All Reviews for Sightseeing Tours

We recently participated in a tour that included Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kiyomizu-dera, and Kinkaku-ji. The weather was great that day, perfect for sightseeing. First, at the meeting point, we received two papers from a Japanese bus guide: one with the tour schedule and another detailing the route for Fushimi Inari Taisha. Once we got on the bus, the guide explained about Fushimi Inari Taisha in Japanese and then repeated the same explanation in English. I was surprised to look around and see that out of nearly 20 tourists, only three groups (eight people) were Japanese, including myself. The majority were foreign tourists. After arriving at the entrance of Fushimi Inari Taisha, we had about an hour of free time to explore on our own. After seeing the thousands of torii gates, we enjoyed grilled skewers of baby octopus, scallops, and red shellfish from the many stalls lined up! They were delicious! (laughs) After that, we also had free time at Kiyomizu-dera. Then we had lunch at Shijo Karasuma. Contrary to what I expected, we had lunch in a beautiful building with many restaurants. There were various types of cuisine, including Italian and Chinese. After that, we took the train for just one station and headed to Kinkaku-ji! Along the way, the bus guide kindly told us that we could take beautiful photos from a certain spot, so we took pictures there! (laughs) The bus guide was very kind, and the tour had a lot of free time, which was different from the group tours I had imagined, and it was actually better! I would definitely like to request this tour again for future sightseeing!

私たちは先日伏見稲荷大社・清水寺・金閣寺を観光するこのツアーに参加しました。その日は天気が良く、絶好の観光日和でした。まず集合では日本人のバスガイドさんからツアーの時間日程の書いてある紙と伏見稲荷大社の回る道順などが書いてある紙の2枚を受取りました。バスに乗ってみると、バスガイドさんは最初に向かう伏見稲荷大社の説明を日本語で言ったあとに英語で同じ説明を始めました。ビックリして周りを見渡して見ると20人弱の観光客の中で日本人の組が私を含めて3組(8人)しかいませんでした。ほぼ観光客の外国人の方でした。その方たちと一緒に稲荷伏見大社の入口まで来たら、その後は1時間ほどの自由行動で皆さん各々自由に伏見稲荷大社を見回っていました。私たちも千本鳥居を見たあとに沢山並んでいる屋台でイイダコとほたてと赤貝の串焼きを食べました！とても美味しかったです！（笑）その後は清水寺も同様に自由行動で回りました。そしてその後は四条烏丸で昼食でした。予想と違ってレストランが多数入っている綺麗なビルの中で昼食を取る形でした。イタリアンだったり中華だったり、様々な種類のお料理が食べられる所でした。そしてその後は一駅だけ電車で移動して、次に金閣寺に向かいました！途中でバスガイドさんからここから写真を撮ると綺麗に取れるよっと教えて頂きその場で写真を撮りました（笑）バスガイドさんもすごく親切な方で、ツアーの内容も自由時間がとても多くてイメージしていた団体行動で観光するものと違ってむしろ良かったです！ぜひまたどこかへ観光する場合はお願いしたいと思うツアーでした！

This tour was completely worth every penny! We got to see three major sights with the ease of door to door service. Not only was our driver, Fuji-san awesome, but he also gave great tours and we learned so much more than we would have if we walked around ourselves. I would recommend this plan to anyone especially in the heat of the summer and when you have a lot to see in a short amount of time.

I had been wanting to visit Fushimi Inari Taisha for a long time, and during my visit, the tour guide introduced me to another solo female traveler. We were able to stick together, which helped us return to the bus without getting lost. I was also grateful for the cool towels from the driver to wipe my sweaty neck. Thanks to both of you, it became a memorable trip, and I am truly grateful. Thank you so much for everything.

前から行きたかった伏見稲荷大社さまにお詣りの際に添乗員さんから別のひとり参加の女性を紹介していただき一緒に行動してもらえて道に迷うことなくバスに戻れて運転手さんの冷たいおしぼりも汗だくの首筋を拭けて嬉しかったです。お二人のおかげさまで想い出に残る旅になり有り難く感謝しています。色々と本当にありがとうございました。

I relied on the map to reach the meeting point, but there was a proper waiting area inside the hotel, complete with restrooms. Most importantly, waiting for departure with the guide, who constantly provided sufficient information, made me feel that this would be a fun day from the very start.

On this day, I was the only Japanese participant among over 30 attendees, but it didn't feel that way at all. The guide provided everyone with plenty of information about the meeting time, recommended flavors, highlights, and additional tips, which was very helpful. The announcements were made in both Japanese and English accurately.

During the tour, the response to a customer who missed their train was swift, and despite initial worries, I was very impressed by how appropriate it was. Since summer in Kyoto is hot, the bus was well-cooled, adjusted to the timing of passengers boarding, balancing eco-friendliness effectively.

As others mentioned, the only downside of this tour was the lack of time at each landmark. However, considering that we visited three distant sites in one day, some limitations are understandable. If you accept that souvenirs can be purchased on another occasion, it was a very satisfying tour.

Although it was just one station, the experience of riding the subway was refreshing and enjoyable. The bus was a vibrant lemon yellow! At first, I was hesitant about it standing out, but each time I boarded, I grew fond of it. It was a relatively new bus with comfortable headrests, footrests, and power outlets at my feet.

Overall, in addition to the content, the guide's performance was outstanding. It was a day that made me want to join again somewhere else.

地図を頼りに向かった集合場所でしたが、ホテル内にちゃんとした待合
スペースがあり、お手洗いもあり、何より必要十分な声掛けを絶えずして下さる
ガイドさんと出発を待つことは、最初から楽しい1日を予感させるものでした。
この日は30人を超える参加者の中で日本人は私一人、それさえも感じさせないくらい
全員に集合時間、オススメの味、見所、＋αの情報をたくさんくださり助かりました。
案内は全て日本語、英語で適確にされていました。
途中、電車を乗り過ごされるお客様への対応も迅速で、一時の心配をよそに
非常に適切で感心しました。
京都の夏は暑いという事で、バスの方もお客さんが乗りこむタイミングに合わせてエコとの
兼ね合いから上手く冷房を効かせていてくださいました。
他の方も仰っておられましたが、このツアーの唯一の欠点は各名所での時間不足。
ただ1日で離れた名所を3箇所も巡るとなれば仕方ない部分も出てきます。
お土産は別の機会に纏めて買う事と割り切れば大満足のツアーです。
途中一駅分でしたが地下鉄に乗るという体験も気分転換になり良かったです。
バスも鮮やかなレモンイエロー！最初は目立って、、、、と抵抗も有りましたが、
乗り込む度に愛着が湧いてきました。ヘッドレスト、フットレスト、足元に電源
とても快適な比較的新しいバスでした。
とにかく、内容に加えてガイドさんの活躍ぶりが最高でした。
またどこかでご一緒させて頂きたくなる1日でした。

On July 17th (during the Gion Matsuri), I went to Kyoto on a day trip bus tour.
First, we visited Fushimi Inari Taisha to see the thousands of red torii gates. Walking through the rows of red gates was quite enchanting!
Next, we headed to Kiyomizu-dera. After getting off the bus, we had to walk a bit, but the streets along the way were lined with souvenir shops, adding to the atmosphere.
The "stage of Kiyomizu" and the three waterfalls were also impressive.
We were supposed to have lunch there, but the dining spots were crowded, and we ended up cutting it close to the bus departure time. I wish I had a little more time to leisurely browse the souvenirs…
At Kinkaku-ji, it was a one-way flow from the entrance, but I still had time to take some photos.
The bus was relatively new, and there were USB charging ports at each seat!
The driver and tour guide were friendly and often engaged with us. The guide provided information about the sightseeing spots even while we were on the bus.
It seemed there were many foreign guests, so the announcements were made in both Japanese and English.
This was my first day trip bus tour, and I was very satisfied with the experience. I now want to try visiting other tourist spots by bus tour as well.

7月17日（祇園祭真っ只中）日帰り観光バスで京都に行ってきました。
始めに伏見稲荷大社の千本鳥居を見に行きました。
赤い鳥居が続く中を歩くのは なかなか幻想的でした！
次は清水寺です。
バスを降りてからも少し歩きますが、途中の通りもお土産やさんがズラッと並んでいて、雰囲気も楽しめます。
「清水の舞台」や三本の滝も見応えがありました。
お昼もここで食べるようになっていましたが、食事どころも混んでいて、バスまでの時間がギリギリになってしまいました。
もう少しゆっくりお土産を見る時間がほしかったかな…
金閣寺は入り口から一方通行で 人の流れに乗りながらの見学でしたが、写真なんかは撮る余裕はありました。
バスはわりと新しくて、充電のUSBが各席にありました！
運転手さんや添乗員さんも気さくで、よく声をかけてくれました。
添乗員さんと言うよりはガイドさん並みに、観光先を車内でも案内してくれていました。
外国のお客さまも多いようで、日本語と英語の両方での案内がありました。
日帰りのバスツアーは初めてでしたが、とても満足できる内容で、また他の観光地へもバスツアーで行ってみたくなりました。

This was my first trip to Kyoto and a bus tour. Thanks to the tour guide and the bus driver, I was able to enjoy sightseeing in Kyoto with peace of mind. The tour guide kindly took photos for us and provided detailed explanations at each shrine and temple we visited. For those with small children, they often checked in with, "Are you okay? It's hot, isn't it?" When we got off the bus, the driver said, "Have a good time," which made me happy. Before arriving at each sightseeing spot, they provided us with local maps and recommended popular souvenirs and dining options. Thanks to all of this, I was able to fully enjoy a fun Kyoto tour! I would like to use this service again for future sightseeing. However, while I understand time constraints, I would appreciate a little more flexibility in the duration of our stay at each location. There were many overseas guests, and the tour guide alternated between Japanese and English, which was also a great learning experience. This time coincided with the Gion Matsuri, and there were a lot of tourists, but that made for wonderful memories! Thank you very much!

今回、初めての京都＆バス観光旅行でした。
添乗員さんとバスの運転手さんのおかげで、安心して京都を観光できました。
添乗員さんは親切に写真を撮ってくれたり、行く先々で神社仏閣の案内をていねいにしてくれました。
小さい子ども連れの人には「大丈夫？暑いね」と、よく声もかけてあげていました。
バスを降りる時には、運転手さんが「行ってらっしゃい」と一言かけてくれたり、嬉しく思いました。
観光地にごとに、到着前には 現地の地図をくれたり 人気のお土産や食事どころを教えてくれました。
これらのおかげで、安心して楽しい京都ツアーを満喫できました！
また観光する際には こちらを利用したいです。
ただ、時間の事は難しいでしょうが、もう少し一カ所ごとの滞在時間に余裕があればうれしいと思いました。
海外のお客さんも多くて、添乗員さんは日本語と英語を交互で案内されてて、勉強にもなりました。
今回は、祇園祭と日にちが重なって、観光客がすごかったですが、それも含めて とてもいい思い出になりました！
ありがとうございました！

There were almost exclusively foreign travelers, with only three Japanese participants, but our tour guide, Harry, was very kind and accommodating. The bus was a brand new model and very comfortable, and each seat had a USB charger, which was really helpful for charging tablets and smartphones. I definitely plan to join again when I travel to Kansai. Thank you very much.

ほぼほぼ海外の方達で日本人は、わずか３名でしたが添乗員のハリーさんには、親切に対応していただきました。
バスも導入したての最新型で快適でしたし、USB充電器が各座席についていてタブレットやスマホの充電が出来てとっても助かりました。
また、旅行で関西に行く時は、是非、参加させていただこうと思います。
ありがとうございました。

Our driver Ken was very nice, courteous and very knowledgeable about the different places we asked him to take us. We were happily surprised that he spoke English very well and he was able to answer a lot of the questions we had about various places along the drive and at our various destinations. The car we drove in was spacious, comfortable and very tidy. We booked the limousine tour for 6 hours and we were able to see all the various destinations shown in the pictures. We even got to walk on an hour hike, started at one point and we coordinated with him the pickup point at the end of the trail. It was a great experience.

The Kyoto all day limousine tour and especially the guide was worth every moment! He was informative and gracious and a wonderful host. Best day in Japan by far!

Wonderful Guides wiht strong knowledge and good humour enhance the experience

I took some guests from America. Although it was a short four-hour time, they kindly responded to my requests and spoke fluent English both in the car and at the sightseeing spots. When the conversation turned to "The Last Samurai," they introduced several locations where filming took place, and everyone was satisfied. According to them, it was the most memorable activity. Thank you very much.

アメリカからのお客さんを連れていきました。4時間という短い時間でしたが、私のリクエストにも快く応えていただき、車中でも観光地でも流暢な英語で話していただきました。
ラストサムライを観たと言う話になると、ここでロケをしたという場所を数々紹介してもらい、皆満足していました。彼らによると一番印象に残るアクティビティだったそうです。
ありがとうございました

An interesting tour, actually 2 tours- Kyoto in the morning and Nara in the afternoon. Somewhat limited by time, but went to all the hot-spots, and appreciated being dropped back at the hotel at the end of the tour. Very poor lunch provided. Knowledgeable and pleasant guide,

Sammy was our guide. She was soo good. The A Bomb Dome, Peace Park and Museum are not to be missed. Miyajima is beautiful. Reached by ferry. Sacred deer roam the island. Very tame. Be sure and have the local pancake, Okonimiyaki at Kurawanki.

Excellent all around. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Aaaassaaaaaa.

I used the service for the first time. I had a customer from overseas with me, and the guide was very kind, for which I am truly grateful. The customer also left very happy. Thank you very much. I would like to participate in different tours as well.

初めて利用させて頂きました。海外からのお客様が同行していたのですが、
ガイドの方がとても親切にしていただき本当に感謝しております。
お客様もよろこんでお帰りになりました。
ありがとうございました。また違うツアー等でも参加させていただきたいと思います。

My husband's family came to visit Kyoto all the way from America, so I booked this service.
The driver was perfectly on time and was really great at accommodating our requests. There was also a full guide in addition to the driver, a huge help. They mixed in jokes and tour guiding, making everyone feel really welcome. I'm going to use this again next time, and I want to recommend it to my friends.

<Translated by Veltra.com>

Although I was a week late for the cherry blossom season, it might have actually been a good thing, as there were no crowds and I could easily get around everywhere.

First, I visited Fushimi Inari. Since it was my first stop and due to the location, it was impossible to see everything within the time limit.

The second place I went to was Kiyomizu-dera. The distribution of time was fine here, and the location was good, which made it enjoyable.

I highly recommend visiting Kinkaku-ji as my third stop. The scenery is wonderful.

It was my first visit since my student days, and experiencing Kyoto again with the passing years felt different and truly lovely.

Although I was traveling alone, most of the other guests were foreigners, and the tour guide was very kind, which was great. There were no issues traveling alone. However, it would be wise to check the meeting place in advance.

Also, today I'm heading to Guam, and I'm participating in another tour with Bell Tours. The monitor tour is very reasonable and definitely worth using.

I'm sure there will be plenty of enjoyable experiences.

桜の時期には一週間遅れたけれど、
それが逆に良かったのか、激込みというところがなく、どこもスイスイ行けました。

まずは伏見稲荷は一番最初に行きましたが、ここは最初だということもあり、場所てきな問題もあり全てを回ることは、時間内には無理でした。

２番目に行ったのは、清水寺。
ここは、問題ない配分でしたし、ロケーションはよいし良かったですね。

３番目の金閣寺は是非行ってみてほしいです。

景観が素晴らしいですよ。

学生以来の再行きでしたが、年を重ねての京都はまた、違った趣が感じられ、ほんとに素敵。


一人旅ではありましたが
ほぼ、他のお客様は外人さんでしたが、添乗員さんがとても親切で、良かったです。
一人旅でもなにも問題はありません。
ただ集合場所だけは下見をしておいた方が賢明。


また、今日にはグアムに行くので、
またベルとらさんのツアーに参加しています。
モニタツアーもあり、とてもリ－ズナブルで
利用価値ありです。

たくさん楽しめること間違いないです。

I guided a foreign family, but I personally struggle with English and relied heavily on the driver. There were many things about the famous spots that I, as a Japanese person, didn't know, making it an interesting and enjoyable trip. I was also very grateful for the driver's flexibility in accommodating changes to our itinerary.

外国人家族を連れての案内でしたが、私自身英語が苦手でドライバーの方に頼りきりでした。名所案内も日本人の私が知らないことが多々あり、興味深く良い旅になりました。行先変更など臨機応変に対応してくださったのも大変助かりました。

Improve your advertising. I would have more trips if I had found them.

This time, I traveled to Kyoto with a foreign acquaintance. Since it was their first time in Japan, we visited "the Kyoto." The explanations were thorough, and my acquaintance was very satisfied. They asked many questions, and the responses were polite, which improved my previously negative impression of taxis, making me want to use them again. One thing I found concerning was that since I had requested an attendant for a foreigner, it would have been nice if they wore name tags in English. I think there are times when it's just foreigners, so I would appreciate it if you could consider this.

今回、知り合いの外国人を連れて、京都へ旅行。初めての日本ということで、「the京都」というところを回ってもらいました。
説明もしっかりしていただき、知り合いの外国人も大満足でした。
何度も質問しましたが、丁寧に答えていただき、あまい印象のよくなかったタクシーのイメージもよくなり、また使ってみようと思います。
一つ、気になったことは、今回、外国人のアテンドをお願いしていたので、名札が英語表記のものをつけてくれるとよかったなぁと、思います。外国人だけのときとかもあると思うので、検討材料にいれていただければ、幸いです。

It was a short time but the driver Ichiro took us to many places. My guests from the United States were really happy. I plan to use this service again. The only unfortunate thing was one of my guests forget their folding umbrella in the car. I had expected it would be sent on to the hotel without my saying anything, but that didn't happen. However, it was our mistake, so I guess it couldn't be helped.

<Translated by Veltra.com from Japanese for your convenience>

I used this service during a sightseeing trip in Kyoto with my husband's family from America. The driver was punctual for the pickup time, and it was great that we could request the places we wanted to visit. It was really helpful that not only the driver but also the guide provided explanations. The foreigners really appreciated the explanations mixed with jokes. I definitely want to use this service again next time, and I would like to recommend it to my friends as well.

主人のアメリカからの家族と一緒の京都観光時に利用させて頂きました。
ドライバーさんはピックアップの時間も正確で、行きたい所をリクエスト出来たもの良かったです。ドライバーだけでなくガイドもして頂けたのは本当に助かりました。ジョークも混じえながらの説明に、外国人達も大変歓迎していました。次回も是非、お願いしたいと思っていますし、友人達にもすすめたいと思います。

Quick and efficient response to request.

Although it was a short time, Driver Ichiro took us to many places, and our American guests were very pleased. I will definitely use this service again next time. Unfortunately, I forgot a guest's folding umbrella in the car. I was hoping it would be delivered to the hotel without us having to say anything, but that didn't happen, which was disappointing. However, it was our mistake, so there's nothing to be done about it.

短時間でしたが、ドライバーのイチローさんに多くの場所にお連れいただき、米国のお客さんに喜んでいただきました。是非、次回も利用させていただきます。残念なのは車内にお客さんの折り畳み傘を忘れてしまったことでした。こちらから言わなくてもホテルに届けてもらえるかなと期待していましたが、叶わず残念でした。しかしそれはこちらのミスですから仕方ありません。

Guide was excellent and we plenty of time to tour the attractions! I would recommend this tour. We found it very reasonable in price, also.

Since it was just my mother and I, we decided to use a convenient taxi to tour around. We were able to spend a lovely time thanks to our polite driver that even came along to explain about the temples with us. Just like the other high reviews, I was extremely satisfied as well.
We were hoping to see the foliage, but the driver was kind enough to collect the latest information regarding how much of the leaves actually changed color from different areas. In the end, we just went to the place recommended by our driver.
Our other goal for our trip was to try some of Kyoto’s famous sweets. Luckily, our driver had a sweet tooth himself and took us to a famous sweets shop along the way. We were finally able to eat the chestnut rice cake. Our six hours was full of unique experiences and definitely well spent.

<Translated by Veltra.com>

Our full day visit by bullet train from Kyoto to Hiroshima and Miyajima was very good! The travel company personnel could not have been more professional, on time or responsible. From the taxi pick up at the hotel, to getting us on the right car on the train with specific instructions about the round trip, to the very excellent local guide in Hiroshima, Mickey, and the nice chap who met us back in Kyoto and got us in our taxi for the ride to the hotel -- everyone was great!

Mickey did a good job of sharing appropriate information and some light hearted banter on the bus rides during the time in Hiroshima and to and from the shrine, which included some heavy traffic.

The Miyajima Shrine was a good experience but very busy on a Japanese Holiday! It is unique, being on the water although the tide was out during our visit. Some of our group would have preferred an arranged lunch, but we lucked out and had a fun experience at the "pancake" cafe that Mickey pointed out as we started through the village.

It would have been good to have more time in Hiroshima to wander around the Park on ones' own. And it was getting dark in late afternoon in November so photos were difficult. However, that said, Mickey was most professional, thorough and informative as she walked us past the most significant sights and introduced us to the Museum.

The Peace Park and Museum are a must see for our fellow Americans and we are very glad we included it in our travel itinerary.

I have traveled all over the world and been with hundreds of tour guides. Aikiko is one of the best ever! Knowledgeable, thoughtful and passionate about her work. Great pride in what she shows you. Miyajima was great but I really went on this tour to see the Hiroshima Peace memorial. Every world leader whose country has or contemplates getting nuclear weapons ought to visit this memorial, it is sobering and puts the idea of any future use of nuclear weapons into proper perspective as an absolutely mad idea.

Perfect timing and charming welcome.
To group was a bit too large. So, it was often hard to follow/understand the guide.

We were so happy that we did the tour to Miyajima and Hiroshima. Miyajima is beautiful and Hiroshima was an amazing experience. Thank you so much for the wonderful tour.