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Kyoto Alley Walking Tour (Full Day)
Kyoto served as a capital city where the Emperor resided between 798 and 1868. The ancient capital city has been designated as a UNESCO cultural heritage. This walking tour gives you a fun time to experience wondering in the backstreets where a few tourists visit. You can walk in the famous Geisya quarter including Miyagawacho and Gion, Keninji Zen Temple, Shirakawa riverside and more.You have a fun walking in the alley in Kyoto. You can encounter Geiko (Geisya) or Maiko if you are lucky.
Meeting Point
At your hotel or JR Kyoto Station
Your Hotel or JR Kyoto Station
Condition: Tour time would be changed, depending on where you stay and what time you want.
Higashi Honganji Temple
Higashi Honganji, or “Eastern Temple of the First Vow” is one of two head temples of the Jodo Shinshu sect of Pure Land Buddhism, the most popular form of Buddhism in Japan.
Geisya quarter and Kenninji Zen Temple
You can encounter Geino and Maiko if you are lucky.
Kenninji Zen temple is famous for the tea culture foundation. The founder priest, Eisai brought back tea philosophy from China. You can see green tea leave hedge in the precinct.
Lunch
A restaurant is supposed to arrange by the tour guide.
Please notice your allergies and prohibited food for your health and /or religious reasons beforehand.
Houkanji Temple/Yasaka Pagoda
It is said that Houkanji Temple was built in 837 before the capital relocation.
The temple is famous for its pagoda called "Yasaka no Tou" by Kyoto local.
Yasaka Shrine
records, its history might stretch back to 656 during the Asuka Era, which was the second year of Emperor Saimei's reign. It's said that Irishi, a visitor from Korea, brought the spirit of Susanoo-no-mikoto to this location.
Apart from this perspective, another account states that in the Jogan Era of 876, a Buddhist monk named Ennyo, hailing from Nara Prefecture, established a temple. Within this temple, he enshrined Susanoo-no-mikoto, the deity of the region.
Gion Geisya Quarter and Tatsumi Shrine
Tatsumi shrine is located south-east direction from the palace.
Zodiac calender shows Tatsu（辰: Dragon）-Mi（巳：snake) as south-east.
Shirakawa River side
You can challenge crossing Gyojyabashi that is a stone-build bridge with 67cm in width and 12m in length. You can enjoy traditional Kyoto sweets at the riverside.
Heianjingu Shrine
Heian Jingu was constructed in 1895 to align with the festivities commemorating the 1,100th year since the establishment of Heiankyo, the imperial capital of Japan during the period spanning from the late eighth to the mid-nineteenth centuries. The shrine is dedicated to Emperor Kanmu (737–806), the inaugural ruler of the Heian era (794–1185), and Emperor Komei (1831–1866), the final monarch to hold sway from Heiankyo.
Kyoto Palace
The Emperor used to reside at the Kyoto palace before the capital relocation. The place is open to the public as a park.
Your hotel or Local dissolution
The tour guide will take you back to your hotel by the public transportation, or arrange a taxi to your hotel.
Ending Point
At your hotel or the tour's final destination
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Inclusions & Exclusions
Guide Fee, Hotel pick-up
Admission, Transportation Fee, Lunch, Souvenirs, Beverage
Tour Important Information
Please wear sneakers since this tour is walking tour.
A restaurant is to be arranged by the tour guide.
Please tell your prohibited (NG) foods for your health and/or religious reasons beforehand.
Meal fees are excluded from the tour fee.
This walking tour gives you a fun time to experience strolling in the backstreets where few tourists visit. You can walk in the famous Geisya quarter including Miyagawacho and Gion. You can encounter Geiko (Geisya) or Maiko if you are lucky.
You can image a gorgeous Heian era during 794-1185, wondering the alleys by stopping by the temples and shrines.
Important message from the guide
I can introduce you interesting spots including temples, shrines and yummy places including local foods though it is not fancy. Please note the following conditions;
-Mass transit fares, admission fees and meal fees must be self-pay.
-Please pay the guide its mass transit fares (2000JPY) by cash on the tour day.
-Let me know if you have any food allergies beforehand.
-Let me know if you have any food you cannot eat for your religious and dietary reasons beforehand.
-My tour involves a lot of walking, so make sure to wear comfortable shoes.
and
-My tour schedule will accomodate you to start earlier at 7:30AM for your convenience if you want to avoid crowds.
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
“Excellent Kobe tour!”
I booked a tour with Kenji to explore Kobe's sake brewery district and learn more about my favourite drink, and what a fun time we had! There was a festival happening at various breweries so we got to sample the many options and eat street foods while watching performances and learning about all the work that goes into crafting one of the most strictly refined beverages in the world. Kenji was a delight to hang out with and very knowledgeable about both sake and the city that produces some of the best in Japan. I told him about a couple of sakes I had tried earlier in my trip and he even found a place down the road that carried it, so we went and scored some truly special bottles that I am excited to open and share with my friends. Another goal I had was to try Kobe's famous wagyu beef and he found us the perfect hole-in-a-wall restaurant that served it in a very authentic and affordable style and ensured I got the full experience I hoped for and more! I'm so glad I was able to book with Kenji and hope we can meet again in the future when I return to the source for more amazing sake and wagyu! Thanks Kenji!!
Kenji O.
(6 reviews)Jack, Thank you for your message. I am happy to know you are a big fan of Japanese Sake. I hope you will enjoy other Japanese Sake breweries next time. Kenji
“A terrific day in Kyoto”
Kenji was a magnificent guide and made our visit to Kyoto unforgettable. We would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone looking for a tour guide in Japan. We are a family of 5 from Australia travelling overseas for the first time. Kenji was very friendly and welcoming. He organised a terrific itinerary for our day trip that was just right for the children but still satisfied all our cultural and culinary interests. He was very punctual and pleasant, full of interesting information and explanations about Japanese culture and traditions. He spoke excellent English and was entertaining to talk to - both for the adults and all the children with their endless questions about anything and everything. Kenji even went above and beyond by arranging an impromptu stop at a supermarket for us to experience an everyday Japanese shopping centre which was so much fun. Kenji even overstayed the end of the arranged tour time just to make sure we saw all we could for the day and left feeling very satisfied. We were all sad we had to say goodbye. Thanks so much for a terrific day in Kyoto Kenji. We very much appreciated seeing it with you. ;)
Kenji O.
(6 reviews)David, I enjoyed myself very much with your family in the end of year 2023. All of your kids are very smart. I hope their experience of Japan would certainly contribute to their feeling of diversity of the global culture. I hope to see you again either in Japan or Australia. Kenji
Andrea C.
Kyoto, Nara , Osaka Excursion for 3 days
Customized
“Wonderful Tour Three Day with Ken”
For anyone worried about communication skills, they won't have to worry with Ken-san because he was educated at the University of Seattle and also University of British Columbia. He is semi-retired but continues to globally travel and work in the area of urban & regional planning. He resides in Osaka, but will provide tours for Kyoto and Nara. Ken-san is a licensed guide, so there's no worry about his capabilities. He is a mountaineer and ski instructor, so for individuals who love to walk, he can walk. In fact, on one day we covered a lot of ground and walked for over 30K steps. However, as outlined in another review, if walking is a limitation for you, he can help to provide some alternatives. Ken-san also introduced us to some fantastic restaurants that only locals would frequent, and the food was very very good. We have no hesitation to recommend Ken-san to other visitors to the beautiful country of Japan.
Kenji O.
(6 reviews)Andrea san, Thank you for your honest and sincere review. I will wait for your next visit of Japan. Yummy Japanese food and Sake will also wait for you here in Japan (Smile). Big Thanks, Kenji
