• Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine - Discover the wonders of Fushimi Inari Shrine, renowned for its iconic vermillion-red torii gates. Beyond its scenic beauty, the shrine is steeped in history and culture, offering stories that connect visitors to Japan’s rich past. A knowledgeable guide will delve into the shrine’s origins, dedicated to the god of grains, “Inari.” Statues of foxes, known as “Kitsune,” are found throughout the shrine, symbolizing the cunning and clever servants of Inari, ideal guides in the business world. After this tour, visitors may find themselves wanting these foxes on their side.
• Nijo Castle - Nijo Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was constructed in 1603 as the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Period (1603-1867).
• Gion - Navigating the narrow alleyways of Kyoto’s Geisha District, Gion, can be challenging for newcomers. A guided tour eliminates the risk of getting lost and reveals hidden gems cherished by locals, while sharing insights into Kyoto’s ancient history. Highlights include learning about Geisha culture and rituals, and visiting Gion, Pontocho, and Miyagawacho.
• Nishiki Market Shopping District - Nishiki Market (錦市場, Nishiki Ichiba) is a bustling, five-block-long shopping street with over a hundred shops and restaurants. Known as “Kyoto’s Kitchen,” this vibrant market specializes in food-related items, including fresh seafood, produce, knives, and cookware. It’s an excellent place to discover seasonal foods and Kyoto specialties, such as Japanese sweets, pickles, dried seafood, and sushi.

Nishiki Market offers a lively yet welcoming atmosphere, perfect for exploring Kyoto’s culinary delights. The market features a range of stores, from small stalls to larger shops, each specializing in a specific type of food, with most products locally sourced.

• Kiyomizu-dera Temple - Explore one of Kyoto’s most beloved temples, Kiyomizu-dera Temple. A guided tour of the temple grounds provides insights into Japan’s history and culture, with commentary from an English-speaking guide ensuring no important features are missed.
• Kyoto Imperial Palace - The Kyoto Imperial Palace (京都御所, Kyōto Gosho) was the residence of Japan’s Imperial Family until 1868, when the emperor and capital moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. It is situated in the expansive Kyoto Imperial Park (京都御苑, Kyōto Gyoen), a beautiful park in the city center that also includes the Sento Imperial Palace and other attractions.
• Pontocho - Pontocho (先斗町, Pontochō) is one of Kyoto’s most charming dining areas. This narrow alley, running from Shijo-dori to Sanjo-dori, is lined with restaurants offering a variety of dining options, from affordable yakitori to traditional and modern Kyoto cuisine, international dishes, and exclusive establishments.

Business hours and closing days vary by establishment, but most places are open from around 17:00 to 23:00, with some also open for lunch. An increasing number of establishments offer English menus.

• Higashiyama Ward - The Higashiyama District (東山), located along the lower slopes of Kyoto’s eastern mountains, is one of the city’s best-preserved historic areas. It offers a glimpse into traditional old Kyoto, especially between Kiyomizudera and Yasaka Shrine, where narrow lanes, wooden buildings, and traditional merchant shops evoke the old capital city. Recent renovations have enhanced the district’s traditional charm.
• Ginkakuji Temple - Ginkakuji (銀閣寺, Silver Pavilion) is a Zen temple nestled in Kyoto’s eastern mountains (Higashiyama). In 1482, shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa built his retirement villa here, inspired by Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion), his grandfather’s villa in northern Kyoto (Kitayama). After Yoshimasa’s death in 1490, the villa was converted into a Zen temple.

As the retirement villa of an art-loving shogun, Ginkakuji became a hub of contemporary culture, known as the Higashiyama Culture, which had a significant impact on the entire country. The arts developed during this time include the tea ceremony, flower arrangement, noh theater, poetry, garden design, and architecture.

• Nanzenji Suirokaku - Nanzenji Temple (南禅寺), located at the base of Kyoto’s forested Higashiyama mountains, is one of Japan’s most important Zen temples. It serves as the head temple of a school within the Rinzai sect of Japanese Zen Buddhism and includes multiple subtemples, making the already large complex even more expansive.

Nanzenji’s history dates back to the mid-13th century when Emperor Kameyama built his retirement villa at the temple’s current location, later converting it into a Zen temple. After its founding, Nanzenji grew steadily, but its buildings were destroyed during the civil wars of the late Muromachi Period (1333-1573). The oldest current buildings were constructed after that period.

• Tofuku-ji Temple - Tofukuji (東福寺, Tōfukuji) is a large Zen temple in southeastern Kyoto, renowned for its stunning autumn colors. Founded in 1236 by the powerful Fujiwara clan, its name combines the names of two great Nara temples associated with the Fujiwara, Todaiji Temple and Kofukuji Temple. Tofukuji has historically been a principal Zen temple in Kyoto and is a head temple of a Rinzai sect school.

In autumn, visitors from across Japan flock to Tofukuji to admire its autumn colors. The most popular view is from the Tsutenkyo Bridge, which spans a valley of vibrant maple trees. The view from the bridge is equally breathtaking, and the 100-meter-long covered walkway becomes crowded when the colors peak, usually in mid to late November.

• Toji - Toji Temple (東寺, Tōji), meaning “East Temple,” was established at the start of the Heian Period, shortly after the capital moved to Kyoto in the late 700s. The large temple, along with its now-defunct sister temple Saiji (“West Temple”), flanked the city’s south entrance and served as guardian temples. Toji Temple is one of Kyoto’s many UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

About thirty years after its founding, Kobo Daishi, the founder of the Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhism, became Toji’s head priest, making it one of the most important Shingon temples besides the sect’s headquarters on Mount Koya. Kobo Daishi also added many of the large wooden buildings that stand on the grounds today.

• Kinkakuji Temple - Kinkakuji (金閣寺, Golden Pavilion) is a Zen temple in northern Kyoto, with its top two floors entirely covered in gold leaf. Officially known as Rokuonji, the temple was the retirement villa of shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, and per his will, it became a Zen temple of the Rinzai sect after his death in 1408. Kinkakuji inspired the similarly named Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion), built by Yoshimitsu’s grandson, Ashikaga Yoshimasa, on the opposite side of the city a few decades later.

Kinkakuji is an impressive structure overlooking a large pond and is the only remaining building of Yoshimitsu’s former retirement complex. It has burned down several times throughout history, including twice during the Onin War, a civil war that devastated much of Kyoto, and once more in 1950 when a fanatic monk set it on fire. The current structure was rebuilt in 1955.

• Ninna-ji Temple - Ninnaji (仁和寺) is one of Kyoto’s many great temples listed as World Heritage Sites. It is the head temple of the Omuro School of the Shingon sect of Buddhism and was founded in 888 by the reigning emperor. For centuries, a member of the Imperial Family served as Ninnaji’s head priest, and the temple was also known as Omuro Imperial Palace.

Due to the numerous wars and fires that ravaged Kyoto, none of the original buildings from the temple’s foundation in the 9th century survive. The oldest buildings date back to the early 1600s during the Edo Period, including the main hall (Kondo), the Kannon Hall, the Niomon front gate, the Chumon inner gate, and the five-storied pagoda.

• Shugakuin Imperial Villa - Shugakuin Imperial Villa (修学院離宮, Shugakuin Rikyū) was constructed in the 17th century by Emperor Gomizuno and is now managed by the Imperial Household Agency. It comprises the Upper, Middle, and Lower Villa areas, each featuring gardens and buildings in the traditional imperial style.

Shugakuin’s name originates from a former temple built on the same site in the tenth century. The Imperial Villa was constructed between 1655 and 1659, with a palace for Gomizuno’s daughter added ten years later. In 1964, the surrounding farmlands were acquired by the Imperial Household Agency and are leased to local farmers who continue to cultivate the fields.

• Kibune River - Kibune (貴船) is a quaint town nestled in a forested valley in the northern mountains of Kyoto City, developed around Kifune Shrine. According to legend, a goddess traveled by boat from Osaka up the river into the mountains north of Kyoto, and Kifune Shrine was built where her journey ended.

Kifune Shrine is dedicated to the god of water and rain and is believed to protect those at sea. Visitors can obtain a unique type of fortune written on paper slips (omikuji) that reveal their messages when dipped in water. Okunomiya, the inner sanctum and original site of Kifune Shrine, lies about one kilometer further up the valley. It features a large rock, known as the boat stone, said to be where the goddess’ yellow boat is buried.

• Kurama-dera - Kurama (鞍馬) is a rural town in the northern mountains of Kyoto City, less than an hour from the city center. Kurama is renowned for its temple Kurama-dera and its hot spring, one of the most accessible hot springs from Kyoto.

Visitors can enjoy outdoor and indoor baths at Kurama Onsen, a ryokan located at the upper end of Kurama. It is a 10-minute walk from the train station along the town’s only road or a nature trail following the river. Staying guests can use the baths for free, while day-trippers pay 2500 yen (Weekday), 2700 yen (Weekend) for all baths or 1400 yen (Weekday), 1600 yen (Weekend) for just the outdoor bath (rotemburo).

• Ryoanji Temple - Ryoanji Temple (龍安寺, Ryōanji) is home to Japan’s most famous rock garden, attracting hundreds of visitors daily. Originally an aristocrat’s villa during the Heian Period, the site was converted into a Zen temple in 1450 and belongs to the Myoshinji school of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism, whose head temple is just a kilometer south.

The history of Ryoanji’s renowned rock garden is less certain, with its construction date unknown and various speculations about its designer. The garden features a rectangular plot of pebbles surrounded by low earthen walls, with 15 rocks arranged in small groups on patches of moss. An intriguing aspect of the garden’s design is that from any vantage point, at least one rock is always hidden from view.

• Arashiyama - Arashiyama (嵐山) is a charming, tourist-friendly district in Kyoto’s western outskirts. The area has been a popular destination since the Heian Period (794-1185), when nobles enjoyed its natural beauty. Arashiyama is especially popular during cherry blossom and fall color seasons.

The Togetsukyo Bridge is Arashiyama’s iconic central landmark. Nearby, visitors can find small shops, restaurants, and attractions, including Tenryuji Temple, Arashiyama’s famous bamboo groves, and pleasure boats available for rent on the river.

• Katsura Imperial Villa - Katsura Imperial Villa (桂離宮, Katsura Rikyū) is a prime example of Japanese architecture and garden design. Completed in 1645 as the residence for the Katsura Family, members of Japan’s Imperial Family, the villa and garden are a testament to traditional design.

Visiting Katsura Imperial Villa requires joining a tour, which follows the garden’s circular walking trail around the central pond. Palace buildings can only be viewed from the outside, and photography is permitted only from designated spots. English tours are available.

• Daikaku-ji Temple - Daikakuji (大覚寺) is a large temple in Kyoto’s northern Sagano district. Originally built in the early 800s as the detached palace of Emperor Saga, the temple became a favorite retreat for the emperor. Thirty years after his death, the palace was converted into a temple and has since been a highly ranked Shingon Buddhism temple.

Daikakuji has played a role in several significant historical events. A succession of retired emperors reigned from here, and in the 12th century, the temple hosted peace talks that reunited the Northern and Southern Imperial Courts after 50 years of civil war. Daikakuji is also featured in the Tale of Genji, the first novel in Japanese literature. Today, the temple is one of the best places to experience the ancient court atmosphere described in the novel and is often used for filming historical dramas.

• Tenryuji Temple - Tenryuji (天龍寺, Tenryūji) is the most significant temple in Kyoto’s Arashiyama district. Ranked first among the city’s five great Zen temples, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tenryuji is the head temple of its own school within the Rinzai Zen sect of Japanese Buddhism.

Built in 1339 by the ruling shogun Ashikaga Takauji, Tenryuji was dedicated to Emperor Go-Daigo, who had recently passed away. The two historic figures were once allies until Takauji turned against the emperor in a power struggle over Japan. By building the temple, Takauji aimed to appease the former emperor’s spirit.

• Yoshimine-dera - Yoshiminedera (吉峰寺) is a temple of the Tendai sect of Japanese Buddhism located in Kyoto’s western mountains. Like Kiyomizudera on the opposite side of town, Yoshiminedera is built along the mountainside and offers views of Kyoto. The temple grounds are expansive, with many buildings scattered up the mountainside.

A priest from Enryakuji, named Gesan, established Yoshiminedera as a personal retreat in 1029. The temple was destroyed in the Onin War in 1467 but was rebuilt in 1621. The temple’s main objects of worship are a Kannon statue carved by Gesan and a Kannon statue given to the temple by Emperor Gosuzaku in 1042.

• Togetsukyo Bridge - The Togetsukyo Bridge (“Moon Crossing Bridge”) is Arashiyama’s most iconic landmark. Originally built during the Heian Period (794-1185), it was most recently reconstructed in the 1930s. The bridge is particularly picturesque with the forested mountainside in the background. A riverside park with numerous cherry trees is located adjacent to the bridge.
• Bamboo Forest Street - The walking paths through the bamboo groves offer a delightful walk or bicycle ride. The groves are especially enchanting when a gentle breeze causes the tall bamboo stalks to sway. For centuries, the bamboo has been used to craft various products, such as baskets, cups, boxes, and mats at local workshops.
• Okochi Sanso Garden - This former villa of the popular actor Okochi Denjiro (1896-1962) is located behind Arashiyama’s bamboo groves. Okochi Sanso features several gardens and buildings, including living quarters, tea houses, and gates. The buildings can only be viewed from the outside, and admission includes matcha green tea with a snack.
• Tenryuji Temple - Ranked among Kyoto’s five great Zen temples, Tenryuji is the largest and most impressive temple in Arashiyama. Founded in 1339 at the start of the Muromachi Period (1338-1573), the temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In addition to its temple buildings, there are beautiful gardens with walking paths.
• Jojakkoji Temple - This mountainside temple, founded in 1596, features small, charming buildings and gates, creating a serene and understated atmosphere. Maple trees and moss line the paths and stairs that traverse the temple grounds. From various spots, visitors can enjoy views over Kyoto.
• Nisonin - Similar to Jojakkoji, Nisonin Temple is a hillside temple with slightly larger and more imposing buildings. The understated atmosphere is enhanced by the overhanging trees along the approach. Founded in the mid-9th century, Nisonin is a temple of the Tendai sect, offering views over the city from the upper grounds.
• Gioji Temple - Gioji is nestled deeper into the forest than Jojakkoji and Nisonin. It is renowned for its moss garden, punctuated by tall maple trees. The temple’s entrance gate and small main hall have thatched roofs, with the latter featuring an attractive round window overlooking the gardens.
• Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple - Adashino Nenbutsuji is located at the end of the Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street. Founded in the early 9th century by the famous monk Kobo Daishi, the temple grounds are covered by hundreds of stone statues for the souls of the deceased. A short path at the back of the temple leads through a bamboo forest.
• Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple - A ten-minute walk north of Adashino Nenbutsuji, Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple is famous for its 1200 stone statues of rakan, devoted followers of Buddhism, each with a unique facial expression. Created in the 1980s and early 1990s, the statues are spread across the temple grounds, which cover part of a forested mountain slope.
• Katsura Imperial Villa - Katsura Imperial Villa (桂離宮, Katsura Rikyū) is a prime example of Japanese architecture and garden design. Completed in 1645 as the residence for the Katsura Family, members of Japan’s Imperial Family, the villa and garden are a testament to traditional design.

Visiting Katsura Imperial Villa requires joining a tour, which follows the garden’s circular walking trail around the central pond. Palace buildings can only be viewed from the outside, and photography is permitted only from designated spots. English tours are available.

• Shugakuin Imperial Villa - Shugakuin Imperial Villa (修学院離宮, Shugakuin Rikyū) was constructed in the 17th century by Emperor Gomizuno and is now managed by the Imperial Household Agency. It comprises the Upper, Middle, and Lower Villa areas, each featuring gardens and buildings in the traditional imperial style.

Shugakuin’s name originates from a former temple built on the same site in the tenth century. The Imperial Villa was constructed between 1655 and 1659, with a palace for Gomizuno’s daughter added ten years later. In 1964, the surrounding farmlands were acquired by the Imperial Household Agency and are leased to local farmers who continue to cultivate the fields.

• Meet up with guide on foot within designated area of Kyoto
• Licensed Local English Speaking Guide
• Customizable Tour of your choice of 2-3 sites from ‘What to expect’ list

• You cannot combine multiple tour groups.
• Guide Entry fees are only covered for sights listed under What to Expect.
• Private Vehicle
• Transportation fees, Entrance fees, Lunch, and Other personal expenses

In this tour, we start early to beat the crowds. Temples, shrines, and tea ceremonies. The traditions of ancient Japan are still alive and well in the old capitol, Kyoto. Walking around this beautiful city can feel like you are in a time machine as its architecture has been preserved for centuries. There is much history in this city that you don’t want to miss so book our Government Licensed and Experienced English-speaking guides for a walking tour of Kyoto!

Once your reservation is made, a guide will be in touch to plan your personalized tour. Choose 2 to 3 spots that you wish to visit and your guide will plan a personalized itinerary. If you do not know where to visit, ask the guide to send you their recommended itinerary based on your interests. Whether you are a history buff, love the beauty of old Japanese architecture, or just want to enjoy a green tea parfait, Kyoto has something for you!

• This is a walking tour. Pick up is on foot.

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