Kyoto Private 6 hour Tour: Explore Kyoto's Iconic Attractions with an English Speaking Driver

93 Ratings

Kyoto

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Discover Kyoto’s iconic attractions on a private 6-hour tour with an English-speaking driver. Visit the Golden Temple, Kiyomizu temple, and Arashiyama’s bamboo forest at your own pace. No guide included.

Duration: 6 hours

Cancellation: 24 hours

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Highlights

Kiyomizu-dera Temple - Kiyomizu-dera, formally Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera, is a Buddhist temple in eastern Kyoto. The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto UNESCO World Heritage site.

What's Included

Private vehicle
English speaking driver
Customizable Tour of your choice of 3-4 sites from ‘What to expect’ list’

What's Not Included

Licensed Local English Speaking Guide
Entrance fees, Lunch, and Other personal expenses
You cannot combine multiple tour groups.

Additional Information

An excellent choice for travelers with limited time who wish to experience Kyoto. Sidestep the potential confusion of Kyoto’s subway and bus systems by traveling in the comfort of a private vehicle!
This tour offers the opportunity to visit remarkable sites such as the shimmering Golden Temple, the stunning architectural wonder of Kiyomizu Temple in the…

Location

Kiyomizu-dera Temple

1-294 Kiyomizu, Higashiyama-ku

Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings

4.8

(93 Ratings)

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Gaye_c

Jan 22, 2026

Kyoto highlights in a day - We were short on time, so having a private driver helped us fit a lot in 1 day. Took all the stress and confusion out of the day so we could enjoy it more. Definitely was a positive for us.

Review provided by Viator

Anastasia_p

Jan 2, 2026

Excellent Kyoto Tour with a Knowledgeable Driver - This was a great experience! Our driver, Harry, picked us up from the hotel and made sure we visited the top sights in Kyoto. At each location, he parked as close as possible, which kept walking to a minimum—much appreciated, especially with family. Harry spoke excellent English and gave us a clear and interesting overview of each landmark we visited. While six hours may sound long, it’s just enough time to visit four locations, considering the driving distances between sites and the walking involved at each one. Since these are very popular attractions, they can be quite crowded. Still, overall this was a fantastic experience and highly recommended, especially for families

Review provided by Viator

Neeka

Dec 30, 2025

Excellent choice for a short visit to Kyoto! - We loved our guide, Fuji. He was kind, spoke great English, and offered excellent tips for our trip along the way. Would absolutely recommend booking this service if your time in Kyoto is limited and you want to visit many sites.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Perry_j

Dec 21, 2025

An amazing day with Haruhiko! - My partner and I created a plan to visit Mt Kurama and Kifune. Haruhiko was the PERFECT driver and guide. We were able to experience these sights fully and Haruhiko also suggested including another Temple we had hoped to see. In all I highly recommend him as a guide and driver. We are so grateful for the experience!

Review provided by Viator

Ken_t

Dec 16, 2025

Fantastic experience for seeing Kyoto in a day! - I went with my late 60s parents in early November and we had a wonderful time. Our driver was Harry and he was fantastic. He picked us up right on time and went over our itinerary with us. We chose the sights we wanted to see and he planned out the route. He was knowledgeable about each of the sights that we saw and knew the best spots to take pictures. The car was fantastic and very clean. I would highly recommend this tour!

Review provided by Viator

Carlatp1708lu

Dec 7, 2025

Best way to see Kyoto - Our family (2 adults and 2 teens) had a great time exploring Kyoto with Sachiko as our driver. She charted out the best route for us to see all the different places on our wish list, and we even got to see an additional place (Ryoan-ji) upon her suggestion, as it was in between two of the places we were visiting. She was wonderful, spoke English quite well, and we would definitely recommend her to anyone visiting Kyoto.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Carla_t

Dec 2, 2025

Wonderful experience exploring Kyoto by car - If you want to see the sights in Kyoto, definitely hire a private car and driver. Our family of four got to see and experience the city’s top attractions without having to wait for crowded buses, and we had the flexibility to spend a little or a lot of time at each place. Our driver, Sachiko, was fantastic. She was so friendly, kind, and mapped out the best route for us to see all that we wanted to see within six hours. From picking us up at our hotel to chatting about Japanese culture, food, and everyday life, she was simply the best. Highly recommended!

Review provided by Viator

Sathishkumaar_g

Nov 10, 2025

Highly recommend and worth every yen - Harry San, our English speaking driver was amazing. He came along with us explaining every place we visited with great detail and also suggested a great place for lunch.

Review provided by Viator

F5913vmmargareto

Nov 9, 2025

Super day in Kyoto - We had the best time with Tanaka Harry san as our driver. After seeing one very crowded shrine we asked for his suggestions on other less crowded spots. He knew all of the best places and even made a lunch reservation for us at a local (hidden secret!) restaurant that had a beautiful garden in the heart of the old town. We were thrilled with our English speaking driver and our day in Kyoto. Highly recommend.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Nancy_m

Oct 15, 2025

Perfect private tour in Kyoto - My husband and I had a change in our cruise ship itinerary which lead us basically on our own and I was able to book a private driver in Kyoto Japan for 6 hours and customize our top choices. Our driver Takashi was fantastic! He met us at the train station and we were able to go directly to the Bamboo gardens, Golden Pavilion, stop at a great sushi spot near Gion and then walk the downtown Geisha district. He shared many additional shrines, and many historical sites in Kyoto along the way. Tashiki’s knowledge on Kyoto and being a native of the city allowed us to see more in our short time than if we were there for days. Viator has always been my go to for all my travels because the guides and drivers are the best! Highly recommend.

Review provided by Viator

Check Availability

From $380

(Per Vehicle)

From $380 (Per Vehicle)

up to 8 guests

1 - Traveler