Indispensable Presence

From being centers of scholarship, to maintaining the time prior to the invention of clocks via bells, to keeping town records and providing traditional medicinal treatments, to fostering community, temples were comprehensive centers of influence and activity. 

Learn about the complex and varied voles that temples played in education, governance, and daily life within Japanese society.

Unaltered Authenticity

This is where matcha was born. Have a sip, the traditional way.

In Retrospect

Find moments of quiet contemplation amidst meticulously designed gardens and pathways.

History At Present

Explore sites where centuries of Japanese history unfolded, walking through halls and gardens preserved from feudal times.

Sample Itinerary

9AM

Meet Your Guide

Your guide will meet you at the designated meeting spot as provided in the tour confirmation e-mail. Alternatively, if you have selected the Personal Chauffeur option, you will be picked up at your accomodation.

9:15AM

1st Stop

This sub-temple of Nanzen-ji boasts one of Kyoto's most exquisite gardens, designed by garden master Kobori Enshu. It also has a charming teahouse with stunning fusuma (sliding door) paintings. 

Often so quiet you can hear the garden breathing, we will stop here first, as  the morning light is especially beautiful.

10AM

2nd Stop

The 2nd stop is a temple renowned for its landscaping. The garden is especially beautiful after rain or on a cloudy day when the moss glows. 

The humble, thatched-roof main hall evokes a sense of rustic simplicity and quiet contemplation where one can experience why historical figures sought solace here.

11 AM

3rd Stop

Internal conflicts of yesteryear is still visible via samurai blood stained floorboards as a 500-year-old pine tree dramatically extends over the magnificent garden—almost as if a part of the architecture itself. Have a bowl of matcha while taking it all in at our third stop.

Pairs Well With