Shirakawago

Kyoto to Shirakawago day trip

From Kyoto to Shirakawago day trip is possible. There are some options.

Kyoto to Shirakawago day trip by Shinkansen and van/minibus via Gifu-Hashima Station

A good route from Kyoto to Shirakawago is take Shinkansen bullet train from Kyoto Station to Gifu-Hashima Station, and then take a 10-hour Takayama and Shirakawago tour by a car or a minibus. This plan is recommended for a group of 1-17 pax.

Shinkansen return ticket from Kyoto to Gifu-Hashima is about 10,100 yen per person (adult, low season price) for a reserved seat. Please note that Shinkansen Nozomi does not stop at Gifu-Hasima Station. So you have to choose Hikari or Kodama. You can use JR Pass for Hikari and Kodama.

Model itinerary for this tour

Please note that in the case of a mini-bus or larger bus, the tour time takes 1 hour longer. You may visit Gujo Hachiman instead of Takayama.

8:05-8:46 Kyoto Station - Gifu-Hashima Station by Shinkansen Kodama 638
9:00 Meet with our driver at Gifu-Hashima Station.
9:00-11:00 Gifu-Hasima Station - Takayama
11:00-13:30 Tour in Takayama and lunch
13:30-14:30 Takayama-Shirakawago
14:30-16:30 Visit World Heritage Shirakawago Village
16:30-19:00 Shirakawago - Gifu-Hashima Station
19:32-20:11 Gifu-Hashima Station - Kyoto Station by Shinkansen Hikari 523

Prices

Actual price depends on conditions. Please inquire first. Option 1) uses a car owned by the guide. Size of cars is generally small. This option is recommended for small families and couples. In the case of the option 2), you can choose a luxurious Toyota Alphard.

Prices include a driver, highway tolls, parking fees, fuel, a guide, and sales tax. Shinkansen Tickets, meals and admission fees are not included.

This tour will be cancelled if there is a possibility of heavy snowfall during the winter season.

During Christmas and New Year's holiday season, high season rate is applied.

  number of
passengers
price
including tax
Remark
1) A car driven
by the guide
1-4
60,000-100,000 JPY
price depends on
car size etc.
2) Hired car
1-8
around 150,000 JPY
Alphard available
3) Minibus
up to 17
198,000 JPY
 
Contact us from here
for availability
and price

Shirakawago tour directly from Kyoto

There is a good tour "Private Full Day Tour KYOTO KANAZAWA SHIRAKAWAGO". This tour offers a private car for up to 9 passengers. Fees are fixed regardless of the number of passengers. If you are a group of 5 or more passengers, I recommend this tour. If you are a solo traveler, a couple or a small group, you may consider less expensive tours via Kanazawa or Nagoya.

Via Kanazawa

You take train from Kyoto Station to Kanazawa Station. Then take a package tour such as "Private Tour of Shirakawago from Kanazawa (Half Day)".

Via Nagoya (recommended)
Alternatively, you take Shinkansen bullet train from Kyoto to Ngoya Station. Then join a day tour such as "Shirakawa-go and Hida-Takayama Private Day Trip from Nagoya".

There are far more trains from Kyoto to Nagoya than from Kyoto to Kanazawa. For convenience, we recommend going via Nagoya.

How to go to shirakawago from kyoto?

You can make a day tour from Kyoto to Shirakawago. Organizing a private tour from Kyoto to Shirakawago is possible but very expensive. There are a few packaged tours, such as Shirakawago and Takayama 2 Days Tour from Osaka or Kyoto, but it needs 2 days.

You can take a train from Kyoto to Kanazawa, and then join in a local Shirakawago tour from Kanazawa station. Return tickes are available on line. Combining a tour from Kanazawa and train tickets from Kyoto to Kanazawa is a good way to make a day trip to Shirakawago from Kyoto.

Shirakawago

Shirakawago day trip from Kyoto via Kanazawa

If you like to visit Shirakawago in a day from Kyoto, take an express train from Kyoto Station to Tsuruga Station, and chage to Shinkansen to Kanazawa Station. Then take a Shirakawago tour from Kanazawa Station.

For example, "Private Tour of Shirakawago from Kanazawa (Half Day)" departs from Kanazawa station at 12:30pm. This is the most inexpensive way to visit Shirakawago from Kyoto. You can make it as a day trip from Kyoto. If you can have more time, then you may choose a two-day Shirakawago tour from Kyoto that include Takayama.

If you can spend overnight in Kanazawa, there are many kinds of Shirakawago tours available.

Kyoto to Shirakawago day trip via Nagoya, join in a packaged tour

Some tour operators offer packaged Takayama and Shirakawago tours from Nagoya Station. If you come to Nagoya by Shinkansen bullet train early in the morning, then you can make it a Kyoto to Shirakawago day trip. There are group tours and private tours.

You can book Shinkansen tickets online here.

Group tours

You share a bus with other passengers. Price of the tour is less than USD 100. So it is recommended for solo travellers and small group.

"Takayama and Shirakawa-go Day Trip from Nagoya" (Chinese guide, English accepted) or

"Takayama and Shirakawa-go Day Tour from Nagoya" (English guide)

Private tours

Tour operators prepare a car for your group. This option is recommended for those who do not like to share a bus, or a group of certain size.

Shirakawago Private day trip from Kanazawa

We offer several types of private day-tours from Kanazawa, or you can have an overnight stay in Kanazawa to explore Kanazawa. If you can come to Kanazawa by yourself, then you can join in one of our Shirakawago tours.

Starndard (low season) prices of each tour from Kanazawa

Prices include an English-speaking driver, highway tolls, parking fees and sales tax. Meals, admissions and guide are not included.

5-hour Shirakawago tour

Size of group
(person)
Car type Estimated price
(yen)
1-3 Sedan (hired taxi)
70,000
1-6 Toyota Alphard
80,000
1-9 Toyota Hiace Wagon
80,000
up to 13 Nissan Caravan
100,000
up to 18 Mini-bus
100,000

6-hour Shirakawago and Gokayama tour

Size of group
(person)
Car type Estimated price
(yen)
1-3 Sedan (hired taxi)
78,000
1-6 Toyota Alphard
88,000
1-9 Toyota Hiace Wagon
88,000
up to 13 Nissan Caravan
108,000
up to 18 Mini-bus
108,000

9-hour Shirakawago and Takayama tour

Size of group
(person)
Car type Estimated price
(yen)
1-3 Sedan (hired taxi)
95,000
1-6 Toyota Alphard
112,000
1-9 Toyota Hiace Wagon
112,000
up to 13 Nissan Caravan
132,000
up to 18 Mini-bus
132,000

 

Contact us from here for free advice

Kyoto to Shirakawago day trip by Shinkansen (Kyoto-Naogya), express train (Nagoya-Takayama) and car (Takayama-Shirakawago)

Make your own trip from Kyoto to Nagoya by Shinkansen, and then to Takayama Station by JR express train. You need a ticket of Kyoto-Nagoya-Takayama. If you have Japan Rail Pass, you can use it. If you don't, you buy tickets. If you like, we include the price of the Shinkansen and train tickets in the price of your tour. We send the tickets to your hotel.

A return ticket for Kyoto - Nagoya - Takayama is about 21,000 yen per person (adult, in low season).

In this itinerary, you meet with the driver at Takayama Station and take a car to Shirakawago. Do your own self-guided tours in Takayama and Shirakawago.

The price of the car hiring from Takayama to Shirakawago

Size of group
(person)
Car type Estimated price
(yen)
1-3 Sedan (hired taxi)
82,000
1-6 Toyota Alphard
92,000
1-9 Toyota Hiace Wagon
92,000
up to 18 Mini-bus
from 120,000

Prices include a private car with driver, highway tolls, parking fees and tax. For 10 pax and over, you need a mini-bus and a guide. Please ask for the quotation.

Shinkansen and train return tickets (Kyoto-Nagoya-Takayama) can be included upon request (service and posting charge will be added).

If you are looking for an inexpensive packaged group tour from Takayama to Shirakawago, check this one.

Model itinerary

Kyoto to Nagoya
07:32-08:25 Shinkansen Hikari 508
or
07:45-08:20 Shinkansen Nozomi 108

08:43-10:56 Nagoya to Takayama by Express Wideview Hida 3
11:00-13:00 Visit Takayama (including lunch)
13:00-14:00 Takayama Shirakawago by a hired car
14:00-16:00 Shirakawago tour
16:00-17:00 from Shirakawago to Takayama
17:36-20:02 Takayama to Nagoya by Express Wideview Hida 82

Nagoya to Kyoto
20:13-20:48 Shinkansen Nozomi 123
or
20:18-21:11 Shinkansen Hikari 527

Note: You cannot use JR Pass for Shinkansen Nozomi. Choose Hikari instead.

Contact us from here for free advice

Shirakawago and Takayama 2-day tour from Kyoto

For those who can spend 2 days for Takayama and Shirakawago, this itinerary is for you.

First option is to join in a packaged tour such as "Shirakawago and Takayama 2 Days Tour from Osaka or Kyoto".

Privete tours

Make your own trip from Kyoto to Takayama by JR Express Wide View Hida. You need a ticket from Kyoto Station to Takayama Station. If you have Japan Rail Pass, you can use it from Kyoto to Takayama. If you don't, you buy tickets. If you like, we include the price of express tickets in the price of your tour. We send the tickets to your hotel.

In this itinerary, you meet with our guide at Takayama Station. This tour has 2 parts. One is self-guide walking tour of Takayama and another one is the tour of Shirakawago by a car.

Accomodation in Takayama (10,000-30,000 yen per person) can be included upon request.

Day 1
7:58-12:22 Take Express Wide View Hida from Kyoto Station to Takayama Station
12:30 Meet with our guide and take lunch near Takayama Station
13:30 Take a car to Shirakawago
14:30 Arriving at the view point of Shirakawago and tour in Shirakawago
16:30 Move from Shirakawago to Takayama
17:30 Arrive at your hotel

Day 2
9:30-12:00 Visit morning market and walking tour in Takayama.
12:00 Lunch in Takayama
13:00-15:00 Free time. Shop around in Takayama Old Town.
15:35-19:51 Leave Takayama Station for Kyoto Station by Express Wide View Hida

Please note that there is only one direct train between Kyoto and Takayama for both way. If you change the time for leaving from Kyoto, then you have to take Shinkansen and the fare will be significantly higher.

Contact us from here for free advice

Other types of Shirakawago tour from Kyoto

Other types of tours such as 2-day or 3-day round trip from Kyoto to Takayama-Shirakawago-Kanazawa tour is also available upon request.

Contact us from herefor free advice


Takayama and Shirakawago Private Tours

Hitonomori Co. Ltd. We are an agent for Fun Lead International, Viator.com and Klook.com.