Kyoto Tours

If you have only one day in Kyoto and want to see all the top 10 must-see spots of Kyoto, this tour is the best for you. A professional local guide shows you the best, comfortable and convenient way to the spots. And you can enjoy walking along with the beautiful sceneries, paths, and back alleys only the local people know. We use the taxies three times to save your time and energy. This tour is a mixture of public transport and taxis. Thanks to taxis and a friendly local professional guide, you can visit the 10 most famous attractions such as the Fushimi Inari shrine (thousands of Torii gate), Golden Pavilion, Kiyomizu temple (with huge balcony), bamboo forest, Geisha district, and so on. If you check the spots you can visit on this tour, you can notice that all must-see points in Kyoto are included!! Please enjoy the top ten spots with the beautiful stories of your guide. ※We also welcome Japanese who are studying English and want to visit top 10 must-see points in Kyoto.

Immerse yourself in Japanese culture and history using this private full-day vehicle charter from Kyoto. After selecting your preferred choice of transportation from a van, bus or limousine, your group will enjoy a private tour through the ancient city of Kyoto, complete with UNESCO-listed temples and numerous culture attractions. Explore the city at your own pace and customize the day to see only what you want to, all with the help of a guide/driver. Don’t miss this opportunity to see the best Kyoto has to offer.

Take control of your Kyoto sightseeing and visit only the sights you wish to see on this private walking tour. Ideal for first-time visitors, this tour lets you customize a half-day or full-day itinerary. Opt to visit the Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji), Fushimi Inari Shrine, and Nijo Castle, or to stray from the beaten path to see an alternative side of Kyoto. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included.

If you’re visiting Japan for the first time, receive a cultural introduction to the country during a tea ceremony in traditional kimonos. During the ceremony, learn about Japanese history and sample matcha green tea, a local specialty. Plus, wearing a traditional kimono means you leave the experience with fantastic photographs to commemorate your time in Kyoto.

Enjoy the convenience of a guided tour without having to squeeze onto a bus with strangers on this private, customizable tour in a modern Land Rover vehicle. After being picked up from your hotel you’ll have a full day to explore beautiful Kyoto. Choose your sights and activities to suit your needs, but the itinerary could include Gion, Kiyomizu-dera, Kinkakuji, and other historic and cultural highlights.

Go on a culinary adventure in Kyoto with a guide to show you where to find the best wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets), and other traditional treats. Take the stress out of language barrier obstacles by exploring Nishiki Market with a guide to translate. Your guide will teach you about staple ingredients in Japanese cuisine, and you’ll enjoy tastings too. A highlight is visiting a tea house for matcha tea and sweets. It’s a great way to discover top foodie spots in the city, and get local tips too.

Take a tour of Kyoto's famous Gion district and learn all about the mysterious geisha traditions of the area. Your local guide will tell you about the traditions from an insider perspective, as it can be difficult for outsiders to access geisha culture otherwise. At the same time you'll explore Gion's beautiful streets, temples, shrines, and shops, for a comprehensive overview of historic Kyoto.

Immerse yourself in the cultural and architectural splendor of Kyoto on this private tour, ideal for first-time visitors. Choose from two different routes, both of which cover major Kyoto attractions including Nijo Castle and Kiyomizu Temple, and explore the city with a personal guide. On the northwest-bound route, you’ll visit the Golden Pavilion, Nishiki Food Market, and the bamboo groves of Arashiyama Park. Alternatively, the southeast course covers the Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kiyomizu Temple, and the Gion area. Receive undivided attention from your guide on this private tour. 

Get a deeper experience of Kyoto food culture than would be possible on your own by joining this guided tour. Stroll through the districts of Gion and Pontocho, stopping in to small bars and restaurants to sample traditional drinks and food, as you explore.

Immerse yourself in samurai history and culture during this 2-hour samurai experience at a traditional Kyoto Samurai House. Under the guidance of an expert sword instructor, learn the philosophies of Bushido, the "Way of the Warrior" handle a real katana sword; and take part in a Zen meditation session.

Traditional and historical Japanese gardens are best sites to see Japanese aesthetics. Both artistic landscape gardens with seasonal plants and dry landscape gardens at Zen temples help you get relaxed for meditation. Visiting various styled gardens and experiencing traditional Japanese spirits which are represented in plants, rocks, and total design. Our nationally-licensed and experienced multilingual guides will help you efficiently enjoy a one-day private tour of the best Japanese gardens in Kyoto. Select gardens from a list in the tour information to create your customized itinerary. In addition to gardens, you may also choose any famous site in Kyoto for a truly memorable experience! Note*1: Please select your must-see spots from a list in the tour information to create your customized itinerary. Note*2: The Nationally-licensed Tour Guide-Interpreter certification is issued by the Japanese government requires a good knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and history.

Kyoto is one of Japan’s most popular travel destinations and with over 50 million annual visitors, it can get busy. This tour makes an early start so you can avoid the crowds and cram much more into your day. Stroll around the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove before the tour groups arrive, visit Kinkaku-ji temple (Golden Pavilion) right as it opens, and walk through the torii gates of Fushimi Inari (Shrine) before the midday heat.

Cycle past a mix of Kyoto’s most-famous sights and its lesser-known secrets during this half-day ‘Hidden Kyoto’ bike tour. Take a 4.9-mile (8-kilometer) ride that starts by winding past iconic Kyoto temples and shrines like Kinkakuji, Koto-in, and Kitano Tenmagu. You’ll continue ‘off the beaten path,’ discovering intimate Zen gardens and charming backstreets known only to locals.

Plenty of people enjoy Japanese cuisine, but few understand the ingredients that are involved in making classic dishes. During this insider’s tour of Nishiki Market, you’ll meet local shopkeepers and pick up fresh produce in the 400-year-old food stalls. Then, put your ingredients to use with a hands-on cooking lesson, and prepare a market-to-plate dish of donburi, a bowl of Japanese rice, and meat specialty.

Kyoto’s traditional neighborhoods and scenic parklands are ideal for exploring by bike. On this tour, save time by cycling around the city and visit five of Kyoto’s most popular attractions in one day. Enjoy stunning views of the Golden Pavilion and the Kiyomizu Temple; pose for photos by the red torri gates of Fushimi Inari Shrine; and hop off to stroll around the Bamboo Forest and explore the geisha district.

Our trekking and e bikes in different sizes are brand new. Our e bikes are the best available in Japan and only available in our offer. They are also suitable for multi-day bike rides. Our wheels have a removable handlebar bag that can be used as a shoulder bag. You can also get equipment for longer bike rides. You can also get the tour route for navigation. This allows you to navigate with your smartphone.

This tour covers every part of the bamboo forest. By rickshaw and on foot! The first stop after cruising through the bustling main street is the bamboo forest. Enjoy the vivid green bamboo as your guide pulls you along the path reserved for rickshaws only, away from other visitors. Have your camera or mobile phone ready to take pictures. You don’t want to miss this. After passing by the Nonomiya Shrine you will enter the second part of the bamboo forest, which is designed like a little park. Here we can take great group pictures with the stunning green bamboo in the background. On the way to the third and last section of the bamboo forest, you will pass by a well-kept scene from the Edo period The third part of the bamboo forest can only be accessed on foot, so our guide will park the rickshaw within walking distance and then guide you to the most famous and impressive part of the bamboo forest. (To avoid the crowds here, we recommend starting the tour before noon)

Immerse yourself in Japanese culture by learning the steps to a traditional tea ceremony called the Way of Tea. During the hands-on experience, make a powered green tea known as matcha with help from an instructor in an ancient tea ceremony room. You’ll also be able to enjoy some Japanese sweets along with the tea.

Prepare for battle as you learn the skills of the samurai during this 1- or 2-hour class studying the basic techniques of these ancient Japanese warriors. Take the 1-hour session, providing an introduction to the basics of the samurai art, or choose the 1.5-hour course, practicing more complex movements using a sword and folding fan. When your class ends, enjoy a photo session with your samurai costume and receive a certificate of completion.  This samurai session also includes an English-speaking guide and instructor and a 'tenugui,' a traditional Japanese towel.

Get the best photographs of one of Japan’s most iconic monuments on an evening tour of the Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto—the ideal choice for travelers with a passion for photography. With a professional photographer, you’ll explore the shrine after dark, when the crowds have dispersed and the area takes on a spooky atmoshphere, and learn how to take the best photographs for social media and personal portfolios.

Look the part as you explore Kyoto with a kimono rental package that includes a hair styling session. Wearing traditional Japanese clothing allows you to create the best photos outside of Kyoto attractions. Plus, an extended rental period allows you to spend the day as you wish without rushing.

・Choose your favorite kimono and our staff will help you to wearing kimono ・Our professional kimono instructor will guide you about kimono history ・Visit Kinkakuji Temple with wearing kimono. it takes just 3minutes from our activity place and enjoy the take picture at kinkakuji temple ・After visit kinkakuji temple then take japanese lunch at Kinkaku where is famous local restaurant ・After lunch, you take off kimono and go to the Ryuanji-temple(Stone temple)

Why don’t you make your own unique souvenir of Kyoto. For yourself, for your loved ones, you can make personalized cup or bowl. And you can choose the color you like. We’ll bake your work. It takes about 3weeks. But don’t worry, we’ll ship it to your doorstep.your work will pleasantly surprise you and remind you of your travel.

To truly experience a city, you must deep dive into its culture, and there's no better cultural tradition to explore in Kyoto than through geishas and their traditions. On this private tour, get a cultural awakening as you learn more about geishas and the traditions and why this is such a unique part of the city's character. Learn from its history to the present influence that still lingers in Kyoto as you visit the Minamiza Theatre, Maruyama park and more. Thanks to this cultural experience, you'll be able to see Kyoto from a different perspective - the way the locals live it every day! Withlocals Treasures of Kyoto Tour™ is one of Withlocals' signature tours available in major cities worldwide. We work with passionate local guides who earn a fair fee. We support local economies by only offering local products and preventing over-tourism with only small non-intrusive groups. Our tours are carbon-neutral and away from the standard tourist routes.