Kyoto Best Spots Private Tour
4.7
19 Ratings
Kyoto
Discover Kyoto's rich history and culture with our private tour. Choose your favorite spots and explore with passionate local guides.
Duration: 6 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Kyoto Station - Meet with your guide at Kyoto Station.

Please choose some must-see spots from the Spot List below. On average, you can visit 2 spots for a 4-hour tour and 3 spots for a 6-hour tour.

  • Kinkakuji Temple - Kinkakuji Temple, also known as the Golden Pavilion, is a Zen Buddhist temple constructed in 1397. It is a masterpiece of Japanese architecture and garden design, featuring a pond. Originally a Shogun’s villa symbolizing power and prosperity, it was converted into a Zen temple after his death.
  • Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine - Fushimi Inari Shrine (Thousands of Vermilion Torii Gates) is dedicated to harvest and prosperity. It is famous for its photogenic vermilion torii gates that form a trail through the forest of Mount Inari. The spiritual journey up the mountain offers a serene and mysterious atmosphere.
  • Bamboo Forest Street - One of Kyoto’s biggest attractions, this area features thousands of towering bamboo, creating a beautiful forest. It feels like stepping into a fairy tale. Located in the Arashiyama area, where aristocrats have had their villas since ancient times, you can also enjoy history, culture, and nature.
  • Nijo Castle - Built in 1603, Nijo Castle served as the Tokugawa shogun’s second home and later as an Imperial Villa. It showcases the power of the Tokugawa shogunate with its magnificent architecture, interior screen paintings, and serene gardens, offering a glimpse into Japan’s samurai past.
  • Ryoanji Temple - A World Heritage Site established in 1450, Ryoanji Temple is home to Japan’s famous rock garden—a masterpiece of minimalist aesthetics. With fifteen rocks set in raked white gravel and a serene pond surrounded by trees, the temple exudes tranquility.
  • Kiyomizu-dera Temple - Kiyomizu-dera Temple, a World Heritage Site located on a hill in eastern Kyoto, offers breathtaking views, a wooden stage jutting 13 meters above a cliff, and dedication to Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy. The surrounding area is a preservation district with many shops and cafes in an old-town atmosphere, making it a pleasant area to stroll.
  • Nishiki Market Shopping District - Known as “Kyoto’s Kitchen,” Nishiki Market’s narrow shopping street boasts over a hundred shops and restaurants. This culinary haven offers a wide array of local delicacies, fresh seafood, seasonal produce, and Kyoto specialties like pickles, Japanese sweets, and matcha-flavored treats. Beyond local delicacies, it offers Japanese kitchenware, providing a fun experience for food lovers and those seeking Kyoto-themed gifts.
  • Sanjusangendo Temple - Renowned for its 1001 Kannon statues, Sanjusangen-do Temple’s main hall is one of the world’s longest wooden structures. It offers a profound experience of religious solemnity and artistic beauty, akin to walking in a “forest of Buddhist statues.”
  • Gion - Gion, Kyoto’s famous geisha district, captivates with its well-preserved traditional houses. At dusk, red lanterns light the streets, enhancing the mysterious atmosphere. Exploring the cobblestone streets with a guide provides insight into the enigmatic geisha culture.
What's Included
  • Licensed Local English Speaking Guide
What's Not Included
  • Transportation fee (Participants + Guide)
  • Entrance Fees (Participants + Guide)
  • Lunch (Participants + Guide)
  • Other Private Expenses
  • Private Vehicle
  • Hotel Pick-up
Additional Information

Explore the highlights of Kyoto with our friendly local guides who are not only knowledgeable but also passionate about their city. They will take you around the sites in most efficient way and provide you with in-depth insights into each site, ensuring you get the most out of your visit.

Kyoto is an old capital city of Japan, known for its rich history and culture spanning more than 1,000 years. Blessed with beautiful seasonal natural scenery and gardens, old cityscapes, and numerous World Heritages sties. This tour allows you to choose a few locations of your choice.

Join us for an unforgettable exploration of Kyoto, where tradition meets timeless beauty.

Please check “What To Expect” and choose 2 spots for 4-hour, 3 spots for 6-hour tour that you wish to visit.

  • A moderate amount of walking is involved. Please wear comfortable walking shoes
  • This is a walking tour. A private vehicle is not included.
  • Public transportation or local taxis maybe used to transfer between spots.
  • The tour will take place rain or shine.
Location
Kyoto Station
Meet at JR Kyoto Station (In front of Tourist Information)
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.7
(19 Ratings)
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G2864wu_
Jun 8, 2024
walk around Kyoto 4 hours - I would like to first express my gratitude to our guide. Everything was fun, dynamic, interesting and friendly. First we visited a temple sanjusangendo with over a thousand statues. This is an interesting place, especially if the guide tells you about it. A thousand gilded Kannon statues and their guards. Everyone should see it. Then we went to Fushimi Inami. We passed through 10,000 red gates. We went up to the top where we had a fantastic view of Kyoto. Time flew by. I recommend to everyone. Special thanks to the guide for creating such a pleasant atmosphere.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Thecomputercindy
Jun 7, 2024
Sanjusangen-do and Fushimi Inari Taisha private tour ⛩️ - Loved this private tour and learning more about two places I was really interested in! Sanjusangendo is such an amazing temple and I would have not understood the meaning if it was not for having a guide with me. I learned so much! I also picked Fushimi Inari Taisha, because I did not just want to take a photo and leave, but also learn more about its meaning. Such a beautiful place and the view from half way up the mountain was worth the short hike!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Trip38528591341
Jun 7, 2024
Wonderful experience - The tour was great! My guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. She shared many interesting facts about Japanese history and culture. I couldn’t have enjoyed it as much it without her. I highly recommend this trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Naomii523
Jun 7, 2024
Offered profound backgrounds by a local guide! - In this tour, our guide gave us profound backgrouds of some of the most popular spots in Kyoto. Our understanding of Kyoto wouldn't be this deep without a guide! Aslo, our guide organized the routes efficiently. Great help!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
M4647gw_
Jun 6, 2024
Amazing experience at Fushimi Inary and Sanjusangendo - We started our trip from Kyoto Station. The first location was a buddist temple, Sanjusangendo. It is a fantastic place with more then one thouthand statues silently have been looking at visitors during many centures... Thanks to our guide's deep knowledge concerning the temple and ability to explain difficult things in a simple way, I could learn a lot. The guide told us about many hidden points, explaining the meanings of each statue. So, there are many locations you can visit without a guide, but in Sanjusangendo it is a kind of must to go with a professional guide, like I did. Also we visited a Shinto shrine - Fushimi Inary. It is a wonderful, full of nature spirit shrine with extremely great amount of Torii - a kind of gates, which you are walking through during all your walk inside the shrine. There are many falk stories and legends related to this shrine, so only with a guide the visitors can know about them. And with this knowledge the trip here really has sence, not just taking colorful photos. I wish all the visitors have nice trip and ... a wonderful guide, as I had too☺️ P.S. Sorry for no pic from Sanjusangendo: taking photos is strictly prohibited by the temple.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
938melisag
May 23, 2024
Kyoto tour with amazing spots - Incredible tour! Super nice spots, really magic places. Show the real Japanese culture. The guide was very friendly and answered all the questions we had, enriching the tour with his knowledge. Great adventure!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Yenszet2022
May 21, 2024
Nice walking tour for half day trip. - We visited Fushimi Inari Shrine and Kyomizudera Temple. Our guide is nice and charming, told us interesting stories about these ancient buildings. Half day trip is fun!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Salserap
May 11, 2024
Excellent tour! - Ohh this was one of the most amazing tours I ever had in my life! So happy to have an incredible guide Osamu-san with his interesting, fun and fascinating stories and fun and friendly personality! He took us to the Nijoji Castle and Gion district. The tour was very well organized, not exausting walking, comfortable and fun. I would give this tour and the guide 100 stars if I could! Highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Salserap
May 27, 2024
Good - It was nice and our guide was very fun and friendly, but not very knowledgeable. But he is young and full of energy, so I am sure he will get more experienced over time. Thank you!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
983teachera
May 21, 2024
New insights to well-known Kyoto must-sees - The guide provided much information and experiences to try at well-known Kyoto tourist sites. He was able to explain the nuances of Japanese religions and the country's history.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
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June 2024
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