10 Must-see Spots in Kyoto One Day Private Tour

Discover Kyoto’s top 10 must-see spots in one day with a local guide. Enjoy scenic walks, taxis, and hidden gems. Perfect for groups up to 7.

Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Kinkakuji Temple - Witness the gleaming golden pavilion that once served as the political hub for the Shogun, the leader of the Samurai warriors. This site is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage landmark in Kyoto.
  • Bamboo Forest Street - Stroll through the enchanting Bamboo Forest, a frequent feature in Kyoto’s promotional posters.
  • **Tenryuji…
What's Included
  • English speaking Professional Guide
  • Infants under 2 years old are free of charge
What's Not Included
  • Children over 3 years old are charged the same rate as adults.
  • Pick up service: not included
  • Entrance fees
  • Public transportation (bus, subway, cable car, etc.)
  • Taxi: (7000 yen per cab for all rides) If You are 4 or more people, you need two cabs.
Additional Information

If you have only one day in Kyoto and want to see all the top 10 must-see spots of Kyoto, this tour is the best for you. A professional local guide shows you the best, comfortable and convenient way to the spots. And you can enjoy walking along with the beautiful sceneries, paths, and back alleys only the local people know. We use taxis 3-4 times to…

Location
Kitaoji Station
Kita-oji station on Kyoto City Subway Karasuma Line. Your guide meets you at the south (NOT north) ticket gate of this station. The subway station number is K04.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(822 Ratings)
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Rupesh
Jun 22, 2025
Perfect day in Kyoto - We had a wonderful time with Malian. She was so kind and knowledgeable. She was also so helpful when we did some shopping, helping us communicate with the shopkeepers. We would 100% do it again
Review provided by Tripadvisor
294johannaw
Jun 21, 2025
Amazing tour and guide! - This was a great tour and Yoshi was an amazing guide and an overall great person. He handled a group of 9 people with ease and happily adjusted the route on the fly to accommodate injuries and a tired teenager. We appreciated Yoshi’s knowledge and enthusiasm! He went the extra mile, taking pictures and sharing tips on restaurants and shop locations. I highly recommend any tour with Yoshi! Johanna W.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mayreenb
Jun 20, 2025
Above and beyond - Yoshi was the perfect tour guide! He made everything so easy and seamless. I got great instructions ahead of time on how to get from the shinkansen to the subway stop he was meeting me at. He has a notebook full of pictures to help illustrate the information/history of the a areas we were going. Every moment was a teaching moment. It was definitely worth hiring a private tour guide for the day. I never would have been able to navigate all that we did and also be able to learn the context behind what we were seeing. If I ever asked a question he didn't have the answer to he would quickly Google it and let me know the answer. At the end of the day when he found out my train didn't leave for a couple more hours, he went to the train station with me to help me see if I could get an earlier train. He definitely went above and beyond. Yoshi also was a great photographer for me. He new all the great places and angles to take pictures. Another extra he offered was that he collected and held all my entry tickets and pamphlets so they wouldn't get creased. Then at the end of the day he gave them all back to me in a nice plastic sleeve. Thanks again Yoshi for being such a great host!
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Irinams716mz
Jun 20, 2025
Unforgettable experience - We were very lucky to find this excursion and we were especially lucky to have Tammy as our guide. Her English is perfect! We got a lot of historical information, but we also learned a lot about modern Japanese society. Tammy is really knowledgeable, open to discussions on all topics, well organized and very kind. Even though the day was quite hot, the time flew by so fast! The hours went too fast in Tammy's company. Such a smart lady to introduce Japanese culture. It was an honor to be her clients! Do not hesitate to book her tour
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chantalmalin
Jun 17, 2025
What a fabulous day with Naoko - We had the absolute pleasure of spending the day with Naoko on this private tour, and it was truly one of the highlights of our trip to Japan. From the moment we met her, she made us feel completely at ease, like we were spending the day with a friend who just happens to know everything about Kyoto. Naoko was incredibly knowledgeable, not just about the history and culture of each site, but also about the small, fascinating details you’d never find in a guidebook. She tailored the tour to our pace and interests, which made everything feel relaxed and personal. We visited a great mix of famous landmarks and more hidden spots we never would have found on our own. We especially appreciated how thoughtful she was throughout the day. .
Review provided by Viator
Connector289039
Jun 16, 2025
Great tour of Kyoto with Taka! - Taka was an exceptional guide and exceeded our expectations. Funny, friendly and personable, his pride for his hometown was contagious. Coming from Osaka, it was very easy to find Taka at our prearranged meeting place on the subway line. Taka explained what he had planned for us and asked if we had any special requests outside of the provided itinerary. (We did not) Travel between stops was swift utilizing taxis, public transit and foot travel. Between sites and during visits, Taka provided great historical knowledge about what we got to see and experience. He also did a great job of explaining the Shinto and Buddhist traditions so that we could respectfully participate if we wanted. Taka did a great job of making our stops efficient while still allowing us to experience the sites at our own pace. We never felt rushed or bored at any time. The recommended lunch stop was great and had plenty of options for different tastes. I can’t recommend Taka enough. We only had one day in Kyoto and we were grateful that we were able to spend it with Taka!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
L5616xtmaxk
Jun 15, 2025
Kyoto tour with Hiro - This tour was amazing! With such a well-thought out, cohesive, and engaging itinerary, this was really the best way to see as much of Kyoto as possible. Our guide was Hiro, a very experienced and personable host who knew the answers to practically every question we asked. It’s definitely a lot of walking, but it is mixed with public transportation and info breaks so it never turned into an exhausting, uncomfortable adventure. If it ever did, Hiro made it clear that we could let him know and he would slow down or shorten the itinerary. We can’t recommend this tour enough for someone wanting to get a taste of everything Kyoto has to offer!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Robin
Jun 15, 2025
Amazing day tour! - The day tour with Kaori was everything we expected and more! I can not explain how helpful it was to have Kaori to help navigate transportation, meals, etc. Kaori was so very attentive to the entire group - always open to adjusting our day to what felt best for our group. Kaori’s historical knowledge truly helped see and give so much more meaning to the beautiful places that we visited. I can not recommend Kaori enough!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Luis
Jun 14, 2025
Best decision for touring Kyoto - Best decision my wife and I made in our trip to Kyoto. We got to see the major sites and got a great education on all things historical and traditional about beautiful Kyoto. Our guide, Kaori, was super helpful, professional and friendly. She took great pictures of us and arraigned everything so we could just relax and take in the sites. This tour is highly recommended and so is Kaori.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
G4808uxbryanv
Jun 13, 2025
Insight into Japan - The personal tour was great. Our tour guide was very informative. The best part of the tour was being explained the importance of each location and the history of the site.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $79
up to 7 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).