Kyoto Nara Classic Day Tour: Katsuoji Temple Daruma Wall & Arashiyama Bamboo Forest & Nara Park Deer Feeding (Departing from Osaka)

What a fulfilling day! Our guide and driver, Zou, was incredibly kind and funny, taking us to all the representative spots in Itoshima 👍 The Futamigaura Meoto Iwa (Wedded Rocks) were absolutely beautiful and so photogenic! I originally chose this day trip for this coastline, but the Raizan Sennyoji Temple we visited along the way was a delightful surprise! The temple had a serene atmosphere that felt cleansing, and listening to the monks chanting to start the day felt particularly ritualistic 😎 Ichi-ran no Mori is also worth a visit. While you can find Ichiran Ramen everywhere, they have exclusive capsule toy machines that you can only find here, a must-have! The small museum inside the facility is also quite interesting, despite its size. I was originally planning to travel independently, but the attractions in Itoshima are scattered, so I gave up on planning it myself. Joining a day trip was easy and convenient, and I got to see all the must-see spots! Highly recommended 😍

Our tour guide, Ms. Zhang Quan, was very kind and friendly. During the bus ride, she introduced us to many of Fukuoka's customs and traditions. She also adjusted the order of the itinerary depending on the traffic conditions, and we were very lucky to only wait 20 minutes when we went to Ichiran Ramen. Although the weather was hot, the tour guide was very responsible and introduced the best photo spots. She also helped us order when we were buying things, which was very kind. Even on the way back, she specifically introduced us to attractions near Hakata. I highly recommend this tour guide!

Overall, the itinerary matched our preferences, but a malfunctioning car door unfortunately cut into the time we had at some attractions. It would be a better experience if we could travel on a weekday; weekend traffic also wasted a lot of time, which was a shame. The temples were beautiful and serene, with plenty of shade, making it a very pleasant place to spend time. The pudding was delicious, and the scenery was beautiful too. The water at the Meoto Iwa (Wedded Rocks) beach was very clean, but sadly we didn't have enough time there; the kids weren't ready to leave, and we had to walk 10+ minutes back to the meeting point. The view from Fukuoka Tower is worth seeing (on a clear day). The time allotted for Ichiran Ramen could be shorter, but the ramen here was noticeably better than at the Fukuoka main branch!

The itinerary was excellent, and our tour guide, Xiao Liu, and the driver were very professional and flexible! Especially great that we didn't have to wait in line at Ichiran Ramen! Awesome! The tour fee was great value! Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!

The tour group had 21 people, filling the minibus completely. The overall itinerary was well-planned. The only drawback was the dining spot at the Ichiran Ramen Museum. Although we had made a reservation in advance, we still had to queue with the other people at the site. We waited for an hour to eat. I feel that we could have changed to a dining location that didn't require queuing, freeing up time so that we have more time to enjoy the beautiful sea view.

Highly recommend this tour! If you want to visit these three somewhat remote locations in one day without getting too tired, you should definitely book it. The guide will introduce the next attraction after you board, then you'll have free time to rest or sleep a bit. Once you arrive at a destination, you can explore on your own or choose to follow the guide. For lunch, Guide Wang also recommended some delicious restaurants in Arashiyama. Katsuoji Temple is beautiful and amazing, but it's a bit difficult to access by public transport. The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is very unique, and the recommended restaurants there are great. Feeding the deer in Nara was a fun and enjoyable experience.

The tour guide was friendly, it was fun, and Itoshima is beautiful. Highly recommend!

Great for people without a car, as each location in Itoshima is quite far apart, and the weather is hot. You'll be drenched in sweat after just a few steps. The point-to-point service offers various itinerary options, perfect for the whole family.

The Leishan Temple experience is fantastic! It's amazing that the saltworks is now selling a limited-edition summer salt beer! The driver, who also served as our tour guide, was great too! Thanks for your hard work! 😁

Enjoyed the trip a lot as Victoria was very knowledgeable and fun tour guide! She also recommended popular local snacks which we really enjoyed!