Katsuo-ji Temple Prayer Daruma, Kyoto Arashiyama, Kiyomizu-dera Temple: Lunch can be upgraded to A5 Black Wagyu "Kobe Beef" (with Matcha Experience)
- Katsuo-ji Temple, located in Osaka Prefecture, is a sacred ancient temple famous for its countless Daruma prayer dolls. It is an excellent place to pray for good fortune and success, offering different scenery in each of the four seasons. Admission to the attraction is included.
- The Kiyomizu area is a representative historical and scenic region of Kyoto, centered around the World Heritage site Kiyomizu-dera Temple. It is a sacred place of faith with a thousand-year history, and the famous "Kiyomizu Stage" offers panoramic views of the entire Kyoto cityscape. Along the way, Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka are stone-paved streets full of ancient capital atmosphere, lined with Japanese-style shops, tea houses, and famous wagashi (Japanese confectionery) stores, allowing visitors to experience the charm of old Kyoto.
- Arashiyama is one of Kyoto's popular attractions, with captivating natural beauty. Strolling through the bamboo grove path, enjoying the scenery from Togetsukyo Bridge, and appreciating the changing beauty of the mountains and rivers through the seasons make it an unforgettable experience.
- Kobe beef is beef from Tajima cattle that has been graded as the highest rank, "A5." Only beef that reaches this grade can be given this name, making it a highly acclaimed premium brand of beef worldwide.
- In ancient Kyoto, experience a matcha ceremony, taste matcha, and immerse yourself in Kyoto's elegant tea culture.
What to expect
Katsuoji Temple: A Sacred Place for Victory Prayers Katsuoji Temple, nestled in Osaka’s Minoh Mountains, is renowned as the “Temple of Victory.” Its grounds are dotted with countless red kachi-daruma (victory daruma dolls), symbolizing effort and triumph. Whether for exams, competitions, or business, one can sincerely pray here to boost confidence. With spring cherry blossoms and autumn foliage intertwined in the mountains, all four seasons offer excellent times for worship and photography.
Kiyomizu Area: A Microcosm of Kyoto Charm When in Kyoto, the Kiyomizu area is an absolute must-visit. Centered around the World Heritage site Kiyomizu-dera Temple, the famous “Kiyomizu Stage” is built suspended, offering panoramic views of Kyoto city. Strolling along Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka, traditional Japanese shops and teahouses line the stone-paved paths, exuding an ancient capital ambiance. A walk to Yasaka Shrine and Gion Hanamikoji further allows one to experience geisha culture and Kyoto’s traditional charm, making it a classic district that best embodies Kyoto’s allure.
Arashiyama: A Fusion of Nature and Tradition In the afternoon, step into Kyoto’s western Arashiyama district, cross the iconic Togetsukyo Bridge to admire the Katsura River scenery, and wander through the serene bamboo groves, as if entering another dimension. Don’t forget to visit the “Kimono Forest,” which blends tradition with creativity, an excellent spot for photos and experiencing Kyoto’s atmosphere.
Lunch: Savoring Exquisite Kobe Beef Enjoy a premium Kobe beef lunch, a delicacy hailed as one of Japan’s top three wagyu. The meat boasts delicate marbling, melting in your mouth like snowflakes on your tongue, with a rich aroma and a long-lasting aftertaste, a luxurious feast for the palate.
Matcha Experience: Immerse Yourself in Japanese Tea Ceremony Culture In the matcha experience, under the guidance of staff, you can personally whisk matcha with a chasen, savoring its lingering sweetness and the tranquil beauty inherent in the tea ceremony. Allow your mind and body to immerse themselves in a leisurely and healing time.

















Reviews
Nick was an amazing tour guide during this tour! He shared so much about not just the attractions we were visiting, he also taught u about Japanese culture and even some local greetings. The tour was really fun and a great way to visit many places in a day if your feet need a rest or you just want to cover more ground in a short period. Really recommended if you come to Osaka!
Overall it was such a great experience, the tour was smooth and very informative. The guide was very knowledgeable of the history. It was a good thing that the weather was super nice and breezy. Food was super recommendable especially for meat lovers! The beef just melts in your mouth!
My family and I, together with my wife and our 7 year old daughter, joined a wonderful day tour visiting Katsuoji Temple, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, and the famous Kiyomizu-dera. The entire trip was well organized and very enjoyable for all of us. Each destination offered something special. Katsuoji Temple was peaceful and unique with its many Daruma dolls, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove was breathtaking, and Kiyomizu-dera was truly impressive with its beautiful views and historic atmosphere. What made the tour even more memorable was our guide, Nick. He was entertaining, friendly, and extremely knowledgeable. Throughout the trip he shared interesting facts, stories, and historical insights about each location, making the journey both fun and educational. Overall, it was a fantastic experience for my family. Nick’s enthusiasm and guidance made the tour smooth, engaging, and very memorable. Highly recommended for families visiting Osaka and Kyoto.
Arriving at Katsuoji Temple early in the morning started an amazing day. Cute little Daruma dolls are everywhere as you walk around the entire shrine. The maple leaves along the way fill the mountain with the atmosphere of autumn, making it incredibly beautiful! As soon as you walk into the hot pot restaurant for lunch, you can smell the super fragrant kelp soup, instantly stimulating your appetite. The soup is delicious and the Wagyu beef is also very tasty. After lunch, we went to Tenryu-ji Temple, Togetsukyo Bridge, and the Bamboo Forest Path, but because we encountered a Japanese public holiday, there were too many people, so we couldn't see everything. So we chose to walk towards Tenryu-ji Temple. The maple leaves along the road to Tenryu-ji Temple were also super beautiful for taking photos. We bought a Tenryu-ji Temple exclusive card (very well-made). On the way back, we bought the food recommended by the tour guide. Our last stop was Kiyomizu-dera Temple, and we were lucky enough to see the beautifully lit evening cityscape!
Katsuoji temple is the best! Even the garden surrounding temple is a beauty. Great place to include in your Osaka itinerary! Went there for lucky charms and ask for blessings
Gary, the tour guide, has amazing language skills and is extremely fluent in bilingual and trilingual communication. The tourists in the group that day came from different places such as Australia, Singapore, Philippines, and Taiwan. To cater to the needs of different tourists, Gary introduced the history and culture of the scenic spots to us in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese. Since Gary is Japanese, he also specially introduced the unique meaning of Katsuo-ji Temple in Japanese and led us to his privately recommended, most beautiful viewing platform to admire the autumn leaves and helped us take many beautiful photos! Highly recommend everyone to participate!
Well Japan really is one of my favorite. So this is such a nice experience. Darumas are everywhere. The matcha whisking experience is a great add on. Would do it again!
I initially chose the one-day tour because I thought the journey would be too far. This itinerary seems to be new. Our tour guide, Xiao Liu, was very dedicated. He told us stories and the origins of each location before we arrived. My favorite part of the tour was Katsuō-ji Temple. When we first arrived, there weren't many people, so I was able to take my time exploring and taking pictures. Lunch was also delicious; the soup was really good, and the environment was very clean. In the afternoon, we went to Byodo-in Temple and Arashiyama. There are many stalls in Arashiyama where you can eat and shop. If you're hesitating about joining the tour, don't hesitate—just book it!
highly recommend this tour! we went in autumn and the views are super nice. the itinerary is well balanced we covered good spots but have enough time to stroll, take pictures and eat. the hotpot beef for lunch is reallyyy good and the serving quite generous. buy the small oval pecan chocolates in kiyomizudera from salon de something. our tourguide gary is very detailed you wont get lost even if there are a lot of people. he also takes time to explain the japanese culture and stories behind each place.
The experience of a guided tour is truly completely different from that of an independent trip. Our tour guide, Xiao Tang, was very enthusiastic and humorous. He proactively helped us take photos, finding great angles, and his photography skills were top-notch. He also constantly introduced us to the special features of each attraction, making the entire trip memorable and allowing us to learn more about Japanese culture. The Kobe beef bowl for lunch was delicious and a normal portion. The matcha added a lot to the journey, making for a great experience.
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