Tokyo and Kyoto are two of Japan’s most popular cities for a reason. Several reasons, actually. Ancient history, Japanese culture, incredible food, fantastic museums... The list goes on. There are plenty of ways to explore these wonderful places, and one of the easiest is by jumping on an open-air double-decker bus for close-up views of the most popular sights. And now is the perfect time with the borders open to international tourists again and autumn in the air.
You can now jump on board the Sky Hop sightseeing bus, which travels across Tokyo and Kyoto. Compared to conventional city tours, where you’re just glued to your seat for an hour or more, the Sky Hop Bus lets you disembark at any bus stop along the route. You can explore the areas at your own leisure before continuing the ride on the next bus that comes along.
Pick a route: Tokyo
The Tokyo Sky Hop Bus travels on three different routes. Buses on the Green Course take you to Marunouchi, Shinjuku, Harajuku, Shibuya and Tokyo Tower.
If you take the Red Course you’ll see Tokyo’s eastern area with stops at famous places such as Tokyo Skytree, Asakusa, Ueno and Akihabara.
The Blue Course passes Tokyo Tower, Zojoji Temple, Rainbow Bridge, Odaiba as well as Tsukiji and Ginza.
There are several departures a day – see here for the timetables and here for the bus stops.
Pick a route: Kyoto
The Kyoto Sky Hop Bus, on the other hand, travels only on a single route, but it covers all of the main attractions across the ancient city – think Kyoto Station, Kyoto Imperial Palace, Nijo Castle and Gion, plus a number of the most popular temples such as Kinkakuji, Ginkakuji and Kiyomizudera. You’ll find the exact departure times here and the bus stops here.
Explanations of each attraction on the tour are available in Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Korean and Spanish.
How to purchase tickets
Depending on your schedule, you can opt for either a one-day or a two-day bus ticket, and they are available online. See here for Tokyo’s and here for Kyoto’s booking page. Note that online reservations have to be exchanged into vouchers at the Sky Hop Bus Marunouchi ticket counter, the Tokyo Skytree sales office or directly on the bus.
Prices for Tokyo bus tours
- One-day ticket: ¥2,800, primary school students ¥1,400
- Two-day ticket: ¥4,000, primary school students ¥2,000
Prices for Kyoto bus tours
- One-day ticket: ¥2,500, primary school students ¥1,250
- Two-day ticket: ¥3,600, primary school students ¥1,800
Children aged five and younger can ride for free when they sit on the lap of their parents or guardian.
For a limited time, you can also purchase bus tickets via the e-ticketing app Ryde Pass (Android/iOS). You’ll receive a QR code after purchase that will let you board the buses easily without needing a voucher. E-tickets are available until December 11 for Tokyo bus tours and until November 30 for Kyoto bus tours.
Join an English walking tour
For an additional ¥1,000, Tokyo Sky Hop Bus passengers can join a guided 60-minute walking tour in Shibuya and Asakusa. The tours are in English and will be held on selected Saturdays, Sundays and holidays until December 11. You can see the available dates on the website.
For the Shibuya walking tours, you’ll meet the tour guide at the Green Course’s G5 Shibuya bus stop at 2.08pm or 5.08pm. You’ll get an insight on Shibuya’s signature spots and learn about brand new additions that have been built over the past three years. Expect to see places like Kitaya Park, Shibuya Parco, the Oku-Shibuya area, Tokyu Plaza’s free observation deck Shibu Niwa, the famous Scramble Crossing and Nonbei Yokocho.
Asakusa walking tours start at 9.53am and 11.33am at the Red Course’s R6 Asakusa bus stop. You’ll explore the cosy streets around Sensoji Temple, including a stop at the rakugo (traditional comic storytelling) theatre Asakusa Engei Hall and the historic Hanayashiki amusement park before dropping by Sensoji Temple and Asakusa Shrine.
Walking tour tickets are available online via the Sky Hop Bus website, in person at the Tokyo City i tourist information centre, on the bus or directly at the beginning of each tour. Note that each tour is limited to only ten Sky Hop Bus passengers.
For more information, see the website.
If bus tours are not your thing, explore Tokyo on water with one of these scenic sightseeing cruises.
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