Thoroughly explore Japan’s former capital of Kyoto with a focus on the city’s most well-known shrines and temples, each one distinctly different. Three-story Kinkakuji, also called the Golden Pavilion, features Chinese influences while Ryoanji Temple is revered for its unusual rock garden. You will also visit Sanjusangendo, a temple that holds 1,001 statues of the deity Kannon, and walk along a path lined with torii gates at a mountainside Shinto shrine. Most afternoons will be entirely free, allowing you to explore Kyoto independently and concentrate on other attractions.
DAY 1
Upon arrival at either the Kansai International Airport (KIX) or Osaka (Itami) International airport (ITM) in Osaka, you will be met at the exit of the Customs area. You will then transfer to the Six Senses Hotel (or a similar hotel) where the remainder of the day will be at your leisure with meals on your own.
Check-in at the hotel is 4:00pm. Although every effort will be made to have the rooms available before this time, this cannot be guaranteed. Should you have a very early morning arrival, you may wish to book an extra night so that your room is available when you arrive.
NOTE: In general, hotel rooms in Japan are smaller than hotel rooms elsewhere in the world. Per Japanese culture, standard bedding is typically two twin beds. Although every effort will be made to obtain rooms with one bed for couples, this cannot be guaranteed. If you require two beds, be sure to advise this when booking your program.
Guests are entitled to an airport transfer for this program if:
1. Your flight arrives on Day 1 between 12:00am and 11:59pm (group transfer is included – rooms may not be ready until hotel check-in time noted further below)
2. You book an extra night through the cruise line (private transfer is included on the day you are to check-in for the extra night)
3. The cruise line has received your flight details at least 14 days in advance.
4. You have notified the cruise line Reservations Team of any last-minute flight changes at least 12 hours before you arrive. Should flights change without sufficient time to notify our ground operators, a transfer may not be available when you arrive.
Land Program Ground Operator Name: Destination Asia
Please look for someone holding a sign with the cruise line logo and /or your name
Should you not be able to locate your driver or meet and greet representative once you arrive and clear any Customs/Immigration and baggage claim areas, please FIRST call this local emergency number:
EMERGENCY Phone Number including country code and area code: (+81) 70-3360-6528
SHOULD FLIGHTS CHANGE WITHOUT SUFFICIENT TIME TO NOTIFY US OR OUR GROUND OPERATORS, A TRANSFER MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE WHEN YOU ARRIVE. IN THIS CASE, PLEASE TAKE A TAXI AND KEEP YOUR RECEIPT SHOULD YOU WISH TO MAKE A TRIP DELAY CLAIM WITH YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE PROVIDER.
Unused transfers are non-refundable.
DAY 2
Following breakfast at the hotel, you will begin a half-day tour of Kyoto. The first stop will be Kinkakuji Temple, also known as the Golden Pavilion. This iconic landmark built by Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu in 1397 was later transformed into a Zen temple by his son. Inspired by the Heian Period’s Shinden style, the three-story pavilion rests gracefully at the edge of a serene pond.
Chinese influences are evident in its delicately curved roofs, while the second and third stories shimmer with gold leaf. Prepare to be mesmerized by the pavilion’s exterior and the peaceful gardens, where the temple’s reflection dances on the still water.
The next stop will be Ryoanji Temple, famed for its enigmatic rock garden. Originally an aristocrat’s villa built in the 1450s, the temple’s exact date of acquiring this captivating garden remains a mystery, as does the intended meaning behind its design.
The garden itself is a mesmerizing display of simplicity. Within a rectangular frame of raked white pebbles lie 15 moss-covered rocks, meticulously arranged but seemingly random. A captivating feature of the garden is that from any vantage point at least one of the rocks will always be hidden from view. This deliberate obfuscation adds to the garden's air of intrigue, inviting your own interpretation and contemplation.
You can choose to remain in the area and make your own way back to the hotel or return with the group. The remainder of the day will be at your leisure with lunch and dinner on your own.
DAY 3
After breakfast at the hotel, you will see another side of Kyoto, beginning at Sanjusangendo, a temple known for its 1,001 statues of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy. The temple was founded in 1164 and rebuilt a century later after the original structure was destroyed in a fire. Kannons are equipped with 11 heads and one thousand arms to better witness the suffering of humans and to better help them fight suffering.
The temple hall is Japan’s longest wooden structure. The name Sanju-sangen-do (literally “33 intervals”) derives from the number of intervals between the buildings’ support columns, a traditional method of measuring the size of a building.
Continuing on, you will next tour the Fushimi Inari Shrine. A celebrated site, it sees millions of visitors every year. Here, you will visit the main shrine hall, which is dedicated to Inari, the God of Rice Harvest.
Then, you will take the popular walk through the bright vermillion torii gates that trail through the sacred forest of Mount Inari. Thousands of torii gates straddle the pathways, each bearing the name of its donor written on its back. Statues of foxes, the messenger animal of Inari God, also adorn the shrine path.
You can choose to remain in the area and make your own way back to the hotel or return with the group. The remainder of the day will be at your leisure with lunch and dinner on your own.
DAY 4
Following breakfast at the hotel, the remainder of the morning will be at your leisure. In the afternoon, you will transfer to the cruise ship terminal for embarkation.
Land Program Details Step by Step
•The order of sites visited may vary to avoid congestion. Program times are approximate, given here for general reference purposes and subject to change.
•Itineraries with up-to-date details will be issued when you are emailed your final cruise documents 21 days prior to sailing. You will then receive a final itinerary from our ground operator with a Welcome Letter upon arrival at your hotel. Please review the letter and your final itinerary carefully for further amendments.
•The hotel used for your land program will be the hotel listed in this document unless you have been advised otherwise in advance of the land program start date.
•Guests failing to arrive on Day 1 of a scheduled land program will be considered no-shows and their hotel space released.
Extra Nights
•All extra nights booked through the cruise line are confirmed at the hotel that is used on the FIRST NIGHT of your land program.
•If you book extra nights through the cruise line, you will be met as per the flight details provided and transferred to your hotel. Check-in is 4:00pm (subject to change). Meals other than breakfast, as well as activities, are on your own until Day 2 of the program.
•If you have an early-arriving flight, you may wish to book an extra night as your room will not be ready for occupation until approximately 4:00pm.
•If you book extra nights on your own, transfers are not included.
DAY 1
Arrive at the Kansai International Airport (KIX) or Osaka (Itami) International airport (ITM) in Osaka
Meet a representative near the Customs exit and transfer to your hotel
The afternoon and the evening will be at your leisure
Check-in at your hotel is 4:00pm. Although every effort will be made to have rooms available sooner, this cannot be guaranteed.
Overnight at Six Senses Kyoto or a similar hotel
Meet and Greet and transfers
•Final cruise documents will be emailed 21 days prior to sailing. The local ground agent’s telephone number will be on page 1 in case you can’t locate the meet-and-greet representative upon arrival. Be aware that the representative may be assisting others and may not be in sight when you first exit Customs and luggage claim.
•Look for someone holding a sign with the cruise line logo and possibly your name. If in doubt, ask the airport staff to direct you to the meeting area for transfers or to page our representative.
•Meet and Greet and transfers for guests arriving on Day 1 of a land program or for extra nights booked through the cruise line are arranged based on the flight details received by guests at least 14 days before sailing. Guests arriving independently before the program start date will not have a transfer included.
•If we have not received your flight details or your flights have changed, and the Destination Services Land Team has not been notified, then a transfer cannot be provided, and guests will be responsible for getting to the land program hotel at their own expense. Please immediately contact our Reservations Department for any flight changes before departure.
Day 2
7:30am Breakfast at the hotel
8:30am Begin a half-day tour of Kyoto
12:30pm Return to the hotel
Afternoon at leisure with meals on your own
Overnight at Six Senses Kyoto or a similar hotel
DAY 3
7:30am Breakfast at the hotel
8:30am Begin a different half-day tour of Kyoto
12:30pm Return to the hotel
Afternoon at leisure with meals on your own
Overnight at Six Senses Kyoto or a similar hotel
DAY 4
AM Breakfast at the hotel
11:00am Check out of the hotel
11:30am Transfer to the ship for embarkation
TBA Approximate arrival at the ship for embarkation
Expected weather
The average weather in Kyoto in May is between 14°C (57°F) – 25°C (77°F)
What to bring
Weather-appropriate clothing including a jacket, an umbrella and comfortable walking shoes.
Local currency
Japanese Yen. The USD is not widely accepted therefore you will need to change your money into local currency.
Electricity
The voltage in Japan is 100 volts, unlike North America (120V), Central Europe (230V) and most other regions of the world. You can use your electric appliances in Japan if the standard voltage in your country is in between 110-127 V (as in the US, Canada and most South American countries). If the standard voltage in your country ranges from 220-240 V (as in the UK, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia), you will need a voltage converter in Japan. We recommend bringing your own travel adaptor for electronic devices.
Documents and Visa requirements:
Valid passports are required to embark the ship. Consult your local Japanese embassy for visa requirements.
Hotel
Six Senses Kyoto
431 Myohoin Maekawacho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0932 Japan
Phone: +81 75-531-0700
*We will only source different hotels in unforeseen situations. If a similar hotel is required, it will be of equal ratings and standards, and you will be notified of the change. If you are not notified of any changes before your departure, then you will be staying at the hotel listed in this program.
Program Includes for guests:
• 3 nights accommodation in a standard room at the Six Senses Kyoto or a similar hotel
• 3 breakfasts
• Tours and entrances as listed in the itinerary with local English-speaking guide
• Transfers
Please Note: Guests booking their own flights independently of the cruise line are responsible for ensuring that the cruise line has the updated arrival information so your transfer can be arranged. If you book additional nights independently of the cruise line, an arrival transfer is not provided. If we do not receive flight details a minimum of 14 days in advance, transfers will not be provided.
Program Excludes for guests:
• Meals and beverages other than stated as included
• Gratuities to drivers and guides
• Hotel incidentals including mini bar and room service
Please note: Land programs that encompass multiple days ashore customarily include extensive and prolonged activity, while those of shorter durations typically have more moderate activity levels. However, each program varies and participants should be prepared to negotiate a mixture of surfaces which may include inclines, cobblestones, sand, gravel and natural paths. There may also be a need to climb steps or stairs on occasion. Guests who utilize a wheelchair and those with mobility concerns are advised to check with the cruise line in advance to see if any portion of the tour program may not be considered suitable for their individual situation.
All land programs are capacity controlled and subject to availability. Programs falling under the minimum number of required participants are subject to cancellation. Pricing listed is also subject to change to meet unexpected cost increases for transportation, land arrangements or currency fluctuations. Once purchased, pricing is guaranteed and not subject to change.
Land programs must be purchased no later than 90 days prior to your sail date. Cancellations made within 90 days or less prior to the sail date are subject to 100% cancellation penalty. There are no refunds for unused portions of any program. Guests failing to arrive on Day 1 of a scheduled land program will be considered no-shows and their hotel space released. Arrangements for accommodation and transfers will be at the expense of guests.
