Excursion Kyoto on your own exploration tour at Kobe

Discover the splendid beauty and landmarks of bustling Kyoto at your leisure during this full-day, self-guided sightseeing excursion.

Osaka, Kyoto Station & City, Self-Guided Visit, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, National Treasures

Depart the pier for the scenic, approximately two-hour drive to Kyoto Station. Upon arrival, your guide gives you a map of Kyoto with instructions about how to explore Kyoto City on-foot. Afterward, depart Kyoto Station and begin your self-guided tour of the city. From dazzling temples and graceful geishas to colourful shops and exotic delicacies, Japan's seventh-largest city offers something for everyone. Spectacular, must-see venues to explore during your visit include a host of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as the Nijo Castle, Golden Pavilion, and Kinkaku-ji, Kiyomizu-dera and Byodo-in temples. Two other temples, Kiyomizu and Sanjusangendo, are both designated as National Treasures.

Fushimi Inari Shrine, Machiya, Gion Geisha & Arashiyama Districts, Parks & Botanical Gardens

For a look at traditional Kyoto, visit the Fushimi Inari Shrine with its 10,000 red-painted Torii Gates, a machiya, or traditional wooden townhouse, or Hanamikoji Street in the Gion Geisha District, with its traditional wooden merchants houses and teahouses. If you enjoy the outdoors, Kyoto has some beautiful parks to explore, including the picturesque Arashiyama Park & Bamboo Forest, Kodaiji Park, Kyoto Imperial Palace Park, and the Kyoto Botanical Gardens.

Kiyomizu-Zaka & Shijo Streets, Kawaramachi, Kyoto Handicraft Centre, Arashiyama, Nishiki Market

Endless options abound when it comes to shopping and dining in Kyoto. Browse Kiyomizu-Zaka Street, which is filled with shoppers searching for Japanese handicrafts and souvenirs, Shijo Street, Kawaramachi-area department stores, the Kyoto Handicraft Centre, Arashiyama District, and Nishiki Market. Korean street food vendors and restaurants can be found at virtually every turn in Kyoto, and offer a wonderful selection of sumptuous street food and local specialities. At the conclusion of your self-guided visit, re-board your coach at Kyoto Station and commence the approximately two-hour drive back to the pier.

Points of interests

Points of interest seen on this excursion include: Free Time in Kyoto

Note

Please note: This tour involves a moderate-extensive amount of walking, at times over uneven, cobblestone, and natural surfaces and inclines, with a few steps to negotiate to get on/off the coach and at the sites visited. Walking in Kyoto City is at the discretion of each guest. This tour is not suitable for guests prone to motion sickness, guests with limited mobility, and guests who utilise a wheelchair. Guests are advised to wear lightweight, comfortable clothing with flat, closed-toe walking shoes, and bring sun protection, a sweater or light jacket, bottled water, and Japanese Yen or credit cards for purchases from the ship. Although credit cards are mostly accepted, Japanese Yen is required for any purchases; guests are advised to exchange money at the airport prior to the cruise. Proper attire is required to enter temples and shrines; shorts and bare shoulders are not permitted. Guests must remove their shoes before entering the Ninomaru Palace at the Nijo Castle. Guests must be at least 12 years old to participate on this tour; minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian over 18 years old. Guests must be at least 20 years old to be served alcoholic beverages. Infrastructure in Osaka may be basic, and local conditions may be challenging; coaches, guides, hotels, restaurants, equipment, and services are the best-available in the area, but may not be up to the standards of those found on other ports. Therefore, we urge flexibility and understanding as we visit unique, less-touristic destinations. The cost of providing a tour programme in this area is proportionately more expensive than in neighbouring regions, as vehicles and guides are brought in from the whole region. This may be reflected in the prices of the tours, and we thank you for your understanding. Photography/videography is not permitted inside the Ninomaru Palace at the Nijo Castle. Due to ongoing repair-and-restoration projects on the Nijo Castle grounds, some of the buildings may be covered. Operation of this tour is subject to weather conditions. The driving time between the pier and sites visited is approximately two hours in each direction. The tour sequence may vary.