Six Days, Kyoto, Nara and Osaka

One hotel, no packing and unpacking: Kyoto in three days, with Osaka and Nara each a day by train, then the Shinkansen on to Tokyo.

6 DaysSuggested Length
¥480,000Price From
Overview

Kansai, from one address

Kyoto is the base for the whole journey. Three days there, Gion, the north of the city and the south, then a day in Osaka and a day in Nara, both a short train ride away.

It suits a first week in Japan, or the Kansai part of a longer stay. The journey ends with the Shinkansen to Tokyo, ready for what comes next.

Six days in Kansai, all from one hotel in Kyoto

Kyoto is home for the whole journey: three days there, then Osaka and Nara each as a day by train, so there is no packing and unpacking.

On the last day the Shinkansen takes you on to Tokyo, ready for what comes next. Days can be added or removed under each destination.

Why Travel With Haven Japan?

Private days shaped entirely around your pace, with a guide on the days you choose.
Ryokans, boutique hotels and design-forward properties.
A deeply knowledgeable, English-speaking guide on every day you choose.
Private transfers door to door, to and from the airport included.
Round-the-clock support from our Japan-based team.
Six Days, Kyoto, Nara and Osaka

Highlights

Gion at duskThe lanes of Gion and the Shirakawa canal as the lanterns come on.
Arashiyama's bamboo groveThe garden of Tenryu-ji and the bamboo grove.
The golden pavilionThe golden pavilion over its pond.
Fushimi InariThe vermilion gates, climbed higher than most visitors go.
A private tea ceremonyAn hour of stillness, prepared for you alone.
A day in OsakaA castle, old streets and the neon of Dotonbori.
A day in NaraThe Great Buddha of Todai-ji and the deer of the park.
The Itinerary

6 Days, One Route

The map stays with you as the days unfold — tap a stop to jump ahead.

This is the order we recommend, the one that works best on the ground, but nothing here is fixed. Add or remove days with the + and − under each destination (up to 4 days in one place), or change the destinations and their order in our builder, with this itinerary already selected. The price follows your version: we quote it when you send it to us.

3 DAYS
1 DAY
1 DAY
1 DAY
ARRIVAL → KYOTO

Day 01 | Gion as the Lanterns Come On

Your private driver takes you from Kansai airport to Kyoto, about ninety minutes. In the afternoon, the great gate of Chion-in, Yasaka Shrine and Kodai-ji, then Gion and Hanamikoji as the lanterns come on.

A lantern-lit lane in Gion, Kyoto, at dusk

Your Experiences

1 of 35
✓ IncludedMatcha Milling and Tea Ceremony in Uji
KYOTOMatcha Milling and Tea Ceremony in Uji

Your Hotels

1 of 6

Your hotel for 6 nights, including your days in Osaka and Nara.

KYOTO
KYOTO · ARASHIYAMA TO KINKAKU-JI

Day 02 | Bamboo, Gardens and Gold

Arashiyama in the morning: the garden of Tenryu-ji, the bamboo grove and the hillside villa of Okochi Sanso. After lunch, the golden pavilion of Kinkaku-ji, then Nijo Castle and its nightingale floors, or the long covered lanes of Nishiki Market.

The bamboo grove of Arashiyama, Kyoto

Your Experiences

1 of 35
✓ IncludedMatcha Milling and Tea Ceremony in Uji
KYOTOMatcha Milling and Tea Ceremony in Uji

Your Hotels

1 of 6

Your hotel for 6 nights, including your days in Osaka and Nara.

KYOTO
KYOTO · FUSHIMI TO HIGASHIYAMA

Day 03 | Gates, Stage and Tea

Climb through the vermilion gates of Fushimi Inari, higher than most visitors go, then on to Kiyomizu-dera and its wooden stage above the city. Walk down Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka, and close the day with a private tea ceremony, the quiet counterpart to the morning.

The vermilion torii gates of Fushimi Inari in Kyoto

Your Experiences

1 of 35
✓ IncludedMatcha Milling and Tea Ceremony in Uji
KYOTOMatcha Milling and Tea Ceremony in Uji

Your Hotels

1 of 6

Your hotel for 6 nights, including your days in Osaka and Nara.

KYOTO
KYOTO → OSAKA

Day 04 | Castle, Markets and Neon

A short train ride to Osaka. The castle in the morning, then the old streets of Shinsekai below the Tsutenkaku tower and a lunch of the city's street food. Kuromon Market, the narrow alley of Hozenji Yokocho, and Dotonbori's neon on the canal as the evening arrives.

Day trip from Kyoto. Same stay tonight.
Osaka Castle above its stone walls

Your Experiences

1 of 6
✓ IncludedOsaka Box Sushi with Champagne
OSAKAOsaka Box Sushi with Champagne

Where you sleep

We recommend sleeping in Kyoto and coming back each evening, so Osaka needs no hotel of its own. If you would rather stay overnight in Osaka, tell us when you send your itinerary and we will arrange it.

KYOTO → NARA

Day 05 | The First Capital

By train to Nara, Japan's first permanent capital. Kofuku-ji and its pagoda, the Great Buddha of Todai-ji, the view from the balcony of Nigatsu-do, then the stone lanterns of Kasuga Taisha. The deer of the park follow you all day, and your guide brings the crackers.

Day trip from Kyoto. Same stay tonight.
Deer in Nara Park with Todai-ji behind

Your Experiences

1 of 4
✓ IncludedPlant-Dyed Silk Scarf in Nara
NARAPlant-Dyed Silk Scarf in Nara

Where you sleep

We recommend sleeping in Kyoto and coming back each evening, so Nara needs no hotel of its own. If you would rather stay overnight in Nara, tell us when you send your itinerary and we will arrange it.

KYOTO → TOKYO

Day 06 | A Last Morning in Kyoto

A slow last morning in Kyoto: Nishiki Market, or a temple garden close to your hotel. Then the Shinkansen to Tokyo, a little over two hours, for your flight home or the next part of your journey.

The covered lanes of Nishiki Market in Kyoto

Your Experiences

1 of 35
✓ IncludedMatcha Milling and Tea Ceremony in Uji
KYOTOMatcha Milling and Tea Ceremony in Uji

Your Hotels

1 of 6

Your hotel for 6 nights, including your days in Osaka and Nara.

KYOTO
Where You'll Stay

Choose Your Stay in Every Destination

KYOTO

A traditional machiya reimagined with contemporary comfort, in a quiet Kyoto neighbourhood. Natural wood, washi textures, and unhurried rest.

KAMOGAWA RIVER, KYOTO

Set directly on the banks of the Kamogawa River, with views over the water to the Higashiyama mountains, and Michelin-starred dining just off the lobby.

HIGASHIYAMA, KYOTO

Woven into Kyoto's best-preserved historic district, beside a 19th-century teahouse, with views of Yasaka Pagoda from just 70 rooms in total.

ARASHIYAMA, KYOTO

Reached only by a short private boat ride up the Katsura River, this riverside ryokan in Arashiyama pairs tatami suites with total seclusion from the city.

TAKAGAMINE, KYOTO

A secluded former textile-museum garden in the northern hills, with just 26 rooms, suites, and pavilions — widely considered Kyoto's most serene stay.

HIGASHIYAMA, KYOTO

Built around a 800-year-old pond garden near Sanjusangendo, blending a traditional Kyoto landscape with spacious, thoroughly modern rooms.

Add-On Experiences

Shape Your Journey by Adding the Experiences That Move You

✓ IncludedMatcha Milling and Tea Ceremony in Uji
KYOTO, JAPANMatcha Milling and Tea Ceremony in Uji

In Uji, home of matcha, grind tencha on a millstone in a rarely opened tea room and taste thin tea made with your own matcha.

✓ IncludedMaiko Dance and Tea in Kamishichiken
KYOTO, JAPANMaiko Dance and Tea in Kamishichiken

A private teahouse visit in Kamishichiken, Kyoto's oldest geisha district: watch a maiko dance, share matcha and sweets, and play a banquet game.

✓ IncludedPrivate Toji Temple Tour with a Monk
KYOTO, JAPANPrivate Toji Temple Tour with a Monk

A monk guides you round Toji Temple and a subtemple, including areas usually closed to the public, then you copy sutras and receive a temple stamp.

✓ IncludedOsaka Box Sushi with Champagne
OSAKA, JAPANOsaka Box Sushi with Champagne

Learn Osaka's box sushi, hako-zushi, from a chef in a champagne-themed hotel, then sit down to nigiri, soup and dessert with champagne.

✓ IncludedSakai Knife Making
OSAKA, JAPANSakai Knife Making

Make your own Sakai knife in Osaka (deba, sashimi or santoku), have it branded and engraved with your name, and learn how to look after it.

✓ IncludedPlant-Dyed Silk Scarf in Nara
NARA, JAPANPlant-Dyed Silk Scarf in Nara

Extract colour from seasonal plants and dye your own silk scarf with the master dyer of a Nara workshop.

✓ IncludedWhetstone Making and Knife Sharpening in Kameoka
KYOTO, JAPANWhetstone Making and Knife Sharpening in Kameoka

In Kameoka, process a natural whetstone, sharpen a Japanese knife, then tour a whetstone museum privately. Take home the stone and an engraved knife.

✓ IncludedWashi Papermaking and Journal Craft
KYOTO, JAPANWashi Papermaking and Journal Craft

Make washi paper by hand with fourteen-century-old techniques, beginners coached, then use it for the cover of a temple-stamp journal.

✓ IncludedIkebana and Tea in a Kyoto Machiya
KYOTO, JAPANIkebana and Tea in a Kyoto Machiya

Learn the basics of ikebana in a 130-year-old Kyoto machiya near Shijo Karasuma, hear about its household customs, then take tea and sweets.

✓ IncludedIncense Appreciation Overlooking a Temple Garden
KYOTO, JAPANIncense Appreciation Overlooking a Temple Garden

Learn kodo, the art of incense, in the Mishina Oheryu tradition, seated at a counter in a temple-owned space overlooking a Kyoto garden.

✓ IncludedPrivate Zazen at a Kodaiji Subtemple
KYOTO, JAPANPrivate Zazen at a Kodaiji Subtemple

Sit zazen in Gesshin-in, a Kodaiji subtemple usually closed to the public, then stroll its garden beside Nene-no-michi.

✓ IncludedPottery Wheel Class in Higashiyama
KYOTO, JAPANPottery Wheel Class in Higashiyama

Throw two pieces on the wheel in a family pottery studio with a folk kiln, in the Kyo-yaki and Kiyomizu-yaki traditions; they are fired and delivered to you.

✓ IncludedWagashi and Warabi-mochi Making
KYOTO, JAPANWagashi and Warabi-mochi Making

Shape seasonal wagashi and warabi-mochi with a 300-year-old confectioner, then taste them.

✓ IncludedPrivate Kendo Training in Kyoto
KYOTO, JAPANPrivate Kendo Training in Kyoto

A private kendo introduction at a Kyoto dojo: hear the history from an instructor of a long martial lineage, learn the basics, then try a bout in armour.

✓ IncludedRock Garden Tour and Meditation in Iwakura
KYOTO, JAPANRock Garden Tour and Meditation in Iwakura

A private after-hours tour of Jissoin, an 800-year-old temple in northern Kyoto: meditate in a usually closed room, take matcha and see the rock garden.

✓ IncludedWagasa Parasol Making
KYOTO, JAPANWagasa Parasol Making

Make a traditional Japanese parasol from bamboo and coloured paper at Kyoto's last remaining wagasa shop.

✓ IncludedKana Calligraphy on a Fan
KYOTO, JAPANKana Calligraphy on a Fan

Learn Japan's own kana script from a Kyoto family of calligraphers and write your choice of words on a traditional fan.

✓ IncludedRed urushi lacquer bowls and trays
KYOTO, JAPANUrushi Lacquer Pen Workshop

Tour a lacquer workshop that has traded since 1909 and decorate a fountain pen with urushi.

✓ IncludedDashi Tasting & Cooking Class
KYOTO, JAPANDashi Tasting & Cooking Class

Learn how dashi, the base of Japanese cooking, is made at a Kyoto dashi store founded in 1903.

✓ IncludedA sake flask and small cups on a lacquer tray
KYOTO, JAPANKoji Making & Sake Pairing in Umekoji

Make koji in a traditional koji room a short walk from Kyoto Station, then taste fermented snacks with seasonal sake.

✓ IncludedAntique Gallery Tour & Tea in Gion
KYOTO, JAPANAntique Gallery Tour & Tea in Gion

Handle Edo-period art with an expert in tea-ceremony art, then drink tea and sake from antique vessels.

✓ IncludedCurator-Led Museum Tour in Arashiyama
KYOTO, JAPANCurator-Led Museum Tour in Arashiyama

A private curator-led tour of an Arashiyama art museum on TIME's 2023 list, with works by Ito Jakuchu and Hokusai, before opening or after hours.

✓ IncludedCooking with Koji in Sakai
OSAKA, JAPANCooking with Koji in Sakai

Cook a classic one-soup-three-dishes meal with koji seasonings at a shop in Sakai that dates from 1689.

✓ IncludedOrganic Tea Plantation Tour in Ujitawara
KYOTO, JAPANOrganic Tea Plantation Tour in Ujitawara

Tour a pesticide-free tea plantation in the birthplace of Japanese green tea with its 21st-generation head.

✓ IncludedKyo-Yuzen Silk Painting
KYOTO, JAPANKyo-Yuzen Silk Painting

Visit the Nakagyo workshop of a Kyo-Yuzen kimono dyer who trained under a Living National Treasure, see demonstrations and try silk painting yourself.

✓ IncludedKyoto Roof Tile Kiln Tour
KYOTO, JAPANKyoto Roof Tile Kiln Tour

See how the roof tiles of Kyoto's temples and teahouses are made at a long-running kiln, and take a tile home.

✓ IncludedArashiyama Houseboat & Bamboo Flute
KYOTO, JAPANArashiyama Houseboat & Bamboo Flute

Drift along the Oi River on a houseboat to the sound of the shinobue bamboo flute, as aristocrats did a thousand years ago.

✓ IncludedFolding Fan Painting in a Machiya
KYOTO, JAPANFolding Fan Painting in a Machiya

Paint your own Kyoto-made folding fan in a historic machiya townhouse, with a tour of the house, tea and wagashi.

✓ IncludedA shamisen player in a bamboo grove
KYOTO, JAPANShamisen Lesson at a Kyoto Temple

Learn a traditional melody on the shamisen in a private room at a Buddhist temple, then hear your teacher play.

✓ IncludedThe red pagoda of a Kyoto temple rising above the city rooftops
KYOTO, JAPANTemple-Stamp Journal with Kyo-Karakami

Make a goshuin temple-stamp journal using Kyo-karakami, Kyoto's decorative paper printed with old woodblocks.

✓ IncludedMake Your Own Miso in Kyoto
KYOTO, JAPANMake Your Own Miso in Kyoto

Tour a century-old Kyoto miso brewery with its fourth-generation owner, then make 1 kg of miso by hand to take home and taste miso with cooking tips.

✓ IncludedNoh at Kamigamo Shrine
KYOTO, JAPANNoh at Kamigamo Shrine

Explore Kamigamo Shrine through the Noh play it inspired, followed by a private performance.

✓ IncludedKabuki Lecture & Premium Seats at Minamiza
KYOTO, JAPANKabuki Lecture & Premium Seats at Minamiza

Take a private lecture from a kabuki actor, then watch him perform from premium seats at Minamiza Theatre.

✓ IncludedKinsai Gold Leaf Gilding Workshop
KYOTO, JAPANKinsai Gold Leaf Gilding Workshop

Gild a fabric panel with a kinsai artisan after touring the Kyoto Museum of Crafts and Design.

✓ IncludedPilgrimage to Kasagidera
KYOTO, JAPANPilgrimage to Kasagidera

Walk the ascetic Shugendo trail of Kasagidera, a mountain temple in southern Kyoto famous for its huge rocks, led privately by its vice head priest.

✓ IncludedKogin-zashi Embroidery in a Machiya
KYOTO, JAPANKogin-zashi Embroidery in a Machiya

Make a kogin-zashi embroidered accessory in a historic Kyoto townhouse with a kogin-zashi artist.

✓ IncludedA hand-carved wooden statuette of a standing Buddhist figure
KYOTO, JAPANBuddhist Statuette Carving in Yase

Spend a day in verdant Yase carving your own palm-sized Warabe Jizo with a Buddhist sculptor.

✓ IncludedSuiboku-ga Ink Painting in Higashiyama
KYOTO, JAPANSuiboku-ga Ink Painting in Higashiyama

Learn suiboku-ga ink painting from a ninth-generation Maruyama-Shijo school artist in a restaurant reserved just for you.

✓ IncludedShimabara Walk & Kyoto Lunch
KYOTO, JAPANShimabara Walk & Kyoto Lunch

Stroll through Shimabara, one of Kyoto's three historic entertainment districts, with a local restaurateur, and have lunch.

✓ IncludedSeasonal Wagashi in an Osaka Villa
OSAKA, JAPANSeasonal Wagashi in an Osaka Villa

Learn to make three seasonal nerikiri sweets with an Osaka wagashi master, in a wooden private villa rented for your group.

✓ IncludedCedar Bento Box & Chopstick Making
OSAKA, JAPANCedar Bento Box & Chopstick Making

Make a 'breathing' bento box and chopsticks from rare akamasa cedar with the fifth-generation couple behind a 150-year-old workshop.

✓ IncludedTatami Heritage Tour in Sakai
OSAKA, JAPANTatami Heritage Tour in Sakai

Tour historic buildings in Sakai with a tatami craftsman and try stitching a tatami mat by hand.

✓ IncludedTea Whisk Making in Ikoma
NARA, JAPANTea Whisk Making in Ikoma

Watch a 20th-generation master make a tea whisk and weave the threads yourself, in a 500-year-old workshop.

✓ IncludedSake Brewing Experience in Yamato Koriyama
NARA, JAPANSake Brewing Experience in Yamato Koriyama

Take part in the main steps of sake brewing at a 170-year-old microbrewery, four minutes by train from Nara Station.

✓ IncludedSutra Copying & Buddhist Painting at Taima-dera
NARA, JAPANSutra Copying & Buddhist Painting at Taima-dera

Visit one of Japan's oldest temples, try sutra copying and painting, and have matcha in a famous tea room.

Reviews

Hear From Travellers Who Have Journeyed
With Haven Japan

4.9·Based on 487 guest reviews

“Our guide Joshua was amazing, loved his job, and it showed as he toured with us. We loved our day, and all we experienced.”
Dori E.19 Oct 2026

Inclusions

  • Private guide on the guided days, in English or French
  • Private transfers by Toyota Alphard or equivalent, and wherever the road is not the best way, a private car, a taxi or reserved Shinkansen seats, all arranged for you
  • Entrance fees and activities listed in the itinerary
  • Accommodation chosen to your taste and booked for you
  • A local SIM card with unlimited data, if you would like one
  • Luggage forwarding between hotels, if you would like it
  • Round-the-clock support from our Japan-based team

Pricing

2027

Prices in JPY, per person, for two travelling together, with accommodation included. Every Haven journey is quoted individually, once we know your dates, party size and preferences.

One team plans and books your whole journey, so you have a single person to speak to from the first call to the last morning. Your quote sets out everything that is included, day by day.

¥0Price From
¥0Deposit From

Questions About This Journey

How many days is Six Days, Kyoto, Nara and Osaka and where does it go?

Six Days, Kyoto, Nara and Osaka runs 6 days and visits Kyoto, Osaka and Nara. The day-by-day route, with a map, is shown above.

Is this journey private, and can it be changed?

Yes. Every Haven journey is private, just you and your party, and tailor-made. This route is an example of how a journey can unfold: tell us your dates, interests and pace and we will adapt the days, the places and the stays.

How much does it cost?

Prices start from ¥480,000 (see the pricing section above). The final price depends on your dates, the hotels you choose, the experiences you add and the size of your group, so we confirm an exact quote after your enquiry.

What is included?

The inclusions are listed in the pricing section above. Unless stated there, entrance fees and meals are not included, and our guides are happy to recommend restaurants. An all-inclusive package is available for a custom Japan journey.

Where do we stay?

You choose your stay in each destination from the hotels and ryokan shown on the page. If you prefer another property, tell us and we will look at it.

When should I book?

Japan is a country where travellers plan well ahead, so we recommend contacting us about 6 months before your ideal departure date, especially for spring and autumn. Last-minute requests may be possible with some limits.

What languages do your guides speak?

Our tours are conducted in English, French and Japanese. If you need another language, tell us in advance and we will do our best to arrange it.

How do I pay?

We accept payment in Japanese yen and major international credit cards, including Visa, MasterCard and American Express.

What is the cancellation policy?

If we receive your cancellation 91 days or more before the first day of service, only the deposit is kept. It is 50% of the price 61 to 90 days before, and 100% 60 days or less before. Cancellations are made by email to contact@havenjapan.com. The full policy is in clause 5 of our Terms and Conditions.

Can I add experiences such as a tea ceremony or an onsen stay?

Yes. The experiences section above lists what you can add, from tea ceremonies and craft workshops to private onsen. Each day can also include free time to explore on your own.

Begin Your Journey

What you've just explored is a starting point, the beginning of a journey that's entirely yours to shape from here. Every detail can move: your pace, your interests, your Japan.

Make an
Enquiry

Send us the itinerary as you have shaped it, with your dates and who is travelling. A first call and a short exchange by email are free. When we design your full proposal, a fee of ¥30,000 applies, and it is deducted from your deposit when you book.

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