisure; when the lights come on at night, it is hazy and charming. Arashiyama Hanatoro: The highlight of the tour was of course the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove Light-up, which was back this year after a four-year hiatus: the bamboo and light decorations were intertwined, creating a beautiful scene. Seeing the long line of people buying tickets on the spot was intimidating, but fortunately this tour included "admission tickets." Because there were too many tourists on Saturday, it took more than an hour to visit even though the venue wasn't large. Staff helped take photos at some of the most beautiful photo spots, and the order on site was good, with everyone obediently lining up to wait for beautiful photos. The weather was perfect, and it started to rain a little when we finished the tour and returned to the tour bus, which didn't affect the tour much, which was great. We returned to Osaka on time.

Very nice trip, efficiently run and kind guide and driver. Recommend this for ease and if you are trying to fit a lot in a short trip.

Highly recommend to go for this trip when you are in Japan. The night light up at Arashiyama was the highlight for me but do be mindful of the dates as it only runs for the month of October. The transport was clean and arrive on time. Totally enjoyed this one.

The itinerary was smooth and not too rushed. The Moon Lantern Festival was beautiful, but a bit crowded. I hope to have the opportunity to participate in similar tours again.

I had an amazing time on the Kyoto day tour! The bamboo park was magical with glowing lanterns and soft evening light. Nara Park’s friendly deer were a joy to feed and wander among. Fushimi Inari Shrine’s vibrant torii gates were perfect for stunning photos. The guide was knowledgeable, the pacing was ideal, and the small group made it feel personal. Highly recommend this unforgettable tour!

"I recently took a bus tour and it was absolutely fantastic! From start to finish, everything was perfect. The tour guide was super knowledgeable and made the whole experience fun and engaging. The sights were incredible, and the bus was comfortable. I'd recommend this tour to anyone – it's a solid 10/10!"