Kyoto Walking Tour: Temples, Shrines, and Tea

Experience the traditions of ancient Japan on a private 4-hour tour of Kyoto. Visit temples, shrines, and enjoy tea ceremonies with a licensed guide.

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights

Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine - We are here to help you discover new things, the Fushimi Inari Shrine is so more than its famous tunnels of vermillion-red torii gates. Most people are satisfied by a scenic view of it. But this has a lot of stories to tell that will connect you to the Japan’s history and culture and your guide will show you deeper. You will see a fascinating story attached to the origin of the shrine dedicated to the god of grains – that’s what “Inari” means – . This is also why you’ll see statues of the fox around the shrine. “Kitsune” or the fox is a servant to the god Inari. They are cunning tricksters, clever minded animals who make perfect guides for the treacherous business world. You may would want the foxes on your side after this tour.

What's Included
  • Meet up with guide on foot within designated area of Kyoto
  • Licensed Local English Speaking Guide
  • Customizable Tour of your choice of 2-3 sites from ‘What to expect’ list
What's Not Included
  • Transportation fees, Entrance fees, Lunch, and Other personal expenses
  • Private Vehicle
  • You cannot combine multiple tour groups.
  • Guide Entry fees are only covered for sights listed under What to Expect.
Additional Information

Sacred temples, divine shrines, and time-honored tea rituals. Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan, is a living testament to the country’s deep-rooted traditions. A stroll around this picturesque city feels akin to a journey back in time, thanks to its centuries-old, well-preserved architectural gems. Overlooking the historic district of Gion, known for its thriving geisha culture, stands the grand Kiyomizu Temple. The city’s rich historical tapestry is too compelling to pass up, so secure your spot with our government-certified, English-speaking tour guides for a walking exploration of Kyoto!

Once you’ve confirmed your booking, a personal guide will touch base with you to lay out a customized tour plan. You can select 2 or 3 places you want to explore, and your guide will map out a tailored itinerary. In case you’re unsure of which spots to pick, feel free to ask your guide for some recommendations based on your preferences. Whether you’re a history aficionado, an admirer of ancient Japanese construction, or simply looking forward to relishing a green tea parfait, Kyoto surely has something to satiate your wanderlust!

  • This is a walking tour. Pick up is on foot.
Location
Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine
68 Fukakusa Yabunouchicho, Fushimi-ku,
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.9
(415 Ratings)
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Waynegc7060ul
Oct 1, 2024
Fantastic day… - Kaeko Tanigawa was absolutely the best guide. She put together a great itinerary for the day, but about half way through, the tour was unexpectedly interrupted due to a medical issue with my wife. Kaeko took total control of the situation, assured that my wife received the medical attention she needed and stayed with us during the entire ordeal. Kaeko’s steady demeanor and knowledge of knowing exactly what to do went a long way towards quickly getting my wife the care she needed. After about an hour and a half my wife was fine and together we all enjoyed a nice lunch talking about what had just transpired and sharing previous travel experiences we had all enjoyed. Kaeko is a credit to her profession and we would highly recommend her for any future Japan tours. Thank you Kaeko from the bottom of our hearts…
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Road20859957647
Oct 1, 2024
Fabulous! - A great tour. So informative - I learned so much and also had fun. Thank you so much! I would 100% recommend for an excellent experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Amy_a
Sep 10, 2024
Must do if you want to see all Kyoto has to offer - Yoshii was a great tour guy. I would have been lost in Kyoto without him. We moved fast and saw a ton of hot spots. He was great about making sure I got there and back to Tokyo safely. Definitely recommend!
Review provided by Viator
Jeff052019
Sep 10, 2024
Kyoto Experience - Great tour overall. Our guide was informative, efficient and friendly. He added background to every site visited and attentive to our needs
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Hamad
Sep 9, 2024
Amazing tour and guide - Our tour guide was Andy, and he was amazing, very knowledgable, kind, and patient. We loved the places he took us to, Arashiyama, Fushimi Inari, and Pontocho where each place was different and special in its own way. Highly recommend this trip to first timers and recurring visitos alike
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ari
Sep 4, 2024
A fun and informative tour with an excellent tour guide! - Maya was an exceptional tour guide for our honeymoon Kyoto 4 hour tour. She reached out to me immediately after booking the tour, she reached out to my via email and we crafted a perfect itinerary that fit what we were looking for. All throughout the tour, Maya was giving the history of Kyoto and explaining about the all the different shoguns, samurai, and emperors that were in charge of the city. We toured some amazing shrines, temples, gardens, and the exquisite Bamboo Forest. She was kind, courteous, knowledgeable, and a pleasure to spend time with! I highly recommend for anyone to book this tour for an amazing experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Trail230479
Aug 29, 2024
Guiding in Kyoto - Very nice day with our guide Mimmi. Guided us to several places of interessert and had lot of knowledge. Could also give us recomendation of other places of interest.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alejandramm28
Aug 27, 2024
Around Kyoto with Rie - It was great to be able to customize our tour and learn from someone so knowledgeable as Rie about Japanese history and culture. Rie herself was very attentive, organized, and friendly. Her English was great so it made everything very smooth.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
James_h
Aug 9, 2024
Fantastic tour - The tour with Shige was interesting and informative. His pace was fast and we covered a lot of ground. He also provided a good picture of traditional Japanese culture.
Review provided by Viator
Lowell_k
Sep 20, 2024
Unfortunately, I would not recommend. - We were expecting a tour guide who would be like others we have enjoyed while traveling and using guides we have hired through VIATOR. Rie, was lovely. She met us (my wife and our son -25M) at our hotel on time and was very pleasant. She led us to several Kyoto sites we had selected with her by email. We traveled by public transportation to the sites and she acted as a guide through the subways but without proactively giving any insight about the history and the significance of the places we were visiting. If we asked a question she was able to answer it. We think her English was ok. On our own We are well travelled & would have been capable of getting around Kyoto on our own, adding the internet & Google we could have learned nearly as much. We were hoping for a licensed - English speaking guide who would lead us through the sites sharing insight and information about the culture, history and significance of the locations of her city. We had nice walk, with a lovely, but seemingly shy Japanese women.
Review provided by Viator
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up to 10 guests
1 Adult
October 2024
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