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Kyoto Shore Excursion from Osaka Port or Kobe Port

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WhY OUR EXCURSION IS UNIQUE

The Unique and the Best Cherry Blossom Excursion to Explore Kyoto

Kyoto was founded in 794 AD, and the Japanese called it "the hometown of the soul", and it is also a cultural symbol of Japan. The original design of this thousand-year-old capital was to imitate Chang'an (Xian) and Luoyang during the Sui and Tang Dynasties of China.  


In Japan, there is no other city that provides so many secluded shrines and such wonderful views of the four seasons as Kyoto. In the spring, Arashiyama is pink with cherry blossoms; in the summer, yukata-clad women gather on the corner of Gion at night; in the autumn, maple trees are red at Tofuku-ji Temple; and in winter, Kinkaku-ji Temple is cloudless after a snowfall. On the streets of Kyoto, you can blend in with the crowd, feel the pulse, and experience the secular customs. We will take you to this wonderful old Japanese capital.


Our Japan shore excursions are designed by Western destination experts who live in Japan along with local Japanese tour specialists to showcase all the best attractions in Japan and provide a unique understanding of Japan from a Western perspective. In particular, we know where to find cherry blossoms and autumn leaves in Kyoto that most cruise lines do not emphasize in their shore excursion programs.  

Kyoto Excursion Routes

  • In-cruise excursion: We will pick you up from Osaka Port for Kyoto Sightseeing and drop you off at Osaka Port after the excursion.  
  • In-cruise excursion: We will pick you up from Port of Kobe for Kyoto Sightseeing and drop you off at Port of Kobe after the excursion.  
  • Pre-cruise excursion: We will pick you up from your hotel in Osaka for one-day sightseeing in Kyoto and drop you off at Osaka Port or Kobe Port. 
  • Post-cruise excursion: We will pick you up from Osaka Port for Kyoto sightseeing and drop you off at your Osaka hotel. 
  • If your ship docks at Osaka Port or Port of Kobe overnight, we may add a night cherry blossom festival for you. 
  • Custom excursion on your request.

Highlights of the Best Cherry Blossom Viewing Places

  • Discover the most famous Kyoto Golden Pavilion (金阁寺) surrounded by cherry blossoms. 
  • Explore Heian Jingu Shrine (平安神宫) to enjoy the feast of cherry blossoms reflected in the water.
  • Visit Fushimi Inari Shrine ( 伏見稲荷大社) for the ultimate torri gate experience. 
  • Enjoy the cherry blossom blast in Arashiyama Gorge famous for its bamboom forest. 
  • Visit Kiyomizu-dera Temple ( 清水寺 ) to see more flowers.
  • Pivate English-speaking tour guide or driver.
  • Private transportation.

Tour Brief

Join our one-day guided Kyoto tour from Port of Osaka or Port of Kobe.  Explore the former capital city of Japan and its magnificent temples in private transportation. Visit Kyoto's iconic cherry blossom destinations such as Kinkakuji Temple, the Heian Jingu Shrine, Arashiyama Gorge, and Osaka Mint to see the most flowers and enjoy the bustling festival.  Our Kyoto shore excursion will bring you to some of the best city sites to discover the core of Japanese culture. Enjoy a traditional Japanese lunch in a famous restaurant.


Cruise passengers: You may get this excursion for FREE if you book the cruise through us or transferring your existing reservation to us (meaning we are your travel agent who booked the cruise for you with nothing changed). Please contact us to learn how. 

top 6 attractions for cruise passengers

Fushimi Inari Shrine ( 伏見稲荷大社)

Fushimi Inari Shrine is one of the most important Shinto shrines in Japan, famous for its vermilion torii gates that line the trails behind its main structure. Inari Shrine lies on the grounds of 233-meter Mount Inari, which stands in a wooded forest. 

There are many shrines dedicated to Inari, the Shinto deity of rice, but Fushimi Inari is the most important. Many fox statues can be found on the shrine grounds because foxes are thought to be Inari's messengers. A shrine dedicated to the goddess Fushimi Inari dates back to 794, long before Kyoto became the capital.

Ninen-zaka Slope & Sanneizaka (二年坂 & 三年坂)

 

Sannen-zaka and Ninen-zaka Slopes are iconic streets of Kyoto City that represent the good old days of Japan. You can't help taking pictures of this nostalgic and dreamy location once you arrive.

Originally constructed in 808, the stone-paved slope leads to Kiyomizudera Temple (below). Streets and surrounding buildings surrounding the slope have been preserved as Important Preservation Districts. In fact, many worshippers carry their wishes up this slope on their way to Kiyomizudera Temple.

Kiyomizu-dera Temple ( 清水寺 )

 Known as the "Pure Water Temple", Kiyomizudera is one of the most celebrated temples in Japan. Founded in 780 on the site of the Otowa Waterfall in the wooded hills east of Kyoto, it was named after the fall's pure waters. Kiyomizudera is best known for its wooden stage, which protrudes 13 meters from the hillside above its main hall. From the stage, you can see the cherry and maple trees below erupting in a sea of color in spring and fall, as well as the city of Kyoto in the background. 

Kinkakuji Temple, the Golden Pavilion (金阁寺)

 

The Kinkakuji Temple in northern Kyoto is best known for its gold-leafed top two floors. It is an impressive structure built overlooking a large pond. It was once the retirement villa of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the third shōgun of the Ashikaga shogunate, ruling from 1368 to 1394 during the Muromachi period of Japan. After his death in 1408, the villa became a Zen temple of the Rinzai sect. It was Kinkakuji that inspired Ashikaga Yoshimasa to build the similarly named Silver Pavilion on the other side of the city a few decades later.

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove (岚山竹林)

 A world-famous forest of swaying bamboo boughs, located at the foot of the "Storm Mountains" in Kyoto, is the perfect place to relax while in the country. You can stroll along endless paths lined with towering bamboo. It has been described as peaceful, dreamlike, and other-worldly. This forest's rustling bamboo has been named one of the "100 Soundscapes of Japan" by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment. 

Heian Shrine (平安神宫)

"Heian Shrine" is a shrine created to commemorate the 1000th anniversary of the Heian capital relocation in 1895. The bright shrine hall with red and green as the main color reproduces the main hall and court courtyard of Heian-kyo at a size of five-eighths. The shrine consists of 4 gardens, and the "Shenyuan" with a swimming pool of about 30,000㎡ is worth seeing. Red weeping cherry blossoms in spring, beautiful purple swallows and irises in early summer, red leaves in autumn, and snowy scenery in winter, etc.

Kyoto Shore Excursion from Osaka or Kobe Port

Kyoto Overnight Excursion

Although it is a well-known tourist city in Japan, there is no bustling traffic, no over-development of commercial tourism, no crowds and noise, but it always has the ancient charm of traditional art and pure and simple temperament. National treasure-level historic sites are hidden in the city, handicraft workshops that have been passed down for centuries are all over the streets, and any corner of the street is full of scenery. There is no doubt that Kyoto must be the most unmissable destination in Japan's itinerary.


The beauty of Kyoto and its historical, cultural, and gastronomic background deserve more time. It's a great idea to stay overnight. It takes three hours to go back and forth from Kyoto to Osaka or Kobe cruise port. Wouldn't it be great if you could spend these three hours exploring Kyoto? We have arranged for you to stay in a 198-year-old Japanese traditional ryokan in the evening, which allows you to get in touch with Japanese culture and history while getting away from the small cabin of the cruise ship. In addition, you will be able to enjoy a nice Japanese meal in a decent restaurant where you will enjoy many delicious dishes from Japan. 

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Included

Starting Point

Not Included

  • English-speaking driver or tour guide
  • Private transportation
  • Traditional Japanese ryokan stay (overnight passengers)
  • Breakfast (overnight passengers)


Not Included

Starting Point

Not Included

  •  Local lunch or dinner, but your guide will take you to one of the best restaurants in Kyoto for a nice experience.
  • Park entrance fees when necessary
  • Any personal expenses incurred

Starting Point

Starting Point

Starting Point

 Osaka Port or Kobe Port
 

SAILING NEXT YEAR? EARLY BOOKING IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED!

 We highly recommend that you book our shore excursions now if you will be taking a cruise in 2024. 2023 has already seen large crowds, and 2024 will see even more. We expect many tourists will be unable to book their shore excursions in 2024, so please make your plan as soon as possible. 

BOOK THE KYOTO EXCURSION

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More Shore Excursions at Ports of Call of Japan

More Shore Excursions at Ports of Call of Japan

More Shore Excursions at Ports of Call of Japan

More Shore Excursions at Ports of Call of Japan

More Shore Excursions at Ports of Call of Japan

More Shore Excursions at Ports of Call of Japan

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