Full Day Kyoto Walk In Fushimi, Arashiyama, Monkey, And Kinkakuji

I wish there we could give this tour more than 5 stars!! We took this tour on our last day in Japan, and I was a bit anxious as we didn’t want to miss seeing these sites. But we loved it! Our guide, Tom was superb!! I love having local guides who can provide both historical perspectives as well as their own context to the places we visit. Tom was wonderful in providing us with both. He also took us off the beaten path several times where we were completely alone. Tom is patient and considerate of his guests which made our experience a wonderful one. We had saved the best for last and we’re not disappointed!! Do know that these Siri are not within walking distance so you’ll be taking the public bus and train. I don’t believe it was clearly noted. We didn’t mind but people need to know.

Great overall experience. Our tour guide, Tom, was fantastic. He was super friendly and really made the tour informative, fun, and personalized for our group’s interests. He gave us insights and background on the sites that we would not have gotten otherwise, and was eager to answer all l of questions, related to the sites or not. The day was very hot since we did the tour in August, but Tom gave us plenty of opportunities to stop for drinks and rest, and took us to a great local spot for lunch that accommodated our group of 11 people. He even pivoted from our original plan when our teenagers were getting tired of seeing temples and offered up taking us to the Kyoto station for our last stop, which not only gave the kids a chance to shop, but brought us in to the air conditioning and also gave us spectacular views of Kyoto. Tom even messaged me after the tour with suggestions for dinner and other Kyoto highlights for the rest of our stay.

Great day experiencing Kyoto with Christophe! He was very knowledgeable about all the places we visited and about Japan in general! Using the trains and buses, and walking some of the quieter streets, was also a great way to get to know and see Kyoto. A very insightful, interesting, and fun day!

Tom was the best guide we have had in Japan. He was extremely knowledgeable of Japanese history and clearly explained all aspects of the culture. He was very kind and easily adapted to our interests.

Tom was a great guide. He was knowledgeable and flexible in the timing and direction in the tour. We spent the whole day with him and would recommend him to anyone.

We had a wonderful day seeing all the top sights around Kyoto. Raphael was an EXCELLENT tour guide. Very knowledgeable about the history of the sights and area. He let us choose our pace at all the stops and was always willing to take pictures of us. We were able to see the Inari gates, bamboo forest, monkey park and golden temple. Lots of walking but worth it for all the beautiful sights we saw. And having Raphael to guide us took away the stress of navigating on our own. Book this tour!

We had a wonderful and incredibly knowledgeable guide. Matheus knew all the shortcuts and the best spots for photos, allowing us to avoid the crowds while still seeing the highlights. His local expertise made the experience smooth, enjoyable, and much more memorable. We highly recommend him to anyone visiting the area.

We got really lucky on this tour with my 26-year-old son. We booked a group tour, but it ended up being just the two of us, so we basically had a private experience. From the very beginning, our guide Matheus was absolutely amazing. He provided clear explanations throughout the day, helped us navigate trains, buses, and key locations, and pointed out the best photo spots as well as great places for shopping and eating. His knowledge and guidance made everything so easy and enjoyable. We also really appreciated the background information he shared about the temples and shrines—things we would never have known without a guide. He was open to sharing information about his family and life in Japan, and we felt like we were walking with a friend. We truly enjoyed the tour and his company. It was an unforgettable full-day experience in Kyoto visiting Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama, the Monkey Park, and Kinkaku-ji. Highly recommended! Thank you!!

We had an unforgettable day in Kyoto thanks to our guide, Matheus! There is no way we could efficiently navigate trains, trams, buses, best spots for photos, shopping, eating, etc without his expertise! Our guide also shared background information about the temples and shrines that we would not have known without guidance! Crowd size for our tour was great- another family dropped after the first attraction and we ended up on a private tour! Admission fees were included in the tour. Atmosphere was great- (busy, but manageable with a guide!). This is best for people who are prepared to walk most of the day. Wear comfortable walking shoes!

We had an amazing tour of Kyoto with Alice. She went above and beyond to tailor our itinerary to the many interests of our family. She also went out of her way to help us navigate the train system and feel comfortable getting back to Shin Kyoto, for us to catch the return train back to Osaka at the end of our day. We have two teenagers that wanted to try different local sweets and souvenir shops. She helped us locate the best stops. We loved the shrine and temples. The bamboo forest and monkey park were big highlights as well. It was a full day but one that allowed us to create special memories of the beautiful Kyoto. We had a 5 star day with Alice!

Very efficient use of my one full day in Kyoto! We covered lots of ground, visiting shrines, temples, bamboo strands, monkeys and of course (the ultimate picture) the Golden Pavilion. Tiring but all so satisfying day. Special shoutout to my guide Alice. She explained and provided context, helping bring the sights to life. She was entertaining, knowledgeable and fun. Superb tour leader.

Guide was excellent and tour had great content. Day was long but if only one day available it packs a lot into it. Major complaint was value for money. Given no transportation provided, in retrospect seemed like too high a cost for what was provided.

Remy is an extremely knowledgeable and entertaining. guide. We would never have been able to navigate and learn so much at each of the sites without him. We had a great day!

This was a wonderful tour of Kyoto parks, temples and shrines. Tom was an amazing guide and knew so many great details and stories. Highly recommended.

Long fun day with an excellent guide, Tom, who was engaging, helpful and very knowledgeable about all the sites we toured. Hill up to see the monkeys is steep but doable. Get a transit card beforehand for ease of using bus and trains. Kyoto is a beautiful city and this tour takes you to all the best sites. Highly recommend especially with Tom.

We had an incredible time today with our guide, Tom! He was very friendly and very knowledgeable! The tour was very fun & we were able to take many great pictures, feed the monkeys (wear comfy shoes), and enjoyed a delicious lunch in Kyoto as well as yummy ice cream! Great views and great time! Thanks Tom!

A truly fantastic tour. Our guide, Remi, is the master of avoiding the crowds at the most popular of sites yet delivers perfect views and insights. The tour provides excellent experiences and an insight into Japanese culture throughout the centuries. Was also a pleasure to meet Christophe who was in training. He will undoubtedly make a first class guide at a first class company. Would highly recommend.

Tom was a wonderful guide. Very knowledgeable, informative and accommodating the whole day. He made this an experience to remember. Thanks Tom

Great tour, the guide Remi was very knowledgeable and we learn a lot about Japan and its customs. Would recommend highly!

This is our first (and likely only) time in Japan and we only had one full day to see the sights in Kyoto so we wanted to make the best of it. Tom made the day absolutely perfect and exceeded all of our expectations with his knowledge of Japanese history, his ability to connect with each of us (a multigenerational family ages 10-83) and his genuine thoughtfulness in taking us off the beaten path to try things he felt we would enjoy. He made the day memorable and fun even though it rained the entire time. Every stop was long enough for us to move through at a leisurely pace with plenty of opportunities to take pictures and to hear stories. Our 12 year old was surprised at how much he learned and am interested now in learning more. The transition from location to location was accomplished through a combination of trains and walking so be prepared to hit your step goal and then some. The tour truly took all day but there were breaks as needed and the time flew as the conversation was easy and very educational. We took a big risk dedicating our only full day in Kyoto to this one tour but it paid off and more than exceeded our expectations. I would highly recommend this tour and make sure you request Tom as your guide.

A very full day with Tom-san but well worth for the sites to see! A great way to burn off the calories you know you indulged on!

Tom was our guide on the walking tour in Kyoto. He’s very knowledgeable and passionate about the history of the area. He was very kind and really cared about our expeirence on our first trip to Japan. Highly recommend having him as a tour guide.

Stop reading reviews and just book this tour as long as you specifically ask for Tom by name! I cannot say enough good things about my day with Tom. This was not just my best viator tour experience in Japan but probably the best tour I have taken through viator in any country I have visited. The itinerary is already fire for some must-see spots but Tom took the time to get to know me and my preferences and modified the tour to get me to some additional goshuin at nearby temples and shrines, and then found a lunch spot perfectly suited for what I was in the mood for with ramen and the best gyoza I have had anywhere in the world. At no point during the day did it seem like Tom was reading off of a script to humour tourists; he was filled with facts and let the conversations meander as they would through the travel time and the historical sites. Even if it was just for the day, exploring the area with Tom felt like exploring with an old friend that just happened to be my age and into similar books, films, and television programmes so we had plenty of common ground to discuss throughout a memorable day. This was an excellent tour experience through Kyoto, I highly recommend this tour and Tom.

Tom was AMAZING!!!! I loved him! What a great day. He was on time and he welcomed me to the tour! He was flexible, fun, and very knowledgeable about history and Japanese culture! He loves it when you ask questions so don’t be afraid! It really felt as like two friends went out and check out the city! He was fun, always helping me with picture taken( I was solo). He also took me to a delish restaurant for lunch and gave me recommendations for a great sake. Do yourself a favor and book Tom!!!!!!!!!

We had a tour with Tom, and he was absolutely amazing. Truly interested in teaching us about the history of Japan, telling us about the important places we visited and on top of that, he was extremely pleasant to talk with as we told each other about our respective countries and cultures. We enjoyed every single step along the way. Tom also introduced us to some of his own favorite foods during the pauses in the trip which made it even more personal. An allround amazing tour!

We spent a superb day with Raphaël who was very friendly and interesting. A tour rich in cultural and historical information. We highly recommend it to discover the beautiful places of Kyoto.

We were fortunate to discover Kyoto with Raphaël, and the experience was exceptional from start to finish. Raphaël is passionate, knowledgeable, caring, and above all, incredibly pedagogical. He does not simply "give tours": he narrates Kyoto, its history, traditions, culture, and daily Japanese life with immense passion and intelligence. Thanks to him, we discovered beautiful places and also understood what makes this city so unique. The day was perfectly paced, tailored to our desires, and always in a very pleasant atmosphere.

After Osaka and Nara, walking tour of KYOTO. Remi showed us some beautiful places: Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama, Golden Temple, Eikan-do...... Remi is a passionate and exciting guide. His knowledge of Japanese history, culture and traditions is incredible, he knows how to transmit all this with simplicity. Thanks to his explanations, each place took on an extra dimension. He knew how to take us to beautiful places avoiding the crowds. Thanks to its many tips, we were able to fully enjoy each place, take pictures without anyone around and have a truly unique experience. Impeccable, professional and warm service. Many thanks to Remi for a memorable day! We recommend Japan Tour Adventure with your eyes closed