Ushiku Buddha & Kashima Jingu Shrine Private Guided Tour

Our licensed English-speaking guide will pick you up at your hotel (major hotels located in central Tokyo) in the morning. Together, we will take the subway or a JR train to Shinagawa or Tokyo Station, where we will transfer to the JR Joban Line.

On this tour, you will enjoy a comfortable ride in the Green Car (business class). Relax during the journey and enjoy views of Tokyo’s suburbs from the window. The train ride takes approximately one hour.

After about a one-hour ride on the JR Joban Line, we will get off at Ushiku Station. Ushiku is a local city in Ibaraki Prefecture, located northeast of Tokyo. Your licensed guide will then pick up a rental car, and we will enjoy a short drive to our first destination, Ushiku Daibutsu.

Please note that under Japanese law, only Government National Licensed Guide Interpreters are permitted to drive a private vehicle or rental car with white license plates when conducting tours for international visitors.

Completed in 1993, Ushiku Daibutsu is the tallest bronze statue in the world, standing at an impressive height of 120 meters. It is a Guinness World Record holder and is nearly three times taller than the Statue of Liberty in New York. The statue is located on the vast grounds of a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist temple.

The statue is so massive that the Great Buddha of Nara could fit on the palm of Ushiku Daibutsu’s hand. During your visit, you will learn about Buddhism in Japan and explore the interior of the statue. An elevator will take you up to an observation deck located around the statue’s chest, offering beautiful views of the surrounding landscaped grounds.

The area also features local souvenir shops and food stalls where you can enjoy a variety of Japanese street food and sweets.

After visiting Ushiku Daibutsu, we will enjoy a pleasant one-hour drive to Kashima City, located near Lake Kasumigaura, the second-largest lake in Japan. Our next stop is Kashima Jingu, one of the most renowned Shinto shrines in the country.

Shinto is one of Japan’s two major religions and is also its indigenous belief system. While there are countless Shinto shrines throughout Japan, Kashima Jingu is among the oldest. It is traditionally believed to have been established in 660 BCE, the year of the ascension of Japan’s legendary first emperor, Emperor Jimmu.

Set within an ancient forest, the shrine features many impressive buildings and a serene atmosphere. Your guide will explain the differences between Shinto and Buddhism and how both religions influence daily life in Japan. You will also have time to browse the shrine shop, where a wide variety of good-luck charms are sold.

Let’s experience Japan’s native religion, Shinto, in this sacred and historic setting.

There are traditional restaurants located in front of the shrine, serving dishes such as soba (buckwheat noodles), tempura, and sushi. We can enjoy a Japanese-style lunch at one of these restaurants. (Lunch is optional.)

After lunch, the guide will drive back to Ushiku Station. During the one-hour drive, you can enjoy views of rural Japan that are rarely seen in more touristy areas. After arriving at the station, we will take the same JR Joban Line Green Car back to Tokyo.

After arriving at Tokyo Station, your guide will take you back to your hotel or the original pick-up location from the morning by subway or train. Your amazing one-day private tour concludes at your hotel. We hope you truly enjoyed the experience!