Kyoto and Nara Day Tour: Temples & Deer Park Highlights

Five temples and shrines in one day, without arranging the stops yourself

A full-day guided tour of Kyoto and Nara departing from either Kyoto or Osaka Station, visiting Kinkaku-ji, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Togetsukyo Bridge, Tenryu-ji Temple, Fushimi Inari Shrine, and Nara Park with its free-roaming deer and Todai-ji Temple. Your English or Mandarin-speaking guide leads the route; round-trip transport in an air-conditioned vehicle and Kinkaku-ji admission are included. Temple admissions at Tenryu-ji and Todai-ji are optional add-ons depending on which departure point you choose.

Step-by-step itinerary

Kyoto and Nara full-day tour

• Check in at VIP Lounge Kyoto
• Visit Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji)
• Walk through Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
• See Togetsukyo Bridge views
• Explore Tenryu-ji Temple and gardens
• Walk Fushimi Inari Shrine torii gates
• Visit Nara Park and feed deer
• Explore Todaiji Temple and Great Buddha
• Return to VIP Lounge Kyoto

The Experience

The day starts at your chosen station — Kyoto or Osaka — where you'll meet your guide and board an air-conditioned vehicle for the drive to Kinkaku-ji. The Golden Pavilion sits on a pond with its gold leaf exterior reflecting in the water; you'll spend 40 minutes here with your guide explaining the temple's history before moving on. From there the route heads to Arashiyama, where you walk through the Bamboo Grove for another 40 minutes among towering stalks, then pause at Togetsukyo Bridge for 20 minutes of views across the Katsura River and surrounding mountains.

Tenryu-ji Temple comes next — a UNESCO site with landscaped gardens and centuries-old architecture where you'll spend 40 minutes — followed by Fushimi Inari Shrine, where you walk beneath thousands of vermilion torii gates for about an hour and 20 minutes. This is the most photographed stop on the route. The afternoon moves into Nara, where you spend an hour and 20 minutes in Nara Park meeting the free-roaming deer (sacred in Japanese culture) and visiting Todai-ji Temple, which houses the world's largest bronze Buddha. Your guide provides context at each site; the remaining time across the day accounts for transfers between attractions and the drive back to your starting station.

The vehicle type adjusts based on group size, and the tour runs about 10 to 11 hours total. Children under 3 ride free but must sit on an adult's lap; the tour is wheelchair accessible and suits all fitness levels. Arrive 10 minutes before departure — the vehicle leaves on time. Meals and drinks are on your own; temple admissions beyond Kinkaku-ji depend on which option you book at checkout.

What’s included

• Round-trip transport in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• Kinkaku-ji Temple admission.
• a professional guide speaking English or Mandarin.
• parking fees.
• tax.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by TREVOPEDIA

Is this one for you?Book from Kyoto Station if you're staying in central Kyoto and want the shortest travel time to the first temple; book from Osaka Station if you're based there and prefer one pickup point for the whole day. Either way, the fixed route and included transport mean you're not navigating between five separate sites or buying tickets at each one.

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Top questions

What's the difference between starting from Kyoto Station versus Osaka Station?

Both options follow the same five-temple itinerary and return to your starting point. Kyoto Station is closer to the first stop (Kinkaku-ji), while Osaka Station adds travel time at the beginning and end of the day but may suit your accommodation better.

Do I need to buy separate tickets for each temple, or are they included?

Kinkaku-ji admission is included with the tour. Tenryu-ji Temple and Todai-ji Temple admissions are optional add-ons you can select at checkout depending on your chosen departure point; your guide will tell you which temples are covered by your option.

Can I feed the deer in Nara Park, and how much time do I spend there?

Yes, you can feed the free-roaming deer in Nara Park. You'll spend about an hour and 20 minutes in the park visiting Todai-ji Temple and interacting with the deer, which are considered sacred in Japanese culture.

What language does the guide speak?

Your guide speaks either English or Mandarin Chinese; the language is set when you book.

Is lunch included, and when do we eat?

Lunch is not included in the tour price. You'll have time to eat on your own during the day, though specific meal breaks depend on the group's pace at each stop.

How much walking is involved across the day?

The tour includes moderate walking at each site — 40 minutes at Kinkaku-ji and the Bamboo Grove, 20 minutes at Togetsukyo Bridge, 40 minutes at Tenryu-ji, about 80 minutes at Fushimi Inari, and 80 minutes in Nara Park. The rest of the day is spent in the vehicle traveling between sites.