Kyoto day tour adventure: From Kinkaku-ji to Arashiyama to Fushimi Inari Taisha to Nara

We woke up at 6:15 a.m. to catch our tour bus at 8:00 a.m., and let me tell you...I was dead. Way too early for me, but hey, anything for this vacation! We walked 27 minutes to our meeting point in Namba, which was actually a great way to wake up. During this walk we also stopped by a convenient store to grab some drinks, food and snacks. Morning cardio? Check! I’m so glad I planned most of our tours near our hotel, making everything super walkable and convenient. Definitely a win!

Our first stop was Kinkaku-ji Temple, also known as the Golden Pavilion. It took about an hour to get there, and along the way, our tour guide shared some fascinating history. Kinkaku-ji is a Zen temple in northern Kyoto, and its top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf! Originally, it was the retirement villa of Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, and each floor reflects a different architectural style.

• First floor: Home to two statues. One of Yoshimitsu and one of Buddha. You can’t enter the temple, but you can see them from afar.

• Second floor: Houses a seated Bodhisattva Kannon, surrounded by four Heavenly Kings, but unfortunately, these aren’t visible to the public.

• Third floor: Used for meditation, featuring a tiny pagoda. The shogun never invited anyone up there!

As you walk around Kinkaku-ji, there are informational boards and photos of the temple’s interior, offering a deeper look at its history. What also was unique, was the temple tickets. They actually look like talismans! Hang it by your door to ward off evil spirits, or keep it in your wallet to ensure you never run out of money. Sounds like a win-win, haha! We also got to experience a traditional purification ritual. Washing our hands at the shrine, a way to cleanse and purify ourselves. The temple had so many fascinating details, and I loved learning more about its deep cultural significance.

Kinkaku-ji Temple, Kyoto, 2023

Our next stop was Arashiyama, home to the famous Bamboo Forest. When we arrived, it was packed, but to be fair, it was around noon and also a must see spot, so no surprise there. Here, we had free time to explore at our own pace. Before reaching the bamboo grove, we passed by cute little shops and restaurants, which we planned to check out after seeing the forest. I’m used to seeing trees in a forest, but this was completely different. Bamboo everywhere, stretching super tall in every direction. It was impressive, but honestly, if you’ve walked through a forest before, it feels kind of the same except this one had bamboo instead of trees, haha. If it wasn’t so crowded, I think it would’ve been a much more peaceful and magical experience.

After making our way through the Bamboo Forest, we grabbed some food, browsed the shops, and then took a relaxing walk by the Katsura River. Around 1:20 p.m., it was time to head to our next destination—Fushimi Inari Shrine. Yep, we had specific times we had to leave, but when you're traveling with a big group, sticking to the schedule is easier said than done, haha.

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Katsura River, Kyoto, 2023

It took about 35 minutes to reach Fushimi Inari Taisha, one of Japan’s must-visit spots. This shrine is famous for its 10,000+ torii gates, creating an almost endless pathway of bright orange arches. These traditional gates symbolize the transition from the physical world to the spirit world. You’ll see torii gates all over Japan, but nowhere near as many as here! And get this—they’re still building more to this day. Each gate has names and dates inscribed on it, representing companies or individuals who donated to the shrine. The cost? Around ¥400,000 (€2500–3000, depending on the exchange rate of course) per gate. Smaller torii gate donations are also accepted and placed elsewhere on the shrine grounds.

Walking through this tunnel of gates is honestly mesmerizing. Such an iconic experience. We had enough time to explore the grounds, but not enough to hike all the way to the top. The full trail is about 4 km uphill, and let’s be real, I was not prepared for that. No water, snacks, or proper hiking clothes. Plus, I’m not exactly a fitness girl, haha. My calves would definitely have felt that one.

With that, it was time to head to our final stop—Nara!

Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kyoto, 2023

We arrived at Nara Park around 16:30 p.m., another must-visit spot in Japan. This massive park is home to some of Nara’s top attractions, including Todaiji Temple, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, Kofukuji Temple, and the Nara National Museum.

I actually visited Nara Park back in 2018, so I was already familiar with Todaiji and Kasuga Taisha, but I had never seen Kofukuji or the museum. I was excited to check them out, but unfortunately, we arrived too late, and everything was already closing. Oh well, at least we got to admire the stunning architecture from the outside and enjoy a relaxing walk around the park. Todaiji Temple was under renovation, so a good part of it was covered, but we were still able to go inside, which was nice! I'll spare you that picture.

Now, let’s talk about the real stars of Nara Park, the 1,000 plus deer roaming freely. They’re adorable and super used to people. You can even buy deer crackers to feed them, and some of them have learned to bow to ask for food—how cute is that?! But don’t be fooled by their sweet looks, if you tease them, they can get a little aggressive, so feed with caution, haha. Our time in Nara was short, but we got to enjoy the beautiful sunset before hopping back on the bus at 18:00 p.m. and heading back to our hotel. We packed so much into one day, I was exhausted but so happy with everything we saw!

Nara Park, Nara, 2023

Since everything was so planned out, we had set time slots at every stop. If you’re someone who doesn’t want to plan and just wants to see the top highlights in Kansai, I’d totally recommend this tour. It was well-organized, covering all the major tourist spots without the hassle of figuring out transport or schedules. You can click here to view the tour we booked.

That said, now that I’ve done it once, I think next time I’d plan the trip myself to have more time at certain spots. For example, I really wanted to hike all the way up Fushimi Inari Taisha. Did you know there’s a special stamp you can get halfway up? How cool is that?! I also would have loved to explore more of Nara, I think it deserves a full day trip on its own.

Since there wasn’t enough time this round, I guess that just means I have to come back… right? Haha..

Adventure is out there!