Sort
Kyoto Walking Tour: Temples, Alleys & Local StoriesThis private walking tour of Kyoto pairs you with a licensed local guide who customizes the route based on your interests before you meet. You fill out a personalization form after booking, choose your duration (from 2 to 7 hours), and the guide meets you on foot at your central accommodation. The route may include temples like Ryoan-ji or Kiyomizu-dera, the geisha district of Gion, Fushimi Inari's vermilion gates, markets, or quieter neighborhoods—whatever you want to linger on. Public transportation or local taxis may connect distant sites at additional cost.Is it for me?Choose the duration that matches how much ground you want to cover: a 2 or 3-hour walk works if you want to explore one neighborhood deeply, while 5 or 7 hours lets you move across multiple districts—Gion, Arashiyama, the Imperial Palace, or Fushimi Inari—without feeling rushed. The guide builds the route around what you actually care about, so you're not standing in front of sites you didn't want to see.
Kyoto Walking Tour with Licensed Guide: Customize Your DayA customized walking tour of Kyoto with a licensed local guide in English, where you pick 2 to 6 temples, shrines and cultural sites to visit across 4, 6 or 8 hours. The guide meets you on foot in a designated area and builds the day around your interests—whether that's the vermillion torii gates of Fushimi Inari Shrine, the 1001 statues of Sanjusangen-do Temple, or the narrow alleyways of Gion where geisha still work. You choose the length and the sites; the guide handles the route, the history and the timing.Is it for me?Book this tour if you want to move at your own pace and spend real time at the places that matter to you instead of rushing through a fixed list. The guide handles the route and the knowledge; you pick what you see and how long you stay.
Kintsugi workshop in Kyoto: Repair ceramics with goldA 90-minute Kintsugi workshop in central Kyoto where you repair a ceramic bowl or plate using traditional urushi lacquer and real gold powder, guided in English by an expert instructor. You clean the cracks, join the pieces, apply gold to the repaired lines, and leave with your finished work. The workshop is wheelchair accessible; children under 7 cannot participate.Is it for me?You do the repair work yourself under guided instruction, which means you're learning the technique hands-on rather than watching a demonstration. Choose this if you want to actually make something and understand the craft, not just observe it—and if you have at least 90 minutes and are 7 or older.
Sushi Making Class Osaka: Roll and Nigiri with English InstructorA hands-on sushi making class in Osaka near Dotonbori where you learn to roll and shape nigiri from a live English-speaking instructor, then enjoy the sushi you made. No cooking experience is required. The class runs about 100 minutes and includes all ingredients, instruction, and the meal itself; dietary accommodations (vegan, halal, gluten-free, allergy-specific) are available with advance notice.Is it for me?Book this class if you want a hands-on skill you can actually use, not a demo you watch from a stool. The small group size and beginner-friendly pace mean you spend the time making, not waiting for a turn or feeling rushed through the steps.
Kyoto Ghost Tour: Arashiyama Bamboo Forest Night & Dark LegendsYou meet at Saga-Arashiyama Station after sunset, walk into the pitch-black Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, and hear documented urban legends and real historical crimes tied to specific locations. You'll take a solo walk alone through the forest, receive a 24-hour curse QR code, and get one drink included. The tour is small-group only, bans recording, and ends back at the station. Minimum age is 16; you need to be comfortable walking alone in darkness.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see Kyoto's darker, documented history and are genuinely comfortable with darkness and unsettling real-world content—the solo walk and pitch-black setting are what make the experience work, not optional extras.
Kyoto: Nishiki Market Food Tour & Gion Walk with BrunchYou’ll wander Kyoto’s Gion district before ducking into Pontocho Alley and heading straight into the lively heart of Nishiki Market for seven tastings—think tofu skin, pickles, sweet omelet—plus brunch at a tucked-away spot with your local guide. Expect laughter over new flavors and stories that linger long after you leave.
Kyoto: Samurai Sword Training & Zen Meditation in Historic HouseYou’ll slip into traditional attire inside a centuries-old Kyoto samurai house, learn sword basics from expert instructors, and test your focus with real iaitō cutting. Quiet moments of Zen meditation connect you deeper to samurai philosophy before you hold an antique blade yourself — it’s not just skill, but something you feel long after you leave.
Osaka Night Walking Tour with Food Tasting & Optional DinnerA 3-hour night walking tour of Osaka's lesser-known neighborhoods—retro zones, historic alleys, a red light district with yakuza links, and a ghetto area—led by an English-speaking guide who covers the city's full spectrum, not just what tourism boards promote. Taste testing at street food stalls is included; an optional dinner of five local dishes (tonpeiyaki, karaage, nikudofu, yakitori and dessert) at a family-run izakaya can be added at checkout.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see how Osaka actually works after dark—the neighborhoods locals know, the history tourism boards skip, and the food that matters to the people who live there. The optional dinner turns it into a full evening; skip it if you'd rather explore on your own pace afterward.
Osaka Sumo Experience: Live Show & Ring ChallengeYou arrive for a 60-minute sumo experience in Osaka that starts with a guided explanation of the sport, moves into a live tachiai match between retired wrestlers, and ends with an optional 20-minute challenge where you step into the ring yourself. An English-speaking guide is with you the whole time, and entry is included. Book ahead if you want the ring challenge — spots fill up.Is it for me?Book this if you want to understand sumo as more than a spectacle — the guide and live match give you the context, and the optional challenge gives you the memory. The fixed 60-minute format means you can fit it into a day without arranging transport or timing yourself.
Kyoto: Top 10 Sights Private Day Tour with Taxi & GuideYou’ll wind through Kyoto’s top sights in one packed day: golden temples shimmering over ponds, silent bamboo groves, lively geisha districts, and those endless red gates at Fushimi Inari Shrine. With a local guide leading you by taxi and foot, you’ll catch stories behind each landmark—and maybe find yourself wishing for just one more hour among Kyoto’s backstreets.
Maiko Dance Performance in Kyoto: Meet a Real Apprentice GeishaA 1-hour Maiko performance in Kyoto where you watch an apprentice geisha dance up close, ask questions, take photos, and play a traditional Japanese game. The performer is a real Maiko (not a fully trained geisha), and the dances themselves run about 10 minutes total—the rest of the time is spent in direct interaction. You pick between an authentic Kyo-Machiya tea house on Kamishichiken Street, Kyoto's oldest geisha district, or a dedicated theater in Miyagawa cho. An English-speaking guide translates and explains throughout. Green tea is included. Late arrivals cannot be accommodated.Is it for me?Choose the Tea House if you want the experience rooted in an authentic Kyo-Machiya on Kyoto's oldest geisha street; choose the Gion Theater if you prefer a dedicated performance space in the heart of Miyagawa cho. Both deliver the same rare encounter with a working Maiko—the setting is the only variable.
Osaka: Street Go-Kart Tour in Costume & City SightsYou’ll jump straight into Osaka’s energy—costumed up and driving your own go-kart through neighborhoods like America-Mura and Dotonbori with a local guide leading the way. Expect laughter at stoplights, neon everywhere, and that strange thrill of being part of the city instead of just passing through it.
Osaka Food Tour: 12 Dishes, Izakaya & Street FoodA guided food tour in Osaka where you taste 12 Japanese dishes and 2 drinks across local izakaya and street food stops featured in the Michelin Guide, led by an English-speaking guide for 2.5 hours. The restaurants and dishes change by day, so the flavors shift with each departure. Bring cash for any extras you order beyond what's included.Is it for me?Book this tour if you want to taste real Osaka food the way locals eat it, not what's packaged for visitors. The small group and the guide's explanations turn the meal into something you understand—why the sake works, what makes takoyaki street food worth the Michelin mention—rather than just a sequence of dishes to get through.
Osaka Walking Tour: Castle, Dotonbori & Kuromon MarketYou walk through Osaka's main districts — castle grounds, youth culture hub, covered shopping arcade, neon-lit Dotonbori, hidden lantern alley, kitchenware street, anime district, and a 200-year-old fish market — with a local guide who shares history and context. Lunch with a drink is included. You choose 5, 6, or 7 hours, take one train ride, and cover the rest on foot. No castle interior entry.Is it for me?Pick this if you want to see Osaka beyond the main tourist checkpoints and understand how the city actually works — the guide's knowledge and the mix of old neighborhoods with modern districts is what makes a few hours feel like you've lived here for weeks.
Kyoto Arashiyama walking tour: Bamboo Forest, temples & monkeysThis half-day walking tour of Kyoto's Arashiyama district covers five stops: Tenryu-ji Temple (a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Zen gardens), the Bamboo Forest, Nonomiya Shrine, Togetsu-kyo Bridge and Monkey Park Iwatayama. A professional English-speaking guide leads the route, which includes temple entry, matcha tea and park admission. The tour runs 3 to 4 hours and starts at Tully's Coffee in the district.Is it for me?Most Kyoto tours bunch the highlights into a bus route and a schedule someone else built. This one keeps you walking at ground level through Arashiyama's actual sequence—temple, forest, shrine, bridge, mountain—so the district unfolds as a place instead of a checklist.
Kyoto Highlights Day Trip: Fushimi Inari, Kinkaku-ji & Bamboo ForestYou’ll walk Kyoto’s famous vermillion gates at Fushimi Inari, stand above the city at Kiyomizu-dera Temple, see sunlight bounce off Kinkaku-ji’s golden walls, and wander beneath Arashiyama’s bamboo canopy—all in one day trip from Osaka or Kyoto. Includes entry tickets, English-speaking guide, air-conditioned bus with Wi-Fi, and lunch if you want it.
Osaka Backstreet Bars & Street Food Walking TourYou walk through three neighborhoods — Minami, Namba, Shinsaibashi — stopping at two izakaya restaurants with drinks included, passing the Glico sign and Hozenji Temple, then exploring hidden bars in Amemura. Your guide navigates the backstreets and explains what you're seeing. The group caps at eight people, so you move without feeling crowded.Is it for me?Book this if you want to eat and drink where locals actually go in Osaka without spending the evening figuring out which backstreet bars exist — the small group size and guide knowledge are what make the hidden spots accessible.
Sushi Making Class in Kyoto: Learn Nigiri & RollsA 90-minute sushi making class in Kyoto where you learn to prepare nigiri and rolls from scratch, working with an English-speaking instructor in the Kawaramachi district. You'll make 10 pieces, eat your own creations, and have the option to pair them with matcha or sake. Same-day bookings are welcome, and the class suits beginners, families and couples with no prior experience needed.Is it for me?Book the standard Sushi Making Course if you want to keep the focus on technique and the meal itself; choose the Sushi & Matcha Experience if you'd like the pairing and a more complete tasting experience. Infants can attend if they sit on an adult's lap, making it possible to bring very young children along.
Kimono Tea Ceremony in Kyoto: Learn Matcha with a Tea MasterA 90-minute Japanese tea ceremony class in Kyoto's Nishiki district, held in a traditional machiya townhouse with kimono rental included. You'll observe a tea master demonstrate the ceremony, then prepare your own bowl of matcha under their guidance while learning the cultural significance and proper etiquette behind each gesture and tool. The experience includes hairstyling, snacks, and all utensils.Is it for me?The ceremony runs 90 minutes in a single sitting, so you'll need to be comfortable spending time in a tatami room without breaks—the pace is deliberate and meditative, not rushed. A live English-speaking guide leads the entire experience, making it accessible whether you speak Japanese or not.
Kyoto Gion Night Walk: Geisha District Guided TourA guided night walking tour of Kyoto's Gion geisha district with a live English-speaking guide, exploring traditional backstreets, historic temples and the preserved Hanamikoji Street. The small group size (no more than 9 people) and evening timing let you move through the lantern-lit neighborhood at a pace that lets conversation happen, and the guide explains the history and customs of the area as you walk.Is it for me?Choose the Private Tour if you want the guide's full attention and the flexibility to move at your own pace or linger at sites that interest you. Pick the Group Tour or Premium Group Tour if you prefer to share the cost and don't mind walking with others—the Premium option adds a snack partway through the evening.
