Kyoto and Nara Customizable Private Tour with English Driver

Arashiyama, located in western Kyoto, Japan, is a picturesque district renowned for its natural beauty and cultural heritage. It is best known for the iconic Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, where visitors can walk through a mesmerizing pathway lined with towering bamboo stalks. The area is also home to the historic Tenryu-ji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site with stunning gardens, and the scenic Togetsukyo Bridge, which offers breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains. Arashiyama’s charm is especially captivating during the cherry blossom season in spring and the vibrant autumn foliage, making it a popular destination year-round.

Kinkaku-ji, also known as the Golden Pavilion, is a famous Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. It is renowned for its stunning golden exterior, which reflects beautifully on the surrounding pond. Originally built in 1397 as a retirement villa for shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, it was later converted into a temple. The top two floors are covered in gold leaf, symbolizing purity and spiritual harmony. Kinkaku-ji is a UNESCO World Heritage site and attracts visitors year-round, especially during autumn and winter when the scenery becomes even more breathtaking.

Nishiki Market (錦市場), often called “Kyoto’s Kitchen,” is a bustling, covered shopping street in downtown Kyoto running about 400 m between Takakura and Teramachi streets along Nishikikoji. With over 100–130 stalls, it offers a fantastic array of local produce, seafood, pickles, sweets, tofu/yuba, kitchenware, knives, ceramics, and street snacks

Nara Park is a scenic destination where Japan's rich history and natural beauty come together, attracting many visitors. Covering approximately 660 hectares, the park is famous for its 1,200 freely roaming deer, which visitors can feed with special deer crackers. It also boasts several historic landmarks, including the Great Buddha Hall at Todai-ji Temple, the five-story pagoda of Kofuku-ji Temple, and Kasuga Taisha Shrine. Throughout the year, the park’s landscapes transform beautifully, with cherry blossoms in spring and vibrant autumn foliage being particular highlights.

Fushimi Inari Taisha is a famous Shinto shrine located in Kyoto, Japan, dedicated to Inari, the deity of rice, prosperity, and business. It is best known for its iconic Senbon Torii, a path lined with thousands of vibrant red torii gates that wind up the sacred Mount Inari. Founded in the 8th century, the shrine attracts visitors seeking blessings for success and good fortune. The scenic hiking trails, fox statues (Inari’s messengers), and panoramic views from the mountain make Fushimi Inari a popular and spiritually significant destination.

Tōdai-ji, or the "Great Eastern Temple," is one of Japan's most iconic and historically significant temples, located in Nara. Built in 752, it served as the head temple for all provincial Buddhist temples across Japan. The temple's influence on politics was so strong that the capital was moved from Nara to Nagaoka in 784 to reduce its power over government affairs.

The temple's centerpiece is the Daibutsuden (Great Buddha Hall), which, until recently, held the record as the world’s largest wooden building, despite the current structure (rebuilt in 1692) being only two-thirds of its original size. Inside the hall stands a **15-meter-tall** bronze statue of Vairocana Buddha, one of Japan’s largest, flanked by two Bodhisattvas.

Tōdai-ji remains a symbol of Japan’s rich Buddhist heritage and a must-visit landmark for those exploring Nara.