The Award-winning Private Food Tour Of Kyoto: The 10 Tastings

Our guide Ren was so much fun! So informative about food and culture. Born and raised in Kyoto, we felt we got the true experience. Our love for Kyoto began with Ren! Thank you ❤️

We had a wonderful food tour with Nina in Kyoto! She spoke excellent English and was very engaging, informative and helpful throughout the experience. A real foodie , she explained the local food culture and traditions in a way that was both interesting and enjoyable, and her friendly, approachable manner made the tour feel relaxed and fun. Nina was attentive to our interests and happy to answer our questions, making the experience feel personal rather than just a series of food stops. We learnt a great deal about Kyoto’s food scene and enjoyed discovering places we might not otherwise have found on our own. Thank you, Nina, for such an enjoyable and memorable experience. We would happily recommend her to anyone looking to explore Kyoto through its food!

My sister and I paid total of $400 for this tour but only received 4 courses, most of which we shared, then the tour guide said there was no more money to spend. Our tour ended after about 1 hour

Experience was well worth it. We were given a tour around Nishiki Market and surrounding areas. Stopped at some really amazing places for fantastic food. Tiro was a very knowledgeable tour guide who was bilingual and customized the tour to our tastes. Sushi and Waygu at the market were amazing!

We had a great experience with Sebastian who was just fantastic. We had a few dietary restrictions and he accommodated all of them with ease. Additionally we had already been in Japan for 10 days and we were still able to try all new dishes. Honestly 10/10 for host, food and historical information!

It was fantastic. Hiroki was a great tour guide. His selections were perfect for our family. We would highly recommend him.

Probably the best tour we’ve ever had not only because the host (Tiro) explained everything along the way and customised the food tasting experience according to what we like but also because the host had the time to show us around things and places beyond the food tasting tour as well as having interesting discussions.

We booed this tour so we could experience the food of Kyoto. Our guide was Ryuki. I explained that we are adventurous eaters and wanted real Kyoto food. He understood the assignment. We went to a bunch of spots that covered the spectrum from sushi to stand up bar to skewers to grabbing things from street vendors at the Nishiki Market. This is a good tour to avoid food traps and experience real cuisine.

We had a wonderful afternoon at the Nishiki market with our guide Guia. She was very knowledgeable about the food and history of the market. Guia tailored the tour to our preferences and kept a pace that worked well for us. It was our first day in Kyoto so she also gave us good information about other sights to see. Highly recommended!

A food tour lives or dies on the persona of the guide. This tour was DOA. We began walking through Nishiki Market and asked questions about food, food prep, food history for which our guide, Hiroki, consulted his phone. I coulda' done that! A member of our party was vegetarian but very adaptable - a point re-iterated upon meeting Hiroki. We were disappointed when he diverted out of the market to a vegan restaurant where we had a large, so-so meal consisting of food that Hiroki had no familiarity with so could not answer any of our questions! After that he took us for donuts and that was that. No ten stops, no shrine pass-bys, no other shopping streets. Hiroki surely meant well when he diverted to the vegan restaurant but award winning this tour was not.

Hariko was super nice and very accommodating to our pescatarian request. We spent 3 fun hours trying different foods starting with a savory pancake restaurant and then we wandered the Nishiki market, went to a vegetarian place, and ended at a donut spot. Super fun afternoon with so much delicious food! Thank you Hariko!!

Our food host Tiro was awesome. He tailored our tastings to our preference and we felt every one was a winner! It was a great time sampling local specialties in the Nishiki market. Awesome sushi, Japanese omelette tempura style, wagyu skewers and much more. We tried things we might not have without our guide’s knowledge and recommendations. Tiro was also great at explaining local culture, customs and history to enhance the tasting experience. We finished with a walk down charming Pontocho street. Wonderful day!

Good guide! Showed us the market and knows a lot of about the local food. Value for money could be better, but I guess that is not the guide’s fault.

Ted was very accommodating and had great knowledge, and food choices were excellent and he was flexible with the food we wanted to try.

Such a great tour and Eiji was very knowledgeable! So much fun to do the tour! Would recommend to all

Great adventure. We explored the market and tried foods we would never have tried on our own. Simone was awesome

Ted was a wonderful guide. He curated the tour based on our preferences and interests. His explanations of the market, vendors and food were both enlightening and entertaining. We both thoroughly enjoyed the time spent together.

Eiji was an excellent guide. He helped us navigate food allergies. He took us to some wonderful places to sample Kyoto food. The strawberry mochi was delicious! I can’t say enough good things about Eiji. I recommend this your tour to anyone looking to get a taste of Kyoto.

We had a wonderful time with Tiro. He was friendly and knowledgeable about Kyoto in general. It was a great cultural and culinary experience for our entire family. Highly recommend it!

Ted was a great and informative guide. Very easy-going and fun to be around. He even helped us at the pharmacy. Highly recommended.

The tour guide did not turn up. Waited for 30 minutes at the designated meeting point , no messages at all, just a no show without warning or explanation. Absolutely shameful.

Excellent guide- very knowledgeable,, friendly and flexible. The food choices work for everyone- we had seafood lovers, meat eaters and vegetarians

Ted was an absolute gentleman and amazing historian. Ted knew the details of the markets we visited and share unforgettable food samplings. Ted helped us miscellaneous shopping items that was very beneficial. Ted continued to be gracious of Bill’s old knees and provided places where we could rest comfortably in a crowded, festive atmosphere.

The guide didn’t even show up! They were uncountable and left us waiting for an hour and didn’t respond to any messages. AVOID

Great Fun, very interesting. A great variety of foods to try, probably would not have had any of them if we hadn't been on this tour.

Guia is so warm and friendly and has immense knowledge of food history and culture. We had a great time walking the market stalls with her and talking about life in the different places we’ve lived. She took some great photos of us as well enjoying the food, and seemed to know all the vendors personally! We got pretty fantastic bites to try that was catered to each of my family members tastes and preferences. Overall, I’ve been on food tours on nearly every continent, and this one ranks as one of the best because of its diverse foods, cultural beauty, excellent conversations with our guide, and opportunity to buy a few extra things with her expertise. Book this, you won’t regret it.

Had some amazing food and a great history lesson into the food market. My guide Ted was extremely knowledgeable and fun to hang out with for the afternoon. I left the food tour full and happy.

Our guide Guia was personable and knowledgeable. Thank you for the treats. Delicious ✌️ Would recommend 🙂

We had an amazing experience with Ted as our guide exploring the unique street food scene in Kyoto. His knowledge of the local cuisine and culture added so much depth to the tour. Ted was not only interesting and engaging but also incredibly patient, ensuring everyone in our group felt included and comfortable. His passion for Kyoto’s food and history truly shone through, making this a memorable experience. Highly recommend Ted for anyone looking to explore Kyoto in a fun, flavourful, and informative way! He has also been soo great at helping us find restaurants while we are here in the city.

My family of ten with wide ranging tastes and age group had a great time learning about the best local food in Kyoto. We would not have been able to find and enjoy the experience without Eiji's guidance. He was extremely patient and kind with our requests. We had a great time and experience tasting all the interesting and delicious 'best of Kyoto' food! Highly recommended.

We had a fantastic time with Eiji. The food on the tour was delicious. We went back to some of the places he showed us several times while in Kyoto. The food was so good. We will be recommending this tour to all of our friends!

We thoroughly enjoyed our Kyoto tasting tour with Ted (Yoshihiro). In a word, it was great. Ted introduced me and my wife to wonderful foods we never would have known existed. He is extremely knowledgable and also made everything relevant by explaining the history and culture of the city. The tour took place in Nishiki Market. If we did this on our own, we would have felt completely lost, not knowing what foods to try, who were the best vendors, or, in some cases, how to order the food. While I think he is a native of Kyoto, Ted worked in the States for many years and speaks English very well. This tour is highly recommended!

We had such a wonderful time with Yoshihiro. The market can be overwhelming with so many options so it was wonderful to have a guide point us in the right direction. Everything we tired was delicious and the company was wonderful.

Eiji was a great guide of Nishiki Market and Gion, he was happy, flexible, well informed and made a fun day for us and our children.

Ted was a warm and engaging guide. Our forage through the market revealed unique foods to try and experience. Ted put together a great selection of foods that we enjoyed immensely. Highly recommend Ted as your local guide.

His was a lovely lady who gave us a great insight into the Japanese culture which we all loved . It kinda overshadowed our food experience but on balance we all had a memorable experience

Amazing Nishiki Market food. tour with Ted. He made our time together so fun…he speaks excellent English. My husband and 25 year old son and I had a fantastic time learning the history of the market and gaining interesting insights into Kyoto. Would highly recommend Ted as your guide.

I’d recommend booking Ted (Yoshihiro) to anyone traveling to Kyoto that’s interested on the local culture and likes to eat good food. Ted was nothing less than amazing; He speaks great english, is very polite, kind, funny, and easily engages in conversation with you. He’s very cultured in local cuisine, you’ll be eating great food. Even after the experience he went out of his way to help us coordinate an unplanned change in our trip due to weather. Ted also recommended us some local hidden gems outside of the tour for us to check out. I’ll surely be booking Ted again ok my next trip to Japan.

Thrilling tour through old market streets of Nishiki with several stops at delicious food stands, tipical for Kyoto. Ted is an amazing host, providing us with a lot of interesting information and answering all types of questions on local culture and traditions. thank you again!

The whole experience was excellent. Our guide Ted was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and the food was amazing. All around an awesome food tour!

Guia was an excellent guide for me and my daughter. We appreciated having someone to point out the best stops in the Nishiki Market and navigate for us. We had a lot of great small bites including gyoza, wagyu, matcha ice cream, sushi, to name a few. It was clear that Guia knew a lot about Kyoto, and we appreciated her insight.

We feel very honoured to have found Ted on Withlocals. Before we arrived in Japan, Ted was in contact to introduce himself and understand our requirements and this heightened our excitement about the tour. Ted was in contact on the day with map locations via WhatsApp to make sure we knew where to met him. Ted was joyful and fantastic company as well as being an amazing food tour guide. He listened to our requirements and made sure they were catered for but also introduced us to some new and fascinating delicacies that we probably wouldn’t have tried. I cannot recommend him highly enough if you are looking for a guide in Kyoto. At the end of the holiday we asked the kids for their highlights from the trip and they both mentioned the food tour with Ted! Thank you!

We just returned from our trip to Nishiki Market with our Ted. He did such an amazing job. As we are both vegetarians, he customized the trip so we had enough variety to sample. He was so knowledgeable about the market, where to go, what was unique about what we tasted. He is friendly and fun to be around. We had such a great time.

My wife, daughter and two teenage grandkids and I tasted our way through the Nishiki Market with "Ted" and had a wonderful time! Ted told us at the start that he wanted to expose us to the more interesting and unusual tastes of Kyoto and, because we are all happy to expand our comfort zones, we readily agreed and that's what we experienced. Ted had a wonderful sense of humor and command of english so we got along terrifically. I was concerned going in that 10 tastings might not be enough to satisfy all of us but they were more than enough and so varied that we could not have asked for more. Ted also gave us advice about his favorite places to eat in Kyoto which put the icing on the cake. We recommend both the tour and specifically Ted as your guide as a really fun way to experience Kyoto.

We arranged this tour with Guia for our family of four and were we ever glad we did! Guia knows her stuff - not just about the local food scene but also the color and history behind several local attractions she recommended for our stay in Kyoto. Communication (in English for us) was a breeze with Guia. She was able to easily handle some dietary restrictions we had and let us have input when we wanted. Not that we strayed far from her recommendations, though, as they were all excellent. My wife and I, and our kids, all had a great time thanks to Guia. We loved Kyoto.

We had the best experience with Guia. She was so knowledgeable and gave us the most fantastic experience. 10/10 would highly recommend!

Ted took us on an amazing journey through Kyoto’s street foods which was fun and very tasty! All tailored to what we like with so many options throughout the market It was great to try food we’d never have eaten on our own, including Puffer fish!

Eiji was a very good guide and tried to stick with the long established food vendors in Nishiki rather than the more recent businesses that have less history with the market. He made the tour very comfortable and was very fluent in English. He had planned to take us to Gion for the last 90 minutes of the tour but when he learned we had already walked through Gion he made alternative plans that were very fun.

Eiji was a wonderful guide. He helped us prioritize local delicacies at the market such as hamo tempura or the sansyo pepper ice cream, and shared context and history as we went. So much deliciousness packed into just a few hours. Learning about my kid’s love of Nintendo he helped us detour from the itinerary to visit a couple other of local gems that made my kid’s day!