Kyoto

Kyoto Private Night Tour: From Gion District To Old Pontocho, 100% Personalized

Name: Kyoto Private Night Tour: From Gion District To Old Pontocho, 100% Personalized
Brand: City Unscripted
SKU: 30791P240
Price: 197.86 USD
Rating: 4.5 (39 reviews)

Badge of ExcellenceKyoto, Japan

4 hours
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Overview

Stroll the back alleys of Kyoto, missed by many visitors, as dusk falls and they are at their most atmospheric on this private guided tour. In the company of just a guide and your party, see how ancient tradition blends with contemporary culture as you explore the enchanting wooden alleyways lit with traditional paper lanterns in the historic Gion district and the picturesque streets of old Pontocho, where, with luck, you might spot a geisha or two.

Private tour exclusively for your party
Explore hidden corners of historic neighborhoods as dusk falls
Get insights into local life and culture from your guide
Flexibility to customize the tour to your preferences

What's Included

Two drinks (local beer or non-alcoholic beverage)
4 hours with a host
Private walking experience (if required, your host can suggest public transport options)
Hotel meet-up (available on request for central location)

Food and any additional drinks
Tickets to any attractions
Transportation costs
Gratuities (optional)

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Matsumoto Kiyoshi Kyoto Shijo Kawaramachi
103-2 Hashimotochō, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, 600-8011, Japan
(The host will be waiting in front of the shop, under the roof covered area) After booking, you can adjust the meeting point to fit your preferences with the help of our Experience Planners.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Yasaka Shrine (Pass By)

Gion (Pass By)

Hanamikoji Street (Pass By)

Tatsumi Daimyojin Shrine (Pass By)

Gion Shimbashi Bridge (Pass By)

Pontocho District (Pass By)

Kamogawa River (Pass By)

Kiyamachi　Street (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
We’ll be in touch within 24 hours after booking to find out more about your personality, tastes and interests so we can assign a like-minded Local who can create a bespoke experience for you.
Stroller accessible

Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

4.5

39 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 39 reviews

Suitable for all ages - a must see

Sandra_K, May 2024

Guid Nehal very helpful and agreed to modify the trip to suit elderly people. Thoughtful and considerate guide. No one should miss this trip when in Kyoto. The food and drink venue unique - good fun.

Fantastic time with such a friendly guide

David_B, Apr 2024

We had a fantastic time and Michael was brilliant. He was very knowledgeable and showed us parts of Kyoto that we would not have seen. He was extremely friendly and chatty, which made us feel so at ease. Loved the whole experience and could not fault anything. We would definitely recommend Michael as a guide. Thank you

Response from Host, Apr 2024

We're thrilled that Michael was able to share his knowledge and show you unique parts of Kyoto. Thanks a million for the recommendation, and we'd love to have you back for more adventures.

Great experience with great guide!!

Ed_S, Apr 2024

Nehal was an amazing guide for this tour. Our family loved it. He was very knowledgeable about Gion and great company! Thank you!!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

It's fantastic to hear that you had such a wonderful experience with Nehal as your guide! His knowledge about Gion and his great company undoubtedly made your tour memorable. Thank you for sharing your appreciation, and I'm glad to hear that your family loved the tour!

Top Tour

cesareceni, Apr 2024

Amazing night walk with stunning Vanessa, highly recommend 🙏 visiting Kyoto after 5pm gives a different feeling of this magnificent town

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Think of us next time you travel, we have a network of over 1,200 hosts around the world. I am so happy to hear you had a great time with Vanessa! Your words are cherished!

Gion Night Tour

Linda_D, Mar 2024

Wonderful tour with Brenda. She has a deep knowledge of the area, and pointed out and took me to places I never would have found or noticed on my own. We had a wonderful drink and snack at a LOCAL izakawa, that didn't offer any English translations ... absolutely delicious. Highly recommend.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your time in Kyoto and savored the delicious drink and snack at a local Izakaya. Your positive review warms our hearts. Many thanks to you!

Fascinating cultural insights with a wonderfully, friendly guide

Bethany_R, Mar 2024

We are really grateful for the opportunity to have Hanako as a tour guide! We saw historic streets and enjoyed drinks by the river like the locals do! Hanako shared with us many fascinating stories and insights about Japan ranging from hundreds of years ago to modern times. She was also very kind to those of other faiths like myself as a Christian when opting not to pray at a shrine, and she was good at explaining the biggest religions of Japan. She gave us great recommendations for restaurants and stores to shop, letting us know that Kyoto is home to Nintendo’s main office (we later walked past it after the tour and knew the building’s significance)! Hanako was super fun to meet, and it was special being able to share time together. I was quite sad to see her go at the end, but she had recommended to us a super yummy place for dinner after the tour so it was time. Thank you so much for the hard work and friendliness! Hanako, we so appreciate you!

Response from Host, Mar 2024

We're delighted to hear that you had such a memorable and enjoyable experience with Hanako as your tour guide in Kyoto. We'll be sure to pass along your kind words to Hanako!

Keep changing the timing of tour

Rafidah_O, Mar 2024

The guide assigned to us changed the timing of the tour 2 times in 2 days leading up to the tour. The first change was the day before the tour and the 2nd change was a few hours before the tour. We only have 4 days in Kyoto and have set all our activities prior to coming here so that we could cover as many attractions as possible. Changing the timing of the tour just mess our plans up.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hi Rafidah, I completely understand your frustration with the changes in the timing of your tour. We understand the importance of sticking to a set schedule, especially when you have limited time to explore the city. Your feedback means a lot to us, and we will review our scheduling processes to ensure that such changes never happen. Our team hopes to have the opportunity to provide you with a smoother experience in the future. Warm regards, Ruslan and the City Unscripted Team.

A night in Kyoto

Ebony_L, Mar 2024

Our tour guide, Toga, was great. He responded promptly to our discussions prior to our tour. He was knowledgeable about the city. I asked to go to speakeasy bars and even had my own specific request which he incorporated and even took us to a very cool bar. I would recommend Toga and this tour.

Response from Host, Mar 2024

It's wonderful that Toga was able to accommodate your specific requests and take you to a cool bar. Thank you for recommending Toga and the tour!

Wonderful Night in Kyoto

Jordan_L, Mar 2024

Sam was a fantastic tour guide and we had a lot of fun! We were able to see a lot and visit several shops and try a lot of new foods. We also went to Yanaka shrine and it was beautiful to see at night. Would highly recommend Sam, he was great and made a very memorable experience!

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience with Sam! Yanaka Shrine sounds like a beautiful highlight of your tour. We appreciate your recommendation!

A vision of the heart of Kyoto...

ADAM_L, Jan 2024

Absolutely excellent. Super interesting. Relaxed vibe. Quality locations. Guide was a real professional and very knowledgeable. Thanks 🙏

Response from Host, Jan 2024

We're thrilled you had an absolutely excellent experience! The relaxed vibe, quality locations, and knowledgeable guide made it special. Thank you for your kind words!

Best Night Tour in Kyoto

Corinne_G, Nov 2023

This experience was incredible! Axel is an extremely knowledgeable guide studying Japanese culture and language. We walked all over Kyoto, drank at small local meet-up bars and were even lucky enough to see Geisha. Getting to learn about the history and culture of such a vibrant city, while out on the town was truly a delight! Cannot recommend this tour enough!

Response from Host, Dec 2023

We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your time with Axel, feeling as if you were with a knowledgeable friend. We look forward to the chance to welcome you back for another unforgettable experience!

Fantastic Experience

Verdune_B, Nov 2023

Sasha was a great guide - his knowledge and experience were extensive, and he was glad to share what he knew; he took us to places we would never have found on our own.

Response from Host, Nov 2023

Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! We're thrilled to hear that Sasha's knowledge and experience enhanced your tour experience. It's our goal to provide unique and enriching experiences that you might not discover on your own. We appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you back for more adventures in the future.

A night tour you wouldn’t want to miss

ALI_H, Nov 2023

Our tour guide’s name was Taiga. This night tour in Kyoto was absolutely enchanting. Taiga was incredibly knowledgeable about the city and its hidden gems and also passionate about sharing the rich history of the temples and shrines. He took us to breathtaking spots, shared fascinating stories and historical insights along the way. It was a truly immersive experience, and I highly recommend this night tour with Taiga for an unforgettable adventure in Japan (Kyoto) 🇯🇵😊 You will not regret this! Thank you Taiga for this amazing tour.

Response from Host, Nov 2023

I'm so happy you had a great time exploring Kyoto with Taiga! He's a gem, isn't he? Thanks a million for the recommendation and we'd love to have you back for more adventures.

Brilliant night tour of magical Gion!

Tamara_J, Oct 2023

This was one of the best walking tours we've been on. Our host, Taiga, was absolutely brilliant - he took us through a number of hidden back streets and alleys of Gion that were off the tourist path, and was a wealth of information about the history of the area. We visited a local Shrine and Taiga told us about the difference between a shrine and a temple, and really personalised the information to our interests. He also took us to a local restaurant and bar where we samples some local dishes. He was great fun and we thoroughly enjoyed walking around Gion with him, learning about the history, culture and traditions of the area. We'd recommend this tour to anyone looking to uncover some hidden gems in one of the world's most magical cities.

Night Life not to be missed

Ye_L, Oct 2023

Gion area and the other part of the city center in the night time is so different. Although this night tour is more for the bar-hopping, but guide Kenya has adjusted the itinerary to show us various aspects of night Kyoto where only locals know.

Highly recommend the tour

Dina_S, Oct 2023

Alex our guide had fantastic knowledge about the area and the history. He showed us some hidden gems. Great tour to do at night as the streets were not crowded

Beautiful Kyoto by night

Praveena_S, Oct 2023

This tour was excellent way to see Kyoto at night. It’s beautiful with all the lights etc. our tour guide Kento was awesome and he followed all our interests and took us to great places and off beaten paths which we had requested. Highly recommend this tour to see the Gion district at night

Worth the time and effort!

Alfred_H, Aug 2023

I had a great time at the Fushimi Inari shrine! The guide showed a genuine interest in providing a great experience.

One of the highlights of our trip!

cposgay, Aug 2023

We had mentioned that we wanted to try Okonomiyaki and Kenya did not rest until he found a spot that served it. He also introduced us to Sparkling Sake which we really enjoyed. He is a knowledgeable and personable guide and we all really enjoyed our evening with him.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Hi! I am so happy to hear that Kenya did it again! He is a great host and always tries his very best to personalize the experience for our guests. Your review has brightened our day. Your support means the world!

We saw geisha’s with Chai!

Bobbi_F, Jun 2023

Chai was a wonderful guide. She made it fun and engaging, and she has an amazing ability to capture the perfect picture in the night of Gion. Her knowledge of the city, areas and history is exceptional. Her personality is warm and friendly. The night flew by as we felt we were in the company of a long time friend. I highly recommend Chai.