Come Experience It at Hoshino Resorts’ OMO Kyoto “Early Morning Summer Tour”

Kyoto is a place where you can experience Japan’s history and culture. As a popular destination that attracts tourists from all over the world, its temples, shrines, and shopping districts are often crowded. In this article, we’d like to introduce OMO Kyoto’s “Early Morning Summer Tour,” which lets you experience Kyoto’s history and culture while avoiding the crowds and the summer heat.
Why not start your day with a visit to a temple or shrine shrouded in the tranquility of the early morning, leaving you feeling refreshed?

 

Early Morning Tours to Avoid Kyoto’s Summer Heat and Crowds

Kyoto’s summers are known for the intense heat typical of basin regions. Sightseeing during the day can be exhausting due to the sweltering heat and crowded tourist spots. In such cases, we recommend exploring during the relatively cool and quiet early morning hours. This is one of the ways Kyoto locals have traditionally enjoyed spending their summers.

Hoshino Resorts, one of Japan’s leading hotel and resort operators, operates three “OMO by Hoshino Resorts” properties in Kyoto (OMO3 Kyoto Toji, OMO5 Kyoto Sanjo, and OMO5
Kyoto Gion). Starting June 18, 2026, these properties are hosting “Early Morning Summer Tours,” designed to help guests avoid Kyoto’s sweltering summer heat and crowds while seeking cool respite and visiting temples and shrines in peaceful silence.

To-ji Temple: The Lotus Pond and the Five-Story Pagoda

Front of the Main Hall at Yasaka Shrine: Paying Respects

We invite you to start your day on a healthy note—both physically and mentally—by experiencing sights and traditional rituals unique to summer mornings and savoring refreshing drinks perfect for the season.
Why not try “shokibarai” (a practice to dispel the heat and fatigue accumulated in the body due to summer’s heat and restore your physical well-being) on an in-depth tour available exclusively to guests staying at the three OMO Kyoto properties, all conveniently located near temples and shrines?

Special Page: https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/brands/omo/sp/kyoto_summer/

 

[OMO3 Kyoto Toji] Toji Lotus Morning Tour

In the Toji area—home to a quiet temple town that dates back 1,200 years to the founding of Heian-kyo—we invite you to enjoy the sight of lotus flowers, a spectacle unique to summer at the World Heritage Site of Toji.

Admiring the lotus flowers, which bloom only in the morning, against the backdrop of the five-story pagoda

Amid the crisp morning air, an OMO Ranger (a hotel staff member who knows the city inside and out) will guide you through the lotus pond and the Five-Story Pagoda at Toji—a sight that blooms only on summer mornings.
Learn about the connection between Kukai, also known as Kobo Daishi, Japan’s most famous monk, and the lotus flower, as well as the history of Toji, and enjoy a soul-cleansing experience from early morning. At the end of the tour, you can stop by “Toji Mochi,” located near Toji, to do some shopping.

Cool Down from the Inside with “Tea” Associated with Kukai

After your visit to the temple, in honor of the culture of “tea”—which is said to have originated when Kukai brought it from Tang China to Japan—we will serve you chilled sencha tea, which pairs perfectly with Tōji mochi. The red bean paste packed tightly inside the Toji Mochi has long been cherished as a “red” ingredient believed to ward off evil spirits. It is enjoyed as a summer refreshment to maintain good health and as a charm to ward off misfortune. As you savor the lingering fragrance of lotus flowers, you can restore balance to both your mind and body.

“Toji Lotus Morning Tour” Overview

Dates: June 18–August 20, 2026
Time: 6:20 a.m. (approx. 40 minutes)
Meeting Place: OMO Base, 1st Floor, OMO3 Kyoto Toji
Included: Guided tour, chilled sencha tea
Fee: Free (Purchases of Toji mochi are charged separately)
Reservation: Required (Limited to 10 participants)　　
Details Page: https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/omo3kyototoji/activities/15249/

 

[OMO5 Kyoto Sanjo] Sanjo Teramachi Morning Walk

Located in the Sanjo area—once a major economic hub as the terminus of the Tokaido, one of Japan’s oldest major highways stretching from Edo (Tokyo), where you can catch a glimpse of both Kyoto’s traditional charm and the modern, forward-thinking spirit of its residents—we offer a moment of tranquility in the morning.

Experience the morning chanting at Honno-ji Temple, associated with Oda Nobunaga

The OMO Rangers will guide you through the morning service at Honno-ji Temple, famous as the site where Oda Nobunaga met his end. Despite having been destroyed by fire a total of five times, Honno-ji has been continuously rebuilt, and the morning atmosphere there is one of profound tranquility. After purifying your heart through the chanting of sutras, you’ll receive a special temple stamp available exclusively to tour participants.

Refresh Yourself with Drinks Made with Vinegar

We offer an OMO original drink made with Chidori Vinegar from “Murayama Zosu,” a long-established vinegar maker founded in the Edo period that is also used by Kyoto’s traditional ryotei restaurants. The refreshing tartness of the vinegar permeates your body after your morning visit to the shrine and helps relieve fatigue caused by Kyoto’s heat.

“Sanjo Teramachi Morning Walk” Overview

Event Dates: June 18–September 18, 2026
Time: 5:50 a.m.– (approx. 1 hour)
Meeting Place: OMO Base, 1st Floor, OMO5 Kyoto Sanjo
Included: Guided tour, original drink, OMO-exclusive temple stamp
Fee: Free　　　
Reservations: Required (Limited to 10 participants)
Details: https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/omo5kyotosanjo/activities/15247/

 

[OMO5 Kyoto Gion] Gion Serene Morning Tour

In the Gion area—a temple town centered around Yasaka Shrine where geiko and maiko still live and the culture of the hanamachi remains deeply rooted—we’ll guide you through the authentic, “enchanting” scenery of Gion that can only be experienced in the early morning.

To break the “unfortunate bond” with the heat and pray for good health and freedom from illness

We’ll visit various shrines while taking in the beautiful scenery of Gion—a neighborhood that’s usually crowded during the day—all to ourselves. At Yasui Konpira-gu, known for its rituals to sever and forge romantic ties, we’ll cut ties with the “unfortunate bond” of summer heat and summer fatigue, and at Yasaka Shrine, we’ll pray for the warding off of epidemics and good health. This tour offers a chance to experience the seasonal events and culture that the people of Gion have cherished since ancient times.

Recharge for Summer with “Hiyashi-ame,” a Gion Festival Classic

We are offering “Hiyashi-ame,” a summer staple from “Surugaya Gion Shimosato” that has traditionally been served to local residents during the Gion Festival. Beloved by the people of Kyoto as a drink to ward off summer fatigue, the perfect balance of sweetness from malt candy and ginger soothes a parched throat.

“Gion Serene Morning Tour” Overview

Event Dates: June 18–September 18, 2026
Time: 6:30 a.m.– (approx. 1 hour)
Meeting Place: OMO Base, 1st Floor, OMO5 Kyoto Gion
Included: Guided tour, hiyashi-ame
Fee: Free
Reservations: Required (Limited to 10 participants)
Details page: https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/omo5kyotogion/activities/9362/

 

[Available at All 3 Facilities] Rental of “Kyoto Summer Cooling Items”

To accompany your early-morning visit, each of the three facilities will lend out items that Kyoto residents use in their daily lives to stay cool. We’ll support your summer morning activities with items unique to Kyoto, such as summery hand fans that offer a visual sense of coolness and Kyoto-style hard candy, which is perfect for replenishing salt.

 

Stay at OMO Kyoto and join an early morning tour

“OMO” is a line of “exciting ‘downtown’ hotels” operated nationwide by Hoshino Resorts. It’s a new kind of hotel created by staff who are passionate about their cities, in collaboration with local residents.

The tours of the three OMO Kyoto properties featured here are led by OMO Rangers—hotel staff who know the local area inside and out.
The “Early Morning Tour” not only lets you avoid the summer heat and crowds in Kyoto but also allows you to experience the wisdom and culture that the people of Kyoto have cultivated over the centuries. We highly recommend staying at OMO Kyoto and joining the “Early Morning Heat-Beating Tour.”

OMO3 Kyoto Toji by Hoshino Resorts

Located in the Toji area, a quiet neighborhood near the World Heritage Site “Toji,” famous for its beautiful “Five-Story Pagoda” visible from the Shinkansen. Based on the concept of a “journey through time and space of the heart,” we offer a stay designed for those who wish to take a brief respite or find solace in viewing Buddhist statues at the temple—a stay that helps even first-time visitors feel at home in this sacred setting.

Address: 11-6 Nishikujo Zao-cho, Minami-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture 601-8414
Phone: 050-3134-8095 (OMO Reservation Center)
Number of Rooms: 120 / Check-in: 3:00 PM / Check-out: 11:00 AM
Rates: From 10,000 yen per room per night (tax included; accommodation tax and meals not included)
Access: About a 13-minute walk from JR Kyoto Station; about a 2-minute walk from Toji Station on the Kintetsu Kyoto Line
URL: https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/omo3kyototoji/

OMO5 Kyoto Sanjo by Hoshino Resorts

The concept is “Kyoto Town: A Stroll Along the River.” Centered around Sanjo Street—which has been a bustling hub from the past to the present—and the Takase River, which laid the foundation for Kyoto’s economic development, this hotel lets you fully immerse yourself in the Sanjo area, where the culture of the townspeople thrives. For those who want to experience the true joy of exploring the city on foot, we offer a stay packed with the “fun” of sightseeing, shopping, and dining.

Address: 434-1 Ebisu-cho, Sanjo-agaru, Kawaramachi-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-8005
Phone: 050-3134-8095 (OMO Reservation Center)
Number of Rooms: 122 / Check-in: 3:00 PM / Check-out: 11:00 AM
Rates: From 15,000 yen per room per night (tax included; accommodation tax and meals not included)
Access: About a 2-minute walk from Exit 3 of Kyoto City Subway “Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae” Station; about a 5-minute walk from Exit 7 of Keihan Main Line “Sanjo Keihan” Station
URL: https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/omo5kyotosanjo/

OMO5 Kyoto Gion by Hoshino Resorts

Based on the concept of “Living in Gion Today,” this hotel offers a stay where guests can experience life as if they were residents of the Gion district. We provide a stay that allows guests to immerse themselves fully in the town, blending into the daily life of Gion—a vibrant neighborhood centered around Yasaka Shrine and known for its traditional geisha district.

Address: 288 Gion-cho Kitagawa, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture 605-0073
Phone: 050-3134-8095 (OMO Reservation Center)
Number of Rooms: 36 / Check-in: 3:00 PM / Check-out: 11:00 AM
Rates: From 40,000 yen per room per night (tax included; accommodation tax and meals not included)
Access: About a 6-minute walk from Gion-Shijo Station on the Keihan Railway; about a 1-minute walk from the Gion bus stop on the Kyoto City Bus
URL: https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/omo5kyotogion/

OMO Kyoto Early Morning Tour Special Page: https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/brands/omo/sp/kyoto_summer/