Tours/Osaka/From Osaka:Arashiyama Forest, Katsuo-ji Temple and Nara Park Tour
Viator · group up to 40 pax

From Osaka:Arashiyama Forest, Katsuo-ji Temple and Nara Park Tour

3.9(37)Osaka1 hour
VIATOR4.0(27)TRIPADVISOR3.7(10)

Description

Arashiyama Forest, Katsuo-ji and Nara Park all season itinerary: 7:50 Meet at Hilton Plaza West Shopping Mall - Exit 4B 8:00 Departure 9:00 Katsuo-ji Temple 11:00 Minoh Waterfall 13:00 Arashiyama Bamboo Forest 15:30 Nara Todaiji Temple 18:30 Drop-off in Osaka Experience the best day trip from Osaka to Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Katsuo-ji Temple and Nara Park, where Japan’s natural beauty, cultural heritage and unique local experiences come together. ● Visit Katsuo-ji Temple, famous for its lucky Daruma dolls, peaceful mountain scenery and fortune-telling experience. ● Walk through the iconic Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, one of Kyoto’s most famous sightseeing spots surrounded by towering bamboo trees. ● Meet the friendly deer of Nara Park and explore one of Japan’s most historic cultural destinations. ● June to October Seasonal Attraction: Enjoy a visit to Minoh Waterfall, a beautiful 33-meter waterfall surrounded by lush greenery and refreshing summer landscapes.

Tour Options

Depart fr Hilton Plaza 800AM
  • Depart fr Hilton Plaza: Please arrive at Hilton Plaza West Shopping Mall - Exit 4B before 8.00AM 〒530-0001 大阪府大阪市北区梅田2丁目2 ウエスト

Itinerary

120 min

This Buddhist temple is among the most popular in Osaka and is known for its thousands of Daruma dolls and its fortune readouts.

90 min

Visit the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, one of Kyoto’s most famous sightseeing spots, located in the scenic Arashiyama district. Known for its towering bamboo forest and peaceful atmosphere, the grove offers a relaxing walking path surrounded by tall green bamboo stalks. Visitors can enjoy the natural sounds of rustling bamboo while exploring the area near Tenryuji Temple and other popular Kyoto attractions. Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is a must-visit destination for nature lovers, photographers, and travelers exploring Kyoto, Japan.

120 min

Nara Park is a public park located in the city of Nara, Japan. The park is famous for its hundreds of tame deer that roam freely throughout the park, often approaching visitors in search of food. The deer in Nara Park are considered sacred and have been protected since ancient times. They are a symbol of the city and are beloved by locals and visitors alike.

Highlights

Nara Park
Driver / guide tip
Toudai-ji
Katsuo-ji Temple
Air-conditioned vehicle
Round-trip traffic

What's included

Included
Nara Park
Driver / guide tip
Toudai-ji
Katsuo-ji Temple
Air-conditioned vehicle
Round-trip traffic
Not included
Personal Consumption
Meals & Beverages
Hotel pickup and drop-off

Traveller Ratings

3.9
37 reviews
5
20
4
5
3
3
2
6
1
3

Important Information

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • A minimum of 8 people are required for this tour. If the minimum group size is not met, you will be notified by email 3 days before departure with a full refund. For specific departure date requirements, we recommend confirming group status with customer service in advance.
  • Notice: Due to the rainy season and the characteristics of the mountain trails in the scenic area, Minoh Waterfall may be canceled if extreme weather poses a risk to visitor safety. We appreciate your understanding.

Reviews(37)

K
KaHei_L
October 20, 2025
Awesome!

It's a full day of tour. Wish we had more time in each stop, but understand that in order to go to all the spots, it has to be done this way. Alex, our tour guide was awesome. Very attentive, helpful, friendly, and also humorous. Tour bus was big and roomy. If you do not like to hike steep roads, don't go to the waterfall, it was a 10 minute viewing allotment and it's ju alright in terms of bei spectacular. Overall I enjoyed the tour.

M
Matt_G
September 10, 2025
Great day out

Was a great day out, the highlight is definitely Nara park and seeing all the amazing deer. Our tour guide Marco was fantastic, he was very informative and made everyone had a good time and was looked after

A
AliinAus
June 5, 2025
Arashiyam and Nara are worth a visit.

This was our first choice of tour which we were notified was cancelled due to insufficient numbers - we got offered an alternative which still included Arashiyama Forest and Nara (for which this is the review). Our party was very small in only being 6 people. Both Arashiyam and Nara are both worth the visit and we found that we were given plenty of time to explore both. Four of the group got the time wrong to return to the bus and were left behind after 20min with our tour guide making lots of effort to contact them (they later re-joined at Nara), so for part of the day it was a private tour. Our tour guide Nancy provided lots of information and was very friendly. The tour we took also included Yasaka shine and it was a very enjoyable day.

C
Christine B
May 11, 2025
Poor tour guide and cramped minibus. The deer were great though

We had a small minibus instead of a coach which was full and cramped. We had a flat tyre on the way and spent an hour waiting for a replacement. The tour guide just slept through it! Waterfall was a bit underwhelming but Nara park was great, the deer were adorable.

Operator response

Thank you for your feedback. We sincerely apologize for the cramped minibus and the hour-long delay due to the flat tire. And we are glad you enjoyed Nara Park and the deer. We appreciate you sharing your experience, which will help us improve our transportation and guide performance.

D
Dario_R
May 5, 2025
It is just a transportation not a guided tour

They basically just provided a transportation to several places. The “tour guide” did not describe the background of any of these places; she just told us where we are going and what time we should meet.

Operator response

Thank you for your feedback. We understand you felt the tour was primarily transportation. We regret the guide didn't offer more background on the locations. We'll review our tour descriptions and guide training. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

D
doan_p
March 19, 2025
Not recommended

The guide did not go with us. Nancy our tour guide just tell us a little bit about the place and sit in the car. I feel like we just pay for transit which is expensive. Not recommended

Operator response

Dear Sir/Madam, Thank you for your feedback, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused. We have reviewed this issue and will strengthen staff training and improve our processes to prevent similar situations in the future. We appreciate your input and look forward to the opportunity to provide you with a better experience next time.

R
RahulKumar_S
October 30, 2024
Breathtaking Todaji

Very nice day spent. Arashiyama bamboo forest, Yasaka jinja Shrine, Nara deers... Lovely experience. But we were blown away by the Todaji Buddha... A must for every Indian or any Buddhist. What an impressive place. So heavenly. The trip hosts, the bus and the drivers were very helpful and understanding. If we come back here, will go to Todaji again 5 stars from us.

Operator response

Thank you for your review!

T
Ted M
October 18, 2024
They dropped you off at 3 place and the guide who came with us was extremely difficult to understand his English..

This was more a drop you off and you figure yourself type of tour. The van they rented was probably the most uncomfortable thing ever for the 6+ hours sitting in there.

1 people found this helpful
Operator response

Thank you for your feedback. We will improve the language training and tour quality of our guides Thank you.

A
Aileen_F
October 16, 2024
Self-Guided Tour

This is a great tour if you like to explore by yourself. You get dropped off at the sites advertised and are given between 1 - 2 hours to roam freely. It’s best to research the sites beforehand so you know exactly what to look for, otherwise you’ll waste time figuring out where to go or what to do. You could spend hours exploring at some of the sites, so having good time management is essential. If you’re looking for a guided tour, this is not the tour for you.

1 people found this helpful
C
Cristina_P
August 26, 2024
average guided tour not too engaging

it s an average lef tour not too much information provided about the places visited. Can recommend only if general style is more to visit independently than with a guide.

Operator response

Hello, may I ask which day of the itinerary you are participating in? We will convey it to the tour guide. Thank you.

You might also like...