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Kyoto: Tea Ceremony Gion Matcha Making & Sweets TastingYou’ll step into a peaceful corner of Kyoto’s Gion district for an approachable tea ceremony led by a local tea master. Savor traditional sweets from historic artisans, learn to whisk your own matcha using premium tea leaves, and bring home a recipe card—all while soaking up centuries-old rituals in an easygoing setting.
Make Umeshu in Kyoto: Craft Your Own Japanese Plum LiqueurThis hands-on workshop in Kyoto lets you craft your own umeshu (Japanese plum liqueur) or alcohol-free ume syrup using CHOYA's special kit, guided in English by the company's ume concierge. You'll taste and compare different ume varieties and sugars, choose from over 100 flavor combinations, make your bottle in about an hour, and take it home sealed and boxed for travel. Your umeshu matures in one month; the syrup in one week.Is it for me?Book this if you want a souvenir you actually made with your hands rather than bought in a shop—the umeshu or syrup you choose becomes something you'll taste and remember the workshop every time you pour it. If you're traveling with children under 20, ume syrup is the option that lets everyone participate.
Kyoto Gion Night Walk: Geisha District & Yasaka Shrine TourYou’ll follow a small group through Kyoto’s Gion district at night, led by a local guide who shares stories about geisha culture and temple rituals. Expect soft lantern light on Hanamikoji Street, maybe even glimpsing a real maiko or geiko if you’re lucky. Walk old stone lanes past shrines and pagodas—and leave with memories that settle in quietly.
Kyoto Imperial Palace & Nijo Castle Walking Tour: 3 HoursA 3-hour guided walking tour of Kyoto Imperial Palace and Nijo Castle with a live English, Spanish, French or Chinese-speaking guide and all entrance fees included. Groups stay under 10 people, or book privately. Last-minute bookings are welcome, and you choose your start time.Is it for me?Book the small group option if you want to meet other travelers and keep costs lower, or choose private if you prefer the guide's full attention and flexibility to linger at whichever site interests you most. The fixed 3-hour window works best if you're visiting Kyoto for a day or two and want the two major imperial sites covered without building a longer itinerary around them.
Osaka: Private Walking Tour with Castle & DotonboriYou’ll walk Osaka’s streets with a local guide who knows every shortcut and story. Expect castle views without the crowds, markets full of life (and snacks), hidden city panoramas, and Dotonbori’s wild energy — plus quieter moments tucked behind all that neon.
Kyoto Calligraphy Workshop: Learn Shodō in StudioA Japanese calligraphy workshop in Kyoto where you learn shodō—the art of brush and ink—from a live English-speaking instructor in a traditional studio. You'll practice brush control and ink preparation, write kanji characters on authentic paper, and take your finished artwork home. Kimono rental is available for photos in the traditional setting.Is it for me?Book this if you have a free afternoon and want to make something with your hands instead of just watching. The 90-minute length fits between other plans, and you leave with an actual piece of art you created—not a photo, not a memory, but the thing itself.
Osaka Izakaya Hopping Tour: 3–4 Local Spots with GuideAn Osaka izakaya hopping tour with a local English-speaking guide takes you through Dotonbori and Ura-Namba to eat and drink at 3–4 neighborhood bars and food stalls where locals gather after work. Groups stay under 4 people, so the experience stays intimate. Two drinks per person are included; you pay cash for food at local prices, and the guide photographs the night so you have the memories to take home.Is it for me?Your guide navigates menus without English and leads you through neighborhoods locals favor, keeping the group intimate so the night stays relaxed instead of rushed.
Kyoto Gion Food Tour: 15 Dishes & Hidden Eateries WalkYou’ll wander Kyoto’s Gion district with a local guide who knows every hidden eatery worth trying. Taste 15 authentic dishes—yakitori straight off the grill, crispy tonkatsu, fresh sushi—and hear stories behind every flavor. Every stop feels personal and genuine; by the end you’ll feel like you’ve seen (and tasted) another side of Kyoto.
Kyoto E-Bike Tour: Hidden Temples and BackstreetsAn e-bike tour of Kyoto that covers Nanzen-ji Temple, Heian Shrine, Shimogamo Shrine, Philosopher's Path and the Kyoto Imperial Palace, guided in English over four hours. The route stays off the main tourist drag, threading through Gion Shirakawa's cobblestone streets and quiet canal paths instead of the crowded central temples. You ride a comfortable electric bike, so hills and distance stop being obstacles; the guide handles the route and the timing.Is it for me?Book this tour if you're arriving with a free afternoon or a morning and want to cover real ground without renting a car or navigating public transit between temples. The e-bike and guide handle the logistics and the route, so you pedal through Kyoto's quieter corners instead of standing in ticket lines or waiting for a bus.
Kyoto & Nara Tour from Osaka: Six UNESCO Sites in One DayThis full-day tour from Osaka visits Kyoto and Nara's most significant temples, shrines and palaces with a National Government Licensed English Guide Interpreter. You travel by shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Kyoto, then by tour bus through both cities, seeing Nijo Castle, Kinkaku-ji Temple, Kyoto Imperial Palace, Todai-ji Temple, Nara Park with its sacred deer, and Kasuga Taisha Shrine—including its newly added Main Sanctuary special visit area with lantern-lined corridors. Lunch is included (Western-style, vegetarian, Indian thali, or no-lunch option chosen at booking); all admission fees and transport between Osaka, Kyoto and Nara are covered. The tour runs about eleven hours and ends at Osaka Namba Station.Is it for me?Book this if you want to cover both Kyoto and Nara's major temples and palaces in one day with a licensed English guide managing the route between cities; choose the no-lunch option to eat independently in Kyoto, or the Indian thali if you need a vegetarian alternative to the standard menu.
Kyoto Gion Walk with Local Guide: Geisha Culture & TemplesYou walk through Kyoto's most atmospheric neighborhoods—Gion, Higashiyama, and the temple grounds around Chion-in—with a local guide who explains geisha traditions, Buddhist history, and the architecture and etiquette you'd otherwise miss. The pace is relaxed, with stops for photos and questions. You'll visit Shirakawa canal, Tatsumi Shrine, Maruyama Park, Yasaka Pagoda, and Hanamikoji street, ending with a clear understanding of how the geisha world actually functions and why the district's atmosphere matters.Is it for me?Choose this walk if you want to understand Gion's culture and geisha traditions rather than just photograph the streets—the guide's explanations are what transform a walk into genuine comprehension of what you're seeing.
Kyoto: Fushimi Inari, Sanjusangen-do & Kiyomizu-dera Afternoon TourYou’ll follow Kyoto’s winding paths from Fushimi Inari’s red gates to Sanjusangen-do’s silent hall of 1,001 statues, then climb toward Kiyomizu-dera for sweeping city views. With an English-speaking guide handling tickets and transport, you’re free to soak up every detail — from incense in the air to laughter echoing through temple corridors.
Osaka: Sake Tasting & Takoyaki Cooking Class with SommelierYou’ll taste over ten kinds of Japanese sake with a former brewer in Osaka, then cook your own takoyaki with surprise ingredients like wagyu beef and cheese. Expect laughter, hands-on tips from a local sommelier, and new confidence ordering sake on your travels. If you’re hungry for real Osaka flavors and stories, this hits differently.
Osaka: Private Full-Day Tour by Car with English GuideYou’ll taste sizzling street food at Kuromon Market, wander ancient stones at Osaka Castle, catch sweeping city views near Abeno Harukas, and dive into Dotonbori’s neon maze—all with your own English-speaking guide and comfy private car. It’s your pace, your questions, your Osaka for a day—and you might end up craving more than just takoyaki.
Osaka: Modern Taiko Drum Live Show & Japanese InstrumentsYou’ll feel every beat at this Osaka taiko live show—watch giant drums shake the room, try your hand on stage with real musicians, and get swept up in wild visuals and laughter. With entrance included and a welcoming vibe for all backgrounds, it’s an experience that stays with you long after the last note fades.
Kyoto Gion Night Walk: Geisha District & Lantern StreetsYou walk through Gion's lantern-lit alleys with a local guide who explains geisha culture with respect, not spectacle. The route includes Yasaka Shrine at dusk, Kennin-ji Temple's grounds, and the preserved streets of Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka. You'll receive a digital guide with food and photography tips for exploring Kyoto on your own afterward. The whole evening runs two to three hours at a pace that lets you absorb the atmosphere without rushing.Is it for me?Right for anyone who wants to see Kyoto's most atmospheric neighborhood without the daytime crowds, and who'd rather learn from someone who actually lives there than wander alone with a map. The fixed evening timing is what makes the lanterns and the quiet possible.
Kyoto Early Bird Tour: Fushimi Inari & Gion with English GuideYou start before dawn at Fushimi Inari Shrine and walk through five major temples and shrines, ending in Gion's geisha district by afternoon. Your local English-speaking guide shares Kyoto's history at each stop while taking professional photos. The early timing is what keeps the crowds away and lets you actually see the sites instead of waiting in lines. Bring comfortable walking shoes and expect a full day on foot.Is it for me?Book this if you want Kyoto's main temples and shrines without spending your morning in entry lines — the early start is what makes that possible, and the local guide's knowledge turns each stop into something more than a photo location.
Amanohashidate & Ine Funaya: Full Day from KyotoYou travel north from Kyoto to see two of Japan's most photographed coastal landscapes in a single day. The trip includes a chairlift ride to the Amanohashidate observation deck, a walk through the boathouse village of Ine, a bay-view cafe stop, and a 25-minute sightseeing cruise where seagulls land on the boat. Round-trip transfer and a professional guide are included; optional ticket package covers chairlift and cruise entry.Is it for me?Choose this if you want to see two of Japan's most famous coastal views in one trip without arranging trains, transfers, or tickets yourself—the fixed itinerary and included guide are what make it possible to reach places that aren't easy to get to alone.
Kyoto & Nara: Todaiji Great Buddha, Deer Park & Kasuga Shrine TourYou’ll step from Kyoto into Nara’s calm—standing before Todaiji’s giant Buddha, wandering through Nara Park among curious deer, sharing a Japanese lunch with your group, then finding quiet beneath Kasuga Taisha’s lanterns. It’s not just sightseeing—it feels like borrowing someone else’s memories for an afternoon.
Osaka Dotonbori River Cruise: Glico Sign & Neon LightsYou board a small-group river boat at Minatomachi Pier and cruise the Dotonbori River for 20 minutes, passing the iconic Glico sign, neon-lit streets, and Nippombashi Bridge twice. Lounge-style seating and the option to bring your own drinks make it feel more like a private moment than a standard tour boat. You return to the pier and can walk straight into the lively Dotonbori area.Is it for me?Book this if you want the Glico sign and Dotonbori's neon streets from a perspective most visitors miss, without the size and formality of a large tour boat—the small group and lounge seating are what make 20 minutes feel like enough.
