Kyoto Night Cruise (Yoru Bus) Bus Tour

Enjoy a Tour of Kyoto's Enchanting Night Scenery by Bus!

If you visit Kyoto in the evening and interested to do something night sightseeing, or you don't have enough days like one night in Kyoto and impossible to see all the famous sites at once in your itinerary, this night bus tour must be something nice experience to try!

Please noted: The serbive is only on every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and National holidays.


Price:
Adults 1,600 yen, Children (7 to 12 years old) 800 yen,

If you pay extra for English audio guide: 2,100 yen

* 300yen discount! If you bring the leaflet or other unlimited travel passes. Read more detail below. 

Reservation:

You can make the reservation three days in advance, or if you don't mind even no guarantee for the seat availability, you can just visit the pick-up point in time.

Online Reservation (English okay):   >>> Click  

Or by Telephone: 075-662-1700 (MK Travel)

The cruise is around one hour and half. Jut be sitting back and relaxed! You will be taken around UNESCO World Heritage sites including To-ji Temple (1), Nishi-Honganji Temple (2) and Nijo Catsle (3), as well as Heian Jingu Shrine (10) and Yasaka Shrine (13). Including Shijo Kawaramachi and the Gion district, at the heart of this ancient city.

The purple line is the round tour route. A,B,C,D,E,F is pick-up points.

The bus will take you to the sights above one by one quickly like highlight tour. Unfortunately you can't get off the bus to take the pictures, but just enjoy the magical night lit-up sites through the window. Buildings are illuminated at different times during the year (other than 16th of every month)! Especially The Heian Jingu Shrine will be lit up wonderfully only for this bus tour! 

                         Pick-Up Point                            Departure  Drop-off

                                                                                 

It's a little trickey, but there's no bus stop stand for each stop, but please find the mark of the rabbit! and then, the bus driver holding this rabbit lantern will be coming at departure time!

 
Get Discount!
Print out this pdf leaflet and show the driver for 100yen discounted.
-English Leaflet（639KB)

Also, you will be getting another 300yen discount if you show a valid passes like JR pass, Kyoto Sightseeing One or Two-day Pass, 500yen of All-Day Bus Pass etc if you have!


Enjoy your special Kyoto sightseeing at night version! Don't forget to bring a nice camera for night view... :)

 
Kyoto Visitors? How to Process Free Guide!

★ Iris, Azalea, Kyoto Flowers Viewing in May

Sakura in April and Momiji in November is quite famous as flower viewing season in Japan. What about in May? Yes, Kyoto is warmly welcoming you with another beautiful color combination of flowers and natures! 

I've guided an Italian couple last week, in late May. We've enjoyed the true fresh air in a perfect weather, strolling through the cozy paths surrounded by beautiful green leaves and colorful flowers.

Please click on the picture to enjoy the picture in the original size

I started the tour from beautiful Arashiyama area, my favorite guiding route through the year. :) This area is quite famous for its cozy local mood and beautiful scenery of mountain and riverside.

The awesome view from the main hall of Tenryuji temple (World Heritage). This garden, Sogenchi pond garden is one of the oldest garden in Japan.  

You would be amazed by it's massive beauty of the landscape spreading in front of your eyes... I'm coming to this temple almost more than 40 times a year, but never felt the same... each time in different appeal.  

In May you would come across such purple pretty along the pond of the garden.

Japanese Iris, I like this purple very much! elegant and gorgeous... :)

Behind the Tenryuji temple there is an awesome Bamboo forest. You would get lost for words when you come across this exotic scenery! You may feel as if you're in a movie?!  

And Yes! This scenery was actually used in the famous movie, "Sayuri, Memory of a Geisha".  Here is one of the Must to Visit in Kyoto! :)

Each traditional Japanese Inn has a beautiful garden with an awesome pine trees in a solemn shape.

Kinkakuji, one of the most famous tourist site in Kyoto! In May you can enjoy the nice decoration in purple along the pond garden, Mirror Lake.

From Arashiyama area, it's easy transportation heading for Kinkakuji temple. Take Randen (Keifuku) train from Arashiyama. It's not JR train, and oldest railway in Japan, feeling very local in the train. :) 

Massive golden Pavilion decorated with fresh green of maple! One of the perfect color combination.

There is some islands in the pond garden. Each island was built specially, some rocks were donated to Shogun by the local feudal lords. Gold and Rock is symbol of power.

Carp enjoy a relaxing swiming.

Finally at Kiyomizu temple. Can you see the Kyoto tower in the distant? We started the tour from there!!!  

Niomon entrance of Kiyomizu temple is nicely decorated with a lot of Japanese azalea in May...

I think Kiyomizu temple is the perfect area to finish the tour, because if you catch the sunset in nice timing, the silhouette of the temple is very beautiful and awesome. and the temple uniquely open until very late like 6pm or 6:30pm depending on the day. So I always arrange the Kiyomizu temple for finale.

Another reason to put Kiyomizu temple in the end is because Gion area is quite near from Kiyomizu area.

 The perfect time to enjoy strolling in Gion's main street is at around 6pm to 7pm. Because if you're lucky you may come across a beautiful Maiko hurring to get to the tea house to start to work.

This is most popular orange entrance of Yasaka shrine. Symbol of Kyoto, located in the middle of Gion area.

Kyoto Visitors? How to Process Free Guide!

★ Enjoy Touring Kyoto by Bicycle!

Enjoy cycling in Kyoto is wonderful idea especially such in a nice weather of spring!!  Why don't you fee the beautiful nature touch your heart directly! :)  You would be impressed how huge the sky is... how comfortable to listen to the music of the stream... the smell of the wind...

Among several rent a cycling companies, "Kyoto Eco Trip" is one of the recommended companies for you!

Time: 9am to 18:00pm 

A-type: 800yen/day (without speed gears) 26inches
B-type: 1000yen/day (3 speed gears) 26inches <== Recommended

C-type: 1000yen/day (3 speed gears for Child)
M-type: 1000yen/day (3 speed gears for Parent/Child)
-- Mtype can be taken on childsheet at front or rear side.
Child sheet 300yen/seat
Child Helmet 200yen/pcs

They have convenient option like "delivery service" at 1300yen

* Kyoto station to your hotel
* Your hotel to Kyoto station
* Your Hotel to Your next Hotel (1500yen)


 

Carry Service

* If you like to start the cycling tour right after arriving Kyoto station, they will carry your luggages from Kyoto station to your Hotel!! Ask them "carry service" (+ 500yen).

Here is my recommend route!
------------------------------------------------------------

Your ryokan/hotel → Kyoto station (pick up bike at 9am)

→ Fushimi Inari, thousands of torii
→ Sanjusangendo
Lunch at around Kiyomizu temple area
→ Heianjingu shrine
→ Nanzenji temple
→ Philosopher's path
→ Ginkakuji temple
→ Kamo river side
→ Return the bike at your ryokan (they pick up bike at 6pm)
------------------------------------------------------------

Price: @1000yen (3 speed gears) + 300yen of pick up fee

They have other several model plans!! Kyoto Eco Trip is near from Kyoto station. To use rent service, you need to make the reservation (earlier better especially for three speed gears). If you feel trouble, I can help to make the reservaiton for you! :)  

Reservation
by Tel: 075-691-0794
by email: eco[at]kyoto-option.com

　

Kyoto Visitors?
How to Process Free Guide!

★ Drop your Luggages at Kyoto Station!!

Say Good-Bye to your heavy luggages right after you arrived at Kyoto Station!!

You know "Carry Service" in Kyoto station?

There are many lockers here and there in Kyoto station, but looking for an available locker one by one is really hard work... and you might get lost soon while walking throughout the station :(

But don't worry!! If you use this service, the reception keeps your luggages for the day (days), or take the luggages to your ryokan or hotel for you!! You can start the tour right away, and then, check in easy!! Sounds great? especially in the rain, or hot sticky summer season!!!

"Carry Service"They take your luggage from Kyoto station to your hotel, or from your Hotel to Kyoto station! They accept almost all ryokan or hotels in Kyoto.


Location;

Take the descending escalator in front of "Central Exit" of normal JR train.  * not the central exit of Shinkansen.



On the 1st basement, turn left.
Print out this map to carry with you. Click








◆Ask at the desk to carry your luggages to your Ryokan!! You need to fill in the application and get the receipt by return. Keep the receipt carefully as proof. When you check-in the ryokan, you need to show it to get your luggages.
(the delivery man will check your name at the ryokan before dropping your luggages, so it's safe, not lost)

When you check out, you can ask your ryokan to carry your luggages to Kyoto station. Just tell them at the front, "Carry Service Onegai-shimasu"! Or ryokan to ryokan also available to ask.

◆ Reception and Delivery Hours
From Kyoto station to your Ryokan
Apply 8:00am to 14:00pm - Delivery time is by 17:00pm
(in winter time by 18:00)
From your Ryokan to Kyoto station
Apply by 10:00 at the front - You can pick up from 14:00 to 20:00pm at the station
From your Ryokan to your next Ryokan
Apply by 10:00 at the front - Delivery time is by 17:00pm
(in winter time by 18:00)

◆Delivery Fee
750yen per luggage
 
◆ Form of application as sample.  Click  you need to fill in as below
* your ryokan's name
* ryokan's telephone number
* Your name
* How many luggages
* When you're planning to check in.

Baggage (Deposit) Room Service  Use as Coin Locker!!

◆Ask at the reception to deposit your luggages for the day!! You need to write down your name and get the receipt by return. Keep the receipt carefully as proof.

◆ Reception Hours:  8:00am to 20:00pm

◆ Deposit Fee
410yen per luggage
* possible for several days, too.

They can't accept these luggages; over the two meter long, over 30kg etc...

------------------------------------------------------------
At first, I recommend you to check in advance if your hotel has a "satellite concierge service" that your hotel has a shuttle bus to carry your luggages to your hotel for you. Of course it's for free. The reception desk is near from Hachijoguchi Shinkansen exit in the south of Kyoto station.
------------------------------------------------------------


Now enjoy your tour!!! :)