Activities in Kansai
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TOP SELLER
Kyoto Cooking Class, Sake Tasting and Nishiki Food Market Walking Tour
4 hours (Departs Kyoto, Japan)
by Viator
Take a guided walk through Nishiki food markets and enjoy a Japanese cooking class on this small-group walking tour from Kyoto. You'll explore the back streets…Not LP reviewed
from USD$141.55 - All activities
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Funaoka Onsen
This old bath on Kuramaguchi-dōri is Kyoto's best. It boasts an outdoor bath, a sauna, a cypress-wood tub, an electric bath, a herbal bath and a few more for good measure. Be sure to check out the ranma (carved wooden panels) in the changing room. Carved during Japan's invasion of Manchuria, the panels offer insight into the prevailing mindset of that era. (Note the panels do contain some violent imagery, which may disturb some visitors.)
To find the bath, head west about 400m on Kuramaguchi-dōri from the Kuramaguchi- Horiikawa intersection. It's on the left, not far past Lawson convenience store. Look for the large rocks out the front.
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Gokō-Yu
Gokō-yu, a popular bath, is another great spot to sample the joys of the sentō. It’s a large two-storey bath with a wide variety of tubs. There’s also a giant sauna with two rooms; one is merely hot, the other is incendiary! We also like the TV fish tank in the entrance (you’ll see what we mean). Note that Gokō-yu is a little hard to find – turn north off Gojō-dōri at the store that sells charcoal and gas burners.
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Maika
If you ever wondered how you might look as a geisha, Kyoto has several shops that offer maiko-henshin (geisha transformation). Maika is a popular maiko-henshin shop in Gion. If you don't mind spending a bit extra, it's possible to head out in costume for a stroll through Gion (and be stared at like never before!). The process takes about an hour. Call to reserve at least one day in advance.
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Kurama Onsen
One of the few onsen within easy reach of Kyoto, Kurama Onsen is a great place to relax after a hike. The outdoor bath has a fine view of Kurama-yama; the indoor bath includes use of sauna and relaxation areas. Buy tickets from the machine outside the door of the main building (instructions are in Japanese and English).
To get to Kurama Onsen, walk straight out of Kurama Station, turn left up the main road and follow it for about 10 minutes. You'll see the baths down on your right. There's also a free shuttle bus that runs between the station and the onsen, leaving approximately every 30 minutes.
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Nara Kōtsū Bus Tours
- Nara, Japan
- Activities › Bus
Nara Kōtsū runs daily bus tours on a variety of routes, two of which include Nara city sights only and two of which include more distant sights like Hōryū-ji and the burial mounds around Asuka. An explanation tape in English is available for all but the Asuka route. Lunch at a Japanese restaurant on the route is optional (reserve when buying your ticket). Nara Kōtsū has offices in JR Nara station and across the street from Kintetsu Nara station. For something more intimate, try one of the private tours operated by one of the Kyoto-based private tour operators or one of city's volunteer guide organisations.
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Kyoto Full-Day Sightseeing Tour including Nijo Castle and Kiyomizu Temple
9 hours (Departs Kyoto, Japan)
by Viator
Experience the magic of Kyoto on a full-day sightseeing tour of Japan's cultural jewel. You'll visit Kyoto's most popular attractions by coach and enjoy a…Not LP reviewed
from USD$123.46 -
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Adachi Kumihimo-kan
Kyoto’s most famous braidmaker, Adachi Kumihimo-kan has a gallery of fine items on display. Here you can weave your own braid on wooden hand looms. It takes about two hours, and the cost depends on the length of the class and what you make. Delicately woven kyō-kumihimo (Kyoto-style braid work) was developed in the Heian period for fastening kimono, but gradually spread to other ornamental applications. Today the braid is again most commonly used as obi-jime (the tie for kimono sashes). Reservations in Japanese are necessary.
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Kyoto and Nara Day Trip from Kyoto including Nijo Castle
10 hours (Departs Kyoto, Japan)
by Viator
Explore the cultural treasures of Kyoto and Nara on a full-day tour from Kyoto. See all the highlights of Kyoto including visits to Nijo Castle and the Imperial…Not LP reviewed
from USD$134.10 -
Ōhara Kōbō
In Ōhara, Ōhara Kōbō offers a chance to dye fabrics using kusaki-zome, vivid plant and vegetable dyes. The time and cost depend on the item: choose from a handkerchief (¥500), scarf (¥3000) or plain woollen yarn (enough to knit one sweater; ¥8000); if you bring your own wool to dye, the cost for the latter is ¥5000. The process takes from two to four hours; advance reservations in Japanese are required.
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Nara Afternoon Tour of Todaiji Temple, Deer Park and Kasuga Shrine from Kyoto
5 hours 30 minutes (Departs Kyoto, Japan)
by Viator
Venture to Nara from Kyoto for the afternoon. Due to its past as the first permanent capital of Japan, Nara remains full of historic treasures, including some…Not LP reviewed
from USD$70.24 Advertisement
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Kyoto Morning Tour - Kyoto Imperial Palace, Golden Pavilion, Nijo Castle
3 hours 30 minutes (Departs Kyoto, Japan)
by Viator
Soak up the sights of Kyoto on this guided half-day city morning tour. Travel by coach and visit Nijo Castle, the gold covered Kinkakuji Temple and Golden…Not LP reviewed
from USD$59.60 -
Koyasan Interpreter Guide Club
This club offers four-hour private tours of Kōya-san for around ¥5000 per group for up to five people. It also offers regularly scheduled tours on Wednesday from April to September for around ¥1000 per person. The morning tour meets at Ichi-no-hashi at 08:30 and lasts 2½ hours and covers Oku-no-in. The afternoon tour meets at Kongogu-ji at 13:00, 1½ hours, and covers Kongobu-ji and the Garan.
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Kyoto Cycling Tour Project
Another great place to rent a bike is the Kyoto Cycling Tour Project. The folks here rent mountain bikes (¥1500 per day) which are perfect for getting around Kyoto. Bicycles can be delivered upon request (¥500) or you can pick them up at their shop. KCTP also conducts a variety of bicycle tours of Kyoto, which are an excellent way to see the city (check the website for details).
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Kyoto and Nara Day Tour including Golden Pavilion and Todaiji Temple from Osaka
10 hours (Departs Osaka, Japan)
by Viator
Enjoy seeing the main sights of both Kyoto and Nara in one day. This day tour takes you to Nijo Castle, Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion), Kyoto Imperial…Not LP reviewed
from USD$163.90 -
Kyoto Afternoon Tour - Heian Shrine, Sanjusangendo, Kiyomizu Temple
4 hours (Departs Kyoto, Japan)
by Viator
Immerse yourself in Kyoto on an afternoon guided tour tour through the vibrant green and red Heian Shrine. Admire Sanjusangendo Hall with its 1001 Kannon…Not LP reviewed
from USD$59.60 -
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WAK Japan
WAK Japan offers a wide variety of excellent introductions to Japanese culture: tea ceremony, ikebana (flower arrangement), trying on kimono, home visits, Japanese cooking, calligraphy, origami etc. Presenters/instructors will speak English or else interpreters are provided. Pick-up service is available from your lodgings. This is highly recommended.
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Kawara Juku
Kyoto is a great place to study Japanese. Kawara Juku is a friendly little school that offers three-month part-time courses for ¥85,000. Courses start in April, September and January. It also offers a summer intensive course for the same price. Joining a class here is a great way to meet people when you’re new in town.
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Club Ōkitsu Kyoto
Kyoto is a fine place to get a taste of traditional Japanese culture. Club Ōkitsu Kyoto offers an upscale introduction to various aspects of Japanese culture including tea ceremony and the incense ceremony. It also offers kimono dressing upon request (note that kimono dressing is not offered alone: it must be part of a package including tea ceremony and/or incense ceremony). The introduction is performed in an exquisite Japanese villa near the Kyoto Gosho and participants get a real sense of the elegance and refinement of traditional Japanese culture.
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Hozu-Gawa River Trip
The Hozu-gawa river trip is a great way to enjoy the beauty of Kyoto’s western mountains without any strain on the legs. With long bamboo poles, boatmen steer flat-bottom boats down the Hozu-gawa from Kameoka, 30km west of Kyoto Station, through steep, forested mountain canyons, before arriving at Arashiyama.
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Amita-honten
Kyō-zōgan is a damascene technique of laying fine metals onto figures engraved on brass and can be tried at Amita-honten, just beside the Kyoto Handicraft Center on Marutamachi-dōri. The cost of making a small pendant is ¥3500 and it takes about an hour (it will be sent to you one week later).
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Kyoto Day Tour of Golden Pavilion, Nijo Castle and Sanjusangendo from Osaka
10 hours (Departs Osaka, Japan)
by Viator
See all the sights of Kyoto in a day. Traveling from Osaka, visit Nijo Castle, Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion), Kyoto Imperial Palace, the Kyoto Handicraft…Not LP reviewed
from USD$153.26 -
Kyoto Morning Tour of Kinkakuji Temple, Nijo Castle and Kyoto Imperial Palace from Osaka
6 hours (Departs Osaka, Japan)
by Viator
See the sights of Kyoto on this 3.5-hour morning tour. Kyoto was Japan's capital and the Emperor's residence from 794 until 1868. Included in this tour is a…Not LP reviewed
from USD$88.34 -
Kyoto Cooking Class, Sake Tasting and Nishiki Food Market Walking Tour
4 hours (Departs Kyoto, Japan)
by Viator
Take a guided walk through Nishiki food markets and enjoy a Japanese cooking class on this small-group walking tour from Kyoto. You'll explore the back streets…Not LP reviewed
from USD$141.55 -
Arashiyama and Sagano Morning Walking Tour
4 hours (Departs Kyoto, Japan)
by Viator
Stroll through rural bamboo groves and visit mountain temples outside Kyoto on this morning walking tour of the Sagano and Arashiyama districts. You'll…Not LP reviewed
from USD$90.47 -
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Aizen-Kōbō
Located in the Nishijin area, Aizen-Kōbō dyes indigo-blue ai-zome fabrics in a charming kyō-machiya (traditional Japanese town house). You can observe and try your hand at tie-dyeing a scarf (¥5565), which takes about an hour. Reservations should be made a few days in advance.
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