Travel through thousands of years of history and culture on a day trip through Kyoto. Ride the scenic Sagano Train and visit the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, slip into the Edo Period and interact with ninja and samurai at Uzumasa Eigamura Theme Park, enjoy the UNESCO site Shimogamo Shrine, and walk along the aqueduct and waterway of Nanzenji.

Board the Sagano Romantic Train and take in the beautiful scenery of the Hozugawa River Valley. After arriving in Arashiyama, stop for a quick photo op in the Sagano Bamboo Forest before heading to Uzumasa Eigamura.

Be transported through history at Kyoto Uzumasa Eigamura, a town modeled after Edo period Japan. Eigamura also functions as a film set for period dramas in Japan, and you will encounter wandering ninja and samurai, allowing you to feel transported to the Edo period. If selected, enjoy lunch here (either sukiyaki rice bowl or yakiniku rice bowl).

Enter the ancient grounds of UNESCO-listed Shimogamo Shrine, dating back to the 6th century, before Kyoto became the capital. Approach the shrine through the surrounding Tadasu no Mori, a forest containing trees that are over 600 years old.

The temple grounds of Nanzenji will show you two phases of Japanese history – the Entrance Gate and Main Hall, built in the mid 13th century, and a large brick aqueduct and waterway, built during the Meiji period to transport water and goods between Lake Biwa and Kyoto. Pass the roaring waters of the Lake Biwa Dam before heading down the Keage Incline, lined with trees that bloom pink in the spring and show vibrant oranges, reds, and yellows in the fall.

For the winter course, instead of the Sagano Romantic Train and Arashiyama, enjoy sightseeing at Yokoku-ji (Yanagidani Kannon), a temple famous for its 11-headed statue of Kannon and frozen floral scenery. While Nanzenji is beautiful in the fall and spring, the magical wintry scenery of the ancient Kifune Shrine is unbeatable. We'll visit Kifune Shrine instead of Nanzenji. Otherwise, the itinerary will remain the same.