• Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine - Discover the wonders of the Fushimi Inari Shrine, renowned for its iconic vermillion-red torii gates. Beyond the scenic views, this shrine is rich with stories that connect visitors to Japan’s history and culture. A knowledgeable guide will delve deeper into its origins, dedicated to the god of grains, “Inari.” This is why fox statues, known as “Kitsune,” are prevalent around the shrine, serving as clever guides in the business world. After this tour, you might want these cunning foxes on your side.
• Nijo Castle - Nijo Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was constructed in 1603 as the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Period (1603-1867).
• Gion - Navigating the narrow alleyways of Kyoto’s Geisha District, Gion, can be challenging for newcomers. A guided tour eliminates the worry of getting lost and reveals hidden gems cherished by locals, while sharing insights into Kyoto’s ancient past. Highlights include learning about Geisha culture and rituals, and visiting Gion, Pontocho, and Miyagawacho.
• Nishiki Market Shopping District - Nishiki Market (錦市場, Nishiki Ichiba) is a bustling, five-block-long shopping street with over a hundred shops and restaurants. Known as “Kyoto’s Kitchen,” this vibrant market specializes in food-related items, including fresh seafood, produce, knives, and cookware. It’s an excellent place to find seasonal foods and Kyoto specialties, such as Japanese sweets, pickles, dried seafood, and sushi.

Nishiki Market offers a lively yet welcoming atmosphere for those eager to explore Kyoto’s culinary delights. The market features a range of stores, from small stalls to larger two-story shops, each specializing in a particular type of food, with most products locally sourced.

• Kiyomizu-dera Temple - Explore one of Kyoto’s most beloved temples, Kiyomizu-dera, with a comprehensive 1-hour guided tour. A guide will enrich your visit with insights into Japan’s history and culture as you admire the magnificent architecture. Enjoy commentary from an English-speaking guide who ensures you don’t miss any key features.
• Kyoto Imperial Palace - The Kyoto Imperial Palace (京都御所, Kyōto Gosho) was the residence of Japan’s Imperial Family until 1868, when the emperor and capital moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. It is situated in the expansive Kyoto Imperial Park (京都御苑, Kyōto Gyoen), a beautiful park in the city center that also includes the Sento Imperial Palace and other attractions.
• Pontocho - Pontocho (先斗町, Pontochō) is one of Kyoto’s most atmospheric dining areas. This narrow alley, running from Shijo-dori to Sanjo-dori, is lined with restaurants offering a wide range of dining options, from affordable yakitori to traditional and modern Kyoto cuisine, foreign dishes, and exclusive establishments.

Business hours and closing days vary by establishment, but most places are open from around 17:00 to 23:00, with some also open for lunch. An increasing number of establishments offer English menus.

• Higashiyama Ward - The Higashiyama District (東山), along the lower slopes of Kyoto’s eastern mountains, is one of the city’s best-preserved historic areas. It’s an ideal place to experience traditional Kyoto, especially between Kiyomizudera and Yasaka Shrine, where narrow lanes, wooden buildings, and traditional merchant shops evoke the old capital city. Recent renovations have enhanced the district’s traditional charm.
• Ginkakuji Temple - Ginkakuji (銀閣寺, Silver Pavilion) is a Zen temple in Kyoto’s eastern mountains (Higashiyama). In 1482, shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa built his retirement villa here, modeled after Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion), his grandfather’s villa in Kyoto’s northern mountains (Kitayama). After Yoshimasa’s death in 1490, the villa was converted into a Zen temple.

As the retirement villa of an art-obsessed shogun, Ginkakuji became a center of contemporary culture, known as the Higashiyama Culture, which had a broad impact on the entire country. The arts developed during this time include the tea ceremony, flower arrangement, noh theater, poetry, garden design, and architecture.

• Nanzenji Suirokaku - Nanzenji Temple (南禅寺), located at the base of Kyoto’s forested Higashiyama mountains, is one of Japan’s most important Zen temples. It is the head temple of one of the schools within the Rinzai sect of Japanese Zen Buddhism and includes multiple subtemples, making the complex even larger.

Nanzenji’s history dates back to the mid-13th century when Emperor Kameyama built his retirement villa here, later converting it into a Zen temple. After its founding, Nanzenji grew steadily, but its buildings were destroyed during the civil wars of the late Muromachi Period (1333-1573). The oldest current buildings were constructed after that period.

• Tofuku-ji Temple - Tofukuji (東福寺, Tōfukuji) is a large Zen temple in southeastern Kyoto, renowned for its stunning autumn colors. Founded in 1236 by the powerful Fujiwara clan, its name combines the names of two great temples in Nara associated with the Fujiwara: Todaiji Temple and Kofukuji Temple. Tofukuji has historically been one of Kyoto’s principal Zen temples and is a head temple of one of the Rinzai sect’s schools.

In autumn, visitors from across Japan come to see Tofukuji’s vibrant colors. The most popular view is from the Tsutenkyo Bridge, which spans a valley of lush maple trees. The view from the bridge is equally spectacular, and the 100-meter-long covered walkway becomes crowded when the colors peak, usually around mid to late November.

• Toji - Toji Temple (東寺, Tōji), meaning “East Temple,” was founded at the start of the Heian Period, just after the capital moved to Kyoto in the late 700s. The large temple, along with its now-defunct sister temple Saiji (“West Temple”), flanked the city’s south entrance and served as guardian temples. Toji Temple is one of Kyoto’s many UNESCO World Heritage sites.

About thirty years after its establishment, Kobo Daishi, the founder of the Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhism, became head priest of Toji, making it one of the most important Shingon temples besides the sect’s headquarters on Mount Koya. Kobo Daishi also added many of the large wooden buildings that stand on the grounds today.

• Kinkakuji Temple - Kinkakuji (金閣寺, Golden Pavilion) is a Zen temple in northern Kyoto, with its top two floors covered in gold leaf. Formally known as Rokuonji, the temple was the retirement villa of shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, and according to his will, it became a Zen temple of the Rinzai sect after his death in 1408. Kinkakuji inspired the similarly named Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion), built by Yoshimitsu’s grandson, Ashikaga Yoshimasa, on the city’s opposite side a few decades later.

Kinkakuji is an impressive structure overlooking a large pond and is the only building left of Yoshimitsu’s former retirement complex. It has burned down several times throughout its history, including twice during the Onin War, a civil war that destroyed much of Kyoto, and once again in 1950 when a fanatic monk set it on fire. The present structure was rebuilt in 1955.

• Ninna-ji Temple - Ninnaji (仁和寺) is one of Kyoto’s many great temples listed as World Heritage Sites. It is the head temple of the Omuro School of the Shingon sect of Buddhism and was founded in 888 by the reigning emperor. For many centuries, a member of the Imperial Family served as Ninnaji’s head priest, and the temple was also known as Omuro Imperial Palace.

Due to the many wars and fires that ravaged Kyoto throughout its history, none of the original buildings from the 9th century survive. The oldest buildings date back to the early 1600s during the Edo Period, including the main hall (Kondo), the Kannon Hall, the Niomon front gate, the Chumon inner gate, and the five-storied pagoda.

• Shugakuin Imperial Villa - Shugakuin Imperial Villa (修学院離宮, Shugakuin Rikyū) was built in the 17th century by Emperor Gomizuno and is now managed by the Imperial Household Agency. It consists of the Upper, Middle, and Lower Villa areas, each featuring gardens and buildings of traditional imperial style.

Shugakuin’s name comes from a former temple built on the same site in the tenth century. The Imperial Villa was constructed between 1655 and 1659, with a palace for Gomizuno’s daughter added ten years later. In 1964, the surrounding farmlands were purchased by the Imperial Household Agency and are leased to local farmers who continue to work the fields.

• Kibune River - Kibune (貴船) is a small town in a forested valley in Kyoto City’s northern mountains, developed around Kifune Shrine. According to legend, a goddess traveled by boat from Osaka up the river into the mountains north of Kyoto, and Kifune Shrine was built where her journey ended.

Kifune Shrine is dedicated to the god of water and rain and is believed to protect those at sea. Here, visitors can obtain a unique type of fortune written on paper slips (omikuji) that reveal their messages when dipped in water. Okunomiya, the inner sanctum and original site of Kifune Shrine, lies about one kilometer further up the valley. It features a large rock, known as the boat stone, where the goddess’ yellow boat is said to be buried.

• Kurama-dera - Kurama (鞍馬) is a rural town in Kyoto City’s northern mountains, less than an hour from the city center. Kurama is best known for its temple Kurama-dera and its hot spring, one of the most accessible hot springs from Kyoto.

Outdoor and indoor baths can be enjoyed at Kurama Onsen, a ryokan located at the upper end of Kurama. It is a 10-minute walk from the train station along the town’s only road or a nature trail following the river. Staying guests can use the baths for free, while day-trippers pay 2500 yen (Weekday), 2700 yen (Weekend) for all baths or 1400 yen (Weekday), 1600 yen (Weekend) for just the outdoor bath (rotemburo).

• Ryoanji Temple - Ryoanji Temple (龍安寺, Ryōanji) is home to Japan’s most famous rock garden, attracting hundreds of visitors daily. Originally an aristocrat’s villa during the Heian Period, the site was converted into a Zen temple in 1450 and belongs to the Myoshinji school of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism, whose head temple is just a kilometer south.

The history of Ryoanji’s famous rock garden is less certain, with unknown construction dates and various speculations about its designer. The garden features a rectangular plot of pebbles surrounded by low earthen walls, with 15 rocks laid out in small groups on patches of moss. An intriguing aspect of the garden’s design is that from any vantage point, at least one rock is always hidden from view.

• Arashiyama - Arashiyama (嵐山) is a charming, tourist-friendly district on Kyoto’s western outskirts. The area has been a popular destination since the Heian Period (794-1185), when nobles enjoyed its natural beauty. Arashiyama is especially popular during cherry blossom and fall color seasons.

The Togetsukyo Bridge is Arashiyama’s iconic central landmark. Nearby, visitors can find small shops, restaurants, and attractions, including Tenryuji Temple, Arashiyama’s famous bamboo groves, and pleasure boats available for rent on the river.

• Katsura Imperial Villa - Katsura Imperial Villa (桂離宮, Katsura Rikyū) is a prime example of Japanese architecture and garden design. Completed in 1645 as the residence for the Katsura Family, members of Japan’s Imperial Family, the villa and garden are a must-see.

Visiting Katsura Imperial Villa requires joining a tour, which follows the garden’s circular walking trail around the central pond. Palace buildings can only be viewed from the outside, and photography is allowed only from designated spots. English tours are available.

• Daikaku-ji Temple - Daikakuji (大覚寺) is a large temple in Kyoto’s northern Sagano district. Originally built in the early 800s as the detached palace of Emperor Saga, it became a temple 30 years after his death and has since been a high-ranking temple of Shingon Buddhism.

Daikakuji has played a role in several significant historical events. Retired emperors reigned from here, and in the 12th century, the temple hosted peace talks that reunited the Northern and Southern Imperial Courts after 50 years of civil war. Daikakuji is also featured in the Tale of Genji, the first novel in Japanese literature. Today, the temple is one of the best places to experience the ancient court atmosphere described in the novel and is often used for filming historical dramas.

• Tenryuji Temple - Tenryuji (天龍寺, Tenryūji) is the most important temple in Kyoto’s Arashiyama district. Ranked first among the city’s five great Zen temples, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tenryuji is the head temple of its own school within the Rinzai Zen sect of Japanese Buddhism.

Built in 1339 by the ruling shogun Ashikaga Takauji, Tenryuji was dedicated to Emperor Go-Daigo, who had recently passed away. The two historic figures were once allies until Takauji turned against the emperor in a struggle for supremacy over Japan. By building the temple, Takauji aimed to appease the former emperor’s spirits.

• Yoshimine-dera - Yoshiminedera (吉峰寺) is a temple of the Tendai sect of Japanese Buddhism located in Kyoto’s western mountains. Similar to Kiyomizudera on the opposite side of town, Yoshiminedera is built along the mountainside and offers views of Kyoto. The temple grounds are spacious, with many buildings distributed up the mountainside.

A priest from Enryakuji, named Gesan, established Yoshiminedera as a personal retreat in 1029. In 1467, the temple was destroyed in the Onin War but was rebuilt in 1621. The temple’s main objects of worship are a Kannon statue carved by Gesan and a Kannon statue given to the temple by Emperor Gosuzaku in 1042.

• Togetsukyo Bridge - The Togetsukyo Bridge (lit. “Moon Crossing Bridge”) is Arashiyama’s most iconic landmark. Originally built during the Heian Period (794-1185), it was most recently reconstructed in the 1930s. The bridge is particularly attractive with the forested mountainside in the background. A riverside park with cherry trees is located adjacent to the bridge.
• Bamboo Forest Street - The walking paths through the bamboo groves offer a delightful walk or bicycle ride. The groves are especially enchanting when a light breeze causes the tall bamboo stalks to sway gently. For centuries, bamboo has been used to create various products, such as baskets, cups, boxes, and mats at local workshops.
• Okochi Sanso Garden - This former villa of the popular actor Okochi Denjiro (1896-1962) is located in the back of Arashiyama’s bamboo groves. Okochi Sanso consists of several gardens and buildings, including living quarters, tea houses, and gates. The buildings can only be viewed from the outside. Admission includes matcha green tea with a snack.
• Tenryuji Temple - Ranked among Kyoto’s five great Zen temples, Tenryuji is the largest and most impressive temple in Arashiyama. Founded in 1339 at the beginning of the Muromachi Period (1338-1573), the temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In addition to its temple buildings, there are attractive gardens with walking paths.
• Jojakkoji Temple - This mountainside temple was founded in 1596. With small, charming buildings and gates, the temple has a serene and understated atmosphere. Maple trees and moss line the paths and stairs that traverse the temple grounds. From several spots, visitors can enjoy views over Kyoto.
• Nisonin - Similar to Jojakkoji, Nisonin Temple is a hillside temple with slightly larger and more imposing buildings. The understated atmosphere is partly due to the overhanging trees along the approach. Founded in the mid-9th century, Nisonin is a temple of the Tendai sect. There are views over the city from the upper grounds.
• Gioji Temple - Gioji is nestled deeper into the forest than Jojakkoji and Nisonin. It is known for its moss garden, punctuated with tall maple trees. The temple’s entrance gate and small main hall have thatched roofs. The latter features an attractive round window looking into the gardens.
• Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple - Adashino Nenbutsuji is located at the end of the Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street. The temple was founded in the early 9th century when the famous monk Kobo Daishi placed stone statues for the souls of the deceased here. Today, the temple grounds are covered by hundreds of such stone statues. In the back of the temple, a short path leads through a bamboo forest.
• Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple - A ten-minute walk north of the similarly named Adashino Nenbutsuji, the Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple is famous for its 1200 stone statues of rakan, devoted followers of Buddhism, each with a unique facial expression. Created relatively recently in the 1980s and early 1990s, the statues stand across the temple grounds, which cover part of a forested mountain slope.
• Katsura Imperial Villa - Katsura Imperial Villa (桂離宮, Katsura Rikyū) is a prime example of Japanese architecture and garden design. Completed in 1645 as the residence for the Katsura Family, members of Japan’s Imperial Family, the villa and garden are a must-see.

Visiting Katsura Imperial Villa requires joining a tour, which follows the garden’s circular walking trail around the central pond. Palace buildings can only be viewed from the outside, and photography is allowed only from designated spots. English tours are available.

• Shugakuin Imperial Villa - Shugakuin Imperial Villa (修学院離宮, Shugakuin Rikyū) was built in the 17th century by Emperor Gomizuno and is now managed by the Imperial Household Agency. It consists of the Upper, Middle, and Lower Villa areas, each featuring gardens and buildings of traditional imperial style.

Shugakuin’s name comes from a former temple built on the same site in the tenth century. The Imperial Villa was constructed between 1655 and 1659, with a palace for Gomizuno’s daughter added ten years later. In 1964, the surrounding farmlands were purchased by the Imperial Household Agency and are leased to local farmers who continue to work the fields.

• Kennin-ji Temple - Kenninji Temple (建仁寺) is located near the bustling Hanamikoji and Shijo streets. The expansive grounds of Kenninji Temple are pleasant to walk through, and the two karesansui (dry landscape gardens) offer visitors an oasis of tranquility. It is considered the oldest Zen temple in Kyoto.
• Byodoin Temple - Byodoin Temple (平等院) is renowned for its Phoenix Hall, a National Treasure of Japan and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Extra travel time is expected as it is located in Uji city in Kyoto prefecture.
• Sanjusangendo Temple - 三十三間堂 (Sanjusangendo) is a historic Buddhist temple in Kyoto, officially named Rengeo-in. Built in 1164, it is famous for its long wooden hall, stretching about 120 meters. Inside, the temple houses 1,001 life-sized statues of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, arranged in impressive rows. The central statue is a large seated Thousand-Armed Kannon. The temple is also known for its annual archery event, Toshiya, held along the length of the hall. Sanjusangendo is admired for its serene atmosphere, exquisite craftsmanship, and cultural significance, offering visitors a unique glimpse into Japan’s religious art and history.

• Meet up with guide on foot within designated area of Kyoto
• Licensed Local English Speaking Guide
• Customizable Tour of your choice of 2-3 sites from ‘What to expect’ list

• Transportation fees, Entrance fees, Lunch, and Other personal expenses
• Private Vehicle
• You cannot combine multiple tour groups.
• Guide Entry fees are only covered for sights listed under What to Expect.

Temples, shrines, and tea ceremonies are integral to the enduring traditions of ancient Japan, especially in the historic capital of Kyoto. Strolling through this enchanting city feels like stepping into a time machine, as its architecture has been meticulously preserved for centuries. The Kiyomizu Temple majestically overlooks the historic Gion district, renowned for its rich geisha heritage. With so much history to explore, don’t miss the opportunity to book a walking tour of Kyoto with our Government Licensed and Experienced English-speaking guides!

Once your reservation is confirmed, a guide will reach out to organize your customized tour. Select 2 to 3 locations you wish to explore, and your guide will craft a personalized itinerary. If you’re unsure of where to go, request the guide’s recommended itinerary tailored to your interests. Whether you’re a history enthusiast, an admirer of traditional Japanese architecture, or simply wish to savor a green tea parfait, Kyoto offers something for everyone!

• This is a walking tour. Pick up is on foot.

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