Kyoto Private Customized Day Tour with Guide
Description
Avoid busy public transport: Travel around Kyoto in a private vehicle Great way to tick off multiple highlights in a day • Flexible and personalized tour: Choose from a list of places to visit • Potential stops include Gion, Kyoto Imperial Palace, and Kinkaku-ji Temple The subway system and local bus network can be very confusing for tourists visiting Kyoto, so save yourself the risk of getting lost and opt for this worry-free private tour instead. Door-to-door hotel transfers are included, and a guide takes you to a selection of key sights, such as Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine, Nijo Castle, Kiyomizu-dera Temple, or Nishiki Market.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Arashiyama (eL) is a pleasant, touristy district in the western outskirts of Kyoto. The area has been a popular destination since the Heian Period (794-1185), when nobles would enjoy its natural setting. Arashiyama is particularly popular during the cherry blossom and fall color seasons. The Togetsukyo Bridge is Arashiyama's well known, central landmark. Many small shops, restaurants and other attractions are found nearby, including Tenryuji Temple, Arashyama's famous bamboo groves and pleasure boats that are available for rent on the river.
Kinkakuji (#l, Golden Pavilion) is a Zen temple in northern Kyoto whose top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf. Formally known as Rokuonji, the temple was the retirement villa of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, and according to his will it became a Zen temple of the Rinzai sect after his death in 1408. Kinkakuji was the inspiration for the similarly named Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion), built by Yoshimitsu's grandson, Ashikaga Yoshimasa, on the other side of the city a few decades later. Kinkakuji is an impressive structure built overlooking a large pond, and is the only building left of Yoshimitsu's former retirement complex. It has burned down numerous times throughout its history including twice during the Onin War, a civil war that destroyed much of Kyoto; and once again more recently in 1950 when it was set on fire by a fanatic monk. The present structure was rebuilt in 1955.
Nijo Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site was built in 1603 as the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa leyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Period (1603-1867).
Nishiki Market (87 m%, Nishiki Ichiba) is a narrow, five block long shopping street lined by more than one hundred shops and restaurants. Known as "Kyoto's Kitchen", this lively retail market specializes in all things food related, like fresh seafood, produce, knives and cookware, and is a great place to find seasonal foods and Kyoto specialties, such as Japanese sweets, pickles, dried seafood and sushi. Nishiki Market has a pleasant but busy atmosphere that is inviting to those who want to explore the variety of culinary delights that Kyoto is famous for. The stores found throughout the market range in size from small narrow stalls to larger two story shops. Most specialize in a particular type of food, and almost everything sold at the market is locally produced and procured.
Exploring the narrow alleyways of Kyoto's Geisha District-Gion can be daunting for a first-time visitor. Eliminate the worry of getting lost by going on a guided tour. It's a great way to discover hidden places that locals love, and to hear about Kyoto's ancient past. Highlights include learning about Geisha culture and rituals, and visiting Gion, Pontocho, and Miyagawacho.
Discover one of Kyoto's most popular temples-Kiyomizu-dera Temple by going on a comprehensive 1-hour guided tour. Exploring the temple grounds with a guide means you'll be able to learn about Japan's history and culture as you explore the magnificent building. Enjoy commentary from your English-speaking guide who will make sure you don't miss any important features.
You can see Japan's background that is off-limits to ordinary tourists after the tour. This short trip is a fantastic and great value way of experiencing Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine! We are here to help you discover new things, the Fushimi Inari Shrine is so more than its famous tunnels of vermillion-red tori gates. Most people are satisfied by a scenic view of it. But this has a lot of stories to tell that will connect you to the Japan's history and culture and your guide will show you deeper. You will see a fascinating story attached to the origin of the shrine dedicated to the god of grains - that's what "Inari" means-. This is also why you'll see statues of the fox around the shrine. "Kitsune" or the fox is a servant to the god Inari. They are cunning tricksters, clever minded animals who make perfect guides for the treacherous business world. You may would want the foxes on your side after this tour.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Your guide will contact you one day before the tour by WhatsApp or direct message & call. Then you can decide any pick up place for pick up.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(49)
Jutt was our driver, very nice guy. Was on time and made us feel welcome. It was a long day however Jutt always happy to tailor the trip to our needs. Highlight was bamboo forest and the temples - also Gion village. Would definitely recommend this tour. Downside, the car was little old but had air conditioning which was needed as it was hot.
Sincerely appreciate the thoughtful feedback you have shared with us. Your insights are not only valued but also essential in helping us refine our services. Each perspective you provide enables us to identify areas for enhancement and align our offerings more closely with your needs. We are dedicated to thoughtfully considering your suggestions and integrating them into our strategic plans as we strive to improve your overall experience. Thank you for your significant contribution to our commitment to delivering exceptional service and continuously evolving to meet your expectations
This was our family's first visit to Japan and to Kyoto. We were therefore looking for an immersive but well paced experience of the city. Zian was our guide for the day. He was knowledgeable of the different places we visited, and gave us a lot of flexibility in how much time we wanted to spend in each place. Zian's fluency in English was also an advantage for us and we had a lot of comfort in planning the day ahead. A strong recommend especially for someone visiting from the Indian subcontinent!
Sincerely appreciate the thoughtful feedback you have shared with us. Your insights are not only valued but also essential in helping us refine our services. Each perspective you provide enables us to identify areas for enhancement and align our offerings more closely with your needs. We are dedicated to thoughtfully considering your suggestions and integrating them into our strategic plans as we strive to improve your overall experience. Thank you for your significant contribution to our commitment to delivering exceptional service and continuously evolving to meet your expectations
We had a great day in Kyoto with Asad. We got to hit every spot and Asad was there to take photos for us and give us a little history as well. We did not feel rushed and it made the day so enjoyable since it was hot and sunny.
Sincerely appreciate the thoughtful feedback you have shared with us. Your insights are not only valued but also essential in helping us refine our services. Each perspective you provide enables us to identify areas for enhancement and align our offerings more closely with your needs. We are dedicated to thoughtfully considering your suggestions and integrating them into our strategic plans as we strive to improve your overall experience. Thank you for your significant contribution to our commitment to delivering exceptional service and continuously evolving to meet your expectations
We did not like this expensive overrated tour. For $500 we would expect a lot more from a tour. The guide provided no history of the area; some of stops required an additional cost and a lot of walking up the mountain. The market only takes cash for payment which was not outlined in the tour details. The drive to the outskirts of Kyoto was like driving through a large alley. Kyoto was unappealing all the way around! We would not recommend this tour to anyone!
Our family had the absolute best time on our recent tour led by Zian! From the very beginning, his professionalism stood out. He contacted me the day before the trip to confirm all the specifications, including our exact pick-up and drop-off details, which gave us complete peace of mind.Zian is incredibly knowledgeable about all the sites we visited, sharing wonderful insights throughout the day. He meticulously planned out the itinerary to ensure we experienced everything without feeling rushed, getting us back to our drop-off location exactly on time.What we appreciated most was his thoughtfulness. He made sure the older members of our group were always comfortable and proactively warned them about upcoming stairs or uneven paths. To top it all off, he took the best photos of our group that we will treasure forever. This was the most perfect day trip—I highly recommend Zian to anyone looking for a seamless, memorable tour!
Sincerely appreciate the thoughtful feedback you have shared with us. Your insights are not only valued but also essential in helping us refine our services. Each perspective you provide enables us to identify areas for enhancement and align our offerings more closely with your needs. We are dedicated to thoughtfully considering your suggestions and integrating them into our strategic plans as we strive to improve your overall experience. Thank you for your significant contribution to our commitment to delivering exceptional service and continuously evolving to meet your expectations
Great for those who want to go at their own pace; having a car helps. Gohar is also a wonderful guide.
Sincerely appreciate the thoughtful feedback you have shared with us. Your insights are not only valued but also essential in helping us refine our services. Each perspective you provide enables us to identify areas for enhancement and align our offerings more closely with your needs. We are dedicated to thoughtfully considering your suggestions and integrating them into our strategic plans as we strive to improve your overall experience. Thank you for your significant contribution to our commitment to delivering exceptional service and continuously evolving to meet your expectations
Such a fabulous experience with Nomi! He was very attentive and so knowledgeable. Thank you so much 🙂
Sincerely appreciate the thoughtful feedback you have shared with us. Your insights are not only valued but also essential in helping us refine our services. Each perspective you provide enables us to identify areas for enhancement and align our offerings more closely with your needs. We are dedicated to thoughtfully considering your suggestions and integrating them into our strategic plans as we strive to improve your overall experience. Thank you for your significant contribution to our commitment to delivering exceptional service and continuously evolving to meet your expectations
We signed up for this private tour thinking we would have a tour of Kyoto with a professional tour guide. The price quoted wasn't exactly cheap, but it seemed reasonable for a private guided city tour. Instead, we got basically a chauffeur, albeit a pleasant one. He knew some things about Kyoto, as any resident of the city should, but he was definitely not a tour guide. This was a frustrating experience because we didn't have much time in Kyoto. Also, the 5-star ratings for this tour guide are misleading, raising doubts about the reliability of these "tour guides" on Viator and the rating system. We have had much better success with professional tour companies, like Culinary Backstreets, where the guides are certified professionals. Worth paying the extra fee they charge.
Khan was a great host! He was patient and was always with us . I would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a guide!
Sincerely appreciate the thoughtful feedback you have shared with us. Your insights are not only valued but also essential in helping us refine our services. Each perspective you provide enables us to identify areas for enhancement and align our offerings more closely with your needs. We are dedicated to thoughtfully considering your suggestions and integrating them into our strategic plans as we strive to improve your overall experience. Thank you for your significant contribution to our commitment to delivering exceptional service and continuously evolving to meet your expectations
Hassan was punctual to pick us up and drove us promptly to the most important spots in Kyoto, his van was comfortable and clean
Sincerely appreciate the thoughtful feedback you have shared with us. Your insights are not only valued but also essential in helping us refine our services. Each perspective you provide enables us to identify areas for enhancement and align our offerings more closely with your needs. We are dedicated to thoughtfully considering your suggestions and integrating them into our strategic plans as we strive to improve your overall experience. Thank you for your significant contribution to our commitment to delivering exceptional service and continuously evolving to meet your expectations
