Japan Osaka/Kyoto Private Day Tour

— What You Can Expect — 

・Kiyomizudera Temple
The full name of Kiyomizu Temple is Otowasan Kiyomizu Temple. It is a famous maple and cherry blossom viewing spot. It is listed as one of the three major scenic spots in Kyoto along with Kinkaku-ji Temple and Nijo Castle. It was listed as a World Cultural Heritage in 1994. The highlight here is the suspended Kiyomizu stage. Standing here, you can not only overlook the streets of Kyoto, but the Eleven-Headed Thousand-Armed Guanyin statue enshrined in the main hall is also a cultural heritage that can bless wealth.

・Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine
Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine is located at the foot of Mt. Inari. It mainly enshrines the Inari gods headed by Uga-no-Mikoto-Okami. It is one of the shrines deeply loved by Kyoto people and has the most prosperous incense. The highlight of Fushimi Inari is the Thousand Torii Gates, with countless bright red torii gates erected on the long mountain road. It is also the filming location of the movie "Memoirs of a Geisha". At the intersection halfway up the mountain, you can overlook the beautiful scenery of the scenic area.

・Arashiyama: A remnant of Japan’s Heian period
During Japan's Heian period (roughly the Tang and Song dynasties in China), Arashiyama was a gathering place for royal aristocratic residences. Many relics from that time are still preserved today, such as the Togetsukyo Bridge, the symbol of Arashiyama, which is said to have been built in the early Heian period. The shrines and temples of all sizes in the mountains are quaint and ancient, the wild bamboos on both sides of the bamboo forest path block out the sun, and the memorial stone of Zhou Enlai's poem "Arashiyama in the Rain" is quietly hidden in a corner of the mountain. Arashiyama is especially beautiful when the cherry blossoms are in bloom and the maple leaves turn red.

・Miyama Kita Village Thatched House Village
There are about 50 farm families living in Kitamura, and there are 38 thatched houses living side by side. These old houses are protected by government laws and listed as important national traditional building preservation areas. They are listed as one of the three "Kayabuki-sato (thatched house village)" in Japan, along with "Gassho Village" in Shirakawa-go, Gifu Prefecture, and "Ouchijuku" in Shimogo-cho, Fukushima Prefecture. Kitamura's two major events: "Snow Lantern Corridor" and "All-in-one Water Release". During these seasons, they always attract tourists from all over the world. * "All-in-one Water Release" spraying time: 5/20 and 12/1 every year at 1:30 pm

・Amanohashidate
Amanohashidate is a scenic spot located in the northern part of Kyoto Prefecture. On the approximately 3.6km long sandbar that separates the Sea of ​​Japan's Aso Sea from Miyazu Bay, a street of approximately 8,000 pine trees stretches in a row. It is listed as one of the three most scenic views in Japan, along with Matsushima (Miyagi Prefecture) and Miyajima (Hiroshima Prefecture). It is said that the name "Amanohashidate" was given because its shape resembles a white bridge dancing in the sky.

・Ine Funaya - Japan's most beautiful fishing village
Ine Funaya is located around Ine Bay and has the closest contact with the sea. A boat house usually has two floors. The first floor is a place for parking fishing boats and storing fishing gear, and the second floor is the living room of the residents. The entrance on one side of the first floor faces the street, and the other side is on the coast, so fishing boats can easily enter and exit the ocean. There are about 200 funaya buildings like this one in Ine, which have been designated as an important preservation area for traditional buildings by the Japanese government.

・Uji
Byodoin Temple was built in 1052 and was a temple converted from the villa of Fujiwara no Michinaga, a nobleman during the Heian period. The most representative building in Byodoin Temple is the "Amida Hall", which is also known as the "Phoenix Hall". The building is not only engraved on the 10-yen coin, but the pair of phoenixes on the roof are also printed on the 10,000-yen banknote, which shows the status of the Phoenix Hall in the minds of the Japanese. In addition to the symmetrical structure of the Phoenix Hall and its reflection in the water, the Pure Land-style garden, and the cherry blossoms that are in full bloom from late March to early April, you must also see the Byodo-in Temple. Rows of cherry blossoms surround the shore of Aji Pond, and you can enjoy a variety of cherry blossoms, including weeping cherry blossoms, Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms, and mountain cherry blossoms.

・Lake Biwa
Lake Biwa is the largest lake in Japan with the largest water storage capacity. It covers one-sixth of the entire prefecture and has become a representative attraction in the prefecture. It is also protected by the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance. Its long history makes it the third oldest lake in the world.

— Important Info — 

• Recommended Pick-Up Time: 8:00 am–9:30 am (can be adjusted to traveler's preferred time) 
• Pick-up Point: Your chosen location within Osaka or Kyoto 
• Duration: For 6–9 seater vehicles, the rental time is 10 hours. For 13–18-seater vehicles, the rental time is 9 hours. (If the pickup and drop-off locations are both within Kyoto, an hour can be deducted from the return time to the car rental shop)
• Service Area: Complete itinerary should be within 300 kilometers of 3 cities 
• Driver's Language: Chinese, Japanese, English (requests for a specific speaking language will not be granted)
  
  
  

— Vehicle Info — 

• 5/6-seater
  - Vehicle Type: Toyota Alphard or other 7-seater (to request for a specific model, an extra JPY10,000 will be charged)
  - Capacity:  6 passengers + 3 pcs of 21–29" luggage / 5 passengers + 4 pcs of 21–29" luggage
  
  
• 9-seater
  - Vehicle Type: Toyota Hiace
  - Capacity: 9 passengers + 9 pcs of 21–29" luggage / 8 passengers + 10 pcs of 21–29" luggage
  
  
• 13-seater
  - Vehicle Type: Toyota Hiace
  - Capacity: 13 passengers + 2 pcs of 21–29" luggage / 12 passengers + 3 pcs of 21–29" luggage / 11 passengers + 4 pcs of 21–29" luggage
  
  
• 18-seater
  - Vehicle Type: Toyota Coaster
  - Capacity: 18 passengers + 18 pcs of 22–25" luggage / 18 passengers + 12 pcs of 26–28" luggage / 18 passengers + 10 pcs of 29–32" luggage (the luggage storage is separated from the passenger area)

** The above vehicle models are for reference only and the Alphard makes and colors will be dispatched randomly