10 Must-see Spots in Kyoto One Day Private Tour
Description
If you have only one day in Kyoto and want to see all the top 10 must-see spots of Kyoto, this tour is the best for you. A professional local guide shows you the best, comfortable and convenient way to the spots. And you can enjoy walking along with the beautiful sceneries, paths, and back alleys only the local people know. We use taxis 3-4 times to save you time and energy. This tour is a mixture of public transport and taxis. Thanks to taxis and a friendly local professional guide, you can visit the 10 most famous attractions such as the Fushimi Inari shrine (thousands of Torii gate), Golden Pavilion, Kiyomizu temple (with huge balcony), bamboo forest, Geisha district, and so on. If you check the spots you can visit on this tour, you can notice that all must-see points in Kyoto are included!! Please enjoy the top ten spots with the beautiful stories of your guide.
Tour Options
Itinerary
You can see the shining golden pavilion which used to be the political center of the Shogun(the head of Samurai warrior).It is one of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites in Kyoto.
You will go through the Bamboo forest. This beautiful bamboo forest appears many times in the advertisement poster of Kyoto.
Tenryu-ji Templet has an outstanding pond garden which was made by one of the greatest gardeners in Japan.It is also the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.
Togetsu Bridge is a representative scene of the Arashiyama area. Please take a photo of it !!
Kinomo forest is one of the most popular Instagram spots because of its' picturesque 600poles of 36 designs of Japanese kimonos.
Fushimi Inari Shrine is the most popular place in Kyoto nowadays. It was selected as No1 place In Japan 5 times by TripAdvisor. You can go through the One thousand Torii gates. It will become a precious experience for you. The gods of business are enshrined here
Kiyomizu-dera Temple is registered as a World Heritage Site. It is famous for its vast balcony. Enjoy the panoramic view from there!
Ninenzaka & Sannenzaka slopes are lined with traditional wooden buildings. They are souvenir shops. Please enjoy finding out the presents to your friends!!
5 story pagoda is the landmark of Kyoto. Don't forget to take pictures here. We just look at it from outside.
Gion Geisha district has many party- places with Maiko and Geiko. You can go through the beautiful traditional alley.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- You will visit so many places only one day so you can not change the itinerary, lunch place and starting point.
- If you have some food you can not eat, please inform us when you book this tour
- This tour will take you to not only tourist attractions, but also to nice Japanese-style streets and back alleys. Please wear comfortable shoes.
- Many places in Kyoto such as temples and taxis do not accept credit cards. Please be sure to have some Japanese yen ready before joining the tour.
- ＊On very hot summer days, it is recommended to change to Plan B course, which requires fewer steps and takes you to Chishakuin Temple( a hidden gem indoor temple) and Sanjusangendo Temple(famous for a forest of Buddhist statues).
- The cab can accommodate four people. 3 guests + a guide, so if there are 4 guests, two taxis are required.
- Important: Guests arriving by cruise ship must be able to travel to Kyoto Station on their own.
Reviews(1,305)
Mutsumi was amazing- kind, knowledgeable and very gracious. Highly recommend her as an experienced guide that provides a unique experience. (And amazing photos and videos).
Our Tour Guide, Yoshi, was amazing. I highly recommend him and this experience. I think there was a way for almost every activity to be adapted to people that have a harder time walking, but there are still some steps and slopes.
Chihiro was an incredible tour guide! Despite the rain we got to see all 10 sights and they exceeded our expectations! Outside of Kyoto itself, Chihiro was an incredible guide who made our day so special.
Great tour with Taka! A quick way to see Kyoto!
An unforgettable Kyoto experience. Every place we visited was absolutely breathtaking, and seeing the city through a local’s perspective made it even more special. My guide was incredibly kind and so easy to talk to — it genuinely felt like spending the day with a friend rather than someone I’d just met. We ended the tour with a fun little self‑care stop to pick up face masks and pain‑relief goodies, which was such a thoughtful touch. Overall, a beautiful, warm, and memorable day that I’d recommend to anyone visiting Kyoto.
If you're planning a trip to Kyoto, look no further than Motoko—truly the best tour guide we've ever had! Over our journey through the city, they expertly led us to all the top 10 must-see places, making every moment both memorable and meaningful. What made the experience so special was not just the itinerary, but how Motoko brought each location to life. From the golden glow of Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) to the serene bamboo groves of Arashiyama, every stop felt curated with care and deep local insight. We visited ancient temples like Fushimi Inari Shrine with its thousands of vermilion torii gates, explored the peaceful gardens of Gion, and marveled at the iconic Kiyomizu-dera temple overlooking the city. Each site wasn't just photographed—it was understood. Beyond the history and temples, Motoko introduced us to the soul of Kyoto through its culinary culture. What truly sets this guide apart is their endless knowledge and genuine passion for the city. They shared stories behind centuries-old traditions, explained intricate details of Buddhist architecture, and even helped us navigate language barriers with grace. The charm of Kyoto became palpable under their guidance—every alleyway, shrine, and seasonal detail revealed new wonder. Highly recommended for first-time visitors and repeat travelers alike. If you value depth over surface-level touring, patience over rushing, and heart over checklists—this guide is for you.
Our guide Yoshi was amazing! He went above and beyond to ensure we had a great experience and learned a lot about Japanese history and culture. He was genuine and thoughtful of our interests. After spending the day with Yoshi, we consider him a friend, not just an excellent tour guide.
What a wonderful day. Hiromi was lovely. She has great knowledge, patience and we appreciated her flexibility throughout the day.
Akemi was a wonderful guide. We had such a great time on her tour. She taught our family about Japanese history and culture and we loved hearing her stories! She was well prepared with information that she shared with us at each site. We would absolutely go on another tour with her again. Thank you, Akemi!
This was a really cool experience with plenty to learn and see. Naoko was our guide for the full-day tour, and she was great. Not only did I finally get some pictures with my family (I'm usually the one behind the camera), but we also got to see some really interesting places that I honestly probably wouldn't have explored on my own. You know it was a great experience when my 11-year-old and 13-year-old were still talking about the tour afterward and saying they missed their new friend Naoko. That alone says a lot. A couple of takeaways for future visitors. The tour information recommends two taxis if you have four people, but I'd honestly suggest finding a van taxi or booking an UberXL instead, which is what we did. Also, Naoko was very flexible and let us organize the day around what we wanted to see. If I were doing it again, I'd try to visit the torii gates earlier in the morning instead of later in the day. The crowds were pretty heavy by the time we got there. Overall, Naoko was a fantastic guide, and Kyoto is just an amazing place. We had a great time, learned a lot, and saw things we probably would have missed on our own. I already miss Japan and am trying to figure out when I can get back.
