Kyoto Private Car Tour – Full Day | Hidden Gems & Nara Option
Description
Planning a trip to Kyoto can be exciting, but also overwhelming. Which places are truly worth visiting? How do you get around? And how do you choose the right tour? Why travelers choose us: • Passionate local Japanese guides • Hidden local gems beyond the guidebooks • Flexible itinerary tailored to your interests • Comfortable private vehicle • Kyoto’s must-see highlights without stress • Friendly conversations, local stories, and personal recommendations We believe a private tour is not only about where you go—it’s about who you spend the day with. That’s why we focus on creating a fun, relaxed, and welcoming atmosphere. We want you to feel like you are exploring Kyoto with a local friend, not just following a guide. Every guest is different, so every tour is different. We can adjust the itinerary based on your interests, the weather, crowds, and the season. For us, guiding is our passion. We’ll do our best to make your day in Japan unforgettable.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Kinkakuji Temple is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. Kinkakuji is famous for its stunning architecture, with the top two floors covered in gold leaf and beautifully reflected in the surrounding pond. Originally built in the 14th century as a retreat for Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the temple was later converted into a temple. The gardens surrounding the temple were also carefully designed in detail to showcase the beauty of the traditional Japanese landscape. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular tourist attraction.
Arashiyama is a pleasant, natural tourist destination located in the western suburbs of Kyoto. The area has been a popular tourist destination since the Heian period (794-1185), when aristocrats enjoyed its natural surroundings. Arashiyama is especially popular in the fall for its autumn foliage and in the spring for its cherry blossoms. The Togetsu Bridge is the central trend mark of Arashiyama, from which you can enjoy a panoramic view of the vast river. Near the bridge, there is a boat pier, the famous bamboo grove street, many restaurants, and shopping for even the youngest visitors.
Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple is one of Kyoto’s most charming hidden gems, located in the peaceful Arashiyama area away from the crowds of the city center. The temple is famous for its collection of over 1,200 unique stone statues, each with its own expression and character. Surrounded by lush nature, the temple offers a tranquil atmosphere where visitors can experience a quieter and more authentic side of Kyoto. Beyond the temple grounds, travelers can enjoy the historic streets of Saga-Toriimoto, one of Kyoto’s best-preserved traditional neighborhoods. Walking through this area feels like stepping back in time, with traditional wooden buildings, local shops, and beautiful scenery that reflect the charm of old Japan. This stop is perfect for travelers seeking hidden local places, peaceful surroundings, and a deeper connection to Kyoto’s history, culture, and traditional way of life.
Fushimi Inari is one of Japan's most gorgeous, powerful, and famous shrines and one of my recommended tourist destinations. The view of the thousand torii gates leading to the top of the mountain is breathtaking, and even if you get tired on the way, there is a place to turn around so that even those with weak legs can enjoy the view. Many visitors are satisfied with the beautiful scenery. Fushimi Inari has a lot of history and animal gods are enshrined, and there are statues of foxes and animals in many places as you walk along.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
They can come in front of the hotel or I will go directly to their places to pickup
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(293)
Our rour guide Hosei was great. He communicated well ahead of pick up and toured us around in his clean comfortable car. He gave us good tips on where to eat for the rest of the trip.
Very good guide in Riku. All the venues are equally spectacular in their own individual way. Arishiyama and Inari definitely need the most time, and you could easily spend far too much time at each one, so consider your plan for the day carefully. We travelled from Osaka, so you need at least an hour each way to arrive and return. We did plan to do this by train, but it would have been a lot of hard work and a lot of changes of trains, plus we'd not have had a guide to explain the history wherever we went. So the private tour was definitely the right call. If you want to see the highlights of Kyoto in a day, this is the way to do it. Mind you, you'd need another day here to see the city which we didn't have. Altogether, it was a long and tiring day, but one I wouldn't have missed for the world and can highly recommend the trip and our driver Riku.
thank you for writing wonderful review!We sincerely thank you for spending your trip with us and making it a wonderful memory! Thank you for choosing our tours and we hope to see you again soon!
We had an amazing private full day tour with our guide Shinsuke. Shunsuke was extremely knowledgeable, very friendly, spoke excellent English and made sure my 14 year old grandchild and I had a wonderful experience. We especially enjoyed Nara, the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and finding Pokemon manhole covers(a special request of ours). Lunch was great also at a delicious local Ramen restaurant. We had a very memorable experience and highly recommend this tour and our guide - Shunsuke.
thank you for writing wonderful review!We sincerely thank you for spending your trip with us and making it a wonderful memory! Thank you for choosing our tours and we hope to see you again soon!
We had an excellent and very well-organised experience with Riku. Expect a great day with this wonderful young man
thank you for writing wonderful review!We sincerely thank you for spending your trip with us and making it a wonderful memory! Thank you for choosing our tours and we hope to see you again soon!
My teenage kids thought the college aged guides were chill and connected with them. they drove us around. We got to see Nara/Deer Park Todaji Temple an hour from Kyoto. Then headed to bamboo forest. It was a lon day of driving.
thank you for writing wonderful review!We sincerely thank you for spending your trip with us and making it a wonderful memory! Thank you for choosing our tours and we hope to see you again soon!
We had an amazing experience with Shunsuke and Kakeru! They made the tour so enjoyable and personalized to our preferences/interests! We got to know the cities very well and they were extremely efficient/knowledgeable! 10/10 recommend! Justin & Leah
thank you for writing wonderful review!We sincerely thank you for spending your trip with us and making it a wonderful memory! Thank you for choosing our tours and we hope to see you again soon!
Excellent day trip. We saw both the main sites (temples, bamboo forrest, and Nara) but also a few lesser touristy sites. Definitely do the bamboo forest with a rickshaw and have fun feeding the (pushy) deer in Nara. So much fun. Riku was an excellent guide and paced everything perfectly. Thank you for the amazing day.
thank you for writing wonderful review!We sincerely thank you for spending your trip with us and making it a wonderful memory! Thank you for choosing our tours and we hope to see you again soon!
The tour was amazing and our guide was super helpful, going above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable and enjoyed the experience. all four places that we visited were beautiful and interactive, making the tour worth the money.
thank you for writing wonderful review!We sincerely thank you for spending your trip with us and making it a wonderful memory! Thank you for choosing our tours and we hope to see you again soon!
Riku did a great tour for our family. We visited Nara, Kyoto and Osaka. He made sure that we got lunch for each of our varied tastes. His English is very good. We would highly recommend Riku for a tour
thank you for writing wonderful review!We sincerely thank you for spending your trip with us and making it a wonderful memory! Thank you for choosing our tours and we hope to see you again soon!
Riku did a brilliant tour for our family. He adjusted the day to allow us to see some of Osaka. We visited Nara kyoto. He ensured the lunch we got suited our varied tastes. His English was really good. I would highly recommend Riku for any tour.
thank you for writing wonderful review!We sincerely thank you for spending your trip with us and making it a wonderful memory! Thank you for choosing our tours and we hope to see you again soon!
