[Kyoto Classic Deep Dive] Kinkaku-ji & Kiyomizu-dera Temple & Ninenzaka & Gion/Hanamikoji Street & Yasaka Shrine & Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine In-Depth Slow Travel Day Tour (Departure from Osaka/Kyoto)

Our tour guide this time was Rick, and the itinerary was satisfying, though the timing still felt a bit tight. Kinkaku-ji Temple was breathtakingly beautiful. We didn't have enough time to go all the way to the top of Fushimi Inari. Kiyomizu-dera Temple's Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka were fantastic for photos, shopping, and browsing. I was completely immersed in Uji matcha—it was pure bliss! 😊 As expected, something unexpected happened. When I was buying a Nishiki fan at a store, I used my transit card to pay, thinking it would be more convenient than taking out my wallet. However, the vendor told me the payment failed, even though my phone showed it had been deducted. Due to communication issues, I had to contact Rick on the spot and ask him to help me translate. Thank you, Mr. Rick, for going out of your way to help me translate and even calling the relevant authorities to inquire. I'm incredibly grateful! ☺️ I'll definitely look for you again on my next trip to Japan!

Easily accessible meeting point (tourist bus parking in front of Kyoto Station - Shinkansen side/Avanti shopping center), precise, efficient and very kind guide, splendid itinerary to visit the main attractions of Kyoto with organization but also a certain flexibility. I highly recommend it.

We had a wonderful day with our guide Frank / Wang Ping! He was professional, friendly, and made the whole trip fun and informative. Everything was well organized, and we really enjoyed every part of the tour. Highly recommended! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Today, 8 of my friends and family participated in a wonderful tour. I was deeply impressed by our tour guide, Li Fei. I really want to recommend him to everyone! Tour guide Li Fei not only has a wealth of knowledge, but also can explain the history and culture of each attraction in an easy-to-understand way, which also broadened our horizons while we were visiting. His humorous remarks made the atmosphere of the whole team relaxed and happy, and the fatigue of the trip instantly dissipated. More importantly, Li Fei cares about the needs and feelings of each member of the group. He always carefully asks about everyone's situation to ensure that everyone can enjoy the fun of the journey. His sense of responsibility makes us feel at ease, knowing that under his leadership, we will definitely have a pleasant travel experience. In short, if you have the opportunity to participate in Li Fei's guided tour, I believe you will feel his professionalism and enthusiasm like me. Highly recommended to everyone!

This is a great tour for the Kyoto area. Etta is an excellent tour guide with lots of energy and a. sense of humor. She is knowledgeable with clear instructions for each of the points of interest and can cater to tourists in 3 different languages.

Fantastic guides! Joe was a treat and gave great details for every location visited. The only suggestion I would have is to have more time at Fushimi Inari Shrine, 1 hour is not enough time at this wonderful stop.

Our Kyoto tour was incredible, thanks to the breathtaking sights and our fantastic tour guide. Kinkakuji Temple, with its golden reflection on the pond, was mesmerizing, and the peaceful gardens were a joy to explore. At Kiyomizu-dera, the guide shared fascinating stories about the temple’s history and architecture, making the experience even more meaningful. They also pointed out the best spots for photos and gave great tips for trying local snacks on the bustling streets leading to the temple. The guide’s knowledge, enthusiasm, and friendly nature made the tour unforgettable! I’m definitely gonna go back during Autumn

Our tour was great. The places we went was really crowded but it was expected. The schedule was good and gave us enough spare time to do as we liked. Although our group was a big group but our guide was very attentive and entertaining the whole time. he really took extra care to message us and give us tips and reminders of meet up places and time. We left from the last location on our own and he messaged me to make sure we got back safely.

The beauty of Kyoto is intoxicating. The ancient streets, solemn shrines and black and white buildings constitute the unique landscape of this city. The suspended stage of Kiyomizu Temple, the thousand torii gates of Fushimi Inari Taisha, and the magnificent Kinkakuji Temple are all unforgettable. Kyoto, a quiet city full of historical heritage, is worth savoring. This trip is different from other tour groups. Other tour groups have to go to two areas and will be very rushed. The itinerary is spent in the car and the time for visiting attractions is very short, but this trip has enough time to visit attractions, which is very nice. If there is a ten-point rating, I will give it ten points! !

My only feedback would be to please shorten the “explanation/information” upon arrival to each designated stop. some places are a short visit (for example a 1-hour stop) and spending 15-20 minutes of it having to listening to the guide who has to translate in more than one language; therefore, cutting our exploring time much shorter than needed. Also, if possible, separate the tours by language. The tour I was on was both English and Chinese. Lastly, it may be helpful for travelers in the future to talk about manners and when exiting the bus, allow folks in the front to exit first. Japan in general is a place where people are very polite and efficient. I traveled with my elderly parents and we paid for “front of the bus seats” so they don’t experience too much difficulty entering and exiting; however, guests seated in many rows behind us became impatient and would quickly exit and not allowing for exiting in an orderly fashion.