Gion Tour: Geisha, Shrines & Edo Townhouses

Explore Kyoto’s Gion district with a local guide, uncovering hidden alleys, geisha culture, and Edo-period architecture. Discover the heart of traditional Japan.

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Hanamikoji Street - A charming street where visitors might catch a glimpse of a geisha. The guide will reveal the history and intriguing tales of the geisha world.
  • Sannenzaka Ninenzaka - Capturing a photo on this street is a must to truly experience Kyoto. There’s a legend that if someone falls here, they will pass away in two years, but the…
What's Included
  • Local Guide
Additional Information

[Highlights]
・Opportunity to See a Geisha
・Explore a 1,000-Year-Old Shrine
・Discover Edo-Period Townhouses
・Receive Local Tips & Recommendations
With a bit of luck, you may spot an authentic geisha. Gion is a district where Japan’s traditional culture remains vibrantly alive. Accompanied by a local expert guide, you will not only visit renowned…

Location
McDonald's - Shijo Ohashi Bridge
There will be a guide holding a sign that says [Local Guide Stars]
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
5.0
(131 Ratings)
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Cosmicf2025
Aug 29, 2025
Wonderful Guidance - It was the loveliest experience with Uta-san as our guide. It covered a lot of Gion, I mean as much as it could of this grand historical neighbourhood in 2 hours. But Uta-san provided insight for all the streets and temples and shrines as we walked by even if we didn't have time to go into them. Learned the roots of the Geisha culture, and about Kyoto's stance on the country in the past. And even some minor fun facts about stuff like alleyway shrines. I recommend it to all.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ay_eg_la353
Aug 29, 2025
The best tour you can take - This was such a lovely experience. Our tour guide Uta-san was so sweet and very knowledgeable. This was highlight of our trip. Recommended
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Josh_b
Aug 28, 2025
This is a really fun,... - This is a really fun, casual walking tour for about 2 hours. You’ll learn a lot about geisha history and culture, plus see a couple temples and shrines along the way. Our guide Uta was wonderful, excellent English with a hint of a proper British accent. She was extremely engaging and made it a lot of fun. A small tip for those hoping to see a geisha on the tour…try to do the tour around 5-6p, you will have a better chance of seeing one on the street.
Review provided by Viator
Carribytraveler
Aug 28, 2025
Great Tour! - The tour with the guide Ben was very informative, detailed and he was very funny. Tour reasonably priced and the walking is easy to do.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Explore09209180771
Aug 27, 2025
Kyoto night tour - It was great, Naoya explained a lot about the japan history and culture. He recommended us many restaurants, museums etc
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Compass38531245331
Aug 27, 2025
Kyoto walking street tour - Myself and my boyfriend did a walking tour with Utako. She was an excellent your guide. We learned so much history about Japan and got to view amazing shrines, temples and landmarks of Kyoto. We received lovely recommendations for things to do around the city. 10/10
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sanfore
Aug 27, 2025
Fun and interesting tour of the Geisha district - We had such a fantastic tour with Uta and really enjoyed the time we had with her. Uta was so passionate and had great stories to share of Japan, Kyoto and Geisha’s. She was energetic, fun and had a lot of good knowledge to share. The places we visited were all amazing and picturesque and she knew exactly where some good hidden spots were to show us the best of the Gion district. Thank you for such a lovely and informative tour. If we had a few more days in Kyoto, we would book a few more tours with Uta. She exceeded our expectations.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
I7519hfethand
Aug 25, 2025
Tour of the Geisha District with Naoya. - Explored and toured the Gion District.We saw and learned about shrines and temples. Saw Geisha Meiko girls in person too.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Long_olsen
Aug 22, 2025
We’d book Thai tour a second time if we could! - This walking tour was honestly a highlight of our trip to Kyoto!! Our family of five booked the 7pm timeslot - which was perfect as it was less busy, less hot, and the magic of the Gion district starts to unfold in the dusk! Our tour guide , Uta, was amazing! As someone who has lived in the area for a long time, she was incredibly knowledgeable about the history and the present of the Gion area. We knew nothing beforehand, but throughout the tour, Ita led us through the intricacies of the Geisha and Meika culture, he historical temples and shrines and kept us all intrigued with each story she told, bringing it all to life! Our young teenagers were so excited about Kyoto afterwards - easily making it their favourite stop on our trip! And Uta’s storytelling, keeping things light and entertaining for adults and kids alike and her genuine kindness and friendliness made it such an enjoyable experience! She even gave some lovely recommendations of restaurants to check out! We would take the tour again if we could and would highly recommended this to everyone!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Robertff2121xv
Aug 21, 2025
Amazing Tour - Excellent tour by Ben — I was only with 2 others and it felt so intimate that I honestly couldn’t have had a better tour. Learned a lot about Kyoto’s history, specifically with respect to its Geiko/Maiko culture and history.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $32
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).