• Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine - Discover the wonders of the Fushimi Inari Shrine, which offers much more than its iconic vermillion-red torii gate tunnels. While many visitors are content with the scenic views, the shrine holds numerous stories that connect to Japan’s rich history and culture. A knowledgeable guide will delve deeper into these tales, including the shrine’s dedication to the god of grains, “Inari.” This is why fox statues, known as “Kitsune,” are prevalent around the shrine, as they are considered clever servants to Inari, making them ideal guides in the business world. After this tour, you might want these cunning foxes on your 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 offers a chance to discover hidden gems cherished by locals while learning about Kyoto’s ancient history. Highlights include insights into Geisha culture and rituals, and visits to 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 find 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 renowned culinary delights. The market features a range of store sizes, from small stalls to larger two-story shops, with most specializing in specific food types. Nearly everything sold is locally sourced and produced.

• Kiyomizu-dera Temple - Explore one of Kyoto’s most beloved temples, Kiyomizu-dera, with a comprehensive 1-hour guided tour. A guide will enrich your experience by sharing insights into Japan’s history and culture as you explore the temple’s magnificent architecture. Enjoy commentary from an English-speaking guide who ensures you don’t miss any significant features.
• 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 atmospheric dining areas. This narrow alley runs from Shijo-dori to Sanjo-dori, one block west of the Kamogawa River. The alley is lined with restaurants offering a wide range of dining options, from affordable yakitori to traditional and modern Kyoto cuisine, foreign dishes, and exclusive establishments requiring connections and a generous budget.

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 venues offer English menus.

• Higashiyama Ward - The Higashiyama District (東山) 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’s charm. Recent renovations, including the removal of telephone poles and repaving of streets, have enhanced the district’s traditional ambiance.
• 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 on the grounds of today’s temple, inspired by Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion), his grandfather’s retirement villa in Kyoto’s northern mountains (Kitayama). After Yoshimasa’s death in 1490, the villa was converted into a Zen temple.

As the retirement villa of an art-obsessed shogun, Ginkakuji became a hub of contemporary culture, known as the Higashiyama Culture, contrasting with the Kitayama Culture of his grandfather’s era. Unlike the Kitayama Culture, which was limited to Kyoto’s aristocratic circles, the Higashiyama Culture had a widespread impact across Japan. The arts developed and refined 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 significant Zen temples. It serves as the head temple of one of the schools within the Rinzai sect of Japanese Zen Buddhism and includes multiple subtemples, expanding the already large complex of temple buildings.

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 existing 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. The temple was founded in 1236 at the request of the influential Fujiwara clan. Its name combines the names of two great temples in Nara associated with the Fujiwara, Todaiji Temple and Kofukuji Temple. Historically, Tofukuji has been one of Kyoto’s principal Zen temples and serves as a head temple of one of the Rinzai sect’s schools of Zen Buddhism.

In autumn, visitors from across Japan flock to Tofukuji to witness its vibrant autumn colors. The most popular view is from the Tsutenkyo Bridge, which spans a valley of lush maple trees. The view from the bridge is equally breathtaking, and the 100-meter-long covered walkway becomes crowded when the colors peak, typically around 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 the capital’s 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, was appointed head priest of Toji, 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 according to 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 multiple times throughout its history, including twice during the Onin War, a civil war that devastated much of Kyoto, and once more recently 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 esteemed temples listed as World Heritage Sites. It serves as 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 throughout its history, none of the original buildings from the temple’s foundation in the 9th century survive. The oldest buildings date back to the early Edo Period in the early 1600s, 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 at the site where her journey ended.

Kifune Shrine is dedicated to the god of water and rain and is believed to protect those at sea. Here, 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 town. 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 to access all baths or 1000 yen 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 to the south.

The history of Ryoanji’s renowned rock garden is shrouded in mystery, with its construction date and designer remaining uncertain. 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 favored 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 numerous 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. The villa and garden, in their current form, were completed in 1645 as the residence for the Katsura Family, members of Japan’s Imperial Family.

Visiting Katsura Imperial Villa requires joining a tour. The tour 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, who enjoyed spending time in this tranquil area on Kyoto’s outskirts, the palace was converted into a temple thirty years after the emperor’s death. Since then, it has been one of the highest-ranked temples of Shingon Buddhism.

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. It was ranked first among the city’s five great Zen temples and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Tenryuji is the head temple of its own school within the Rinzai Zen sect of Japanese Buddhism.

Tenryuji was established in 1339 by the ruling shogun Ashikaga Takauji, who dedicated the temple 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. Similar to Kiyomizudera on the opposite side of town, Yoshiminedera is built along the mountainside and overlooks 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 gifted to the temple by Emperor Gosuzaku in 1042.

• Togetsukyo Bridge - The Togetsukyo Bridge (lit. “Moon Crossing Bridge”) is Arashiyama’s most iconic landmark. Originally built during the Heian Period (794-1185) and most recently reconstructed in the 1930s, the bridge is particularly striking against the backdrop of the forested mountainside. 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 pleasant stroll or bicycle ride. The groves are especially captivating when a gentle breeze causes the tall bamboo stalks to sway gracefully. For centuries, local workshops have used bamboo to craft various products, such as baskets, cups, boxes, and mats.
• 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. 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 one of Kyoto’s many UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In addition to its temple buildings, there are beautiful gardens with walking paths.
• Jojakkoji Temple - This mountainside temple was founded in 1596. With its small, charming buildings and gates, the temple exudes a quiet and understated atmosphere. Maple trees and moss line the paths and stairs that traverse the temple grounds. From several vantage points, 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 on the temple grounds is partly due to the overhanging trees along the approach. Founded in the mid-9th century, Nisonin is a temple of the Tendai sect. There are views over the city from the upper grounds.
• Gioji Temple - Gioji is even more nestled into the forest than Jojakkoji and Nisonin. It is renowned for its moss garden, punctuated with tall maple trees. The temple’s entrance gate and small main hall have thatched roofs. The latter features an attractive round window overlooking the gardens.
• Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple - Adashino Nenbutsuji is located at the end of the Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street. The temple was founded in the early 9th century when the famous monk Kobo Daishi placed stone statues for the souls of the deceased here. Today, the temple grounds are covered by hundreds of such stone statues. In the back of the temple, a short path leads through a bamboo forest.
• Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple - A ten-minute walk north of the similarly named Adashino Nenbutsuji, the Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple is famous for its 1200 stone statues of rakan, devoted followers of Buddhism, each with a unique facial expression. Created relatively recently in the 1980s and early 1990s, the numerous 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. The villa and garden, in their current form, were completed in 1645 as the residence for the Katsura Family, members of Japan’s Imperial Family.

Visiting Katsura Imperial Villa requires joining a tour. The tour 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.

• Kennin-ji Temple - Kenninji Temple (建仁寺) is located near the bustling Hanamikoji and Shijo streets. The expansive and pleasant grounds of Kenninji Temple offer a tranquil oasis with two karesansui (dry landscape gardens). It is considered the oldest Zen temple in Kyoto.
• Byodoin Temple - Byodoin Temple (平等院) is renowned for its Phoenix Hall, a National Treasure of Japan and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Extra travel time is expected as it is located in Uji city in Kyoto prefecture.

• 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

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

Sacred temples, divine shrines, and time-honored tea rituals. Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan, is a living testament to the country’s deep-rooted traditions. A stroll around this picturesque city feels akin to a journey back in time, thanks to its centuries-old, well-preserved architectural gems. Overlooking the historic district of Gion, known for its thriving geisha culture, stands the grand Kiyomizu Temple. The city’s rich historical tapestry is too compelling to pass up, so secure your spot with our government-certified, English-speaking tour guides for a walking exploration of Kyoto!

Once you’ve confirmed your booking, a personal guide will touch base with you to lay out a customized tour plan. You can select 2 or 3 places you want to explore, and your guide will map out a tailored itinerary. In case you’re unsure of which spots to pick, feel free to ask your guide for some recommendations based on your preferences. Whether you’re a history aficionado, an admirer of ancient Japanese construction, or simply looking forward to relishing a green tea parfait, Kyoto surely has something to satiate your wanderlust!

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

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