Spring Heian Shrine pond gardens in Kyoto, Japan

Beautiful Kyoto Spring Garden Tour

Ratings of Zicasso's Service
Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist

Countries Visited

Japan

Places Visited

Kyoto

Suggested Duration

9 Days

Kyoto's treasure chest of heritage combines sublime enchantment with indulgent serenity. As the lush tones of spring douse the city in fresh bloom, you'll experience the Land of the Rising Sun in all its ancient glory. Majestic gardens provide the focal point, taking you well off the tourist trail to the finest exemplars of gracious elegance and evocative colors. This garden tour continually infuses with culinary delights, artistic brilliance, renowned garden designers, and endless charm.

Customizable Itinerary

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Trip Highlights

  • Visit 12 -14 carefully selected Kyoto gardens, each revealing a fresh impression of lush beauty, absolute serenity, and innovative design
  • Take a day trip to Shikoku Island in the company of acclaimed garden designer Chisao Shigemorei, his gentle narratives the perfect accompaniment to the Ritsurin Garden and Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum
  • Spend eight nights in the cozy and atmospheric Shunkoin Temple Guest House, a Zen temple situated in the Myonshinji temple complex
  • Immerse yourself in the diverse delights of Kyoto, with trips to rural Buddhist villages, vibrant markets, quaint local neighborhoods, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and shrines unchanged from bygone eras
  • Discover the culinary wonders of Kyoto with five carefully selected lunches, two traditional dinners, and an orientation lecture on Kyoto cuisine by guidebook author Judith Clancy
  • Relive tradition by enjoying tea tasting ceremonies, meditation instruction, a hands-on moss-ball making lesson, old raku collections, and the continual charms of Kyoto's many gardens
  • Small group tour limited to 12 people, guided by two Japanese garden experts, and flowing at a relaxed, easy pace

Detailed Description

Updated for 2020, this spring tour runs around mid-May.

There's a dreamy mystique to Kyoto, with the city embodying abstract preconceptions of the Land of the Rising Sun. It's a city that dances with enchantment, from 7th century temple shrines to quaint neighborhoods of delight and intrigue. Then, there are the gardens, hundreds of exemplars of innovative design, aesthetic splendor, and humble serenity.  Spring brings lush evenings and fresh tones, making it the perfect time of year to explore the blossoming shades of Kyoto's renowned gardens. Blooming wisteria and azalea leads the eye on a merry dance, birdsong floats across flourishing iris, and maple trees unveil an eclectic assortment of green.

This handcrafted itinerary takes these elegant gardens as its focus, taking you on an evocative journey through the country's finest landscapes and designs. Japan’s former imperial capital is a powerful starting point from which to immerse yourself; the lavish colors complemented by benevolent Japanese culture and Kyoto's warm ode to yesteryear. But this tour is not just about gardens. While their exquisite beauty and quietude are the focus, you'll be discovering the rich heritage and tradition of Japan's cultural epicenter. Kyoto is the Japan that many people dream of; charmingly atmospheric and soaked in history, yet humble and graciously welcoming.

Arrive in Kyoto and immediately the serenity will impress you. For eight nights you're staying at the Shunkoin Temple Guest House, an intimate Zen temple amidst the city's largest temple complex. En-suite rooms feature traditional tatami mats and there's a ubiquitous feeling of relaxation. Tour designer and professional garden photographer Allan Mandell is your guide, accompanied by local guide Ayumi Ikushima. Allan has handpicked 12 to 14 of Kyoto's finest temples for you to experience. Some are internationally acclaimed, others are havens of hidden paradise, and all come alive with the vibrant spring bloom. There are two free days included in the itinerary, with the other days being fully guided while flowing at a calm and relaxed pace, usually from 9am to 5pm. You'll utilize a combination of local transport and private minibus to explore, the former ensuring a rich immersion in the delightful sights and sounds of off the beaten track Kyoto. The group size is limited to 12, and carefully selected lunches are included on each of the guided days.

This isn't a tour for ticking off attractions. It's an intimate exploration of arts and culture. For example, on day two, your welcome dinner is accompanied by a lesson on local cuisine from Kyoto guidebook author Judith Clancy. A special tea ceremony offers a delightful interlude on day three. You'll learn about Japanese garden maintenance at one of the country's finest gardens, then spend day five in the company of acclaimed Japanese garden designer Chisao Shigemori. Shikoku Island, Sanzen-in garden, Ohara, Kamigama shrine; these eights days burst with unique attractions and fresh perspectives that turn abstract preconceptions into vivid reality. So step forward into the garden and experience Kyoto in all its absolute beauty and delightful quietude.

Related Information: Zicasso offers a variety of customized tours. To explore more itinerary options, please visit the family trips section on Zicasso.

Starting Price

$5,900 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

  • Accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  • Some or all activities and tours
  • Expert trip planning
  • 24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service

4.83 stars based on 668 reviews.

Japan Travel Review: Tokyo, Kyoto, Kanazawa, Sushi, Ryokan,...

Our trip to Japan was well planned and well thought out. Zicasso's travel designer made us feel very well taken care of. We are grateful to the travel designer for his effort in putting together this wonderful trip for us. We loved interacting with our excellent guides. Their expertise truly enhanced our experiences. All our travel assistants were extremely helpful and very thoughtful.

Reviewed By Alok G.

Japan Vacation Review: Local Cuisine, Drumming and Samurai...

Yet another fantastic family trip, courtesy of a Zicasso partner! My family of six just returned from our 10-day trip to Japan, as coordinated with Zicasso's travel company, and we have nothing but wonderful stories and memories to report!

Our agent arranged every detail to perfection, from transportation to guides to activities. All four kids and both parents had a fantastic experience. The guides he selected were incredibly knowledgeable and personable, and the hotels and transportation were spot on. I have nothing to say but that it was a seamless, A+ experience.

Thank you to our agent and travel companyI!

Reviewed By Sara G.

Japan Vacation Review: Private Guides and Driver, 8 Nights...

Our travel expert was professional, accurate, timely, and patient. It was wonderful working with her. Zicasso really made creating a customized itinerary effortless.

Reviewed By Suzy A.

Japan Travel Review: Tokyo, Hakone, Mount Fuji, Mount Inari,...

Zicasso's travel designer had less than three months to bring an amazing trip to life. Our goal was to experience the history, art, culture, and people of Japan. Mission accomplished!

There were so many highlights shared by our exceptional guides and drivers, who felt like friends and family by the trip's end. Some experiences surprised us with their creativity, joy, and value (slapstick sumo skits in Tokyo, the samurai sword experience, sushi class, open-air and Venetian glass museums in Hakone, and especially the Himeji Castle master carpenter tutorial). Though in our late 70s, walking five to seven miles per day and climbing 766-oot sacred Mount Inari weren't an issue.

The veracity of this review is paramount... the only experience we would forgo was spelunking (crawling) in the cold, wet lava cave, as in our ignorance, we were out of our element. We found joints we did not know we had! We are focused on collecting memories, not things. This fabulous trip achieved that goal. Thank you!

Reviewed By William H.

Japan Vacation Review: Public Baths, Shrines, Ryokans, 10...

I was very pleased with our trip, the accommodations, and the personal touch. Zicasso's travel specialist was excellent and even when we had some hiccups during the trip, he was there to make an adjustment. I was very pleased. Some really nit-picky tips for future travelers from out of town.

The Shinkansen is a fun ride and everyone should do it. However, when you need multiple tickets at a time, remind the passenger that you put all the tickets into the ticket turnstile at one time, not individually.

We had to visit in July, but I think the best time to visit Japan would be in the three other seasons because of the heat and humidity (with the exception of Hokkaido).

There are still some places that need cash, like public baths etc. I would carry a little on you. Also, visiting the public baths was one of the truly authentic Japanese experiences we had. If a traveler is into the authentic experience, don't underestimate that experience.

You can get "shrined out." They are great and we appreciated every one. We even caught a monk actively praying at a fairly remote one, which was tremendous. I'm not sure if it's possible to know approximate times, but seeing this happen as a traveler was immensely gratifying. It was 6.30am on a Saturday. So if there is a way to figure out an approximate schedule, you will have elevated your travel game above all the rest. It would be a differentiator for you.

Letting travelers know about the bento boxes and grab-and-go foods is a plus. I was so impressed by them and that info should be shared with every traveler, especially the kiddos.

The Japanese do some things really well and a side list of them might be helpful for tours. For example, we stopped for some anime magazines, kitchen knives, street food, and a baseball game, baths, and hot springs. I'd lean into this and provide some lists for people to pick from, especially the kitchen knives.

Explain the concept of luggage forwarding and the approximate costs. It's a uniquely Japanese thing, and it's awesome and affordable, but needs some getting used to.

Google Translate and the app to read the signs (I forgot its name) is a must. Share the links early and often.

I have so many more ideas, but we will start there. I hope it helps.

Reviewed By Matthew F.

Japan Travel Review: Tokyo, Kanazawa, Miyajima, 17-Day Trip...

Zicasso's travel agent was absolutely fantastic! She created a trip of a lifetime! Furthermore, when our plans changed or we needed something, she was there and helped with ease. We would work with her again, and Zicasso, in a heartbeat.

Reviewed By Erica M.

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