Kyoto Customized Private Tour See Top Attractions In 1 Day

Great walking, bus ride and train ride the tour guide was great knows everything about Japanese history.

We had a wonderful half-day tour of Kyoto! Our guide Mass was incredibly knowledgeable, engaging, and funny, making the experience both informative and enjoyable. We learned so much about Kyoto’s history and culture while having a great time. Highly recommend this tour and Masa.

Our guide, Mitshiko, was absolutely wonderful and by far the best guide we had in Japan. He was funny, interesting and so sweet. He took us to the unmissable parts of Kyoto and his deep knowledge on each place we visited was very impressive and fascinating. Overall fantastic experience and would highly recommend.

Mitsuhiko was a delightful tour guide. He was knowledgeable, friendly and answered our many questions. The sights we saw were all amazing but I wish there was a bit less travel time involved. Overall, it was a nice tour.

It is a very comfortable way to see the main attractions of Kyoto and enjoy the luxury of the services of a guide.

Ko is a very professional and griendly guide. We enjoyed the tour with him. and we will recommend him to our friends

Very knowledgeable and friendly tour guide ! Great with our young kids. Accommodating to schedule and modified to fit time slot. Very efficient experience. Thanks !

We booked the four hour private tour for 7 AM start time and communicated with Keiko Masuda ahead of time to visit: Kinkaku-ji, Fushimi Inari-taisha and Nishiki market. She tailored our tour to fit the four hour and took into account we have a toddler and stroller. The pace was relaxed and we learned a lot about the history of the places. She was a great guide and would recommend her highly.

Had a free day from our conference. Booked 8 hour private tour, guide was Mitsuhiko. He was fantastic. Gave great history of area and Geisha. Kept us on a good pace, and with our group of 6 accommodated our desire for some shopping, and food allergies for lunch. Van was clean, the A/C used as was a sunny and hot day in sun. Mitsuhiko had good English skills, and a nice tour book with photos and written English titles.

We had an amazing day with Kenji! He picked us up from the Hilton Kyoto and took us to Nara. He was very generous, very knowledgeable, and very patient with our four and six-year-olds. We were able to customize the tour and pivot based on what we wanted to experience. If you are looking for a private guide in Kyoto, I highly recommend him. He was great!

Kenji was fantastic tour guide and patient with our schedule and crazy kids!

Takuma was an exceptional guide! He was on time (early), let me know exactly where to meet, and reconfirmed our plan before we left our hotel. He was very informative, spoke excellent English and took us EXACTLY where we wanted to buy certain items (Japanese cooking knives and crunchy hot chili oil rice seasoning) . I would highly recommend Takuma to all our friends visiting Kyoto!

We spent an incredible day with Kiyoto experiencing Kyoto. We learned so much about the history of Kyoto and the Japanese culture and etiquette. Kiyoto is truly a wonderful guide. He was going above and beyond to tailor the tour to our interests and ensure everyone in our family comfortably enjoying the sightseeing. Thank you, Kiyoto!

Kenta was an outstanding guide. He spoke perfect English because he had lived in the USA. We were lucky to have him for 3 days. Our van and driver were also excellent. Kenta had a vast range of knowledge on many subjects…culture, language, geography, religion, history, etc. He was able to alter our tours as needed and gave excellent options. We expressed some trepidation about our upcoming Shinkansen train ride and he actually went with us to the train station the day before and helped us experience each step we would need to catch our train perfectly. We could not have had a better guide for our 3 days in Kyoto. Arigato, Kenta!

Our guide, Takuma, was an amazing young man, very knowledgeable and spoke excellent English. He ensured we stayed on time and saw all the things we wanted! He took a lot of photos of us, and was also an excellent photographer. Also, we asked specifically where we could buy certain items, like a Japanese knife, and Takuma took us to a long established shop where we got exactly what we wanted. Plus Takuma knew where I could buy a particular spicy furikake and he knew where we could get it in Kyoto. I highly recommend Takuma for anyone in need of a warm, experienced, customer focused English speaking guide.

Keiko was extremely knowledgeable and a great guide. She knows much about the history and culture of the Gion area. She tailored the tour to exactly what my husband and I wanted to do. She met us at our hotel and made sure we got back safely. Don’t miss a tour with fabulous keiko-can’t say enough!

Saeko was very knowledgeable and customized our tour. We visited Kinkaju-ji Temple and Kiromizo-dera Temple and shopped in the domed street.

We had only a short time in Kyoto. Our guide, Hiro, advised us what to see in the 6 hours available, and we enjoyed every stop. Hiro was thoroughly delightful and informative. We learned a lot, which is important to us when we travel. Our driver was impressively skilled and sweet. Having both a driver and a guide saved precious time. Highly recommended.

I cannot recommend Ismail highly enough. He made my Koyasan experience truly exceptional from beginning to end. Ismail was incredibly professional, knowledgeable, kind and attentive throughout the entire experience. He took care of every detail and was always making sure that I was comfortable and able to fully enjoy and understand this very special and spiritual place. What impressed me most was how genuinely caring and thoughtful he was. Nothing ever felt rushed, and he went above and beyond to make the experience memorable. His explanations, organisation and personal attention made a huge difference. Koyasan was already one of the experiences I was most looking forward to in Japan, but Ismail made it even more special and unforgettable. 10++++ out of 10! An outstanding guide and a genuinely wonderful person. I could not recommend Ismail more highly!

Meri was a wonderful guide. We had a short stay in Kyoto, so having a guide allowed us to see many sites without having to navigate the journey ourselves. She designed a tour that fit our multi-generation group perfectly. Thank you Meri!

Takuma was our guide for a full day in Kyoto and we could not have wished for better. He showed us the highlights, from Arashiyama and Kinkaku-ji to Fushimi Inari and Gion, and along the way he kept sharing stories and background that made everything come alive. What really made the difference was how he handled the day itself. It was extremely hot, and he noticed. He kept checking in with us before every next step, adjusted the pace to what we could handle, and offered alternatives when we needed a break. His suggestion to visit Sanjusangendo, an indoor temple with hardly any walking, turned out to be one of the most beautiful parts of the day. On top of that he is simply a lovely person. Cheerful, spontaneous, easy-going, and he clicked with every single member of our family. By the end of the day he felt like one of us. If you are looking for a guide in Kyoto who knows the city inside out and genuinely takes care of you, book Takuma. Highly recommended.

Brilliant experience, our first time doing a private customised tour. Our guide Kenta was in touch well before the tour to put together a fantastic itinerary. We started with the Fushimi Inari Shrine (thousand red gates) which was amazing. We then moved on to the picturesque Gion district and learnt about the Geisha that live and train in the area. My wife is vegan so we had a delicious vegan meal at a beautiful restaurant Kenta had recommend. We then finished with the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. A really unique and memorable day.

Takuma Goda, You gave us the best experience. No standard but customized to our wishes. Perfect ice cream place, real good Japanese lunch place. It was an honor to have you as part of our family for this day. Thank you so much. Regards, Barbara, Tom, Sophie & Marco

We made a day trip to Kyoto from Tokyo and decided that it would be best to setup a guide. I scheduled with Japan Wonder Tours and sent a draft plan of what we wanted to see. We learned Kenji would be our guide a few days before the trip and he immediately reached out with suggestions on how we could optimize the plan. He met us at the train station and we were off. Kenji was extremely professional and courteous. He had a schedule of our plan reviewed it with us and we made needed updates on the go to ensure we saw everything we wanted and an iconic landmark (Golden Pavilion) that we had inadvertently omitted from our list. I can't say enough good things about Kenji. He was the perfect guide and made our trip to Kyoto unforgettable! We would highly recommend!!

I love my guide, Chiko! She was so sweet and very knowable about everything I asked. I will have a really good experience with here around Kyoto and Kobe! Thank you very much for you time Chiko…

First of all, Kenta. Our tour guide was Kenta Suzuki and he was the most helpful, kind, courteous, knowledgeable tour guide we’ve ever had. He coordinated our meeting, suggested a great itinerary, answered our questions, and helped us sort out everything from feeding the deer, taxis to train tickets, the history of Japan’s ancient capital, and hydration issues on one of the hottest and humid days of July. He was terrific!

We had a wonderful 4-hour walking tour of Kyoto with Kenta Silusuki. He guided us through the city’s main temples, historic streets, and beautiful neighborhoods at a comfortable, relaxed pace, with breaks whenever needed. Kenta was knowledgeable, friendly, and made the experience both enjoyable and informative. He also gave us excellent recommendations for shopping and restaurants that made the rest of our stay even better. We highly recommend Kenta to anyone looking for a great introduction to Kyoto!

We had a wonderful 4-hour walking tour of Kyoto with Kenta Silusuki. He guided us through the city’s main temples, historic streets, and beautiful neighborhoods at a comfortable, relaxed pace, with breaks whenever needed. Kenta was knowledgeable, friendly, and made the experience both enjoyable and informative. He also gave us excellent recommendations for shopping and restaurants that made the rest of our stay even better. We highly recommend Kenta to anyone looking for a great introduction to Kyoto!

Do not book this tour, it was not what they advertised

We had a wonderful day traveling through Kyoto with our tour guide Mika. I gave Mika an idea of where we would like to visit and we were able to check all boxes. Mika was very informative and gave us the history, information, and stories of Kyoto and gave us a better understanding of the Japanese culture. We had a great time and she was very understanding of the pace we wanted to take the tour because of the amount of walking I knew we would be doing on a hot and humid summer day. We had a great tour and Mika individualized our experience perfectly.

Good experience. Kenji was good and knowledgeable

We had a wonderful private tour with Yuka! We were able to customize the itinerary, which allowed to see sites that specifically were of interest to us. Yuka was prompt with picking us up from our hotel. She was kind, knowledgeable, and a joy to spend the day with. In addition to sharing great insights at the different historical and cultural sites, she helped us navigate getting taxis from one stop to the next and had an excellent lunch recommendation. We would recommend a tour with Yuka to anyone looking to learn more about Kyoto!

Takuma provided us with a perfect day in Nara. He was knowledgeable and enjoyable to be around all day. He even recommended us the best Ramen for lunch!!!

We had a wonderful day filled with many unforgettable experiences. Part of what made our day so great was our guide, Mieko. Mieko was very knowledgeable and had the perfect suggestions for our family. She was kind, interesting and shared knowledge we would have missed had we not a guide. We had hoped a local guide would help us navigate the city better; with Mieko, we got that and so much more!

We had a fantastic day with the best guide, Mieko. She was able to share the beauty of Kyoto with our group of nine. Having someone physically escort you around and share the history of the city is amazing, especially if you only have a day to try and see and do it all. The pick up at our hotel was seamless and she made sure to translate for us every step of the way. We definitely recommend this tour and be sure to ask for Mieko!

Takuma Goda is the best tour guide from any trip I’ve had.

Meg, our guide was outstanding. Extremely knowledgeable, friendly and kind. Great way to see Kyoto. We would highly recommend this tour!

We spent the perfect day in Kyoto with our guide Takashi Okanuma from Japan Wonder Travel and driver Idaku Kyo from Keikoku Company! We learned so much about Japanese history and culture from Takashi. We were able to visit the five places we requested for our itinerary plus the Yasaka Pagoda area recommended by Takashi. The area recommended by Takashi ended up being one of our favorite places of the tour. In addition, Takashi picked out a delicious place for us to eat lunch where we had the best sushi of our trip so far. Takashi also took so many great photos and video of our family during the tour. Idaku provided us with a safe and comfortable drive through out the day. It was a very warm day and Idaku always had the car ready to pick us up and welcome us back into the cool, air conditioned and comfy car. For our first full day in Kyoto during our first visit to Japan, this tour was the best way for us to experience Kyoto. This tour was outstanding because Takashi and Idaku did such a great job!

We had an amazing tour of Kyoto’s temples and shrines. Our guide, Tossy, was fantastic. He was incredibly knowledgeable, shared lots of interesting history and cultural insights, and was very interactive and made the experience fun. Thanks to Tossy, our time in Kyoto was both educational and memorable. Highly recommend this tour!

Tour was customized to our requests. We could not hope for a better guide than Tossy, he is a great teacher of Japanese culture and history. Okini Arigato!

Kiyoto was hands down one of the best parts of our Kyoto trip. He customized our tour around our interests, showed us incredible places we wouldn’t have found on our own, and made the entire day fun and memorable. Knowledgeable, friendly, and genuinely passionate about Kyoto—we highly recommend booking a tour with him! 🇯🇵✨

Knowledgeable and flexible guide. Mika was energetic and patient. Great English. He understanding of history and especially geisha culture was impressive

This was a wonderful tour to do on our first day. Elly was exceptional! She navigated us through the market with ease and took us to spots we would not have stopped at on our own. A 10/10 experience.

Tossy was truly exceptional. Our family of 8 had a wonderful experience on this tour. From the very beginning he was kind, professional and informative. Tossy also had personal touches you don’t get from other tour guides. He had great knowledge and insight to all the destinations we chose. A truly customized, memorable stress free experience for our family. We highly recommend this tour! Request Tossy!

Tossy was the best guide ever! He was very knowledgeable, prompt, and helpful. He shared a lot of great information about Japanese culture, history and customs. He took us to a fantastic local restaurant for lunch and shared hidden gems that avoided the crowds. He took awesome pictures too! He knew how to take panoramic photos that captured all the beautiful spots. We had a group of 8 people with elderly and kids. This van tour was the best we have experienced for such a large group. All thanks to Tossy! Thank you so much! We would totally book again!!

It was amazing! Kiyoto was super helpful. My kids were engaged. At the end he even helped my daughter find a Tamagotchi she had been looking for! Wonderful experience!

Our guide, Hiro, provided my family with a thoughtful and in depth walk through shrines, temple, and zen garden. He shared the faith traditions of each, giving us an informative perspective that helped us understand the meaning of these sights in addition to the beauty. We left deep connected to the history, the beliefs, and the people of Kyoto. Hiro is one of the best guides we have had the pleasure of touring with. I highly recommend.

Takuma was amazing!! He answered all our questions, used the iPad to enhance his answers (while teaching us the history of the site), adjusted the itinerary to our needs, and recommended a delicious lunch place. The tour was fabulous!!

Kiyoto Noda was an absolutely fabulous guide.He couldn’t have been better and took us to a couple of wonderful shrines that were not so touristy, plus fantastic Japanese gardens. He was so knowledgeable and helpful. He even made a little video of our experience, without us realising that he was doing it. I can’t recommend him too highly. He is simply the best!