Kyoto

Kyoto Early Morning Tour with English-Speaking Guide

Badge of ExcellenceKyoto, Japan

5 hours
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

What's Included

English-Speaking Guide

Public Transportation Fare (About 1240 yen)
Food and Drinks
Admission fee for Kinkakuji Temple (500 yen)

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Kyoto Station
Higashishiokoji Kamadonocho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, 600-8216, Japan
Meeting spot is at Kyoto Station Central Ticket Gate. This is NOT the Shinkansen Tracks (Central Entrance). Instructions and details about the meeting spot is attached in our photos. (pages 4 to 6) You will NOT be able to attend the tour if you are late so please at the meeting spot 5 MINUTES EARLY.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Arashiyama

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Kinkaku-ji

1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions

Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
Travel time is included in total tour duration.
Check our instagram page for more about us @guidemejapan
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers

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

Featured review

David_F

Haruka was a great guide! We were able to visit the highlights and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves even though we dealt with some rain. She gave us insight on the history and importance of each site and made sure we enjoyed the tour. Definitely would recommend this if you want to avoid the crowds! Thank you!

Reviews

5.0

174 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 174 reviews

See Kyoto's highlights like a local.

Kate_M, May 2024

On this tour we got to see three main attractions and as they were quite spread out and this required public transportation it was easy to do it with a guide. Also the early morning start meant we could get around easily.

Response from Host, May 2024

Thank you so much for such a fantastic review! We are glad that you enjoyed this tour! Safe trips in Japan.

Fantastic Adventure in Kyoto!

Julia_T, Apr 2024

Vincent provided an incredible job with the tour and guide! He was knowledgeable, kind, patient, and funny! My friends and I are so happy that we booked this tour. We had the best adventure in Kyoto. Definitely a memorable experience. Arigato!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

We're thrilled to hear that you had such a fantastic experience with Vincent on our Kyoto tour! Delivering memorable adventures filled with knowledge, kindness, and laughter is what we strive for. Thank you for choosing us, and we look forward to welcoming you on another unforgettable journey soon! Arigato gozaimasu!

Delightful Saturday morning in Kyoto

Brian_S, Apr 2024

By starting early sites visited were relatively quiet. Tomo, our guide, had everything planned and paced perfectly including a coffee break. Tomo speaks perfect English and was very personable and informative.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that Tomo provided an excellent experience, and we're delighted that you enjoyed the tour!!

Early morning Kyoto tour

JULIE_S, Apr 2024

Absolutely amazing tour and guide. Haruka was an amazing guide. Super knowledgeable in the short time she has been a guide. This tour exceeded our expectations.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for your fantastic review! We're thrilled to hear that Haruka provided an exceptional experience. We appreciate your recommendation and look forward to welcoming you back for more memorable adventures in Kyoto!

Awesome walking tour!

Sheryl_T, Apr 2024

Hiro was awesome! He is very knowledgeable and made the tour interesting and fun!! So happy we booked this tour and were able to see all three places in half a day.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

We're thrilled to hear that you had such a great experience with Hiro! His expertise and enthusiasm truly enhance the tour experience. Thank you for choosing our tour to explore Kyoto's highlights.

Amazing sights with our fantastic guide, Hiro.

Calum_M, Apr 2024

Our guide, Hiro, took us to threw incredible Kyoto attractions. It was a fantastic tour which I would highly recommend to anyone wanting to see the main Kyoto attractions.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

We're delighted that you enjoyed your tour with our guide, Hiro, and thank you for recommending us! We hope to see you again soon for another incredible adventure!

Tomo is the best!

David_H, Apr 2024

Tomo was a great guide! The tour was on a tight timeline but he made sure that we made every train/bus to maximize our time at each location. Tomo explained a lot of the cultural significance of each temple as well as the small items that we saw along the way. He even knew the best places to take photos and made recommendations for places to go after the tour. At the end, Tomo was sure to help us get to each of our destinations. Very good tour and excellent guide!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

We're thrilled to hear that Tomo provided such a seamless and enriching experience during your tour! It's wonderful to know that he ensured you made the most of your time at each location while sharing insights into the cultural significance of the temples. Thank you for your kind words, and we hope to have the pleasure of guiding you on more adventures in the future!

Excellent Guide Helped Us See Highlights and Avoid Crowds

Marisa_D, Apr 2024

We had a great experience on our Kyoto Early Morning Tour. The guide was able to tailor the tour so our daughters could see the Monkey Park in addition to the bamboo forest and Fushimi Inari. By leaving so early, we were able to see the sights without large crowds. Koki was a great guide, very friendly and helpful. In addition to the sights, he helped us find the best snacks. I 100% recommend this experience.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

We're thrilled to hear that you had such a fantastic experience on our Kyoto Early Morning Tour with Koki! Thank you for recommending us, and we look forward to welcoming you back for more memorable adventures!

Can’t miss to do tour!

Yasheka_E, Apr 2024

Vincent was amazingly knowledgeable and funny. This tour was early which was good because we beat the traffic of everyone else. Thank you so much for an amazing time. Would recommend 100%

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that Vincent made your tour enjoyable and memorable. We look forward to welcoming you back on another adventure soon!

Early morning tour with a great guide

Ken_T, Apr 2024

Had a really good tour with Mako. She was very friendly, knowledgeable and a great leader through public transport, crowds etc - everything we needed in a tour guide. The early morning tour is a great idea to avoid the largest crowds.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you so much for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that you had a wonderful experience with Mako and enjoyed the early morning tour. We'll be sure to pass along your compliments to her and continue offering exceptional service to all our guests.

A great introduction to Kyoto’s highlights

Phyllis_B, Apr 2024

Our guide Tomo was very friendly and informative and he was able to answer all our questions. The tour was planned very well with train or bus rides between each destination. We especially enjoyed meeting all fellow travellers from all over the world

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for sharing your experience with us! We're delighted to hear that Tomo provided a friendly and informative tour, and we're glad you enjoyed the well-planned itinerary and the opportunity to meet fellow travelers. We strive to create memorable experiences for all our guests and appreciate your feedback!

Fantastic

lennea_w, Apr 2024

Beautiful morning getting an introduction to some of the popular sites to visit in Kyoto! Hiro was fantastic with site knowledge, concern for our comfort, recommendations for during our stay in Kyoto, and took very good photos of us at the sites! You see a lot in a short while so you don’t linger too long anywhere but for us it was perfect and being at sites early is essential and appreciated to avoid the crowds!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Sounds like you had a wonderful morning in Kyoto with Hiro! We're glad you enjoyed the efficient yet fulfilling tour!

Great sightseeing

Kady_B, Apr 2024

Tommy was clear about everything we were doing before we set off and was engaging and knowledgeable. I would definitely recommend if you are worried about traveling to all three places by yourself. Thank you, Tommy!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Glad to hear Tommy made your trip stress-free and enjoyable! Thanks for recommending him!

It was a really great and...

HANNA_I, Apr 2024

It was a really great and pleasant tour. Our guide told us the most important things and answered all the questions. Highly Recommend!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

We're delighted to hear that you had a fantastic and enjoyable experience during your tour with us! Ensuring that our guides provide comprehensive information and address all questions is a top priority. Thank you for your recommendation, and we look forward to welcoming you on another adventure soon!

Amazing Experience!

rebecca_n, Apr 2024

Highly recommend this tour! Hiro was knowledgeable, kind, funny, and went out of his way to make our morning enjoyable.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for the wonderful review! We're thrilled Hiro provided such a memorable experience, and we look forward to welcoming you back on another adventure soon!

Recommended!

Dhinesh_B, Apr 2024

Vincent was a great guide, informative and helpful. The tour was good, and allows 3 top sights to be covered in a fairly short time.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for sharing your experience! We're glad to hear Vincent provided informative and helpful guidance, allowing you to cover three top sights efficiently. We appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you on another tour soon!

Fantastic!

Elizabeth_V, Apr 2024

I am so glad we booked this tour! We learned so much about Japan, its history and the culture. Tomo was fantastic!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for your enthusiastic review! We're thrilled to hear that you had such a wonderful experience learning about Japan's rich history and culture with Tomo

Early morning walking tour beats the crowd and traffic

Sima_S, Apr 2024

Early start sure helps with congested traffic in tourist areas and that was the reason we decided on a walking tour. Our tour guide was as a sweet, polite and considerate young woman but she could be better versed in history and story telling.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We are committed to enhancing the quality of our services and the performance of our guides. We regret that we could not provide you with a better experience and would appreciate the opportunity to learn more about how we can improve. Could you please contact us via Viator's email to provide further details on areas where our guide could have done better? Your insights will be invaluable as we strive to deliver exceptional experiences in the future.

Great tour of Kyoto

Kerryl_D, Apr 2024

This was such a great tour made so much more enjoyable by our expert guide, Tomohiro. He provided meeting with photos so there was no waiting around. He explained the outline of the tour & away we went. Tomo's knowledge of the sites & Japanese history was fantastic. We also managed to avoid most of the crowds. Overall it was a fabulous tour and very good value. Highly recommend to anyone wanting to see the main areas of interest in Kyoto.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We're thrilled to hear that Tomohiro made your tour of Kyoto enjoyable and informative. It's great to know that his expertise and organization helped you avoid crowds and maximize your experience. We appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for more fabulous tours in the future!

Great tour with a wonderful guide! Don't miss out!

Mrky, Apr 2024

It was a rainy day in Kyoto, but that didn't let us dampen our spirits. Our guide Santa (Yes, Santa - how can we forget; no, not the jolly old man we all know) met us at Kyoto Station. He was a native english speaker having spent most of his young life in North America. For our small group tour of 7 people. He was able to plan it out that we were able to explore the stunning sights of timeless Kyoto and was able to avoid the large crowds that gathered much later in these popular destinations. At Fushimi Inari, he took us on a different route, which allowed us to take great pictures/memories to enjoy. At the Arashiyama Bamboo forest, he optimized taking a photo which showed the majestic bamboos standing behind us. We had a great time on the Early morning tour, Highly recommended as it not only gets you to see these amazing sights with less of the crowd but also it maximizes your experience in a relatively short time span, which gave us the opportunity to enjoy other areas of Arashiyama. ありがとうございます, Santa-san

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear that Santa made your rainy day tour in Kyoto a memorable experience. It's fantastic that his expertise in planning allowed you to explore the stunning sights while avoiding crowds and maximizing your time. We appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for more enjoyable adventures in the future!

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