Private Kyoto and Osaka Tour in two full days

Kyoto and Osaka are two distinct cities with strong flavors of their own. They are less than one hour away by train, but these two cities have completely different characters. In this tour, we explore the history and the people, of these two contrasting cities. Kyoto was the capital of Japan for over 1, 000 years. This is where emperors and aristocrats lived until the 19th century. That history and tradition definitely lives on. There are 1, 600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines in Kyoto. It is said you cannot be a genuine Kyoto person unless three generations of your family have lived there. On the other hand, Osaka is a big, commercial city. It is the center of western Japan. Historically, it was a samurai warrior town, but more importantly, a merchant town. Osakans are known to be friendly and open to outsiders, and this is where a lot of Koreans and other immigrants made their homes. See for yourself and decide whether you would prefer the more down-to-eath Osaka or the more traditional Kyoto.

The following is a sample itinerary, but I can customize this tour. If there are any particular destinations you would like to visit, please let me know in advance, so I can try to fit that into the tour. I can also combine Osaka and Nara, the oldest permanent capital of Japan, as well as two or more days in different sections of Kyoto. In Kyoto, we can visit the south-eastern part of the city with Fushimi Inari Shrine, Komyoin Zen Buddhist Temple, Tofukuji Temple, Sanjusangendo, Kiyomizudera and walk down to the Gion area. Arashiyama and the north-western part of Kyoto is another popular area - Bamboo Forests, Tenryuji Temple & garden, Ryoanji Temple and the Golden Pavilion. In Osaka, we'll visit Sky Building, Osaka Castle, Shiten'noji Temple, Shin-sekai and Dotombori, Osaka's most distinctive and fascinating southern center. I can also take you to the Korean Town of Osaka, if you are interested. I am flexible, and depending on the weather and how you feel on the day, the plan could be changed.