Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji) Tours and Tickets

Make the most of your time in Kyoto by booking a customized private tour with an expert guide. Create your own sightseeing itinerary, choosing from among dozens of cultural and historic landmarks, including 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Nijo Castle or Kinkaku-ji Temple (Golden Pavilion), and Fushimi Inari Shrine. Choose either a half-day or full-day itinerary and travel via public transport accompanied by your guide. Transportation and lunch is included on this comprehensive and flexible Kyoto tour.

Discover the Japanese traditions of landscape and garden design on this 3-hour private walking tour of Kyoto with a local scholar. Learn about the principles behind the highly-stylized garden designs of Japan from your guide, a practice which has shaped the intricate outdoor spaces of emperors, nobles and monks for hundreds of years. Then visit some of the best examples of the practice in Kyoto, including the mirror pond at Kinkaku-ji, the Karesansui Garden at Ryoan-ji and the elaborate rock and water creations of Ninna-ji.

Discover the history and religions of ancient Japan during this 10-hour exploration of Kyoto and Nara. See Kyoto's UNESCO World Heritage-listed Kinkaku-ji and Nijo Castle, along with its Imperial Palace. Then drive from Kyoto to Nara to explore its own World Heritage site, Todai-ji Temple (including Great Buddha Hall), plus Kasuga Shrine. You'll also visit Nara's deer park and sample a Japanese and Western-style meal for lunch. Your Nara and Kyoto visit also includes a guide, coach transport, all entrance fees and pickup at select hotels.

This personalized full-day Kyoto tour with a local is ideal for first-time visitors to the "City of Temples". You won't waste a moment visiting places that don't interest you as this tour is fully customizable based on your interests. Choose the neighborhoods you'd like to visit, and see many of Kyoto's top sites. Exploring the city with a guide means you won't get lost, and you'll learn lots of local tips that you wouldn't discover otherwise.

Immerse yourself in the cultural and architectural splendor of Kyoto on this private 7-hour tour, ideal for first-time visitors. Choose from two different routes, both of which cover major Kyoto attractions including Nijo Castle and Kiyomizu Temple, and explore the city with a personal guide. On the northwest-bound route, you'll visit the Golden Pavilion, Nishiki Food Market, and the bamboo groves of Arashiyama Park. Alternatively, the southeast course covers the Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kiyomizu Temple, and the Gion area. Receive undivided attention from your guide on this private tour.

Learn about Japanese garden landscaping on a Kyoto walking tour, led by a local expert. The 3-hour experience takes in an array of the country's different garden designs, from the intricately constructed gardens of emperors to the stylish Zen Buddhist temple grounds. Wander around the Golden Pavilion's Mirror Pond, and then admire Ryoan-ji's lauded Karesansui Garden and the grounds of Ninna-ji. This tour runs with a maximum of just six people for a small-group experience.

See a collection of Kyoto's must-see attractions at your own pace on this convenient private day tour. You'll visit the Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji), the Arashiyama district, and many other important sites that you shouldn't leave Kyoto without seeing. As this is a private tour, you'll receive personalized attention and comfortable transportation all to yourself.

Take a deep dive into traditional Japanese culture and history during this 9-hour day trip to Kyoto and Nara from Osaka. Enjoy the atmosphere of Kyoto's Arashiyama district and admire the beautiful grounds of the Kinkaku-ji temple. Then head to Nara, touring the UNESCO-listed Todaiji temple and the wild deer of Nara Park. Multiple lunch upgrade options are available.

Cycle past a mix of Kyoto's most-famous sights and its lesser-known secrets during this 3.5-hour 'Hidden Kyoto' bike tour.  Take a 4.3-mile (7-kilometer) ride that starts by winding past iconic Kyoto temples and shrines like Kinkakuji, Koto-in, and Kitano Tenmagu. You'll continue 'off the beaten path,' discovering intimate Zen gardens and charming backstreets known only to locals.

Immerse yourself in Japanese culture and history using this private full-day vehicle charter from Kyoto. After selecting your preferred choice of transportation from a van, bus or limousine, your group will enjoy a private tour through the ancient city of Kyoto, complete with UNESCO-listed temples and numerous culture attractions. Explore the city at your own pace and customize the day to see only what you want to, all with the help of a guide/driver. Don’t miss this opportunity to see the best Kyoto has to offer.

Explore Kyoto and Nara with a photographer guide, and have your photos taken by a pro as you learn about the cities. With all the key shrines and temples included in the itinerary, you're sure to have a selection of beautiful backdrops to your photos. Strike a pose by the Golden Pavilion or opt for casual in-action shots at the gates of Fushimi Inari Shrine. All photos are delivered in JPEG format a few days after the tour.

Explore Kyoto with your own photographer, and take home professional photos of you at sights such as the Nijo-jo Castle, Ryoanji Temple, and Kinkakuji Temple. Stop at Nishiki Market for lunch, and then head to the Philosopher's Walk, a picturesque canal path that's lined with cherry trees. Hear the history behind the sights as you explore, and then leave with an SD card of unedited photos to impress friends and family back home.

Immerse yourself in the captivating culture of Kyoto on a full-day sightseeing tour. See the tranquil Kiyomizu Temple amid its verdant surroundings; absorb the Imperial majesty of Kyoto Imperial Palace; and stroll amid the botanical beauty of Kinkaku-ji Temple. Behold the beguiling beauty of the Heian Shrine and enrich your knowledge of Kyoto's rich historical heritage with commentary from an informative guide. Moderate levels of fitness are advisable for this tour, on which a lot of walking occurs.

Kyoto is one of Japan's most popular travel destinations and with over 50 million annual visitors, it can get busy. This tour makes an early start so you can avoid the crowds and cram much more into your day. Stroll around the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove before the tour groups arrive, visit Kinkaku-ji temple (Golden Pavilion) right as it opens, and walk through the torii gates of Fushimi Inari (Shrine) before the midday heat.

Discover Kyoto's highlights on this private day tour. It'll be a stress-free experience with transport and admission tickets included. It's the ideal way to make the most of your time in Kyoto, and see multiple dispersed attraction in a day. Highlights include Kinkaku-ji Temple, Nishiki Market, Gion District, and Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine. There will be no language barriers as you'll have a guide to translate. 

Kyoto is packed with standout sights, making it tough to know where to start. Tick off the top attractions on this full-day private outing, which includes stops at the Gold Pavillion, Nijo Castle, and Geisha district of Gion. Tours include free time for lunch at a local restaurant, plus the services of your very own photographer guide.

This whirlwind Sakura tour is the perfect way to get the most out of your Japan trip. You'll travel in comfort on a private coach, and visit 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites including Mt. Fuji, Nara and Hiroshima. Save time waiting in lines, as all entry fees are included and you'll visit many top attractions such as Asakusa, and Kinkakuji temple. Your private guide will ensure you don't get lost, and accommodation is included too.

Marvel at the some of the top UNESCO World Heritage-listed temples and palaces of ancient Kyoto on this 4.5-hour tour. This quick introduction to the sights of Kyoto, covering the Nijo Castle, golden Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavillion) and the Japanese Emperor's former Imperial Palace, is the perfect way to see the city if you're short on time. Your morning Kyoto excursion also includes pickup from select hotels, transport between sites by coach, entrance fees and an English-speaking guide.

This guided tour helps you discover lots of Kyoto's dispersed temples, shrines, and cultural attractions in one day. You'll save time researching and planning your trip, by having the itinerary organized for you. You'll travel in an air-conditioned coach, and it'll be a hassle-free day with a guarantee to skip the lines. Highlights include Kiyomizu-Dera Temple, the Inari Shrines, Sagano Bamboo Forest, and Kyoto Cultural Forest.

A professional photographer guides your to some of Kyoto's most stunning and photogenic sites on this private full-day photoshoot and city tour. Visit the Golden Temple - considered one of the most famous buildings in Japan - as well as the Ryoanji Rock Garden, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, and more, all while your guide snaps posed and candid photos in front of these top Kyoto attractions. Take home an SD card full professional-quality photos at the end of the tour.