Kyoto Early Bird English Tour: Fushimi Inari & Gion(Private opt)
Description
Visit Kyoto’s top five sights before the crowds arrive! Explore the iconic Fushimi Inari Shrine, enjoy breathtaking views from Kiyomizu-dera Temple, and stroll through the geisha districts of Gion. Your English-speaking local guide will share Kyoto’s rich history and culture while capturing beautiful photos for lasting memories. Perfect for travelers wanting to experience Kyoto’s highlights efficiently!
Tour Options
Itinerary
Fushimi Inari is one of Kyoto's most iconic Shrines, known for its thousands of vibrant red torii gates that form scenic pathways up the forested Mount Inari. Dedicated to Inari, the god of rice and prosperity.
Kiyomizu-dera Temple is the most popular place for tourists and a must visit when in Kyoto. Located on top of a mountain, it commands a panoramic view of Kyoto City. Because of its history and scenery, it is one of the few temples recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Sannen-zaka and Ninen-zaka are charming stone-paved streets lined with souvenir shops and restaurants nestled in historic wooden buildings. Strolling through them feels like stepping back in time.
Yasaka Pagoda(Hokanji temple) is one of the oldest wooden structures in Japan. Its overwhelming scale makes it hard to believe that it was built without using nails. It is undoubtedly a symbol of Kyoto.
Yasaka Koshindo is a mysterious temple of unknown date of construction. The colorful decorations here are astonishing, as many temples are of subdued colors. The beauty of the colors makes it a popular photo spot for young people.
Gion is Kyoto’s most famous geisha district, known for its traditional wooden machiya houses, teahouses, and preserved historic streets. It’s a place where visitors can experience the charm of old Kyoto and sometimes catch a glimpse of a geisha or maiko on their way to an evening engagement.
Our final destination is Yasaka Shrine, the headquarters of 2,300 related shrines throughout Japan. This historic shrine, dedicated to the gods of prosperity and protection, has been a vital part of Kyoto's cultural heritage for centuries.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- This tour is designed as a WALKING experience, using public transportation and plenty of time on foot to explore Kyoto.
- If you are late for the meeting time, you will not be able to join the tour or receive a refund.
Reviews(155)
We had a wonderful time with our guide Kai! We had two young kids and he was very accommodating. He took fantastic photos of our family. We would love to visit again and if so, we would call Kai!
Mariko was a great guide and knowledgeable. She also recommended some good restaurants for lunch after tour. Highly recommend early morning private tour to have cooler weather, and to avoid some of the crowds, which was better for pictures. This is a metro/walking tour.
Many thanks for a lovely tour experience. Mariko san is a fantastic guide. We enjoyed her insights and expertise shared during our time together. We experienced it all at a relaxing and fun pace. She shared the culture and history in a thoughtful way and allowed us time to enjoy the natural beauty of Kyoto. The recommendations provided to continue our journey following our time together are a great benefit. I highly recommend this experience to make the most of your Kyoto visit.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful and wonderful review! We are delighted to hear that you had such an enjoyable experience with Mariko. Creating tours that are both informative and relaxing is something we strive for, and it is wonderful to know that her insights, expertise, and thoughtful storytelling helped make your time in Kyoto so memorable. We are especially pleased that you were able to enjoy Kyoto’s rich culture, history, and natural beauty at a comfortable pace. We believe that meaningful travel experiences come not only from learning about a destination but also from having the opportunity to fully appreciate its atmosphere and surroundings. It is also great to hear that Mariko’s recommendations were helpful as you continued your journey through Kyoto. Helping guests make the most of their visit, both during and after the tour, is something we are passionate about. Thank you for your kind recommendation and for choosing OTAKU hopper. We truly appreciate your support and hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back to Kyoto again in the future. Warm regards, OTAKU hopper Team
We booked a private tour with Ikki Kataoka. Ikki speaks perfect English (American education), is extremely knowledgeable (born and raised in Kyoto), caters to every individual request, and is very helpful. We also experienced him as a very interested and pleasant conversational partner with his guests. He brings his own camera and knew exactly where we needed to stand to take truly sensational photos. We can and will highly recommend Ikki.
Thank you so much for your wonderful and thoughtful review! We are truly delighted to hear that you had such a positive experience with Ikki. Providing personalized experiences tailored to each guest's interests is one of our core values, and it is wonderful to know that his local knowledge, flexibility, and attention to your individual wishes helped make your time in Kyoto so memorable. We are especially grateful for your kind words about Ikki's passion for connecting with guests. Creating meaningful conversations and sharing authentic insights about Kyoto and Japan are important parts of the experience, and we are pleased that you found him to be both knowledgeable and enjoyable company throughout the tour. It is also fantastic to hear that you were happy with the photographs. Capturing special moments at the best locations is something Ikki takes great pride in, and we are thrilled that you now have such memorable images to remember your visit. Thank you for your warm recommendation and for choosing OTAKU hopper. Your support means a great deal to us, and we sincerely hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back to Japan again in the future. Warm regards, OTAKU hopper Team
Mariko was great!! We really enjoyed get explanations and her kindness
Thank you very much for your kind review. We’re delighted to hear that you had such a great experience with Mariko. It’s wonderful to know that her explanations and kindness made your tour enjoyable. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you again in the future. Warm regards, OTAKU hopper Team
Mariko was a great tour guide :) super knowledgeable and kind! This tour was good at hitting multiple sites in one trip! I recommend this tour to anyone who wants to walk around the city for the morning with a great guide!
Thank you very much for your kind review. We’re delighted to hear that you had such a great experience with Mariko. It’s wonderful to know that her knowledge and kindness made your tour enjoyable. We’re also glad you appreciated the chance to explore multiple sites in one trip — creating an efficient and well-balanced experience is something we truly value. Thank you for your recommendation, and we hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you again in the future. Warm regards, OTAKU hopper Team
Mariko was a great tour guide :) super knowledgeable and kind! This tour was good at hitting multiple sites in one trip! I recommend this tour to anyone who wants to walk around the city for the morning with a great guide!
Thank you very much for your kind review. We’re delighted to hear that you had such a positive experience with Mariko. It’s great to know that her knowledge and kindness helped make your morning in Kyoto enjoyable. We’re also glad you appreciated the balance of visiting multiple sites in one tour — creating a smooth and fulfilling experience is something we truly value. Thank you for your recommendation, and we hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you again in the future. Warm regards, OTAKU hopper Team
Ikki was a perfect tour guide who obviously cares about giving the great balance between information and time to take in what we were seeing. His English was great and he chatted to us throughout about his lived experience in Japan as well as giving us so much context and insight on what he was sharing with us. Couldn’t recommend this tour enough
Thank you very much for your wonderful review. We’re truly delighted to hear that you had such a positive experience with Ikki. Striking the right balance between providing insightful information and allowing time to fully enjoy each location is something he always aims for, so it’s great to know that came through during your tour. We’re also glad you enjoyed the conversations and deeper insights into life in Japan — creating that personal connection is an important part of what we do. Your recommendation means a great deal to us, and we sincerely appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you again in the future. Warm regards, OTAKU hopper Team
Fantastic tour with Ikki who was very knowledgeable, respectful and enthusiastic throughout the tour. We both learnt loads and would recommend to anyone travelling to Kyoto
Thank you very much for your wonderful review. We’re delighted to hear that you had such a fantastic experience with Ikki. It’s great to know that his knowledge, enthusiasm, and respectful approach helped make the tour both enjoyable and informative. We truly appreciate your recommendation, and we’re so glad you were able to learn so much during your time in Kyoto. Thank you again for choosing us, and we hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you again in the future. Warm regards, OTAKU hopper Team
We had a great time, Mariko was wonderful and helped us feel welcome on our first day in Kyoto. We loved learning about all the sites and our guide was very knowledgeable. Great recommendations as well.
Thank you very much for your kind review. We’re delighted to hear that you had a great start to your time in Kyoto with Mariko. Making guests feel welcome from the very first day is something we truly value, so it’s wonderful to know she was able to create that experience for you. We’re also glad you enjoyed learning about the different sites and found her knowledge and recommendations helpful throughout the tour. Thank you again for choosing us, and we hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you again in the future. Warm regards, OTAKU hopper Team
