Higashiyama

The temple experience and atmosphere during the Japanese New Year were fantastic! Our guide, Xiaoji, arranged the itinerary very well, chatting with everyone along the way, making it feel as relaxed and enjoyable as going out with friends! I highly recommend this trip!

There are so many choices online, and after going around in circles, I finally chose OOkini. The initial consultation was very responsive, and when I arrived, I felt the owner's immense enthusiasm and received many great suggestions. The clothing on site was beautiful and there were many options. The photographer, September, was also very nice, patiently providing guidance and even preparing many props. Although my husband didn't wear a kimono, the photographer still had him pose with us for a few photos, which was fantastic. The hair and makeup services were also excellent, quick and efficient. I'm incredibly impressed that they could make everyone look beautiful despite having so many customers. Also, I wanted to share that I was initially worried that this shop was a bit further from Kiyomizu-dera Temple than other shops, and that it would be tiring to walk there. However, when I arrived, I found that it wasn't at all. The surrounding area is full of lively shops, so walking up wasn't too tiring. Although the straw sandals were uncomfortable, you can bring your own shoes to solve that problem. In short, I highly recommend it!

I joined the tour on December 29th, but it was during Japan's long weekend, so the area was packed with tourists. The itinerary for the four attractions was also very tight, leaving little time for sightseeing and taking photos. We ended up getting stuck in traffic at Kiyomizu-dera Temple, waiting over an hour in the car before heading back to Osaka. However, the tour leader, Liu Jun, and the driver, Nakahara, were very friendly and provided detailed explanations, making the entire day trip a great experience. I would suggest that you email the tour leader with detailed information beforehand, including their Line ID and how to easily find them at the meeting point. On the day of the tour, the meeting point was incredibly crowded. Even though we arrived early, we couldn't find the tour leader and were very anxious, walking back and forth many times without knowing how to contact them. Luckily, we eventually found the tour leader holding a flag.

This tour included three major attractions in one day: Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), Kiyomizu-dera (Kiyomizu-dera Temple), and Uji Byodoin Temple. It was incredibly convenient and saved us a lot of time planning routes and finding our way around. The scenery at each attraction was beautiful, making it excellent value for money. It added many wonderful memories to our short trip. 👏🏻😍😎

Overall, it was a fantastic experience. The service was excellent, the whole process was smooth, there were many styles to choose from, the photographer was professional, and the photos turned out great!