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Private Kyoto Tour: Explore Highlights, Hidden Gems with a Local
4.8
950 Ratings
Kyoto
Unleash your inner explorer in Kyoto with a private tour. Visit iconic sites, explore hidden gems, and create a flexible itinerary with a like-minded local host.
Duration:
8 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine - Ready for a morning hiking upon Kyotoâs hills? The famous thousands of vermilion torii gates path stretches from behind the shrineâs grounds into the wooded forest of the sacred Mount Inari (233 meters). But donât worry, the view from half-way is as just as spectacular. How many foxâs statues will you be able to spot? They are the shrine guardians acting on behalf of Inari, the god connected to rice and sake.
IMPORTANT: As this is a private and personalised experience, the places you visit may differ from those listed and these will be chosen by your host based on your interests and preferences
What's Included
- Choose between 3, 5, 7, or 8 hours with your personal host.
- Enjoy a guided walking experience; alternate transportation options available if needed.
- Experience a private and personalized tour, tailored to your interests.
- Convenient hotel meet-up is optional for central locations.
What's Not Included
- Food and drinks
- Transportation (primarily a walking experience however public transport may be used)
- Tickets to any attractions
- Gratuities (optional)
Additional Information
Spend the day with one of our hosts as you unleash your inner explorer in Kyoto! You’re in the ‘City of Temples’ and you’ll be able to visit iconic and sacred sites like Fushimi Inari Shrine and Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Maybe explore the culturally rich entertainment district of Gion? Alternatively, you could get off the beaten tourist track and explore some hidden gems in the city that only a local would know about.
Within 24 hours after booking, you’ll receive a short questionnaire about your personality and interests. Based on your responses, you’ll be assigned a like-minded host. Your host will communicate with you directly to suggest an itinerary to help you discover what makes the city unique. You will also agree on a meeting time and place. Your itinerary is flexible, so during the experience, you can always change your mind about what you want to do.
- Please book at least 48 hours in advance so that we can build the best experience for you
- Experiences are fully personalized so any additional requirements like tickets, transportation and food & drinks can be arranged for an additional cost
- Private groups are normally no larger than 6 people (if your group is larger, please make this known so that arrangements can be made)
Location
Starbucks Coffee - Kyoto Sanjo-ohashi Bridge
(The host will be waiting in front of Starbucks Coffee)
After booking, you can adjust the meeting point to fit your preferences with the help of our Experience Planners.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(950 Ratings)
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David_f
Jun 21, 2024
If you only have one day in Kyoto, hire a guide and see tons of stuff. - I traveled to Japan for a few days as a vacation with my 8 year old son. We had never visited Japan, and we were very excited to experience Kyoto.
Estaben was a great host, helping bridging East and West. He has an amazing story moving to Kyoto and learning Japanese. He was a a great guide, showing us many parts of Kyoto in just a few hours. He was friendly to me and my son. We had great conversation about Japan. He also showed us some off the beaten path areas. Overall, great trip to this bucket-list city!
Review provided by Viator
Timbo144
Jun 21, 2024
Great tour by a knowledgable guide. - Alexis was a fantastic guide and passionate about what he does. Although not of Japanese birth, he has a deep understanding of Japanese culture due to his years in Japan. He is very straightforward in his no nonsense approach to the the facts and history of the tour highlights. We certainly covered a lot of ground , but he was always checking on our well being to make sure it was within our limits.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Holatamara
Jun 19, 2024
Kyoto with teens and milo! - Our family had a wonderful day with Milo! He was informative, patient and savvy. He engaged each of our family members with genuine interest and relevant points throughout the day. We would definitely do it all again, thank you Milo!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
484syrinej
Jun 18, 2024
Stroll around Gion district and its hidden gems - Kyoto is an amazing city. I was grateful that I was assigned Ai as my guide. We went to the Nishiki Markt and tried really good food together then we strolled around Gion District saw the famous Hokanji Temple . We took lovely photos. I learned more about the history and culture in Japan and with AI we discovered the hidden gems of Kyoto.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Traveltigerlily
Jun 18, 2024
Great tour, great tourguide! - We had a wonderful time with Eva and learned and saw a lot! We are a family of 5, with 3 college-age kids. We all had a great time, and our kids LOVED Eva. This was great, because in addition to seeing so many great things in Kyoto, our kids loved learning from her what life is like in Kyoto for young people, culturally, socially, etc. Eva was also very conscientious about reaching out ahead of the tour to ask about what we wanted to see, and really tailored the tour to our interests. She also booked a fabulous lunch for us that accommodated the entire family, including our one vegetarian!
I highly recommend this tour with Eva!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
750anzhelikan
Jun 18, 2024
Excellent Personalised Tour with Nehal - We had a private tour with Nehal and just loved it! Nehal has proposed an amazing route based on our desires and requests. We wanted more to focus on Shinto shrines, Buddist Temples, not the main and popular ones, but more local, to get to know about history of Kyoto. Nehal took us through a number of the shrines and temples and explained every detail in those places. I am interested in history of religions and was impressed by the deep knowledge Nehal has in this field and history of Japan in general. In addition to visiting shrines we had an fabulous walk in Gion area, where Nehal took us through the small roads and recommended several restaurants and helped to book a dinner in one of them. The whole tour was very informative as well as joyful. We enjoyed all 5 hours of it and have great memories of Kyoto!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
420catym
Jun 18, 2024
Fantastic Experience in Kyoto with our guide Alex!!! - Alex was a fantastic guide through Kyoto!! He taught us a lot about the history of the city. He was fantastic with our entire group and made it a very interesting experience!! I highly recommend him for any trips to Kyoto or Osaka!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marie_q
Jun 17, 2024
Private Guided Tour with Minh Anh -
Our guide Minh Anh in Kyoto was exceptional, transforming our trip into an unforgettable adventure. Her enthusiasm, knowledge, and friendliness made a significant difference in our experience, ensuring that we left Kyoto with a deeper understanding and appreciation of its cultural and historical treasures. We highly recommend her services to anyone visiting Kyoto, especially families looking for an engaging and informative tour. Her ability to connect with guests and provide a tailored, enriching experience is truly commendable.
Review provided by Viator
Faraway61095693409
Jun 17, 2024
Fantastic full day tour - Had a fantastic tour of Kyoto with our local guide. The day was basically tailored to our likes and desires, and our guide was great. He provided lots of special insight and information for the sites we visited that we would never have discovered on our own. Extremely personable and entertaining. Highly recommend this tour as a way to get to know Kyoto.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Raquel_m
Jun 16, 2024
A must do your when visting Kyoto - Jose was seriously an amazing tour guide. We could not have asked for anyone better to take us around Kyoto. He knew so much about the history of the city as well as the culture. He was such a sweetheart and was so well prepared to answer all of our questions. He was so much fun as well. He can also speak fluent Japanese, english and Spanish which was very impressive. He educated us so much on the history of Kyoto and Japan and we strongly recommend him to anyone looking for a great and fun tour guide :)
Review provided by Viator
