The Award-Winning PRIVATE Food Tour of Kyoto: The 10 Tastings
Description
Eat your way through Kyoto's culinary scene on a private food tour. Go on a delicious journey as you try 10 of the best food items beloved by the locals: from savory to sweet and local drinks; this tour will leave every foodie satisfied! Enjoy tastings typical of the local cuisine and hand-picked by a local guide passionate about food like Gyozas and Japanese pepper ice cream. But that's not it! This tour is more than just food; it's a cultural experience! In between food stops, you'll also find city highlights making this experience a well-rounded tour that will satisfy every foodie. Withlocals The 10 Tastings Private Food Tour™ is one of Withlocals' signature tours available in major cities worldwide. We work with passionate local guides who earn a fair fee. We support local economies by only offering local produce and prevent over-tourism with only small non-intrusive groups. Our tours are carbon-neutral and away from the standard
Tour Options
Itinerary
This tour includes 10 food and drink tastings. Your local host has hand-picked each one of the tastings based on their love for food, and knowledge of the city. Enjoy only the most authentic bites the city has to offer!
A food tour in Kyoto would not be complete without the most typical and beloved dishes in town. Enjoy a bite of the ultimate classics, Japanese pepper ice cream and gyoza stick, and taste them in their true local flavor! In between food stops visit Kennin-ji Temple - One of the oldest Zen temples in Japan.
Discover more of the local cuisine by trying some of the ultimate locals’ favorites food treats. Try unique food, typical of Kyoto picked by your local host and hear why they love it so much! In between food stops visit Nishiki Shrine. Nishiki Market gets it's name from Nishiki tenmangu shrine that has over 100 years of history behind it to discover!
This tour is more than just food, it’s a cultural experience! In between food stops, discover city highlights for a well-rounded experience that will satisfy your appetite for Kyoto. From food, drinks, must-sees and local hot spots; this tour has everything on the menu!
Depending on your private host and their chosen route for the tour, this stop might also be included in your route. If you prefer to see it on your way in between food tastings, please communicate it to your host at the meeting point.
Depending on your private host and their chosen route for the tour, this stop might also be included in your route. If you prefer to see it on your way in between food tastings, please communicate it to your host at the meeting point.
Depending on your private host and their chosen route for the tour, this stop might also be included in your route. If you prefer to see it on your way in between food tastings, please communicate it to your host at the meeting point.
Depending on your private host and their chosen route for the tour, this stop might also be included in your route. If you prefer to see it on your way in between food tastings, please communicate it to your host at the meeting point.
Depending on your private host and their chosen route for the tour, this stop might also be included in your route. If you prefer to see it on your way in between food tastings, please communicate it to your host at the meeting point.
Depending on your private host and their chosen route for the tour, this stop might also be included in your route. If you prefer to see it on your way in between food tastings, please communicate it to your host at the meeting point.
Depending on your private host and their chosen route for the tour, this stop might also be included in your route. If you prefer to see it on your way in between food tastings, please communicate it to your host at the meeting point.
Depending on your private host and their chosen route for the tour, this stop might also be included in your route. If you prefer to see it on your way in between food tastings, please communicate it to your host at the meeting point.
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
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- PRIVATE TOUR: only you & your local guide
- Includes city highlights in between food stops
- Alternatives offered for those with dietary restrictions
Reviews(103)
Experience was well worth it. We were given a tour around Nishiki Market and surrounding areas. Stopped at some really amazing places for fantastic food. Tiro was a very knowledgeable tour guide who was bilingual and customized the tour to our tastes. Sushi and Waygu at the market were amazing!
We had a great experience with Sebastian who was just fantastic. We had a few dietary restrictions and he accommodated all of them with ease. Additionally we had already been in Japan for 10 days and we were still able to try all new dishes. Honestly 10/10 for host, food and historical information!
It was fantastic. Hiroki was a great tour guide. His selections were perfect for our family. We would highly recommend him.
Probably the best tour we’ve ever had not only because the host (Tiro) explained everything along the way and customised the food tasting experience according to what we like but also because the host had the time to show us around things and places beyond the food tasting tour as well as having interesting discussions.
We booed this tour so we could experience the food of Kyoto. Our guide was Ryuki. I explained that we are adventurous eaters and wanted real Kyoto food. He understood the assignment. We went to a bunch of spots that covered the spectrum from sushi to stand up bar to skewers to grabbing things from street vendors at the Nishiki Market. This is a good tour to avoid food traps and experience real cuisine.
We had a wonderful afternoon at the Nishiki market with our guide Guia. She was very knowledgeable about the food and history of the market. Guia tailored the tour to our preferences and kept a pace that worked well for us. It was our first day in Kyoto so she also gave us good information about other sights to see. Highly recommended!
A food tour lives or dies on the persona of the guide. This tour was DOA. We began walking through Nishiki Market and asked questions about food, food prep, food history for which our guide, Hiroki, consulted his phone. I coulda' done that! A member of our party was vegetarian but very adaptable - a point re-iterated upon meeting Hiroki. We were disappointed when he diverted out of the market to a vegan restaurant where we had a large, so-so meal consisting of food that Hiroki had no familiarity with so could not answer any of our questions! After that he took us for donuts and that was that. No ten stops, no shrine pass-bys, no other shopping streets. Hiroki surely meant well when he diverted to the vegan restaurant but award winning this tour was not.
Dear Ann, Thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback about your Kyoto food tour. We are truly sorry to hear that the experience did not meet your expectations. A food tour should feel engaging, insightful, and full of discovery, and we understand how disappointing it must have been when the tour did not offer the depth, variety, or cultural context you were hoping for. While the guide may have intended to accommodate your group’s dietary needs, we understand that the result did not feel like a genuine exploration of Kyoto’s vibrant food culture. Your comments about the limited number of stops and the lack of commentary on local dishes are very important to us, and we will review them carefully with the host to ensure the experience reflects the quality and richness that Withlocals tours are known for. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts. Feedback like yours helps us improve and make sure future travelers enjoy the authentic and memorable experiences we strive to deliver. Kind regards, The Withlocals Team
Hariko was super nice and very accommodating to our pescatarian request. We spent 3 fun hours trying different foods starting with a savory pancake restaurant and then we wandered the Nishiki market, went to a vegetarian place, and ended at a donut spot. Super fun afternoon with so much delicious food! Thank you Hariko!!
Our food host Tiro was awesome. He tailored our tastings to our preference and we felt every one was a winner! It was a great time sampling local specialties in the Nishiki market. Awesome sushi, Japanese omelette tempura style, wagyu skewers and much more. We tried things we might not have without our guide’s knowledge and recommendations. Tiro was also great at explaining local culture, customs and history to enhance the tasting experience. We finished with a walk down charming Pontocho street. Wonderful day!
Good guide! Showed us the market and knows a lot of about the local food. Value for money could be better, but I guess that is not the guide’s fault.
