Pass by the Zoo and get to see this neighborhood, which preserves the look and feel of feudal-era Japan in a wood-built historic quarter of narrow lanes lined with traditional pottery stores, tea houses, and restaurants for multi-course kaiseki meals.
Hokanji temple was built in the Asuka period (538 - 710)
Learn more about the folk faith, which says that to have a wish granted, you must sacrifice one desire.
Over 1200 years have passed since the foundation of Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Halfway up Mt. Otowa, one of the peaks in Kyoto’s Higashiyama mountain range stands the temple
Before getting to see another shrine, you will have a coffee. This is one of the most famous shrines in Kyoto. Founded over 1350 years ago
Gion is Kyoto's most famous geisha district
Another unmissable place in Kyoto is Kamo-gawa river. This is probably the most famous and arguably the most popular river in Kyoto.
Explore a 400-year-old market, sample local Japanese goodies and shop for souvenirs
Azusa was a thoughtful and attentive guide in Kyoto. He balanced major temples with quieter streets and neighborhoods we would have missed on our own, and he was patient with questions and photos. The day felt well planned without being rigid. A solid choice for Kyoto.
Great start and introduction to Kyoto. You walk your way through multiple neighborhoods and experience the culture, flavor and history of Kyoto and see how is has repurposed older estate homes and properties into modern day retail spaces. The highly for sure is Ryōzen Kannon Temple and the surrounding property. Truly beautiful and you can tell how each season must bring a different color scheme and beauty. Our guide Sebastian gave us the true insider scoop on all aspects.
David was an awesome guide - fun, informative and interesting! He gave us a fantastic tour and took us through some of the less visited parts of Gion that we would not have ecperienced on our own. Would highly recommend this tour!!
We had an absolutely wonderful experience on our tour in Kyoto with our guide, Guia. She was incredibly kind and attentive to my children, making the day enjoyable and engaging for the whole family. Guia shared so many fascinating facts and stories about Kyoto’s history, culture, and hidden gem…it truly brought the city to life for us. Her warmth and enthusiasm made the tour feel personal and memorable. I could not recommend this tour more highly. A perfect way to experience
This tour includes very good sites. The tour guide Tiro is excellent - knowledgeable, pleasant and very thorough in his description and explanation…
Ted was punctual and very good at communicating prior to our tour. He gave us detailed information on the tour about Kyoto and the history and cultural events. Plus, he felt like a friend and was so kind and courteous and went above and beyond to help us figure out some plans for that evening and the next day.
Eiji came highly recommended and we were very pleased. He is a very nice man and he gave interesting information without overwhelming us.
Yoshihiro (or Ted to us Americans) is an excellent and knowledgable guide. He gave us a comprehensive view of Buddhist, Shinto, and secular traditions in Kyoto, has wide ranging knowledge of the city's art and history, and showed us the culture on a deeper level than most guides. He's also a very pleasant and fun guy. He also led us to an great tempura restaurant after and gave us some nice recommendations for other parts of our trip. I would highly recommend Ted to anyone visiting Kyoto.
Ted took us through the artistically startup journey led by the female with a sword - he gave insightful story telling linked to the Geisha neighborhood. The guiding towards temples and shrines gave us a good basis for continuing to visit interesting places in Kyoto. Thank you Ted!
We had the pleasure of joining a guided tour in Kyoto with Guia, and it was an unforgettable experience. Guia was incredibly friendly, funny, and entertaining, making us feel comfortable and engaged from the start. Her deep knowledge of Kyoto’s rich history and culture was impressive, and she shared it in a way that was both informative and captivating. She took us to the most beautiful and iconic spots in the city, as well as a few hidden gems we would have never discovered on our own. The time flew by, and by the end of the tour, we all felt like we had not only learned a lot but also gained a genuine appreciation for Kyoto. If you’re looking for an amazing guide who can bring the city to life, Guia is the one to choose. Highly recommended!
Shohei was right on top of communication with us in the days leading up to our tour, and he was responsive and flexible when our plans changed, which reduced our stress greatly. Shohei provided a great overview of Kyoto history and Buddhist practices, and this was greatly appreciated as we wanted to be sure we were respectful of customs. We really enjoyed our time with Shohei and recommend him highly.
Shohei is an excellent guide. He is very approachable, informative, and, most importantly, friendly. He answered all of our questions and speaks excellent English. This was a perfect introduction to the city, its history, and culture. Highly recommended.
Ted was terrific. We did as much as we could in the time available. I would have liked more time with him. What I appreciated was showing me the “off the beaten track” spots.
Ted was an amazing guide. He speaks very well English and answered all of our questions. The tour was great to get a good first impression of Kyoto of and even after our tour he was still available for questions and advice. 100% recommend
Ted was an amazing guide, even before our arrival. He provided us a fantastic list of restaurant options that we were able to reserve ahead, with every recommendation being some of our favourite meals of the entire trip. The hidden gems and stories from Ted were all fascinating and gave us a perfect overview of the city. He then left us with great ideas for what to do with our remaining days, including some excellent out of the way places where we could escape the crowds. We would highly recommend Ted and this tour to anyone.
Ted was so knowledgeable and we learned so much. The geisha are was beautiful! Thoroughly enjoyed our day.
This is my first visit to Japan and I so I booked the 90 minutes Starter Tour with Ted. Communication via WhatsApp was easy, tourstart was very much on time. I enjoyed his explanations and benefited greatly from his knowledge. Besides from walking me around he answered all my questions, gave me helpful ideas what to do in Kyoto and even sent me links via WhatsApp after the tour. Highly recommended
Eiji is a very friendly person und the tour with him was very pleasant. He gave a good insight to Kyoto and the culture. You can ask him everything, he is a very easygoing person. Thank you Eiji, it was a pleasure meeting you!
We had the most amazing time with Ted while visiting Kyoto. We loved all of his stories and knowledge which made our love for this city grow even more. I was amazed on how much we saw and how much we learned in such a short period of time. Ted was also very kind to inform us about the railway and subway systems since they are different than in Tokyo. He also helped us plan the rest of our time in Kyoto with great tips on where and when to see the top sights. We loved seeing the Thousand Torii gates at night! Thank you, Ted, for an unforgettable tour. We highly recommend you and look forward to touring with you again.
We had an amazing day with Shohei and actually we booked an extra short tour with him upon arrival in kyoto. We saw the major sights, took lots of photos, had lunch together at a very local spot, and he even helped us get a bus ticket to the Osaka airport for our departure the next day. He was very easy and enjoyable to talk with and his knowledge of japan was great. He enjoys giving tours and loves japan. We learned so much and would highly recommend.
Our tour of Kyoto with Shohei has been the highlight of our first trip to Japan. His wealth of local knowledge and historical information were combined with his friendly manner and funny jokes for a wonderful, personalised experience for our family of 4 Aussies (2A and 2 teens 14/16). Best way to start your Kyoto experience- don’t miss out, book Shohei now! Thank you Shohei
Disappointed, very expensive for an untrained guide, who is not from Japan and does not speak Japanese.
My son and I took a walking tour with Ted Yoshihiro on our first full day in Kyoto. Ted was very knowledgeable and provided many insights and tips on how to take in the city. We learned a lot! More than that, Ted is a warm and friendly guide who took time to get to know us and connect on a personal level. We really enjoyed the tour & visiting with him!
Our group of 4 had a really enjoyable tour with Ted. On an increddibly hot day, we took our time through Kabuki history, Kyoto Geikos and Hanamachi and a wonderful explanation of Buddhism and Shintoism, while perusing temples and shrines. Thank you, Ted, our time passed by very pleasantly and we forgot about the weather.
Guia was so knowledgeable and offered such knowledgeable and deep insights into Kyoto and Japanese culture generally. We learned so much during our walking tour. It was a super hot day, and Guia was very considerate of our 11-year old, not only engaged him with her stories but also treated us all to delicious matcha ice cream treats! I cannot recommend Guia highly enough!
Guia was a pleasure to meet and to take this tour with. She is smart, funny and engaging, and extremely knowledgeable about local customs and Kyoto. It was a pleasure taking this tour with her!
I was incredibly fortunate to have Ted as my guide during my short time in Kyoto. He was accommodating with my last-minute request to add another participant to the tour and made me feel comfortable from the start. Despite the particularly hot and humid day, Ted was patient with my frequent stops for water and bathroom breaks. He always adjusted the pace to suit me and provided insightful answers to my many questions (and I had plenty!). Even though it was one of Japan's busiest tourism days due to a national holiday, Ted made the tour feel special, helping us navigate around the crowds. He even joined me in shopping for a gift for my family! Our time together was wonderful, and we ended the tour with a prayer at a shrine—I truly felt like I made a friend. I highly recommend Ted to anyone visiting Kyoto, especially for exploring the historic district. He also offers food tours and bamboo forest tours, which I'm sure are just as excellent.
The tour was very interesting, Yoshihiro (Ted) was extremely well spoken and versed and has taught me a lot of interesting things about Japanese coulture. More than that he was very helpful before and after we had met, giving me suggestions about hotels to stay and what to visit in other places as well! Ted has a beautiful soul, he is a wonderful person and it was a delight to spend a couple of hours with him, would absolutely very highly recommend him.
Guia was awesome! She took us through temples and accommodated our needs. She was well-versed in the Japanese culture and we had a wonderful day as a family..
We had a great day in Kyoto with Ted. We learned a lot about the area and now have a deeper appreciation of the culture. We would recommend this tour to all visitors in Kyoto. We did a bit of walking so it was great excercise!
Loved my tour with Shohei. Fantastic guide fun to hang out with as well. He only had 11/2 hours and was able to give us so much information and made everything so interesting. Definitely recommend you take a tour with shohei.
Guia was fantastic. Immediately warm and ready to share her extensive knowledge about Kyoto and the region. She's an excellent communicator and clearly brought her decades of experience in Kyoto to our time together. She knows the history and candidly shared her perspective with us. Truly, Guia is someone you would love to spend all day with. We’ve done similar walking tours in many other cities all over the world and this ranks as one of the best. Highly recommend time with Guia.
Sebastian is a experienced tour guide with lots of knowledge about the culture and history of Kyōto. And he is a warm hearted nice person. It was a relax walking tour despite the masses of people you meet at all the Kyōto highlights. It was a pleasure to your around with Sebastian and we can highly recommend booking tours with him. Next time we may go for the bicycle tour which seems to be a lot of fun.
We had a 6 walking tour of Kyoto with Guia and had a great time! She was there early and ready to go, showed us some great local spots and the touristy stuff as well! She told us about a lot of the history behind the scenery and buildings when we passed them. Would recommened! We visited 3rd week of May ‘24
Ted was such an amazing guide, he was so knowledgeable and informative. We learned so much about the history of Kyoto. He went above and beyond by taking us to extra stops that we asked about and brought us to the most amazing matcha cafe. Definitely recommend this tour, 5 stars for sure!
Shohei was our guide for a three hour tour of central Kyoto. We visited Kiyomizu-Dera temple, Chion-in temple, Ryozen Kannon, and several other sites. He is very knowledgeable about local restaurants and shopping, and he was able to help us navigate some of the cultural uniqueness of Japan. Shohei lived in Ohio from a young age, so he speaks English as a native speaker. Our kids (ages 17 and 15) were entertained the entire time and the tour gave us a great perspective of the city. Highly recommended!
Shohei was a fabulous guide! And such an interesting person! He is knowledgeable, personable and a ton of fun. We highly recommend him!
Ted was an outstanding tour guide. He answered our many questions with much insight. Even on a crowded weekend, Ted took us to places where it was not hectic and they were indeed hidden gems. We saw all the best of Gion district and it was very informative. Ted spoke great English which made our experience very easy. Thank you Ted!
Ted was a wonderful tour guide who gave us the history of Kyoto which I found very interesting. He showed us some of the Gion area and explained how the Geisha and Meikos work, study and live. I found that very fascinating. It was the perfect amount of time and I highly recommend Ted to anyone visiting Kyoto. He also recommended a famous Ramen restaurant at the train station for us that night as we were heading to Tokyo. And it did not disappoint. Best ramen I’ve had!
We had a great afternoon with our guide Ted. Because of the crowds, he suggested to go to a shrine where there were less people. It was great, and we learned a lot about Kyoto and the shinto religion. Ted is a very friendly guide, and he seemed to be genuinly interested in showing us things we would like to see.
Great experience. Ted was very knowledgeable and patient. I would highly recommend him. He good a good historical perspective of the city.
Shohei was very friendly and easy to talk to. We had a lovely tour that helped us understand and see Kyoto in a more knowledgable way than before. I thought I knew quite a bit about Japan, but I learned so many more fun facts, especially about Kyoto and the shrines here. The tour was very fun but it was over too fast (at least it felt that way!).
The tour guide was engaging and knowledgeable and took us to impressive and memorable sights. He took pictures of the four of us throughout the day and they are a wonderful souvenir from this experience.
We really enjoyed our tour of Kyoto with Shohei, visiting the Gion district and two temples, including the famous Kiyomizu-dera. Shohei is very knowledgeable about the city and its culture and also included lots of fun facts to keep the kids interested.
We had an enjoyable afternoon with Shohei getting a good introduction to Kyoto. He was very patient with our group of four and made several adjustments to accommodate our slow pace due to a broken toe. He even helped us get obtain luggage storage during our tour and helped us catch a cab at the end of the tour. He definitely went above and beyond to adapt to our needs. He shared interesting stories about the history and traditions of Kyoto.
Shohei welcomed us warmly to Kyoto and helped us find our feet, our bearings and some lovely little secret local spots! Our stay in Kyoto has been special and fun, thanks to Shohei’s hospitality and expertise! Thanks Shohei!!
Eiji is an incredibly kind and thoughtful tour guide. We are so happy to have chosen him to show us around the Gion District.
Our guide Ted was truly amazing. He brought so much history, culture, religion, and more, layering it into our tour experience. And making Kyoto come alive for us. Ted made each area we visited that much more relevant and enjoyable. He was helpful in so many ways and we appreciate all that he brought to the tour to make it extra special and a meaningful experience. Thank you Ted-san. Louie & Jean
Excellent tour. Very insightful and informative about Japanese people and culture. Shohei was excellent and very pleasant to have this walk tour with.
We really enjoyed our walking tour of Kyoto with Ted. His knowledge is excellent and he takes the time to explain small but important details. We also travelled to locations via train which helped us get an understanding of how to get around the city ourselves after the tour. Ted was also great with our children highlighting certain aspects of the tour that was relevant or interesting to them. We also has Ted for a food tour that was also a very good experience.
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