Kyoto Food Tour: Pontocho and Gion Shirakawa Delights

Discover Kyoto’s charm with a Pontocho food tour. Savor yakitori, handmade noodles, and more. Dive into history and culture with every bite.

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Statue of Izumo no Okuni - Let’s meet there and then enjoy a walking tour of Pontocho and Gion Shirakawa areas.
  • Tatsumi Bridge - Tatsumi Bridge
  • Tatsumi Daimyojin Shrine - Tatsumi Daimyojin Shrine
  • Statue of Izumo no Okuni - Statue of Izumo-no-Okuni
  • Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine - Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine
  • Gion Corner - Gion Corner
  • Nishiki Market - Nishiki Market
What's Included
  • Historic area sightseeing
  • Local English speaking guide
  • 4 food stops
  • 2 drinks
What's Not Included
  • Hotel pick up not included (can be arranged for an additional charge)
  • Gratuity
  • Transportation costs
  • Additional drinks or food (not included but possible to purchase at guest expense)
Additional Information

Enjoy a walking tour of Pontocho and Gion Shirakawa, two of Kyoto’s most charming and historic areas. Travel back in time to enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes in this rustic neighborhood.
You will experience 5 food and drink stops, with something for everyone. Start off in a retro “Showa-era” restaurant to try seasonal and regional, tasty dishes. Next…

Location
Statue of Izumo-no-Okuni
Meeting Point: The meeting point is in front of the Statue of Izumo-no-Okuni Kawabatacho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0076, Japan You can copy and paste this to Google Maps: Kawabatacho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0076, Japan
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(20 Ratings)
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Fernandoroz
Oct 13, 2024
Unexpected great places to eat - We had a wonderful evening with our guide Eduardo and learned a lot of interesting things about life and food in Kyoto. The food stops were awesome, more delicious food than we could eat. Most of the stops were places we would be too shy to go in as tourists or would not have thought about. Overall it was such a fun experience that we booked another tour with the same company in Osaka.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pp432
Jun 29, 2024
Wonderful Pontocho and Gion experience with Mickey - Midway through our June trip to Japan, our family had lucked out mostly avoiding rain until our evening tour of the Pontocho and Gion districts of Kyoto. This didn’t faze our guide Mickey at all and she ensured we all had a fantastic time tasting delicious snacks, skewers, noodles, and desserts along with some sake for the parents and ramune for our two boys! Mickey was incredibly knowledgeable about the area and its history and we came away with a much deeper appreciation for the experiences we were having than we would have on our own. This was our fourth Arigato tour during our Japan trip and continued on from the great experiences we had earlier. Mickey’s kindness and fun energy easily overcame any rainy weather and we had a fabulous time - thank you Mickey!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
909julieb909
Sep 1, 2023
Great night! - Great tour with Daniela. Excellent food choices and really enjoyed the Pontcho area. Daniela was very knowledgeable and helpful. Would thoroughly recommend this tour
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jenim78
Aug 20, 2023
Brought Kyoto alive - What a great tour, we tried food we’d never have done on our own, plus the insights on culture and history brought the city alive. Great fun and Russ was always checking in with everyone. This a must do!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lizhu7889kk
Jun 25, 2023
Delightful evening with Spencer - Spencer gave us a terrific tour of Kyoto food culture. We particularly appreciated the historical aspect--what was in vogue during different periods of Japanese history--and his ability to connect what we were eating to the culture and agriculture of that part of Japan. We also enjoyed learning about Japanese dining culture--not just the food, but the etiquette & the way it fit into Japanese life. & of course, the food itself was great and we were taken to off-the-beaten-path places that we would never have found ourselves.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maren2016
Apr 18, 2023
Atmospheric and delicious Izakaya food !!! - Wonderful food tour with Tomas , who expertly weaved history and Japan info with amazing street food and new tastes in the atmospheric Gion and Pontocho areas ! We tasted food we had never seen before - and it was delicious! Highly recommended
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lisa
Apr 3, 2023
Great tour for foodies - We had Emma as our tour guide and she was fantastic! She was upbeat and fun! She took us to many delicious places and even helped me with my dietary needs. She also taught us about the history of the area and was able to answer all our questions. Would highly recommend this tour and Emma!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Coastal296946
Oct 20, 2020
Food Tour - Favorite part was going to places that we never would’ve stopped otherwise. That, and having tables reserved for us so all proprietors were expecting us. No wait!
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Annkreit
Oct 20, 2020
Agreeable Arigato - Arigato food tours soar above all others. Expert local guides. Personable, knowledgeable and most welcoming!
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Davetheguide
Apr 27, 2024
An average food tour - ok, but not great - It was an average food tour - and I've taken many around the world. Decent but not outstanding. The guide did go over and beyond and remained with us for a longer duration than we expected.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $236
up to 10 guests
2 Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).