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Kinkaku-ji, Arashiyama and Fushimi Inari Bus Tour in Kyoto

Top rated
4.3
Activity provider: VIP Japan Tour
Kinkaku-ji, Arashiyama and Fushimi Inari Bus Tour
Kinkaku-ji, Arashiyama and Fushimi Inari Bus Tour 2
Kinkaku-ji, Arashiyama and Fushimi Inari Bus Tour 3
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Full-day tour in Kyoto, taking in Nara Park, Arashiyama and Togetsukyo Bridge. Run by VIP Japan Tour, booked direct rather than through a reseller.

Highlights

  • Nara Park
  • Arashiyama
  • Togetsukyo Bridge
  • Kimono Forest
  • Runs 9 hours
  • Kinkakuji temple entry ticket

Kinkaku-ji, Arashiyama and Fushimi Inari Bus Tour: Key Facts

PriceFrom $77 per person
Duration9 hours
LanguagesEnglish
Tour typeGuided Tour
BookingDirect with the local operator — no OTA markup

Full description

This is a 9-hour experience from Kyoto, built around Nara Park, Arashiyama and Togetsukyo Bridge. It is run by VIP Japan Tour, 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 Kinkakuji temple entry ticket, English or Chinese-speaking guide, Air-conditioned vehicle and Lunch. It does not cover Todai-ji Temple entry ticket, 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.

VIP Japan Tour 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 VIP Japan Tour 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

VIP Villa Namba, VIP Lounge Kyoto

Nara Park

Photo stop, Visit, Free time, Sightseeing, Walk, Bus tour (80 minutes)

Arashiyama

Photo stop, Visit, Free time, Sightseeing, Walk, Bus tour (2 hours)

Togetsukyo Bridge

Photo stop, Visit, Free time, Sightseeing, Walk

Kimono Forest

Photo stop, Visit, Free time, Sightseeing, Walk

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest

Photo stop, Visit, Free time, Sightseeing, Walk

Kinkaku-ji

Photo stop, Visit, Free time, Sightseeing, Walk, Bus tour (40 minutes)

Fushimi Inari Taisha

Photo stop, Visit, Free time, Sightseeing, Walk, Bus tour (80 minutes)

Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine Senbontorii

Break time, Photo stop, Visit, Free time, Sightseeing, Walk, Self-guided tour

2 drop-off locations

VIP Lounge Kyoto, VIP Villa Namba

Detailed Itinerary

2 starting location options: VIP Villa Namba, VIP Lounge Kyoto

Nara Park: Photo stop, Visit, Free time, Sightseeing, Walk, Bus tour (80 minutes)

Arashiyama: Photo stop, Visit, Free time, Sightseeing, Walk, Bus tour (2 hours)

Togetsukyo Bridge: Photo stop, Visit, Free time, Sightseeing, Walk

Kimono Forest: Photo stop, Visit, Free time, Sightseeing, Walk

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest: Photo stop, Visit, Free time, Sightseeing, Walk

Kinkaku-ji: Photo stop, Visit, Free time, Sightseeing, Walk, Bus tour (40 minutes)

Fushimi Inari Taisha: Photo stop, Visit, Free time, Sightseeing, Walk, Bus tour (80 minutes)

Includes

  • Kinkakuji temple entry ticket
  • English or Chinese-speaking guide
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
  • Lunch (if this option is selected)

Excludes

  • Todai-ji Temple entry ticket

Important information

Meeting point

VIP Japan Tour 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 9 hours
Check availability to see starting times
Live tour guide
English
Wheelchair accessible

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Main Tour Price
Starting from $77
$77
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

4.3/5
based on 1847 reviews
Guide
4.4/5
Value for money
4.2/5
Verified reviews from travelers on this operator’s experience
5
A
Alison
September 11, 2026

A very enjoyable day with our guide Harid. He was informative and friendly but also allowed some quiet time between venues. It is quite a hectic day; but it does work. I would have preferred longer at Fushimi Inari, but otherwise an excellent trip.

Review photo 1
5
S
Skye
September 8, 2026

Our guide Tracey was fantastic. Very helpful. It was a big day for my kids but I never would have made it to all 4 places in one day on my own. Thoroughly enjoyed our day

Review photo 1Review photo 2Review photo 3
5
C
Caroline
June 18, 2026

This trip was Ah Ma Zing!! We got to see 4 main attractions in 1 day. We got enough time on each stop to see the attractions. The bus was clean, safe driving making this long journey smooth and comfortable. The best part was our Guide Harry. He was very courteous, took good care of the guests and made sure everyone is clear on meeting time and spot, and good direction. Harry gave us good introduction to each destination , he’s knowledgeable on the history of the places. This trip is a great value! I highly recommend recommend!

Review photo 1Review photo 2
5
C
Chris
August 24, 2026

We thoroughly enjoyed this bus tour. The attractions are so far apart, the weather was hot and this gave us a hassle free day in an air conditioned bus. Mike our guide was knowledgeable and gave us good insight to the attractions we saw and our bus driver was a safe capable driver, We would happily recommend this Bus Tour. The only reminder We would give people is to carry cash -very few places use cards. Very enjoyable and satisfying day

5
L
Lyndsay
August 23, 2026

This was an excellent day trip! Mike was our guide, and he was great, very informative with some humor to keep us engaged. You get to see some wonderful spots! we are not tour people, but we knew we had to go on one to get around out of the cities, and we were ok with this one because it was advertised as 9-10 hours long, but it ended up being 11.5 hours if you're booking from Osaka. This near killed us. But the time we get to the last shrine - we were too exhausted to even enjoy it, and you could see the energy in the entire group was low. Mentioning for those booking from Osaka, plan for a 1

5
T
Tobias
August 9, 2026

Very nice experience! We had a fantastic experience with our tour guide. She had an excellent knowledge of Osaka, Nara, and the whole region, as well as all the sights we visited. She communicated everything very clearly and was incredibly knowledgeable. We managed to see all the highlights while still having enough time at each place: Nara Park and Todai-ji Temple, the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Fushimi Inari, and Kinkaku-ji. The whole tour was absolutely fantastic! It was very well planned and a great choice, especially for people visiting the area for the first time. Highly recommended!

5
D
Don
July 25, 2026

People who go on this tour really need to pay more attention to where drop of and return to the same location and come back on time

5
A
Alessandro
July 8, 2026

Very good trip and Mike great guide that explain us everything that we saw. More time free for exploring all in free manner. Good food at lunch time

5
A
Alessandro
July 8, 2026

Very good trip and Mike great guide that explain us everything that we saw. More time free for exploring all in free manner. Good food at lunch time

5
M
Murat
July 5, 2026

Great all around trip, we seen many places that we wouldnt be able to ourselves and Tracy was great!

5
L
Lis
May 18, 2026

This allowed us to see many things in one day and saved our feet! With the heat, we were also glad of it. Good way to cram a lot in when your time is short.

5
M
Mirko
May 10, 2026

I was very happy with this trip, we had the opportunity to visit four amazing places in just one day. Everything was well scheduled and organised, and our guide Erik did a fantastic job. He gave us a lot of advice and useful tips about the itinerary, the history, and Japanese culture. I would definitely recommend it, especially if you don’t have many days and want to make the most of your time.

Frequently Asked Questions

VIP Japan Tour sends the meeting point and time by email as soon as the booking is confirmed.
The price does not cover todai-ji temple entry ticket. 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.
Kinkakuji temple entry ticket, English or Chinese-speaking guide, Air-conditioned vehicle, Lunch (if this option is selected)
The duration of the Kinkaku-ji, Arashiyama and Fushimi Inari Bus Tour is typically 9 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$77