Top Kyoto Holidays

Learn all about the history and techniques of sake production—and taste a range of different sake styles—on this small-group Kyoto tour. Visit the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum for an immersive introduction to sake. Then, follow your guide to an atmospheric local bar where you can sample a range of different sake varieties. Learn all about sake—from its history and brewing processes to distinguishing its different tastes.

Prepare for battle as you learn the skills of the samurai during this interactive class studying the basic techniques of these ancient Japanese warriors. Pick from multiple durations—with longer classes including more complex movements using a sword and folding fan. When your class ends, enjoy a photo session with your samurai costume and receive a certificate of completion as well as a souvenir Japanese towel.

◼︎Drink like a local! Bar hopping in the backstreets of Pontocho◼︎ To start this All-in-one bar hopping walking tour that Drinks & Foods are all included, our local guide will take you to an izakaya bar (a local tavern) on Pontocho street, one of the most well known night streets, full of local izakayas. We will be taking you to places only the locals know and recommend, making for a one and only experience! ◼︎Various drink and izakaya food tastings◼︎ We'll continue bar hopping walking around in the backstreets of Kyoto. You can try some authentic izakayas that serve yakitori or sashimi with crisp, cold draft beer. If you're a sake-lover, we will help you navigate through a sake standing bar that serves Kyoto-made sake. You can enjoy the night like a local! Magical Trip is a local tour operator with the TripAdvisor certificate of excellence that offers various types of small-group tours throughout Japan! Check out our Trip Advisor Page for more tours and our reviews!

Would you like to experience restaurants and bars LOVED by locals? Hi I am Takeshi, your friendly personal guide who’s passionate about Kyoto’s Bar Hopping scene. On this tour I will guide you to authentic bars and restaurants so you can really experience Kyoto like a local. You will discover delicious food and drinks whilst meeting new people! This will be an experience you won’t forget. I will guide you Places you can’t easily Google!!! By taking this tour, you will support the local businesses of Kyoto Only guests over 20 years old, up to 4people in total can participate. This tour is private tour so you can enjoy with your friends! If you have any special requests for location, food, dates, etc., I will be happy to organize a tour to meet your needs. I am sincerely looking forward to joining you on a tour that will make you feel "I am really glad I came to Kyoto!"

Kyoto’s beautiful area of Arashiyama is known for its bamboo groves, but instead of being stuck in crowds—this small-group activity offers a completely different experience. Enjoy a hands-on lesson in a bamboo craftsman’s house and learn how to make your own bamboo souvenir—such as an LED lantern, sake bottle, teacup, or even a smartphone holder.

Learn to make artistic sushi rolls during your own private ‘kazarimaki’ class in Kyoto. Kazarimaki is the art of making designs within a sushi roll, using edible pigments extracted from plants to create colorful patterns in the sushi. Your instructor also provides a kimono (for women) or other traditional garments (for men and children) to wear during the experience.

Kyoto is not the only place for sightseeing at noon, you can also enjoy real nightlife in Kyoto! We will take you to real local bar and izakaya, difficult to find for foreigners. Also take you to some deep & hidden places you never know. This experience is not just for local foods and drinks, give you the opportunity to connect with local people.

For those new to the Japanese rice wine, sake can be something of a mystery. Unravel those mysteries on this tour to Kyoto's Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, which has been making sake since 1637. See how producers have made sake throughout the past few hundred years, and understand the techniques they use. Enjoy sampling some of the sake and then have lunch (included) in the restaurant.

This unique bar hopping program is available only during the summer months of July and throughout August. After meeting your master guide, you will first make a toast at a standing　bar, which is not easy to enter, even for Japanese people at first glance! After enjoying sake and snacks casually with the locals, take a cab to a limited-time "beer garden" (open-air bar, a Japanese summer tradition) where Maikos will serve you. Only here will you have a memorable time with Maikos! Includes one drink and one dish (entrance fee to the beer garden) at each bar. *If you would like a Maiko to attend to you, you can order more, but you must pay for them yourself. Cash only. *Please note in advance that you are responsible for your return to your hotel or other place after the tour.

Pub crawls – or “nomi aruki,” as we call them in Japan – are an excellent way to see a side of Kyoto that tourists usually miss. Your guide, Kenji, spent many years working at a sake brewery in Hyogo. His duties included the pleasure of tasting over 1,000 sakes from breweries in Japan – and around the world. Kenji will take you to two or three special bars with delicious food and drinks tailored to your individual preferences. Explore Kyoto's sake, craft beer, and food culture with Kenji, a certified international sake sommelier, right in the heart of Kyoto! Even if you don't consume alcohol, you're welcome to enjoy Kyoto's delicious cuisine with us, but all guests on the tour need to be at least 20 years old. It's very important that we know about any dietary restrictions you might have. Please let us know when you make your reservation. Group size: 2 - 4 people

Ready for a night to remember? Step into the shoes of a Kyoto local as you venture into the city's vibrant nightlife with our "Kyoto Night Owls" tour. You'll start at the buzzing Shijo Kawaramachi, where urban energy and an array of bars await. Traverse Kiyamachi Street, a treasure trove of hidden sake bars and enticing yakitori stands, before winding your way through the timeless alleys of Pontocho, a geisha district steeped in tradition. Each stop is an opportunity to clink glasses with locals and fellow travelers, tasting Kyoto's spirit in every sip. Ready for the night of your life? The stage is set.

Kiyamachi and Pontocho Bar Hopping Tour with Local Guides (Non-Private) Join us on a fun tour of the best bars and izakayas in Kiyamachi and Pontocho. Visit three unique spots, each with its own special atmosphere, and enjoy a variety of delicious Japanese drinks and food in one night. Spend about an hour at each place, trying local favorites. Our friendly guide, dressed in a yukata, will help you choose the best items on the menu based on what you like. From lively bars to cozy izakayas, this tour shows you the real Kyoto nightlife. Drink great sake, eat tasty snacks, and have fun with other travelers and locals. Don't miss this chance to discover Kyoto's hidden bar scene and make amazing memories. Book your spot on our Kyoto Bar Hopping Tour now and let us show you a great time!

Fushimi, located in the south of Kyoto, is famous for Fushimi Inari Shrine, especially famous for its thousand torii (torii gates). But that is not all! Fushimi has a very special sake brewery place. Fushimi Sake has been produced for more than 2,000 years, and the old streets have been preserved as the "Fushimi Sake Brewery. Also, you can enjoy Japanese sake tasting at breweries. Although not well known to tourists, why not visit Fushimi's sake breweries along with a visit to Fushimi Inari Shrine? We provide comfortable transportation to make the best of such a valuable experience. Kyoto's trains and buses are very cumbersome and walking in the extreme heat can be very difficult, so why not visit some of Fushimi's lesser-known sights in comfort with us.

Ignite the flame of your love story as you journey through the romantic corners of Kyoto. Our specially curated tour lets you and your beloved delve into the fascinating narrative of Kabuki's origins, adding a dramatic touch to your shared experiences. Lose yourselves in the lively pulse of the Geisha district, Gion, and engage in spiritual moments at the enchanting Yasaka Shrine. Let the serene Kamo Gawa riverside be your sanctuary for intimate whispers and stolen kisses. The climax of your love story unfolds with a vibrant Kabuki performance at Minami-za, a thrilling cultural rendezvous. This is your tale of love, and we are here to help you write it, one magical moment at a time.

Witness the captivating Kyoto Gion Festival, a vibrant celebration of Japanese tradition. Marvel at colorful floats, traditional music, and mesmerizing performances. Reserve your seat now to be part of this iconic cultural event in Kyoto's rich heritage!

You'll discover Japanese style bars in hidden alleys of Kyoto where usually only locals enjoy food and drinks. Expert guide will have a brief consulting before you start the program. Then, the guide will lead you to appropriate bars according to your taste. Discover small streets flooded with small bars and shops like Japanese confectionery stand, small bars and local food-markets in Kawaramachi area, Kyoto. For those who are interested, there are chances to try local food while walking. At the bar, guide is willing to help you to find out good paring of Sake and local-side-dishes. There're several types of bars and each bar has unique home-made Kyoto-style food. We also offer opportunities to taste local Kyoto food which are not normally on tourist menu. You also get a chance to visit a small shrine in a hidden area, you'll hear interesting history behind it. Walking around Kyoto alone is joyful, but we assure you'll see different sides of Kyoto.

Experience the grandeur of Kyoto's Gion Festival with our exclusive ticket packages! Recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2009, the Gion Festival's iconic Yamahoko Procession is a spectacle like no other. Picture this: the vibrant echoes of Gion-bayashi filling the summer air, towering yamaboko floats, some as tall as 5 to 8-story buildings, majestically parading through the streets. It's a moving masterpiece, a grand pageant of lavish beauty. Our tour package not only includes tickets to the Gion Festival but also provides guided access to your viewing seatts by our expert photographer-guides. Capture the awe-inspiring moments with a one-hour professional photoshoot after witnessing the parade up close. Preserve the magic of this unforgettable experience in stunning photographs that will keep the memories alive forever. Don't miss this chance to be part of one of Japan's most iconic cultural celebrations!

Join one of Japan's most famous festivals, the Gion Matsuri Festival, and enjoy a Lake Biwa Cruise with a lunch buffet, visit the famous Yasaka Shrine, including tickets to view the Gion Matsuri Festival Procession in 2024, stroll through the nicely preserved old town of Omi Hachiman, and visit La Collina Omihachima, which offers beautiful green landscapes and unique places including cafes and bakeries.