Things to Do in Kyoto
• Experience tea culture in a preserved merchant house built in 1885 and registered as a National Cultural Heritage property.
• Choose between regular kimono or upgrade to a premium silk kimono for a more refined traditional look.
• Explore the interior of a large-scale kimono wholesaler’s residence from the Meiji era, featuring traditional architecture and inner gardens.
• Enjoy flexibility with 3 routes and 14 carefully chosen stops across Kyoto. Buses run every 40 minutes, so you can savor each location to your heart's content.
• Climb aboard open-top buses and enjoy audio commentary in 7 languages. Watch Kyoto's captivating streetscapes unfold before your eyes as you tour the city.
• Journey through time at the UNESCO site Nijo Castle, the 18th-century Imperial Palace, and along the enchanting Kamo River.
Step into the World of the Shogun with a Local Guide at Nijo Castle
Nijo Castle is more than just a UNESCO World Heritage Site; it is the stage upon which some of Japan’s most dramatic history unfolded. Built as the lavish Kyoto residence of the Tokugawa shoguns, the castle embodies power, politics, and refined elegance in every detail.
With your local guide, you will uncover the secrets hidden behind its grand gates. Walk through the Ninomaru Palace and experience the famous “nightingale floors,” designed to chirp underfoot to warn of intruders. Admire the dazzling gold-leaf screens painted with tigers and pine trees, and hear fascinating stories of shoguns, samurai, and the imperial court. Stroll through tranquil gardens once designed to impress both allies and rivals, and gain insights you would never discover on your own.
This is not just a sightseeing stop, but a journey into Kyoto’s samurai past—brought vividly to life by a guide who knows the history, legends, and hidden details that make Nijo Castle truly unforgettable.
Entrance admission fee: JPY 1,300 per adult. ※Please note that admission tickets for Nijo Castle must be purchased individually by each guest.
• Learn the art of matcha preparation in an intimate tea room, guided by a licensed instructor.
• Enjoy wagashi sweets and freshly prepared matcha as part of your authentic tea ceremony.
• Small-group sessions (max 10 guests) ensure a relaxed, beginner-friendly introduction to Japanese tea culture.
• Upgrade to include a Japanese calligraphy experience for a deeper cultural immersion in Kyoto’s Gion district.
Most tours show you Kyoto from the outside. Let me show you from the inside.
I'm Joseph—a Colombian living under one roof with 4 generations of my wife's Japanese family in Kyoto. For 2 hours, I'll walk you through my actual neighborhood: the shrine where my grandmother-in-law prays, the places where my neighbors gather, and the daily life in between.
Kyoto has hundreds of temples and shrines worth visiting. But there's a side of the city you won't find in any guidebook—how people actually live here. That's what this walk is about.
**What makes this different:** This isn't a tourist route—it's the neighborhood I walk through with my Japanese family. You'll understand how daily life actually works here: the family dynamics, the residential shrines, the daily rituals, the abandoned houses. By the end, you won't feel like a tourist. You'll feel like you were invited in.
**What we'll see:**
* The Philosopher's Path area—but the parts tourists miss
* A Kyoto residential neighborhood
* Where my neighbors have gathered for over 100 years
* My family's shrine where my newborn will have his first blessing
* Abandoned houses reclaimed by nature, hidden temples tourists walk past, a mountain cemetery with panoramic views, and the best fried oysters in Kyoto
* The shrine that got my wife pregnant
No scripts. No crowds. Real stories from real life.
Maximum 5 guests. You'll never be anonymous.
No fixed price. You decide the value after experiencing it.
We’re excited to bring our highly rated tour — with over 1,000 reviews and a 4.9 out of 5 rating on a world-renowned travel site — to GuruWalk!
This tour is limited to 10 people, so it is easy to ask questions to your guide, and you will have a comfortable time.
Starting from Minamiza Theater as known as landmark in Gion, we will first head to a geisha district.
In this area, you will not only enjoy the traditional streets, but also learn the mysterious rules and trivia of geisha culture from your guide.
Next, you will also have a chance to see a shrine for matchmaking and a beautiful Buddhist pagoda.
Your guide will take your picture there if you want.
You will then continue to explore hidden spots and pathways, and end the tour with a visit to a shrine that is over 1000 years old.
This tour is a great way to gain a better understanding of Kyoto's traditional streets and local culture.
Let us help you make wonderful memories in Kyoto!
Feel free to send me a message if you need more slots!
• Join an English-guided tea ceremony and prepare matcha using a traditional chasen.
• Enjoy Japanese sweets from a long-established Kyoto store during your ceremony.
• Small-group sessions make this hands-on cultural workshop welcoming for beginners.
• Upgrade to add a calligraphy workshop or a gold leaf craft experience with a take-home plate.
Experience the Enchanting World of the Geisha on Our Kyoto Night Walking Tour
Step into the magical realm of the Geisha on our captivating night walking tour in Kyoto. With our local expert guides, you'll be immersed in a world of elegance and grace, discovering the hidden stories that make this culture so fascinating.
Delve into the truth behind the captivating figures of the Geisha, going beyond the fictionalized portrayals from "Memoirs of a Geisha." Hear firsthand accounts that debunk myths and provide an authentic glimpse into their lives.
Make this unforgettable experience a highlight of your Japanese adventure. Don't miss the chance to learn about this iconic aspect of Japanese culture before you leave!
Join us for an enchanting evening—we can't wait to share this unique experience with you!
The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, a famous bamboo forest, and iconic temples await on this best of Kyoto tour with tickets and an English-speaking guide.
• Be a part of exciting events that dive deep into the marine world, a fun, interactive twist to regular sightseeing.
• From watching a mesmerizing dolphin show to feeding cutesy penguins, this ticket opens up unique experiences for you to cherish.
• Did you know? The aquarium uses pure groundwater from Kyoto's wells to create an authentic habitat for its marine life.
Small group, Real stories, no tourist script.
I live here — not just in Kyoto, but in Arashiyama.
Before the bamboo fills with cameras, this place moves differently. Slower. Softer. More honest.
This is not a checklist tour. It’s a walk through history, poetry, and quiet corners most visitors pass without noticing.
This is a small group experience.
No microphones.
No rushing.
At the end, you decide what the experience was worth to you.
*There is a short hike of about 10 minutes to a viewpoint overlooking Kyoto city and the Arashiyama river. If you have any knee concerns, please consider whether this route is suitable for you.
*Strollers are welcome, but please make sure they can be easily folded when using stairs. I can help carry one stroller if needed, but may not be able to assist if there are multiple.
On this tour of Nara, we'll see the famous sika deer park and historic shrines like Tōdai-ji and Kasuga Taisha. We'll also visit Uji, home of matcha!
• Dress up as different characters, from princesses to oirans and samurais.
• Visit the Cinema Culture Museum where keepsakes of legendary directors like Akira Kurosawa exist.
• Lose yourself in the different eras of Japan as you see the filmmaking techniques that make this cinema unique.
• Attend events and shows around your favorite works of art - from Demon Slayer to Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Discover one of the cities where dreams come true, where great industries like Nintendo were born, and be part of a grand adventure filled with colorful landscapes, geishas, samurais, temples, and much more.
Itinerary:
The tour begins at the SANJO-OHASHI bridge station, where we will take a brief walk along the KAMOGAWA river, and you will hear stories of how Kyoto became the capital of Japan and one of its most important cities.
Later on, we will encounter the most beautiful place in Kyoto, the Geisha District (GION), where you can observe an atmosphere of ancient architecture known as Machi-Ya, traditional wooden houses over 150 years old, a memorable place to keep in our memories.
The next stop will be at CHION-IN SAMON, one of the most prestigious temples in Japan, where we will explain how the Japanese introduced Buddhism as a religion and why Christianity was a complete failure.
During the tour, we will delve into HISASHI-YAMA, one of the most historic areas of Kyoto, where you will be delighted with fascinating stories of ancient emperors and samurai warriors (Shoguns).
Finally, we will visit the Koshindo monkey temple and see the gigantic Yasaka pagoda built in the 7th century by Prince Shotoku.
Kyoto is an interesting city, it will fill you not only with history and temples but also with a wide variety of gastronomy. Once the tour is finished, we will give you recommendations for restaurants and activities to do.
