Kyoto: Kinkaku-ji Temple & Serene Garden Guided Tour with Tickets
Description
Experience the contrast between two UNESCO World Heritage temples in Kyoto: the lavish Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji), built by a samurai, and the peaceful Ninnaji Temple, steeped in imperial heritage. Delve into Japan's history and culture as your guide illuminates the significance of Buddhist temples, spanning themes of power, prestige, and devotion. Admire the gleaming golden façade of Kinkakuji and stroll through its picturesque gardens, learning about the historiy behind its creation. In Ninnaji Temple, step inside the rarely opened Main Hall for a sacred chanting session led by a monk. Engage with the monk during an enlightening Q&A and learn about Buddhism's spiritual traditions. Visit the Sutra Hall to see and interact with the rotating sutra shelf, a ritual imbued with profound meaning. Capture a memorable photo with the monk before visiting the elegant Imperial Residence. Conclude your journey in this tranquil space, soaking in the timeless beauty and imperial charm of Kyoto.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Kinkaku-ji, or the Golden Pavilion, is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. Originally built as a retirement villa for Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, it was later converted into a temple. The top floors are covered in gold leaf, creating a stunning reflection in the surrounding pond. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site. You will visit Shariden, Karamon Gate, Rikushu-no-taki, Anmintaku, Hakujanotsuka, Yukatei Teahouse, and Fudo Hall.
Ninna-ji is a Buddhist temple in Kyoto, founded in 888 by Emperor Uda. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and known for its five-story pagoda, gardens, and Omuro cherry trees. The temple is the head of the Omuro school of Shingon Buddhism and has a long history as a spiritual center.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- *The details of the itinerary at Ninna-ji Temple may be subject to change due to the temple's circumstances.
Reviews(21)
Private tour with our guide, Naomi, took us to the very heart of the Nina-ji temple and the Sutra repository with a Buddhist priest who prayed and also took the time to explain the history of Buddhism and the history of the shrine. 10/10 highly recommended. We would have paid double the price for this unforgettable experience.
We are immensely pleased that your customized exploration of Ninnaji, guided by Naomi, resulted in such a profound and memorable encounter. It sounds like the opportunity to witness the monastic rituals and delve into the spiritual heritage, thanks to the insightful explanations from the priest, created a truly indelible impression. We will certainly share your wonderful comments with Naomi; she will be thrilled to know her dedication contributed to such a valued experience. Thank you again for your thoughtful review. We genuinely hope to welcome you back for another Japanese discovery.
Takashi was a knowledgeable and informative guide who made the whole experience very personal for our family. He took lots of photographs for us and shared ideas for other trips as I love gardens. Would highly recommend.
We profoundly appreciate your exceptionally enthusiastic feedback on your recent tour. It is genuinely rewarding to learn that Takashi was an extensively insightful and informative guide who meticulously tailored the entire experience to be exceptionally personal for your family! He thoughtfully captured numerous cherished photographs for you and shared valuable suggestions for additional journeys, particularly for those with an affinity for gardens. Your fervent recommendation truly resonates with us. Your outstanding comments will certainly be shared with Takashi; he will be absolutely thrilled to know the profound impact he had on your cherished day. We are deeply appreciative of you taking the time to share your perceptions. We eagerly anticipate the opportunity to welcome you back for another memorable adventure on your next visit to Japan.
We have been on many walking tours throughout our travels, and I can confidently say that our tour today with Takashi was a standout experience. Even after doing several other tours, Takashi’s depth of knowledge completely impressed us. He didn't just cover the basics; he shared fascinating, granular details about the areas we visited—from the history behind specific trees to the subtle, nuanced meanings behind temple decorations that we never would have noticed on our own. Beyond his expertise, he was incredibly friendly, helpful, and engaging throughout the entire walk. If you are looking for a guide who truly brings the history and culture of Kyoto to life, I highly recommend booking with him.
We are truly delighted to receive your exceptional feedback. It's wonderful that your walking tour with Takashi was such a standout experience among your many travels. His profound depth of knowledge, far exceeding basic information, clearly impressed you. Sharing fascinating, granular details—from the history of specific trees to the subtle nuances of temple decorations—sounds like it truly brought Kyoto to life, revealing insights you would have otherwise missed. Beyond his expertise, his incredibly friendly, helpful, and engaging demeanor throughout the walk further enriched your journey. Your strong recommendation for him as a guide who genuinely animates Kyoto's history and culture is deeply valued. We will certainly convey your exceptional commendation directly to Takashi. We deeply appreciate you sharing your memorable journey. We eagerly anticipate the opportunity to welcome you back to Japan for future captivating discoveries.
This was an excellent tour. Our tour guide Takashi was incredibly well-informed and was able to answer all of our questions and showed us hidden sights. Excellent. I would highly recommend this tour!
We are truly delighted to receive your exceptional feedback. It's wonderful that your excursion was such an outstanding tour! We are especially pleased that Takashi, your guide, was incredibly well-informed, meticulously answered all your inquiries, and revealed fascinating hidden sights. Your enthusiastic recommendation is deeply valued. We will certainly convey your high praise directly to Takashi. We deeply appreciate you sharing your insights. We eagerly anticipate the opportunity to welcome you back to Japan for future captivating discoveries.
We had a wonderful time! Our tour guide Mika did excellent job to walking us through those amazing temples. She is very knowledgeable, professional with a pleasant personality. Good English as well! Highly recommend this tour and this guide!
We profoundly appreciate your exceptionally enthusiastic feedback on your recent temple tour. It is genuinely rewarding to learn that you had such a delightful time, and that our guide, Mika, did a superb job of guiding you through those magnificent sacred sites! She was clearly extensively insightful, remarkably professional, and possessed a truly charming demeanor. Her excellent command of English further enhanced your journey. Your outstanding comments will certainly be shared with Mika; she will be absolutely thrilled to know the profound impact she had on your cherished day. We are deeply appreciative of you taking the time to share your perceptions. We eagerly anticipate the opportunity to welcome you back for another memorable adventure on your next visit to Japan.
Great tour experience with Paul! From the beautiful but crowded of Kinkakuji to the peace and serenity of Ninna-ji, we had a wonderful time learning from our guide Paul. He was very knowledgeable and it was great to learn about some of the history of the places we were visiting.
We profoundly appreciate your exceptionally enthusiastic feedback on your recent Kyoto exploration. It is genuinely rewarding to learn that you had such a magnificent tour with Paul! From the exquisite yet bustling Kinkaku-ji to the tranquil and serene Ninna-ji, you clearly had an excellent time gaining insights from your guide, Paul. He was evidently extensively knowledgeable, and gaining understanding of the rich heritage of the destinations you discovered was truly captivating. Your outstanding comments will certainly be shared with Paul; he will be absolutely thrilled to know the profound impact he had on your cherished day. We are deeply appreciative of you taking the time to share your perceptions. We eagerly anticipate the opportunity to welcome you back for another memorable adventure on your next visit to Japan.
Great tour experience with Paul!
We profoundly appreciate your enthusiastic feedback on your recent tour. It is incredibly rewarding to learn that you had such an excellent exploration with Paul! Your excellent comments will certainly be shared with Paul; he will be absolutely thrilled to know the profound impact he had on your cherished day. We are deeply appreciative of you taking the time to share your perceptions. We eagerly anticipate the opportunity to welcome you back for another memorable adventure on your next visit to Japan.
It was the best trip I ever made in Japan. Our guide Naomi was fantastic. Sympathetic and helpful. I recommend her!
Higashimori was a wonderful tour guide
Machiko was an excellent and kind guide who shared a wealth of interesting information throughout the tour. She allowed us to set the pace, which made the experience very comfortable, and she continuously enriched the walk with explanations while also answering our questions along the way. Having her accompany us made the tour especially engaging and truly memorable.
We profoundly appreciate your enthusiastic feedback on your recent Kyoto temple tour. It is genuinely rewarding to learn that Machiko was such an excellent and amiable guide, sharing a wealth of captivating insights throughout your exploration! Her thoughtful approach in allowing you to dictate the tempo, ensuring profound comfort, and consistently enriching the stroll with lucid elucidations while addressing your inquiries, clearly made the journey deeply captivating and truly indelible. Your excellent comments will certainly be shared with Machiko; she will be absolutely thrilled to know the profound impact she had on your cherished day. We are deeply appreciative of you taking the time to share your perceptions. We eagerly anticipate the opportunity to welcome you back for another memorable adventure on your next visit to Japan.
