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Private Car Tour of Osaka's Hidden Gems: Exploring Kyoto and Nara's Most Atmospheric Temples
5.0
13 Ratings
Mino
Embark on a private car tour of Osaka’s hidden gems, exploring the most atmospheric temples in Kyoto and Nara. Discover magical temples, unique shrines, and immerse yourself in the spiritual world with a local expert. Book now for an unforgettable day in Japan!
Embark on a private car tour of Osaka’s hidden gems, exploring the most atmospheric temples in Kyoto and Nara. Discover magical temples, unique shrines, and immerse yourself in the spiritual world with a local expert. Book now for an unforgettable day in Japan!
Duration:
7 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Katsuo-ji Temple - Nestled in the mountains between Osaka and Kyoto, this temple is a popular Instagram spot, renowned for its stunning scenery created by thousands of Japanese Daruma dolls scattered throughout the temple!
- Mitsushima Shrine - Immerse yourself in the essence of Shintoism, which venerates nature and has helped preserve Japan’s…
- Katsuo-ji Temple - Nestled in the mountains between Osaka and Kyoto, this temple is a popular Instagram spot, renowned for its stunning scenery created by thousands of Japanese Daruma dolls scattered throughout the temple!
- Mitsushima Shrine - Immerse yourself in the essence of Shintoism, which venerates nature and has helped preserve Japan’s pristine natural beauty since ancient times. Mitsushima Shrine is a quaint local shrine situated in Kadoma City, a suburb of urban Osaka. Although not widely known outside of Kadoma City, visitors will be awestruck by the shrine’s majestic guardian, one of Japan’s largest camphor trees, revered for over a thousand years. The tree boasts a circumference of approximately 13 meters and a height of 25 meters. It is recognized as a National Natural Monument of Japan.
- Hozan-ji Temple - Located midway up the slopes of Mount Ikoma in Nara Prefecture, the enchanting temple complex of Hozan-ji is enveloped in incense smoke and mystery. Dedicated to Kangiten, a Buddhist deity of joy and prosperity, it attracts those seeking success and fortune in business. Despite its easy accessibility from Osaka and Nara cities, Hozan-ji Temple remains a hidden gem, maintaining a serene atmosphere even during peak holiday seasons. This allows visitors to leisurely explore the temple’s many small nooks and fascinating features.
- Shingisan Chogosonshiji Temple - Concluding the tour is the mountaintop area of Mt. Shigi. These secluded temples and shrines become enchanting and nostalgic at night. The pathways are charmingly illuminated by stone lanterns. Be sure to visit the vibrant autumn garden. Visitors can also ascend to the sacred mountaintop in 15-20 minutes by walking through the numerous shrine gates in the dark, reminiscent of ancient monks or ninjas in training.
What's Included
- Private transportation
- Parking fees
- Private transportation
- Parking fees
What's Not Included
- Entry fees
- Entry fees
Additional Information
The most off-the-beaten and atmospheric temples of the Kyoto/Osaka area are here!!
This private guided car tour takes you to magical temples and super-unique shrines in a comfortable car
A great temple with thousands of Japanese traditional dolls sitting literally everywhere, a shrine worshiping an enormous 1000-year-old camphor tree in an industrial…
The most off-the-beaten and atmospheric temples of the Kyoto/Osaka area are here!!
This private guided car tour takes you to magical temples and super-unique shrines in a comfortable car
A great temple with thousands of Japanese traditional dolls sitting literally everywhere, a shrine worshiping an enormous 1000-year-old camphor tree in an industrial area, and nostalgic paths of temples lit by countless lanterns at night
The local expert drives you to the spiritual world with his wide and deep knowledge of Buddhism and Japanese culture
Book this tour and you are promised to have an unforgettable day in Japan!
- For groups of 6 adults, the third row will accommodate 3 adults, which can be cramped for some people. The cabin width is 1,480mm (approx. 58.3 inches)—please compare this with your current vehicle to check if it meets your comfort needs if your group is composed of 6 big adults
- There are walks and some stairs to some temples
- Some of the itinerary may change by the season or other circumstances
Location
Katsuo-ji Temple
Aomadani,
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(13 Ratings)
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Paolabm2399nq
Sep 6, 2025
Amazing and authentic - Best tour guide I have ever had. He had tons of historical information but also answers all my questions about the Japanese culture in general. I liked that he was quick and effective in every spot because we got to see a lot in a limited amount of time. Both of the tours we did with him were special and insightful. We are a family of four we fit comfortably in his van and our luggage fit seamlessly. I highly recommend this tour provider.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
363gerrik
Mar 22, 2025
Highlights of Kyoto - Daiki was an amazing tour guide. He shared a lot of knowledge about Japanese history and culture. Things you can't find in books. We went to the best places in Kyoto, and I was thankful he was an excellent driver. The streets are very narrow and the traffic was overwhelming. He even found some cherry and plum trees blooming early so we felt like we got the full experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Shireend25
Mar 3, 2025
The best tour of our Japan trip ! - Highly recommend! This was our favourite tour over our 2 week trip to Japan. Daiki was our guide and it was seamless from the moment I booked. Communication was easy via phone and Daiki catered to our needs for the entire trip, stopping to get treats and food along the way. The kids loved having Daiki as our tour guide and private van. Daiki was very knowledgeable and friendly. The places we visited were amazing and something we wouldn’t have done easily on our own especially visiting the temples/ shrines around dusk. It was incredibly beautiful. I would recommend this tour to any and all travelers.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rita_l
Sep 15, 2024
Great! - Daiki is a very great guide. He is really funny and take you cool places. A different way of traveling tk Osaka and its surrounding.
Review provided by Viator
Gill_c
May 21, 2024
Excellent - We have never been to Japan before so booked this tour to getbaround t9 some of the hidden gems as the tour suggests.
We were not disappointed this was a highlight of our trip . We were able to leisurely get to places that were literally hidden gems and that were not over crowded and we were able to get some beautiful photos.
Our guide was Daiki he was so knowledgeable and we had some good conversations around Japan or country and the old and new.
I would recommend this tour if you really do want to get the unique and hidden gem Japan .
Thankyou Daiki we had a great time . If you are ever in Southwet England then please do give us a shout and ee can take you around for the day
Review provided by Viator
Feliciacucuta
Jan 11, 2024
Beautiful trip exploring temples and shrines - This tour was absolutely fabulous! Breathtaking views, beautiful temples and shrines that sometimes, in the evening, you get to explore almost on your own, without the masses of other tourists. Daiki is a brilliant tour guide: very kind and generous, funny and knowledgeable, he did a wonderful job explaining the background of the spots we visited and so much more. I loved his passion for the places we visited, his patience and easygoing attitude. Thank you!
Review provided by Viator
Kafe2021
Nov 24, 2023
Unique Shrines/Temples of Osaka & Kyoto Tour. - Great experience my husband and son loved the tour. The host was great, and conveniently dropped them at train station after tour for the bullet train back to Toyko. Awesome time had in Osaka & Kyoto.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kristin_n
Nov 7, 2023
Wonderful Tour - This was a wonderful tour! So great seeing places without mass tourists/crowds---and the places were beautiful! Daiki was a great guide with lots of information on each location. I would definitely recommend this tour!
Review provided by Viator
Quintin_y
Jul 30, 2023
The places we went to not... - The places we went to not that busy, which was nice as I wanted to avoid some of the touristy places.
Most of the questions I had surrounding the places we went to or the religious aspects of them, were answered right away. A few Daiki had to search up as they were a bit more obscure. No matter what he gave clear answers and if I didn't fully understand the answer he tried to explain it using metaphors.
Apart from that I was able to have a nice conversation in general with Daiki. He's knowledgeable about quite a bit and has a friendly personality.
Overall it's a good tour to go on alone or with a group. The surrounding areas are nice, views great and the locations have interesting stories behind them.
Review provided by Viator
Marioarnulfo_d
Apr 18, 2023
"Spirited Away" Feels! Best tour ever! - The highlight of our Osaka trip! Daiki organized a fantastic tour off the beaten path, which meant less crowds and none of the "touristy" stuff. The temples and shrines we visited provided the best views, the most appropriate atmosphere and Daiki provided a great background to all of it. Definitely a must next time you visit Osaka. Thanks Daiki! Don't forget that ninja tour!
Review provided by Viator
