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Early Bird Big 3 Tour (Inari, Nijo and Kinkaku-ji) in Kyoto

Top rated
4.8
Activity provider: MARKEVISION株式会社
Early Bird Big 3 Tour (Inari, Nijo and Kinkaku-ji)
Early Bird Big 3 Tour (Inari, Nijo and Kinkaku-ji) 2
Early Bird Big 3 Tour (Inari, Nijo and Kinkaku-ji) 3
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Half-day tour in Kyoto, taking in Public transport, Fushimi Inari Taisha and Nijo Castle. Run by MARKEVISION株式会社, booked direct rather than through a reseller.

Highlights

  • Public transport
  • Fushimi Inari Taisha
  • Nijo Castle
  • Kinkaku-ji
  • Runs 5 hours
  • Local tour guide

Early Bird Big 3 Tour (Inari, Nijo and Kinkaku-ji): Key Facts

PriceFrom $138.5 per person
Duration5 hours
LanguagesEnglish
Tour typeGuided Tour
BookingDirect with the local operator — no OTA markup

Choose from 1 available option

Early Bird Big 3 Tour (Inari, Nijo and Kinkaku-ji)

Half-day tour in Kyoto, taking in Public transport, Fushimi Inari Taisha and Nijo Castle. Run by MARKEVISION株式会社, booked...
5 hours
English
$138.5
Free cancellation

Full description

This is a 5-hour experience from Kyoto, built around Public transport, Fushimi Inari Taisha and Nijo Castle. It is run by MARKEVISION株式会社, an operator we book with directly rather than through a reseller, which is why we can hold your place with them before we treat your booking as final.

Fushimi Inari Taisha is the head shrine of Inari, the deity of rice and business, and its thousand-plus vermilion torii gates, each donated by a company or family, run in tunnels up the 233-metre Mount Inari behind the main hall. The full loop to the summit is about four kilometres and two hours; most visitors turn back at the Yotsutsuji viewpoint halfway. It is open 24 hours and free, which makes it the one big Kyoto sight you can do at dawn or after dark, when the gates are empty and lit. By nine in the morning the lower tunnels are a slow queue. The fox statues carry keys to the rice granary in their mouths.

The price covers tour guide. It does not cover Food and drinks, Transportation fee, Admission fees not specified in the "Included" section and Hotel pick-up and drop-off, so budget for those separately. Everything included is listed in full on this page; if something is not on that list, assume it is not in the price.

MARKEVISION株式会社 sends the meeting point and time by email as soon as the booking is confirmed. We need at least one day's notice, and we confirm the date with MARKEVISION株式会社 before treating your booking as final. If they cannot take your date we tell you and refund you rather than leave you waiting.

Tour Itinerary

Itineraries are customisable as per your request

The schedule below is a suggested plan and can be adjusted to suit your preferences.

2 starting location options

京都駅八条口 一般タクシーのりば, 京都駅

Public transport

(30 minutes)

Fushimi Inari Taisha

Photo stop, Visit, Guided tour (1 hour)

Public transport

(40 minutes)

Nijo Castle

Photo stop, Visit, Guided tour (1 hour)

Kinkaku-ji

Photo stop, Visit, Guided tour (1 hour)

Detailed Itinerary

2 starting location options: 京都駅八条口 一般タクシーのりば, 京都駅

Public transport: (30 minutes)

Fushimi Inari Taisha: Photo stop, Visit, Guided tour (1 hour)

Public transport: (40 minutes)

Nijo Castle: Photo stop, Visit, Guided tour (1 hour)

Kinkaku-ji: Photo stop, Visit, Guided tour (1 hour)

Includes

  • Local tour guide

Excludes

  • Food and drinks
  • Transportation fee
  • Admission fees not specified in the "Included" section
  • Hotel pick-up and drop-off

Important information

Meeting point

MARKEVISION株式会社 sends the meeting point and time by email as soon as the booking is confirmed.

Know before you go

  • Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the activity starts

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Secure payment
Complete your booking safely with Razorpay. Full refund if you cancel 24h prior. Read more
Duration 5 hours
Check availability to see starting times
Live tour guide
English
Wheelchair accessible

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Main Tour Price
Starting from $138.5
$138.5
Need a custom booking or have a larger group?Contact Support via WhatsApp
Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Secure payment
Complete your booking safely with Razorpay. Full refund if you cancel 24h prior. Read more

Traveler Reviews

4.8/5
based on 20 reviews
Guide
5/5
Value for money
5/5
Verified reviews from travelers on this operator’s experience
5
S
Shirley
September 7, 2026

heel gezellige gids die veel kon vertellen over allerlei dingen. ook wist hij al onze vragen te beantwoorden. het was echt een gezellige dag!

Review photo 1Review photo 2
5
C
Catherine
July 22, 2026

Akito était très attentionné et intéressant, serviable avec chacun de nous. Merci beaucoup pour cette belle journée de découverte ! Nous aurons de très beaux souvenirs de Kyoto. Nous recommandons vivement.

Review photo 1
5
S
Stefano
August 2, 2026

Great tour with an expert and pleasant guide, nice to answer all our questions. I really suggest this trip, easy to do and very intersting

5
R
Roy
July 8, 2026

We had a great tour with Romi covering Kyoto’s Big 3. It was fantastic we all enjoyed Romi’s great insights into the locations, history, and culture. One of the best things we did in Japan. We highly recommend!

5
C
Cordula
September 12, 2026

Diese Tour von Sachi war super, um die besten Sehenswürdigkeiten kennenzulernen und sich schnell in der Stadt zurecht zu finden. Sachi hat uns alles zu den Schreinen, dem Tempel und der Burg inklusive der Gärten sehr gut erklärt und wir hatten einen tollen interessanten Vormittag, der viel zu schnell vorbei war. Vielen herzlichen Dank. Die Tour können wir sehr weiterempfehlen

5
M
Melissa
September 10, 2026

Die Tour hat uns (trotz des nicht so guten Wetters) sehr gut gefallen. Unser Tour Guide Ayane hat uns die Geschichten der Sehenswürdigkeiten super erklärt und auch gezeigt, wie an den Schreinen richtig gebetet wird. Zudem hat sie uns auch viele Fragen über Japan generell beantwortet und auch ein paar lokale Geheimtipps für Ramen empfohlen. Also vielen Dank Ayane für diese wundervolle Tour!

5
T
Traveller
September 6, 2026

We had a great tour with Takeshi. He provided us some information on each of the sites and was very accommodating to our needs.

5
T
Traveller
August 22, 2026

Ren has been an excellent guide with a fluent english, really appreciated He has been really great, patient and let us shoot all the photos and asking questions. We have been lucky, the sites were not crowded so we have not wasted time tonget the tickets.

5
O
Oliver
July 27, 2026

Tolle Organisation und sehr netter Service. Vielen Dank!

5
T
Traveller
July 18, 2026

Vi var meget imponeret over de smukke attraktioner. Vi havde en rigtig sød guide, som var utrolig hjælpsom, informativ og interesseret i at vise os rundt og fortælle. Hun gjorde vores tur nem og havde styr på, hvad der var nemmest for os med transporten. Det var dejligt, at hun havde styr på det hele, så vi bare kunne nyde at gå rundt og se seværdighederne og tage billeder. Guiden var også god til at tage fotos af os, så jeg (mor) også kom med på billederne. Vi har været meget tilfredse.

5
A
Anjuli
July 10, 2026

Es war eine tolle Tour! Ich hatte anfangs gar nicht gemerkt, dass ich eine private Tour gebucht habe - das war klasse! Die Organisation war top, der Guide Takeshi hat sich vor der Tour gemeldet und den Treffpunkt und alles weitere Wichtige erklärt, Treffpunkt sehr einfach zu finden und die Tour war toll! Da wir früh dran waren, waren die drei Sehenswürdigkeiten noch nicht total überfüllt. Takeshi hat viele Informationen bereit gehabt und meine vielen Fragen beantwortet! Wir haben unterwegs auch Pausen gemacht, wenn mir die Sonne etwas Zuviel wurde und Takeshi ist flexibel auf Wünsche eingegang

3
T
Traveller
July 9, 2026

I can not faut the guide, Takeshi was amazing and went above and beyond with me on the tour and really personalized it based on what I wanted to see and took the heat into consideration and ensured we took regular breaks. Even at the end he took me to a great spot for lunch! That said I did find it expensive considering not only was transport not included (ok I can understand that) but none of the entrances fees were included, I know it does say that certain entry tickets for “non included”attractions are not included but I thought that it meant extra attractions not all the main ones. I had t

Frequently Asked Questions

MARKEVISION株式会社 sends the meeting point and time by email as soon as the booking is confirmed.
The price does not cover food and drinks, transportation fee, admission fees not specified in the "included" section and hotel pick-up and drop-off. Everything it does cover is listed in full on this page, so if something is not on that list, budget for it separately.
Shoes off at every hall, quiet voices, and no photographs inside the halls unless a sign allows it. At a shrine, rinse hands and mouth at the basin, then bow twice, clap twice and bow once; at a temple, hands together without clapping. Dress is relaxed, but shoulders and knees covered is the courteous choice.
We confirm your booking with the operator before we treat it as final, and we need at least one day's notice. Once it is confirmed you get the meeting point, the time and a contact number for the day. If the operator cannot take your date we tell you and refund you rather than leave you waiting.
Local tour guide
The duration of the Early Bird Big 3 Tour (Inari, Nijo and Kinkaku-ji) is typically 5 hours. We recommend arriving 15 minutes before the scheduled start time for a smooth check-in. Your guide will meet you at the designated meeting point and ensure the experience runs on schedule while remaining flexible to your pace.
For most experiences, we highly recommend an early morning start. This allows you to avoid the midday heat, bypass the largest crowds, and capture the best lighting for photography. Your guide can advise on the optimal timing based on the season and specific attractions included.
Yes, once your booking is completed via our secure payment gateway, you will receive an instant confirmation email with your tour details, meeting point address, guide's name, and direct contact information. You can also view and manage your booking through your AsiaByLocals account dashboard.
Yes! All our private tours are fully customizable. Whether you want to add extra stops, skip certain locations, change the pace, or adjust the start time — simply let your guide know in advance or on the day. We aim to create a personalized experience tailored to your interests and energy level.
We offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the scheduled start time for a full refund. Cancellations within 24 hours may be subject to a partial charge depending on the tour type. Weather-related cancellations for outdoor and boat tours are handled on a case-by-case basis, with full refunds or free rebooking offered when safety is a concern.
Most of our experiences are family-friendly and suitable for children of all ages. However, some tours involving extensive walking, water activities, or early morning starts may be better suited for children aged 5 and above. Please check the specific tour description for age recommendations, or contact us for personalized family itinerary advice.
After booking, you will receive detailed meeting point instructions via email. Most tours include complimentary hotel pickup within the central area. For tours without pickup, your confirmation email will include the exact address, Google Maps pin, and your guide's phone number for easy coordination. Guides typically arrive 10 minutes early and will message you on WhatsApp.
We accept all major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), PayPal, Apple Pay, and Razorpay for Indian cards. All payments are processed through a PCI-compliant secure gateway with 256-bit encryption. You can also pay in multiple currencies — the price is automatically converted to your local currency at checkout.
Yes, all AsiaByLocals guides are licensed professionals who have been rigorously vetted through background checks, skill assessments, and customer reviews. Many hold government-issued tourism licenses, university degrees in history or cultural studies, and have years of experience leading tours for international travelers. Every guide maintains a minimum 4.5-star rating to remain active on our platform.
Late March to early April for cherry blossom, or mid-to-late November for peak autumn foliage. Kyoto sits in a basin and runs hotter in summer and colder in winter than Tokyo, even at a similar latitude. Full month-by-month figures are in our best time to visit Kyoto guide.
Kyoto never built an extensive subway — just two lines (Karasuma and Tozai) — so the city bus network does most of the work, especially for Higashiyama, Kinkaku-ji and Ginkakuji. Fushimi Inari and Arashiyama are best reached by JR rail instead. See getting around Kyoto.
Three days covers the essentials well: a day for Higashiyama and Gion, a day for Arashiyama and Kinkaku-ji, and a day for Fushimi Inari plus a Nara or Uji day trip. Our 3-day Kyoto itinerary has the full route with timing.
Arrive by 6:30-7am — the shrine is open 24/7 and free, and most visitors only walk the first 20-30 minutes anyway. Past that point the crowds thin out fast. Full hike details in our Fushimi Inari guide.
Yes — it's a public path with no entrance fee and no set hours. The trade-off is that it gets shoulder-to-shoulder by mid-morning; arrive before 8am for a nearly empty walk. See the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest guide.
Kyoto restricts photography on certain private alleys in Gion after complaints about tourists chasing and blocking geiko and maiko, with fines for violators. Public streets like Hanamikoji-dori remain open, but never chase, touch or block a real geiko/maiko anywhere. Full etiquette in our Gion geisha district guide.
Yudofu (simmered tofu, best near Nanzen-ji or Arashiyama), kaiseki and shojin ryori temple cuisine, and Nishiki Market's stalls of tako tamago and fresh yuba. Uji, just south of the city, is one of Japan's top matcha-growing regions. See the Kyoto food guide.
Starting from$138.5