Private Kyoto tour: Customize your route with a local guide

Build your own Kyoto itinerary, stop by stop

A private 3-hour guided tour of Kyoto where you choose which attractions to visit (from famous temples and shrines to quiet neighborhoods and local markets) with a knowledgeable guide, transportation between sites, and the flexibility to follow your interests instead of a fixed schedule. The guide speaks English or Spanish, pickup is included, and children from age 2 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Gion Corner20m · entry included
2. Kiyomizu-dera Temple1h · entry included

Explore Kyoto's iconic landmarks

• Meet experienced private guide
• Visit Fushimi Inari Shrine
• Explore Kiyomizu-dera Temple
• Walk through Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
• Discover hidden shrines and local markets
• Stroll along Gion Shirakawa
• Taste treats at Izutsu Yatsuhashi Honpo
• Visit Tatsumi Jinja Shrine
• See Yasui-Konpiragu Shrine
• View Yasakanoto Pagoda
• Explore Statue of Izumo-no-Okuni

The experience

What makes this tour different is that you decide where to go. Instead of following a set route, you work with your guide to pick from Kyoto's landmarks and hidden corners: Kiyomizu-dera Temple with its viewing platform and medicinal spring, the geisha district of Gion Shirakawa, Fushimi Inari Shrine, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, or lesser-known shrines like Tatsumi Jinja and Yasui-Konpiragu. You could spend the morning at temples and the afternoon exploring local markets, or reverse it. The guide shares the history and culture behind each place as you move through the city.

Transportation between your chosen stops is handled: no navigating trains or figuring out which bus goes where. Your guide meets you at pickup and takes you to each site. The tour runs 3 hours, which gives you time to linger at places that matter to you instead of rushing through a crowded itinerary. You might pause at Izutsu Yatsuhashi Honpo in Gion to taste local sweets, walk the lantern-lined streets of Gion Shirakawa, or stand on the wooden platform of Kiyomizu-dera looking out over the city. The stops are yours to shape.

Your guide speaks English or Spanish and knows Kyoto's neighborhoods well enough to suggest alternatives if a site is too crowded or if something else catches your interest. Children from age 2 can join, and the tour is wheelchair accessible with accessible transportation and surfaces throughout.

What’s included

• Transportation between all attractions you choose.
• local guide in English or Spanish.
• pickup at your starting point.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (15 to 60 years) · Child (2 to 14 years)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Konnichiwa-japan

Is this one for you?The tour moves at a walking pace between sites, so comfortable shoes and a willingness to be on your feet for stretches matter, but since you pick the stops, you can choose quieter neighborhoods and temples over long hikes, or include Arashiyama Bamboo Grove if you want a more active morning. It's built for travelers who'd rather spend time at two places they love than rush through six, and for anyone who wants a guide's knowledge without following a tour bus schedule.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 14 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Can I visit Fushimi Inari Shrine and Arashiyama Bamboo Grove on the same tour?

Yes. Since you choose the stops, you can include both Fushimi Inari Shrine and Arashiyama Bamboo Grove in your itinerary, along with other sites that fit the 3-hour window. Your guide will help you plan a route that makes sense geographically so you're not backtracking across the city.

What's the difference between Kiyomizu-dera Temple and the other shrines on this tour?

Kiyomizu-dera Temple is one of Kyoto's most famous landmarks, known for its large wooden viewing platform overlooking the city and the Otowa Spring, whose waters are said to have healing properties. Smaller shrines like Tatsumi Jinja and Yasui-Konpiragu are quieter, less crowded alternatives with their own histories: Tatsumi Jinja dates back over a thousand years, and Yasui-Konpiragu is known for its unique stone monuments and rituals.

Is transportation between attractions included in the price?

Yes. Transportation to and between all the attractions you choose is included, along with pickup at your starting point. Your guide handles getting you from one site to the next.

What is Gion Shirakawa, and why would I visit it?

Gion Shirakawa is a historic geisha district in Kyoto with narrow lanes, traditional wooden machiya houses, and lanterns. It's a quieter, more atmospheric part of Gion where you can walk through old Kyoto without the crowds of the main shopping streets.