Osaka day trip: Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Nara Park & temples

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Free cancellationLikely to sell out

1/38

Duration11h

GroupUp to 40

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Four stops across Osaka and Kyoto without arranging the route yourself

This 11-hour guided tour from Osaka visits Katsuo-ji Temple, Minoh Waterfall (June to October), the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, and Nara Park in a single day, with round-trip transport in an air-conditioned vehicle and an English-speaking guide. Pickup is at Hilton Plaza West Shopping Mall (Exit 4B) at 8am; drop-off back in Osaka at 6:30pm. A minimum of 8 people is required; if the group doesn't meet that threshold, you'll be notified by email three days before with a full refund.

11h

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit temples, forest, and park

Meet at Hilton Plaza West
Depart from Osaka
Visit Katsuo-ji Temple
See Minoh Waterfall
Walk through Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
Explore Nara Todaiji Temple
Visit Nara Park and feed deer
Return and drop off in Osaka

The Experience

The day starts at Hilton Plaza West at 8am and heads first to Katsuo-ji Temple, a Buddhist temple in the Osaka area known for thousands of Daruma dolls and fortune-telling experiences. From June through October, the route includes a stop at Minoh Waterfall, a 33-meter cascade surrounded by greenery—though the operator may cancel this stop if heavy rain makes the mountain trails unsafe. The itinerary then moves to the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove in Kyoto, where you walk through towering bamboo stalks on a peaceful path near Tenryuji Temple. The final major stop is Nara Park, where hundreds of tame, sacred deer roam freely and often approach visitors; the tour also includes entry to Todaiji Temple, one of Japan's most historic sites.

Transport between all four stops happens in an air-conditioned vehicle with a driver and English-speaking guide included. The group size stays small—a minimum of 8 people is required to run the tour, and if that threshold isn't met, you'll receive an email notification three days before departure with a full refund. Children from age 3 are welcome, and infants can sit on an adult's lap. The day ends with drop-off back in Osaka by 6:30pm, so you return to your hotel or the city center in time for dinner.

What’s included

Round-trip transport in an air-conditioned vehicle.
English-speaking guide.
entry to Katsuo-ji Temple, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Nara Park, and Todaiji Temple.
Minoh Waterfall (seasonal, June to October).

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by S.A. Tour

Is this one for you?Choose this if you're staying in Osaka and want a guided itinerary that moves between three sites across Kyoto and Nara with all transport included—you follow the schedule rather than build your own.