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Kyoto private tour (Shore excursion available from Osaka or Kobe port)
An eight-hour private Kyoto day with a national licensed guide who meets you at Osaka port or Kobe port, covering Kinkaku-ji, Sanjusangen-do, Gion and Fushimi Inari with lunch and entrance fees included.
US$233 each · US$466 for two · Taxi ~60 min from the ship
Fits an 8-hour call instead: Kobe: Customizable Private Tour w/ Local Student Guide · US$97 each · US$194 for two
1 / 5Fushimi Inari shrinePhoto: tour operator, via Viator
Most listings let you reserve now and pay later, and cancel free up to 24 hours before. Your ship's berth or time can change; a reservation costs nothing to hold.
Price, reviews and availability from the operator's Viator listing · checked · Takumi Yamada
Not at the pier: about 60 minutes by taxi
Measured from Kobe Port Terminal.
Coming backAllow the same ~60 minutes back to the ship, and aim to be there an hour before all-aboard.
Fare from the official meter tariff in force since 2025-11-27, for the road distance; traffic, tolls and night surcharges are extra.
- The operator writes that the guide meets you at your accommodation in Osaka, Kyoto, Osaka port or Kobe port, so there is no transfer to a city meeting point.
- Lunch, one soft drink and the entrance fees are in the price, which is per person; the group is private and capped at three.
- 41 reviews average 5.0, and guiding is offered in English, Japanese and Mandarin.
A couple or three friends on an overnight call at Osaka or Kobe who want Kyoto's main temples and shrines in one day with the admin handled.
Transport is extra and paid on the day: around ¥7–9,000 per person by train and taxi, or from ¥80,000 for the party in a chartered van for up to eight. The only start is at nine in the morning, and it was open on just 1 of the 11 upcoming Osaka ship days and 3 of the 16 Kobe ship days we checked on 25 October 2026; on each of those days the start falls before the ship is alongside or the eight hours run to the ship's departure time. The listed start point is JR Osaka Station and the pinned pickups are Namba hotels, so enter the port when booking and get it confirmed.
The day, stop by stop
- Kinkakuji Temple · 50 minShininig in Gold, the most beautiful temple in Kyoto.
- 40 minSanjyusangen-do temple is well known for a 1001 Buddhist statues. You are amazed by this forest of statues in Japan's longest wooden structure.
- Tatsumi Daimyojin Shrine · 10 minThis small shinto shrine is a land mark of Gion geisha district. Great place for photos.
- Gion · 30 minGeiko(Geisha) and maiko are special in Kyoto. Old tea houses areas are so traditional and beautiful. If you're lucky, you'll come across geioko or maiko.
- Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine · 50 minRed gates tonnel is stanning and unique here. It's No.1 spot on TripAdvisor in Japan.
- National licensed guide
- Lunch and 1 soft drink
- Guide meets you at your hotel / port
- Entrance fee
- Transportation fee to be paid on the day: Around 7-9,000 yen/person using public transport.
- Transport cost to be paid on the day: From around 80,000 yen/party(up to 8) chartering a private van
- Transportation fee to be paid on the day: Around 6,000 yen / person if JR Rail Pass holder
- Please clarify type of transportation method at the time of booking
- Gratuities
- Insurance
Guide languages: cmn, English, Japanese, Chinese. Cancellation: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. Run by ALL STAR OSAKA WALK.
Check dates and book
Booked through Viator (a Tripadvisor company). There is rarely a tour desk at the pier, so book before you sail.
We may earn a small commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. It never decides what we recommend — the “think twice” note above is there on purpose.
What Princess Cruises charges for a day like this in Kobe
A ship’s excursion comes with one promise nothing else can make: the ship waits for its own bus. An independent booking does not, which is why every day on this site is cut to the call with an hour kept before all-aboard. What you get for the difference is usually a smaller group, a start at the pier rather than a coach queue, and free cancellation until the day before.
Princess Cruises prices as shown on its public Kobe excursion page on 25 October 2026, per person, before any sailing-specific change. Tour prices on this page are the operator’s current from price.
Before you book
Is the Kyoto private tour (Shore excursion available from Osaka or Kobe port) worth it from the Kobe cruise port?
An eight-hour private Kyoto day with a national licensed guide who meets you at Osaka port or Kobe port, covering Kinkaku-ji, Sanjusangen-do, Gion and Fushimi Inari with lunch and entrance fees included. Best for: A couple or three friends on an overnight call at Osaka or Kobe who want Kyoto's main temples and shrines in one day with the admin handled.
How long a port call do I need for this tour?
About 12 hours. The tour runs 8 hr; add half an hour to get off the ship, about 60 minutes each way between the pier and the start and keep the hour before all-aboard free. Eight hours with the guide, including the train or van to Kyoto and back from the port, plus two hours for getting ashore and returning early: a call of ten hours.
Can I cancel if my ship skips the port?
The operator's policy: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What should I know before booking?
Transport is extra and paid on the day: around ¥7–9,000 per person by train and taxi, or from ¥80,000 for the party in a chartered van for up to eight. The only start is at nine in the morning, and it was open on just 1 of the 11 upcoming Osaka ship days and 3 of the 16 Kobe ship days we checked on 25 October 2026; on each of those days the start falls before the ship is alongside or the eight hours run to the ship's departure time. The listed start point is JR Osaka Station and the pinned pickups are Namba hotels, so enter the port when booking and get it confirmed.
Does this tour pick up at the cruise pier?
No: the start is at JR Osaka Station, Central Gate (ground floor, opposite the gate), about 60 minutes from the ship by taxi (about ¥15,200–18,700 on the meter).
Will I be back on board before all-aboard?
The operator makes no written on-time promise, so the margin is yours to keep. This site only shows the tour as fitting a call of about 12 hours or more, which already includes half an hour to get ashore and the hour before all-aboard. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before means a reservation costs nothing to hold if your ship’s hours change.
Is the price per person or per vehicle?
Per person, from about US$233, on a private basis.
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