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Experience Kyoto Katsura River boat Adventure in Arashiyama

By Snow Monkey Resorts Tours (Machinovate Japan Ltd.)
Free cancellation available
Price is P 14,764 per adult
See tickets
Features
  • Free cancellation available
  • 7h
  • Mobile voucher
  • Instant confirmation
Overview

Explore the serene beauty of Arashiyama on this captivating day tour, featuring visits to unique temples and a scenic bamboo grove. Discover the whimsical stone figures at Otagi Nenbutsu-ji, contemplate the memorial stones at Adashino Nenbutsu-ji, and stroll along the historic Saga-Toriimoto Street. Experience tranquility at the UNESCO-listed Tenryū-ji Temple before immersing yourself in the enchanting bamboo forest. Conclude your day with a private river cruise on the Katsura River, hosted by a former maiko who shares Kyoto's rich cultural heritage through music and storytelling.

  • Visit iconic sites including Otagi Nenbutsu-ji and Tenryū-ji Temple
  • Enjoy a private boat cruise on the Katsura River with a former maiko
  • Stroll through Arashiyama's famous bamboo grove and preserved streets
  • Experience local culture and history in a small group setting

This tour requires an easy level of fitness. We use buses and boats, so unfortunately it is not wheelchair accessible at this time.

Activity location
  • Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple
    • 2-5 Saga Toriimotofukatanicho, Ukyo-ku,
    • 616-8439, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
Meeting/Redemption Point
  • Starbucks Coffee - Kyoto Tower Sando
    • 京都タワービル Higashishiokōjichō
    • 600-8216, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan

Check availability

Join from Kyoto Station (Kyoto Tower Starbucks) Flexible Departure
  • Activity duration is 7 hours7h
    7h
  • English
Language options: English
Starting time: 9:00
Price details
P 14,764.47 x 1 AdultP 14,764.47
Total
Price is P 14,764.47
Until Sun, Mar 1

What's included, what's not

  • What's includedWhat's included
    We will use trains and buses
  • What's includedWhat's included
    A private tour on the boat with the Maiko
  • What's includedWhat's included
    Entrance to temples and shrines are included
  • What's excludedWhat's excluded
    Lunch and snacks are not included

Know before you book

  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Activity itinerary

Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple
  • 1h 10m
  • Admission ticket included
In the quiet hills, we first visit Ōtagi Nenbutsu-ji, a hidden temple filled with 1,200 stone guardians, each carved by ordinary people under the guidance of a devoted priest. The statues—some smiling, some mischievous, some serene—create a joyful and spiritual atmosphere unlike anywhere else in Kyoto. You can find your “favorite face" and take a photo with it.
Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple
  • 1h 10m
  • Admission ticket included
From here we descend to Adashino Nenbutsu-ji, where thousands of stone memorials stand in neat terraces. For centuries this was a burial ground for those without family, and today the temple honors their spirits in a striking landscape of stone and silence. A bamboo path winds behind the temple, offering a quiet moment of reflection before we continue.
Saga Toriimoto Traditional Buildings Preservation Area
  • 1h 10m
We then stroll down Saga-Toriimoto Street, a beautifully preserved approach once used by pilgrims heading to Atago Shrine. Its thatched-roof townhouses and traditional wooden buildings preserve the charm of old Kyoto. Here we slow our pace, browse small shops, or enjoy a light lunch, just as travelers and nobles once did centuries ago when visiting Arashiyama for poetry gatherings, moon-viewing, and seasonal beauty.
Tenryuji Temple
  • 1h 10m
  • Admission ticket included
In the afternoon, we step into Tenryū-ji Temple, one of Kyoto’s great Zen temples and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Walking here is a chance to experience the principles of Zen harmony, balance, and stillness. From Tenryū-ji we wander directly into the world-famous Bamboo Grove, where towering stalks sway gently above us and light filters through in shifting shades of green and gold.
Katsura River
  • 1h 10m
Our day culminates in a private boat on the Katsura River, a place long celebrated in poetry and art. Here, a former maiko (geisha apprentice) named Kohaku welcomes us in her seasonal kimono. She plays the shamisen, a three-stringed instrument central to geisha entertainment, and shares stories from her years of training in Kyoto’s exclusive hanamachi (geisha districts). Guests enjoy a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into geisha culture—normally closed to outsiders—learning about the artistry, discipline, and traditions that continue in Kyoto today

Location

Activity location
  • LOB_ACTIVITIESLOB_ACTIVITIES
    Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple
    • 2-5 Saga Toriimotofukatanicho, Ukyo-ku,
    • 616-8439, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
Meeting/Redemption Point
  • PEOPLEPEOPLE
    Starbucks Coffee - Kyoto Tower Sando
    • 京都タワービル Higashishiokōjichō
    • 600-8216, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan

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