Kyoto Tours

Immerse yourself in Japanese culture and history using this private full-day vehicle charter from Kyoto. After selecting your preferred choice of transportation from a van, bus or limousine, your group will enjoy a private tour through the ancient city of Kyoto, complete with UNESCO-listed temples and numerous culture attractions. Explore the city at your own pace and customize the day to see only what you want to, all with the help of a guide/driver. Don’t miss this opportunity to see the best Kyoto has to offer.

Kyoto is one of Japan’s most popular travel destinations and with over 50 million annual visitors, it can get busy. This tour makes an early start so you can avoid the crowds and cram much more into your day. Stroll around the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove before the tour groups arrive, visit Kinkaku-ji temple (Golden Pavilion) right as it opens, and walk through the torii gates of Fushimi Inari (Shrine) before the midday heat.

We are a small group of people who specializes in private and personalized tours in Kyoto. Our aim is to help our customers to utilize best their precious time in Kyoto by offering specially crafted tours covering Kyoto's top attractions. When it comes to a trip, we know that you have your goals and preferences. We would love to hear about them and help you have a unique an unforgettable Kyoto experience. Postgraduate students with Ph.D. or MA- level scholar graduated from Japanese universities, our guides have vast knowledge about Japanese history and culture because they have been living here for several years and are experts in their fields. Their high academic level makes them proficient not only on everything Kyoto but also on the way of life in Japan and its rich history.

-Explore Ninnaji temple deeply!- Learn about this heritage and its connections with the Japanese emperor. Shake hands with a Kannon deity, explore various halls. -Feel "Zen" at Ryoan-ji Temple- Home of the famous stone gardens praised by people all around the world. Your local guide will explain to you how religion plays a role in Japanese culture, and ways to feel ZEN. -Behold... the Golden Pavilion- Your local guide takes you through its gardens. Experience the ancient art of Sutra copying (Shakyo) and drink Matcha Tea with some sweets. Magical Trip is a local tour operator with the TripAdvisor certificate of excellence that offers various types of small-group tours throughout Japan! Check out our Trip Advisor Page for more tours and our reviews!

Get an insiders' eye perspective on Kyoto on this walking tour that combines a food tour with anthropological insight. Wander through the city's streets and understand the nighttime entertainment scene, from geiko (geisha) to hostesses. Afterward, sample regional specialties accompanied by included drinks at standing bars/restaurants.

Take in the highlights of Kyoto in one day with a guide who shares insights into the city’s history and culture. Stroll through the picturesque Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, and visit three important temples and shrines: Kinkaku-ji temple (Golden Pavilion), Ryoan-ji temple—known for its Zen garden, and Fushimi Inari shrine—known for rows of bright orange torii gates. You’ll also walk into the Gion district where you might see a geisha.

Sightsee through Kansai’s most scenic areas, seeing iconic landmarks in Nara and Kyoto in one day, without the hassle of changing trains or getting lost. With pickup times in either Osaka or Kyoto, board a convenient tour bus to visit the 1000 vermilion gates of Fushimi-Inari Shrine, scenic Nara Park, beautiful Arashiyama, and more.

For outsiders, Japanese culture can be difficult to grasp but this guided tour offers the chance to get a locals' eye view of one of the most traditional of Japanese settings. Accompanied by a guide, stroll through the historic streets of Kyoto's Gion district, famed for its scenic cobbled streets lit by paper lanterns, traditional architecture, and association with geiko and maiko culture. Visit Pontocho alley, one of Japan's oldest nightlife areas, and stroll by geisha teahouses as your guide offers insights into local culture.

Explore three important tourist attractions in Kyoto on a half-day tour that starts in the afternoon. Go to Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine, Yasaka Pagoda, and Kennin-ji Temple, and see rows of torii gates, well-preserved old wooden buildings, and the first zen temple in Kyoto. You’ll also stroll through the Gion district, and have time for other activities before the tour begins.

Exploring the narrow alleyways of Kyoto’s Geisha District—Gion can be daunting for a first-time visitor. Eliminate the worry of getting lost by going on a guided tour. It’s a great way to discover hidden places that locals love, and to hear about Kyoto’s ancient past. Highlights include learning about Geisha culture and rituals, and visiting Gion, Pontocho, and Miyagawacho.

Learn the arts of the samurai as you enjoy a 1-hour Kembu show, a traditional sword performance celebrating the culture of this ancient Japanese warrior class, in Kyoto. Head to Kyoto’s Samurai Kembu Theater to admire the intricate movements of traditional and new-style Kembu performances, celebrating the legendary stories of Japan’s feudal period. You’ll also hear a fascinating talk before the performance and have time for a photo session with samurai sword and the performers post-show.

This tour covers every part of the bamboo forest. By rickshaw and on foot! The first stop after cruising through the bustling main street is the bamboo forest. Enjoy the vivid green bamboo as your guide pulls you along the path reserved for rickshaws only, away from other visitors. Have your camera or mobile phone ready to take pictures. You don’t want to miss this. After passing by the Nonomiya Shrine you will enter the second part of the bamboo forest, which is designed like a little park. Here we can take great group pictures with the stunning green bamboo in the background. On the way to the third and last section of the bamboo forest, you will pass by a well-kept scene from the Edo period The third part of the bamboo forest can only be accessed on foot, so our guide will park the rickshaw within walking distance and then guide you to the most famous and impressive part of the bamboo forest. (To avoid the crowds here, we recommend starting the tour before noon)

Cycle past a mix of Kyoto’s most-famous sights and its lesser-known secrets during this half-day ‘Hidden Kyoto’ bike tour. Take a 4.9-mile (8-kilometer) ride that starts by winding past iconic Kyoto temples and shrines like Kinkakuji, Koto-in, and Kitano Tenmagu. You’ll continue ‘off the beaten path,’ discovering intimate Zen gardens and charming backstreets known only to locals.

If you’re visiting Japan for the first time, receive a cultural introduction to the country during a tea ceremony in traditional kimonos. During the ceremony, learn about Japanese history and sample matcha green tea, a local specialty. Plus, wearing a traditional kimono means you leave the experience with fantastic photographs to commemorate your time in Kyoto.

Discover Kyoto’s magical Gion district, which is known for being the city’s Geisha area. Don't worry about language barriers, as a guide is there to help you translate and explain the difference between maiko, geiko, and other Japanese words. The unmarked narrow streets of Gion can make it easy to get lost at night, but this is not a problem with a guide to navigate and lead the way. Upgrade to a longer, private tour for a closer look at Geisha culture.

This is a virtual tour using Zoom, online conference system. This unique 1h tour brings you to one of the most beautiful and historical cities in Japan, Kyoto. The friendly host will make your experience more interactive. We use not only photos or videos but also handmade materials or actual goods from guides' living room, that makes you feel livelier. You can ask them anything about Japan, Kyoto and other popular tourists spots by chat or by talk session after the tour. This tour will provide helpful hints for your future trip to Japan. PLEASE NOTE the tour time is Japan standard time. Make adjustment to your time when booking. We'll send you Zoom URL invitation when you book the tour.

Step into an authentic Japanese rickshaw for the ride of a lifetime, through some of the most scenic and historic districts in Kyoto, Japan. You have the option of exploring the verdant Bamboo Grove and impressive shrines of west Kyoto’s Arashiyama district or the intriguing wooden buildings and stone alleys (maybe even spotting a geisha or two) in Kyoto’s famed Higashiyama area, all with a knowledgeable local guide and rickshaw driver. This authentic, customizable Kyoto adventure is a fun introduction to this beautiful city.

Kyoto is the most famous tourist destination in Japan with plenty of wonderful sights to see. Here we offer a luxurious tour early in the morning that enables you to visit five of the most iconic tourist attractions in Kyoto comfortably and efficiently while avoiding the crowds.

Discover the Zen gardens, colorful temples, and ancient shrines of Kyoto on this small-group walking tour that’s limited to just 12 participants. Experience the elegant architecture and religious monuments of this historic Japanese city, once the imperial capital, as you join a guide on visits to the Gion Geisha district, Tofukuji Temple, and more.

Spend a day exploring historic neighborhoods, visiting temples, and shopping on a full-day tour from Osaka to Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe. Explore the Arashiyama district, tour the Kinkaku-ji Temple and Nara Park, and take in the stores at Kobe MOSAIC. This tour includes Kinkaku-ji entrance fee, as well as pickup from Kyoto Station, Umeda, Nippombashi or Namba. Opt for a buffet or shabu shabu lunch and/or a Kobe steak or an all-you-can-eat shabu shabu dinner.

Immerse yourself in the cultural and architectural splendor of Kyoto on this private tour, ideal for first-time visitors. Choose from two different routes, both of which cover major Kyoto attractions including Nijo Castle and Kiyomizu Temple, and explore the city with a personal guide. On the northwest-bound route, you’ll visit the Golden Pavilion, Nishiki Food Market, and the bamboo groves of Arashiyama Park. Alternatively, the southeast course covers the Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kiyomizu Temple, and the Gion area. Receive undivided attention from your guide on this private tour. 

Pedal through the historic streets of Kyoto as you visit its magnificent temples and shrines by bike during this small-group tour limited to 9 participants. Take a spin down the Path of Philosophy on this Kyoto tour that gives you an overview of the city while using a mode of transport preferred by locals: the humble bicycle. See shrines, temples and mountains — this is an enlightening escape from the city.

Prepare for battle as you learn the skills of the samurai during this 1- or 2-hour class studying the basic techniques of these ancient Japanese warriors. Take the 1-hour session, providing an introduction to the basics of the samurai art, or choose the 1.5-hour course, practicing more complex movements using a sword and folding fan. When your class ends, enjoy a photo session with your samurai costume and receive a certificate of completion.  This samurai session also includes an English-speaking guide and instructor and a 'tenugui,' a traditional Japanese towel.

Gain a better understanding of sake during this tour that explores the Fushimi Sake District of Kyoto. Visit Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, one of the largest sake breweries in Fushimi, and end your visit with a sake-tasting session. Not only will your guide be able to explain the basics of sake and introduce you to new kinds you may have never tried, but your tastings will also be paired with Japanese snacks that enhance the tasting experience.