Kyoto

Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide

Badge of ExcellenceKyoto, Japan
Kyoto Half day Private Custom Tour with National Licensed Guide
  • 4 hours
  • Pickup offered
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

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Overview

Follow a customizable itinerary through Kyoto during this bespoke half-day private tour. Simply select with attractions you’d like to visit and enjoy an in-depth visit in the company of your own personal nationally licensed guide. Tours include a front-door pickup at the front of your hotel. Travel like a local by public transportation or taxi; upgrade to include a private car at an additional cost.
  • A half-day private tour of Kyoto with a nationally licensed guide
  • Enrich your visit to Kyoto’s top attractions with insider knowledge and commentary
  • Build your own itinerary, choosing from the city’s most unmissable heritage attractions
  • Relax with hotel pickup on foot; upgrade to arrange for a private vehicle

What's Included

  • Licensed Local English Speaking Guide
  • Customizable Tour of your choice of 2-3 sites from 'What to expect' list
  • Meet up with guide on foot within designated area of Kyoto
  • 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.

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

This private tour is a walking day tour. A private vehicle is not included. Public transportation or local taxis maybe used to transfer between sites. Exact transportation costs can be discussed with the guide after a reservation is finalized. Please have Japanese Yen on hand for your transportation costs. If you wish to arrange for a private vehicle, please contact us directly. All Private vehicles must be booked 5 days in advance. Maximum number of passengers: 7.

What To Expect

Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine

1 minute • Admission Ticket Free

Nijo Castle

1 minute • Admission Ticket Not Included

Gion

1 minute • Admission Ticket Free

Nishiki Market Shopping District

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Kiyomizu-dera Temple

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Kyoto Imperial Palace

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Pontocho

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Higashiyama Ward

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Ginkakuji Temple

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Nanzenji Suirokaku

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Tofuku-ji Temple

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Toji

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Kinkakuji Temple

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Ninna-ji Temple

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Shugakuin Imperial Villa

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Kibune River

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Kurama-dera

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Ryoanji Temple

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Arashiyama

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Katsura Imperial Villa

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Daikaku-ji Temple

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Tenryuji Temple

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Yoshimine-dera

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Togetsukyo Bridge (Pass By)

Bamboo Forest Street (Pass By)

Okochi Sanso Garden

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Tenryuji Temple

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Jojakkoji Temple

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Nisonin

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Gioji Temple

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Katsura Imperial Villa

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Shugakuin Imperial Villa

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Kennin-ji Temple

1 minute • Admission Ticket Not Included

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Transportation is wheelchair accessible
  • Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This is a walking tour. Pick up is on foot.
  • 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.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

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Reviews

5.0
358 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
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Reviews by Viator travelers.
Showing 1-10 of 358 reviews
Kyoto private tour with our tour guide was the best experience
Smitty_S, May 2024
We arranged a 4 hour walking tour of Kyoto with Kaori. She met us on the Shinkansen train platform as we arrived from Tokyo. Kyoto station is very busy and she was right outside the train car door waiting for us. This was a very stress-free way to start our tour of Kyoto. Prior to our tour, we had several communications with Kaori to create the itinerary. Our day started with a visit to the Fushimi Inari Shrine. As we toured the shrine, Kaori provided narration sharing several interesting facts about the site. After that we walked from the shrine downtown to take our son the the Nintendo Kyoto store. This was the highlight of the day for him. We then visited the Gino district and then the highlight of the afternoon; the Nishiki market. This is a bustling market that sells everything you can imagine. The food opportunities were endless. Kaori guided us to a small sashimi stand where we indulged in a vast selection of exotic treats including blowfish, whole baby octopus, and squid. Once we exited the market, we wrapped up the tour with a relaxing stop at a Saki bar. Kaori then escorted us back to the Shinkansen platform at the Kyoto station.
The hike was worth it!
ceceliatee66, Apr 2024
Kazu met us at our hotel and navigated us through the modes of transportation so that we were able to experience them before they closed. Monkey Park was tops on our list and it was definitely an experience- the climb is not for the weak of heart! Kazu was patient, kind, and considerate of our desires there and at the Bamboo Forest and the Gion area. He was great!
Awesome tour.
Cammie_F, Apr 2024
Kaz, our tour guide, was great! Very knowledgeable and answered all our questions. Catered the tour to us and was ready to alter plans if the weather didn’t cooperate. We had a wonderful time and would recommend this.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thank you very much for a lovely review! It was a great pleasure for me to escort you throughout the city of Kyoto with your husband and I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed the tour. I deeply appreciate your kind words and recommendation. Wish you all the best! Kaz
Private walking tour
Nabeel_K, Apr 2024
Yuko kishihara was our guide, she was very informative and knowledgeable. Yuko helped us navigate the trains, and provided great historical and cultural background to the sites. Highly recommended.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thank you so much for your warm review! I was so happy to guide you.I hope you'll enjoy the rest of the days in Japan and come back again! It would be wonderful to see you again in the future. Wishing you many more amazing adventures during your stay and safe travels! Yuko
Naoki was a great guide....
Stacey_G, Apr 2024
Naoki was a great guide. Very informative and helped us navigate the transit system to see as many sites as we could during our tour. We would not have been able to see as much as we did without him. He also showed us where to buy special treats that I would have likely just walked by without trying. This private tour was much better and cheaper than booking an excursion on our cruise ship.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thank you for your kind comments about my guide in Kyoto. I am very happy to know that you all enjoyed your visit to Kyoto. I will do my best to help visitors from foreign countries enjoy their stay in Japan. Thank you Naoki
Beautiful sights with an excellent tour guide.
Ellie_B, Apr 2024
We had Yuka for this tour and she was absolutely brilliant. Excellent communication before the tour and took on board all of our requests. She was so welcoming, attentive and interesting to talk to. Yuka took us to see the Golden Pavilion (stunning) then to the bamboo forest via a pretty temple and gardens. Yuka helped us negotiate the network of subways, buses and trams. Thank you so much for looking after us so well Yuka. We really enjoyed today and our conversations with you.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Hi! Thank you for your beautiful comments! It was my privilege to see your happy faces when you visited Golden Pavilion, Bamboo Forest, etc. I'm really happy to know that you enjoyed the tour with me even though I've let you walk too much. Thank you your many questions about my country, especially about our constitution. If we have a next chance to see, I'll explain it more concisely. Hope see you again in EXPO'25 in Osaka! Yuka
Excellent
FuiLing, Mar 2024
Koji san is excellent guide, very knowledgeable historian and culture. Able to adapt to different needs of a family with diverse interests
Fantastic walking tour
Sonia_W, Mar 2024
Our group of 7 thoroughly enjoyed the tour provided by Don Tanaka. Don provided a lot of information about Japanese history and culture and was very entertaining. We covered a lot of ground, including trips by train, and certainly would not have seen anywhere near as much if we were self navigating. I would definitely recommend this to anyone travelling to Kyoto.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Thank you very much for your warm comments about my tour. The day was blessed with great weather, and our visits to Arashiyama, Tenryu-ji, the Bamboo Grove, and Ryoan-ji were truly memorable. I am delighted to hear that you were satisfied with my guidance. Kyoto still has many more places worth visiting, and I sincerely hope you will consider coming back to explore more of what this beautiful city has to offer. Please also extend my regards to all the members of the tour group. I look forward to meeting you again. Don
Osaka walking Tour with Andy
Richard_D, Mar 2024
We signed up for this tour with Andy a UK guy who’s lived in Japan for over 20 years and is fluent in Japanese. We had a fab tour with him . His historical knowledge is amazing , he’s entertaining to listen to and engaged well with all members of his group. He’d thought out his route well to give us the best views/photo opportunities whilst avoiding the busier areas . He was also good at keeping the group together and moving at a reasonable pace whilst allowing people to stop and make small Purchases or ask questions about passing things . It was a fantastic introduction to Osaka . Would highly recommend .
Wonderful Tour for Families!
Megan_M, Mar 2024
Our time was amazing! We saw so much, learned so much and was overwhelmed with the kindness of our guide.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Thank you for your kind review! On the tour day, it rained so hard that we toured in a slower pace. But I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed our tour. I hope you’ll come back to Japan soon to visit other places, too. Thank you for your comment. Kaeko
From Osaka to Kyoto
Dana_B, Mar 2024
With our tour guide Emi we had a wonderful day. We saw remarkable sites with a guide who was very knowledgeable and pleasant.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Thank you very much for your amazing review. I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed the Kyoto tour with me.You are so wonderful guests, and I really enjoyed guiding you in Kyoto. Hope you had good memories of Kyoto. Thank you, Emi
Great tour! Great introduction to Kyoto.
Gerard_C, Mar 2024
February/2024 Our guide, Hiro, was very attentive and prompt in responding to us once we had booked the tour. Hiro catered to our interests and we packed a lot into a 4 hour period covering many of the highlights of Kyoto. Hiro ensured that we saw everything we had asked to see and also provided lots of great insight and history about the sites we visited. As it was our first day in Kyoto, Hiro was a great help in introducing us to the Kyoto train and subway system and he even helped us in booking our train to Narita for the following day. Our entire family would highly recommend this tour and would like to thank Hiro for a great job! Gerry C. and family
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Dear my Guests, Thank you very much for your supreme review. I'm so happy to hear you and your family have enjoyed the excursion with me. I would be happy if you would like this country even more. Hopefully, see you again some day! Hiro Hiro
Excellent resource for all of your Kyoto experiences!
Jill_K, Mar 2024
Yoji was our guide and he was amazing. We went to Nijo Castle, and the textiles district. We learned so much about the symbolism in design from him. We also learned how silk fiber is made and had the opportunity to spin silk thread at the textile education center. The depth of his knowledge, the details of history and engaging personality helped us gain additional appreciation for the city and culture. We feel like we have a friend in Kyoto now!
Perfect walking tour of Kyoto
Philip_H, Feb 2024
Such a memorable walking tour of Kyoto with our amazingly friendly guide Mr Moto-san :-) Everything was so very well organized and timed - and suitable both us growns up and our 9-year old son perfectly. Highly recommended as we only had a total of 7 hours in Kyoto to see exactly what we wanted.
Kyoto tour with Shu, very well organized and infirmative.
Megan_C, Feb 2024
Our guide Shu, was thoughful and experienced helping us around the three sites today. We visited the Gion District, with a glimpse of a Maiko. Also the Nanzenji Buddhist Temple, and the Suirokaku Aqueduct and then traveling on to the Fushimi Inari Taisha Sembon Torii Gates. We stopped for a coffee and rest along the way. Shu helped us to quickly organize subway tickets and made sure we were safe crossing busy roads. We had a lovely morning. 😀
Response from Host, Feb 2024
I am proud of your speaking highly of me. It is my pleasure if I could help foreign traveler as a Japanese. Hopefully you will come back to Kyoto again. Thank you so much. Shu
Great way to See Kyoto
Anne_C, Feb 2024
We so enjoyed our tour with Taku. We learned so much about Kyoto history and culture. He has great knowledge of the city and knew the best ways to get places. He also showed us some hidden gems we would have never found on our home. We would highly recommend this tour for anyone visiting Kyoto!
Response from Host, Feb 2024
I really enjoyed the Kyoto tour with my wonderful guests from the US. We did our best in the 4 hours and it was great! It was great fun to talk about the NFL especially 49ers! Thank you so much for your smile and cooperation throughout the tour. Taku
Great tour
YuriyPetriv, Jan 2024
Aki was great. A really friendly and knowledgeable guide. You should 100% do this tour or the longer one. Her food recs were 😋
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Thank you for your beautiful comment！　Your big smile made me really happy. I could not be more grateful to you two for sharing such a beautiful day with you ! Hope to see you again ! Warmest regards, Aki
A must do for your Kyoto trip!
Amandalin_A, Jan 2024
Kazu San was the most wonderful guide. So very informative and also suggested so many wonderful other things to do and see while on our holiday. He shared beautiful stories and interesting facts. Also shared great dining recommendations.
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Hello again. I am deeply grateful for your review message on Viator's. It's my pleasure that you could enjoy the tour in Kyoto with me a lot in the way that you did in your review message. I suppose you are now back in your home town, suffering from jet lag again maybe ? but still I hope you could do visit Kyoto again someday as the touring in Kyoto - it never gets old :） See you then ! Kazu
Wonderful tour of Kyoto sites
Kevin_L, Jan 2024
What can I saw Hide was a fantastic guide in taking our family to some of Kyoto’s most notable sites. He was of course extremely knowledgeable about the sites, but I truly loved and appreciated various lesser known secret/side points of interest he would take us to at those sites. Hide was very kind and accommodating to our family throughout our tour and we all simply loved having him as our tour guide.
Response from Host, Jan 2024
I'm very glad to receive your excellent review. It is very fine day to see the golden Pavilion beautifully reflected on the mirror pond. And we enjoyed walking through 1,000 shrine gates in Fushimi inari Taisha. Your children tried to lift up the stone balls. They are called “omokaruishi”, or we call magical stones. I'm sure they feel lighter than you imagine. I wish you and all your family good health and happiness. Hide
Great tour and guide!
Jimmy_B, Jan 2024
Yoshi was great, he expertly guided us through three great locations, and I think he also has the train schedule memorized - so we never waited around with nothing to do! We went to Fushimi-Inari to see the 10,000 torii gates, the exquisitely peaceful Nijo Castle, and a treat for all the senses at Nishiki Market! Highly recommend this tour, and Yoshi as your guide!
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Thank you for visiting our little country. Although the tour itself lasted only four hours, it was an honour to meet you and share with you about many things. We look forward to seeing you again somewhere else. Take care. Yoshi Tanizawa
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up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

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