Kiyomizu Temple and Gion Tour

Explore Kyoto’s iconic Kiyomizu Temple, hidden paths, and Gion’s picturesque streets on a half-day tour. Discover history, culture, and cinematic beauty.

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Kyoto Ceramic Center - Gather in front of the Kyoto Ceramic Center.
  • Kiyomizu-dera Temple - Explore Kiyomizu-dera and discover its culture and history with a professional guide. This temple is not only a major religious site but also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Kyoto’s most visited and culturally important landmarks.
  • **Sannenzaka…
What's Included
  • Admission fee for temple
  • English Guide
Additional Information

Experience a culturally immersive introductory walking tour of Kyoto with a knowledgeable local guide. History and culture enthusiasts will delight in exploring Gion and the Higashiyama district, taking in the breathtaking views from Kiyomizudera Temple, and gaining insights into Zen Buddhism at Kenninji Temple. A local expert guide offers rich cultural…

Location
Kyoto Ceramic Center (Kyoto Ceramic Art Association Official Shop and Gallery)
Please meet up at Kyoto Ceramic Center, in front of the entrance.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(59 Ratings)
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Davetm9839lm
Apr 10, 2026
Met as tourists & guide, left as good friends! - Our tour guide was Chika, a local resident of Kyoto. She was very friendly and treated us like friends from the beginning! She took us on a casual but very informative tour of Kiyomizu, pausing to explain the history & purpose of the different structures at Kiyomizu. Chika also took time to take pictures of us and the surrounding scenery. Perhaps more importantly, she explained the culture of Kyoto & how their respect for people & nature made it so attractive on the global stage. Chika then took us on a walk around the backstreets of Gion & sharing with us their humble behind-the-scenes lifestyle. Lastly we made a stop at Kennin-Ji temple and walked through the different buildings & walkways. Throughout our tour we never felt rushed or on a tight schedule. On the contrary - we felt like we were taking a walk in Chika’s backyard; very casual & unstructured yet purposeful. If you are looking for a jam-packed checklist of things to see, this may not be the tour for you. But if you want to take a deep breath & really get a glimpse of life in Kyoto as a local, I highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jose_l
Apr 8, 2026
Kyoto with kids - Very knowledgeable guide and very patient with children. Great pace and lots of fun facts and interesting stories. Kids loved it!
Review provided by Viator
Swati_a
Apr 8, 2026
Kyoto temple and Gion review - While it turned out to be a rainy day, we still ended up having a fantastic day. Tour guide takami was very patient with the kids and helped them understand Japanese culture in a simple and interesting way. We visited multiple shrines and temples and also did shopping on the streets next to the temple. Overall it was a good way to start our Kyoto trip.
Review provided by Viator
Navigate11825792177
Apr 5, 2026
Wonderful tour and guide. - Our guide Miki was wonderful. She gave us a full explanation of each site visited. We were not rushed through but given the time to fully appreciate and take in the beauty and history and significance of the site. I wish all tour guides would take the time to share their stories with us like she did. We connected on a personal level and were able to share our feelings about the way travel enhances the human experience and connection between cultures. What a lovely experience she provided and what a great lady. Thank you Miki for creating such a beautiful memory.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Celal_s
Apr 3, 2026
We were very satisfied as... - We were very satisfied as a family with Miki. She was a great person and a guide. She was very friendly and brought us many places and most importantly she explained us the culture. We really enjoyed
Review provided by Viator
Guide588097
Mar 31, 2026
Peaceful - Such an easy-going stroll learning about some of kyoto’s rich history & visiting some sites with Hide. Very lucky that the heavy rain held out until after the tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pioneer07486728941
Mar 27, 2026
Worth it - Highly recommend tour - our tour guide Takuma provided great information and knew all the best photo spots.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Annet180
Mar 9, 2026
First trip to Kyoto - Wonderful experience with Chika. She was very knowledgeable of the history of the temples we visited and took us to various location We enjoyed the time learning about the culture and had great food tasting along the way. Definitely recommend. Thank you for the wonderful time
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ayan_m
Feb 7, 2026
Kenji was an amazing and... - Kenji was an amazing and knowledgeable guide. He was also very friendly and accommodating to requests to stop. Overall it was great!
Review provided by Viator
T7698bqaarons
Jan 2, 2026
Amazing private tour around Kyoto - We had an amazing tour with Higashimori who took us around Kyoto for the day. It was great to customize our itinerary and he was very flexible especially since we were with our 4 month old baby
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $57
up to 8 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).