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Best of Kyoto Private Tour: Discover Highlights and Hidden Gems with Locals
4.9
104 Ratings
Kyoto
Experience the best of Kyoto on this private tour with locals. Discover the city’s highlights, hidden gems, and local treats, away from the tourist crowds.
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Higashiyama Zoo & Botanical Garden - Pass by the Zoo and get to see this neighborhood, which preserves the look and feel of feudal-era Japan in a wood-built historic quarter of narrow lanes lined with traditional pottery stores, tea houses, and restaurants for multi-course kaiseki meals.
What's Included
- Tickets for Kiyomizu Temple included
- Private Tour
- Experienced Local Guide
- Complimentary local drink
What's Not Included
- Hotel pick-up and drop off
- Food & beverages not listed as inclusions
Additional Information
This isn’t just another city exploration; it’s the best of Kyoto seen from a distinctive angle! Explore Kyoto with a city tour that delivers an optimum overview, featuring city highlights, undiscovered treasures, narratives, and a local delicacy – this tour offers it all!
Let go of the idea of large tourist-packed groups and crowded places; it’s time to experience Kyoto through the lens of a local. Visit major landmarks such as the Gion Area, Kiyomizu Temple, Yasaka-Jinja Shrine, and discover hidden treasures and city’s secrets with a well-informed local guide. What’s more, a local treat is included too.
The Withlocals Highlights & Underground Pearls Private City Tour™ is a flagship tour of Withlocals, available in major cities around the globe. We collaborate with enthusiastic local guides and pay them a fair wage. We bolster local economies by exclusively offering local products and prevent over-tourism with only small, unobtrusive groups.
- Private tour: only you & your local guide
- CO2 Neutral: all tours carbon emissions are offset
Location
198 Nakanochō
at the entrance of the Minamiza Theatre, next to Gion Shijo station
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(104 Ratings)
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Robertanoe
Oct 1, 2024
Kyoto extraordinary experience - We had an amazing day with Shohei and actually we booked an extra short tour with him upon arrival in kyoto. We saw the major sights, took lots of photos, had lunch together at a very local spot, and he even helped us get a bus ticket to the Osaka airport for our departure the next day. He was very easy and enjoyable to talk with and his knowledge of japan was great. He enjoys giving tours and loves japan. We learned so much and would highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rosely918hn
Oct 1, 2024
Best way to start your Kyoto experience - Our tour of Kyoto with Shohei has been the highlight of our first trip to Japan. His wealth of local knowledge and historical information were combined with his friendly manner and funny jokes for a wonderful, personalised experience for our family of 4 Aussies (2A and 2 teens 14/16). Best way to start your Kyoto experience- don’t miss out, book Shohei now! Thank you Shohei
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lorrainea1617
Sep 17, 2024
Great Kyoto overview! - My son and I took a walking tour with Ted Yoshihiro on our first full day in Kyoto. Ted was very knowledgeable and provided many insights and tips on how to take in the city. We learned a lot! More than that, Ted is a warm and friendly guide who took time to get to know us and connect on a personal level. We really enjoyed the tour & visiting with him!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lval98
Sep 2, 2024
A really nice and informative tour - Our group of 4 had a really enjoyable tour with Ted. On an increddibly hot day, we took our time through Kabuki history, Kyoto Geikos and Hanamachi and a wonderful explanation of Buddhism and Shintoism, while perusing temples and shrines. Thank you, Ted, our time passed by very pleasantly and we forgot about the weather.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sightseer47747
Aug 22, 2024
Grateful for our tour guide Guia! - Guia was so knowledgeable and offered such knowledgeable and deep insights into Kyoto and Japanese culture generally. We learned so much during our walking tour. It was a super hot day, and Guia was very considerate of our 11-year old, not only engaged him with her stories but also treated us all to delicious matcha ice cream treats! I cannot recommend Guia highly enough!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gilhoop
Aug 18, 2024
An excellent tour with a knowledgeable guide - Guia was a pleasure to meet and to take this tour with.
She is smart, funny and engaging, and extremely knowledgeable about local customs and Kyoto.
It was a pleasure taking this tour with her!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Elliehb9937ir
Aug 13, 2024
Ted - A Lively, Knowledgeable, and Highly Accommodating Guide - I was incredibly fortunate to have Ted as my guide during my short time in Kyoto. He was accommodating with my last-minute request to add another participant to the tour and made me feel comfortable from the start. Despite the particularly hot and humid day, Ted was patient with my frequent stops for water and bathroom breaks. He always adjusted the pace to suit me and provided insightful answers to my many questions (and I had plenty!).
Even though it was one of Japan's busiest tourism days due to a national holiday, Ted made the tour feel special, helping us navigate around the crowds. He even joined me in shopping for a gift for my family! Our time together was wonderful, and we ended the tour with a prayer at a shrine—I truly felt like I made a friend. I highly recommend Ted to anyone visiting Kyoto, especially for exploring the historic district. He also offers food tours and bamboo forest tours, which I'm sure are just as excellent.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mzktravel
Aug 6, 2024
Ideal for self-sufficiency over 1 or 2 days in Kyoto - As the name suggests, quick introduction and discovery of Kyoto and its Things to do. Ideal for a first orientation / discovery that allows to be autonomous for a visit of one or two days. Yoshihiro speaks good English and is precise in his knowledge, and adapts his speech to our interests. Share Recommendations for Things to Do Before and After the Program.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Anna
Aug 1, 2024
Tour fantastico - The tour was very interesting, Yoshihiro (Ted) was extremely well spoken and versed and has taught me a lot of interesting things about Japanese coulture. More than that he was very helpful before and after we had met, giving me suggestions about hotels to stay and what to visit in other places as well!
Ted has a beautiful soul, he is a wonderful person and it was a delight to spend a couple of hours with him, would absolutely very highly recommend him.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lawrence_h
Sep 30, 2024
Not a locals tour - Disappointed, very expensive for an untrained guide, who is not from Japan and does not speak Japanese.
Review provided by Viator
