Explore Kyoto in Comfort and Style!

Discover Kyoto’s hidden gems with our expert guide. Explore secret shrines and bamboo groves beyond Fushimi Inari’s main trails. Book your adventure now.

Duration: 10 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Arashiyama - Situated in the western part of Kyoto, Japan, Arashiyama is a charming district celebrated for its stunning natural landscapes and rich cultural history. It is most famous for the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, where visitors can stroll through an enchanting path flanked by towering bamboo stalks. The area also boasts the historic Tenryu-ji…
What's Included
  • Hotel pick-up and drop-off
  • Pick-up from Osaka and Nara available (extra fee)
  • English-speaking driver
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
  • Private transportation
What's Not Included
  • Food not included
  • Admission tickets are not included. Travelers can purchase these directly at location.
Additional Information

Experience the elegance and charm of Kyoto with our exclusive private day tour by car. Designed specifically for you, this tour offers a personalized itinerary that aligns with your interests, enabling you to explore Kyoto’s famous attractions at your leisure. In just one day, visit celebrated sites like Kinkaku-ji, Kiyomizu-dera, Fushimi Inari-taisha…

Location
Arashiyama
Ukyo-ku,
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.6
(122 Ratings)
5 stars
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Paul_f
Jan 16, 2026
Great way to see Kyoto in one day - Malik did a fantastic job in taking us all around Kyoto to must-see sights, explaining the background for various sites, and providing a personalized tour - walking alongside us every step of the way. It would have been impossible to do what we did without his guidance in the time we had. Thank you!
Review provided by Viator
Bay_n
Jan 14, 2026
Private tour of Kyoto - We had an absolutely exceptional private tour of Kyoto — truly a five-star, luxury experience and one of the highlights of our entire Japan trip. Our guide, Sam, was incredibly personable, warm, and knowledgeable, and went out of his way to make sure every part of the day was perfect for us. We visited Fushimi Inari, the bamboo forest, Arashiyama, and the stunning Kinkakuji Temple — which was made even more magical by the fact that it was snowing when we were there. I was unforgettable and felt like something out of a postcard. Everything was seamless, relaxed, and beautifully paced. Sam tailored the day to our interests, shared fascinating stories and history, and made sure we were comfortable and enjoying every moment. This tour felt truly special and exclusive, and we couldn’t have asked for a better guide or experience. Highly, highly recommended this tour
Review provided by Viator
Runigoyal
Jan 11, 2026
Great way to spend 1 day - We only had a few days in Kyoto, so hiring a private vehicle and driver to see the major sites WE wanted to see to optimize our time was a great decision. Shawn was a very safe driver. He also offered opinions and advice that made our day better. Would recommend. Thank you!
Review provided by Viator
Sem0039
Jan 9, 2026
Kyoto custom full day tour was FANTASTIC! - Thank you for a wonderful detailed around Kyoto. Lovely person and our whole family had a great day learning about history as well as viewing beautiful places. Highly recommended. Thank you so much.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dina_m
Jan 5, 2026
Super fun experience with a well informed and kind driver! - Shan was very knowledgeable and kind, he brought us to some beautiful sites and told us of the history, as well as taking some amazing pictures of our family! He was very patient as we shopped around and brought us to the best and quietest shops. He was wonderful!
Review provided by Viator
C7985snalexb
Jan 3, 2026
Great tour guides! - Two very nice guides who were very helpful and knowledgeable! Highly recommend! They provided a great highlights tour of Kyoto!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ib127
Dec 29, 2025
Kyoto Tour - Shan was a perfect tour guide for our day in Kyoto. Picked us up on time, calmly drove through the crowds of Gion. Knowledgeable of the areas and history. We travelled with elderly parents and he suggested a place for them to rest then guided us in the the right direction, before going back to pick them up. If we are ever back in Kyoto we would use him again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Judith_p
Dec 28, 2025
Saw many beautiful... - Saw many beautiful historic sites of Kyoto without having to stress about navigating. Provided a helpful introduction to the city
Review provided by Viator
Hilal_k
Jan 2, 2026
Not a "tour" - driver for the day - This isn't a tour at all, the driver came with us to only one place, didn't join anything else, we paid for our own entrance tickets everywhere and toured as we would, alone. Definitely misleading, I could have taken an uber everywhere for a fraction of the price and it would be a much better car.
Review provided by Viator
Sara_f
Jan 3, 2026
Terrible Tour and Awful Customer Service from Viator - This tour was awful from start to finish. The guide picked us up in a car that was very uncomfortable for 4 people and it smelled terrible. He hardly spoke any English, didn’t know any Japanese and has only lived in Japan for a year. He spoke about 20 words total to us the entire day, including telling us that he thinks ‘Japanese people are boring’. All of our other tours in Japan have been fantastic so this was extremely disappointing to say the least. We requested a refund through the travel company as well as Viator and were very unhappy with their response. Really bad customer service on Viator’s part as well—will think twice before using this company again.
Review provided by Viator
From $498 (Per Vehicle)
up to 6 guests
1 - Traveler
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).