Please join us for the our Post Congress Tour of Kyoto on Thursday, August 4 as we look forward to an exciting day of exploring the history, culture and natural beauty of the traditional city of Kyoto. Traveling to the Kansai Area, we will experience the more traditional side of Japan as we tour through three locations that capture the spirit of Kyoto.
We will make our first stop at the Pure Water Temple of Kiyomizu-dera. Founded in 780 on the site of the Otowa Waterfall in the wooded hills east of Kyoto, this temple is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most dramatic in Kyoto.
We will then visit Ryoanji Temple, the site of Japan’s most famous rock garden. The garden consists of a rectangular plot of pebbles surrounded by low earthen walls, with 15 rocks laid out in small groups on patches of moss. Viewing the garden is a uniquely peaceful experience, and an interesting feature of its design is that from any vantage point at least one of the rocks is always hidden from the viewer.
Our final temple we will visit is Kinkakuji or the Golden Pavilion. This temple is most famous for its two top floors which are completely covered in gold leaf. It has burned down numerous times throughout its history – the present structure was rebuilt in 1955.
This is an optional full day tour and costs 12,000 JPY per person; lunch is included.
For more information visit our tour page.