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Fully customizable private half day tour in Kyoto
There are so many great places in Kyoto that you probably want to visit but perhaps not enough time. Also, Kyoto is getting very crowded due to a lot of foreigners visiting there. It is best to have a local person guiding you to come up with a plan that suits your preference.
I can create a tour with you which includes not only popular places like the Golden Pavilion and Fushimi Inari but small temples with Wabi Sabi such as those in Sagano and the oldest Japanese sweet shop in Murasakino.
Meeting Point
At your hotel or wherever you choose
Kiyomizu Temple
Will visit Kiyomizu temple which is one of the most well known temples in Japan. Established in the 8th century and the temple has been welcoming people from across Japan and now from all over the world. It is one temple that is better to have someone explaining the meanings of all the areas inside.
Walk on Sannenzaka and traditional narrow paths to Gion
Will stroll on the famous Sannenzaka after seeing Kiyomizu temple and see the well known Yasaka pagoda. We will continue walking towards Gion by going through the old traditional narrow paths.
Gion area
Will go through Gion area where you can see the traditional tea houses that Maiko/Geiko (Geisha) entertain customers. If you are lucky, we might be able to come across the beautiful geisha ladies going out and about.
Nishiki Market
After going through the traditional Gion area, we will walk over to the Kyoto's Kitchen, the Nishiki Market. All kinds of Japanese food especially ones famous in Kyoto such as Kyoto pickles are there to see and possibly try. Kitchen related items such as the famous Aritsugu knives are sold here.
Ending Point
West side exit of the Nishiki Market (Takakura street)
Want to personalize this tour?
- Our tours can be customized according to your needs and preferences
- Click below to tell us what you are looking for:
Inclusions & Exclusions
- Interpretation/guide fee, hotel pick up
- Transportation fee (you and the guide), lunch (you and the guide), entrance fee, experience fee (if included)
Examples of entrance fees: Kiyomizu temple ¥400, The golden Pavilion ¥500, Daitokuji ¥1,550 for three sub temples,
Arashiyama Monkey Park ¥600
Tour Important Information
- In order to create a fully customized tour, we need enough time to plan together. Please book well ahead of your time of travel to allow
enough time to communicate by email and come up with the best tour for you.
- This tour involves walking and public transportations.
- The guide will not be liable for any injuries or loss incurred during the tour. It is recommended to have overseas travel insurance.
Also, please remember to carry enough cash in Japanese Yen since some small stores do not accept credit card. Thank you.
Important message from the supplier
For some tours I can not guide everyday due to store closings. Please check my availability on each tour page. Thank you!
Cancellation Policy
- Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
- 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
- No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
Kyoto Tour Reviews
Jeannie F.
Fully customizable your own private tour in Kyoto
“Wonderful Day in Kyoto!”
We had a wonderful first day exploring Kyoto with Nori! He took us to the sites we wanted to see while providing information and fun on our tour! Nori tailored the tour so we explored everything we wanted to and he provided information on other in Kyoto that we were curious about. Nori arrived on time and is a fabulous tour guide!
Nori I.
(15 reviews)Thanks so much for your kind words. I really appreciate it. It was really hot that day but you two had enough energy and stamina to go around the places we planned. Please come back sometime to see other beautiful places in Kyoto someday!
Killian R.
Fully customizable your own private tour in Kyoto
“If we could give Nori 10 stars we would!!! ”
Perfect English. Amazing knowledge of history. We had just a grand time with Nori. We went to the best places and he really spent the time prior to our meet up date getting to know what we wanted out of the tour. Picked a great place for lunch and just had such patience with us. If you are traveling to Kyoto I totally recommend Nori. Our whole family agree he made our trip to Kyoto very memorable!
Nori I.
(15 reviews)Thank you for your very kind comments. I really appreciate it. The change of plan in the morning made me panic a little bit but still I guess I passed your test! I am really glad that you all enjoyed the tour. Two things I need to remember for my future tours. One is the toilet at Imamiya shrine and the other is where to find a nice snow globe…. LOL Enjoy the rest of your trip. If you need my help, don’t hesitate to contact me anytime. Thanks again!
“Amazing time with a local guide who skillfully and passionately shared his knowledge of beautiful Kyoto ”
Nori was an amazing guide and helped us efficiently explore beautiful Kyoto. He had great recommendations on sweets, photo spots and a lunch spot for yummy curry at a smaller mom and pop restaurant. He had us visit less a couple of less busy Zen temples off of the beaten track which was a nice break from the more famous ones. We were able to see Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Nishiki Market and Gion area in our 8 hour tour. We would have only gotten through half of that on our own. We learned a lot from Nori. He was a wealth of knowledge on the customs, history and local restaurants/foods to try. We hope to try his home city tour on our next trip to Japan.
Nori I.
(15 reviews)Thanks for your kind comments. I really appreciate it. I think by the end of the day I tired everyone out, so I was concerned but I am really glad to hear you had a great time! Yes, if you come back next time, I will take you all to even more fun places! Take care!
