• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Did you know that the Kyoto tour of your dreams exists? Yes, and it’s 100% personalized and created by your local host around your interests. Customize and see only the places that spark your interest. From classic landmarks to neighborhood walks - your wishes are our command!

Destination

Kyoto, Japan

Category

City Highlight Tours

Duration

3 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, 日本語, 中文, العربية, Français, Italiano

Included

• Private guide
• All Withlocals tours are carbon neutral

Excluded

• Entrance tickets
• Tastings
• Transport
• All the above can be arranged with your local host through a personalised offer

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 8 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at In front of Yamanekoken Café - Kyoto to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. This Experience is YOURS!

   See the landmarks and places in Kyoto that you pick on a 100% personalized tour. Make this a one-of-a-kind experience that will satisfy your curiosity with the help of a local. All you have to do is tell them your preferences and interests

4. See THE Main Attractions

   What’s on your bucket list? Hop from landmark to landmark admiring them from the outside, and get recommendations from your local host on what’s the best way to enjoy them to the fullest

5. Off the Beaten Path

   What if there’s a way to see the city’s main attraction from a different angle? All of this while avoiding the touristy crowds? It’s possible with a local by your side!

6. Neighborhood Exploring

   Spend some time deep-diving into the neighborhoods of Kyoto; there’s plenty of treasures to discover! From history, architecture, and local hangout spots, what area would you like to visit?

7. Amazing City Views

   Find the best lookout places in the city where you can spot your favorite landmarks as well as enjoy breathtaking views of the city - a picture-perfect personalized tour

8. All of Kyoto

   Go on a full-day tour to see the highlights of the city. Pick the places, duration and let a local take you on a journey where you’ll cross the must-sees from Kyoto off your list

9. Make it yours

   Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

   Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

   Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Janet

(About local Yoshihiro)

11 September 2025

We had only a short time to explore Kyoto during our cruise stop and reached out to Ted (Yoshihiro) through the With Locals website. From the moment we reached out, Ted was very helpful—he explained how to get from Osaka to Kyoto via the Shinkansen and suggested options for how to make the most of our limited time. We chose a tour of Gion and Higashiyama, and Ted was already waiting at the designated meeting point when we arrived. He gave us an informative tour, sharing insights into the history of Kyoto, as well as the traditions of Kabuki, Geiko, and Maiko. We continued on to Nishi Hongan-ji Temple and Yasaka Shrine, where we learned more about the significance of Buddhism and Shintoism in Japanese culture. The surrounding park area was serene and beautiful—a peaceful highlight of Kyoto. Thank you, Ted, for an enriching experience! Enriching tour of Gion and Higashiyama

Travis

(About local Yoshihiro)

7 September 2025

We had such a great time with Ted walking through Kyoto! He promptly reached out to us prior to the tour/ after we signed up to introduce himself. We felt we could ask him any questions to help us prepare. Based off what we wanted out of the trip, he constructed a great day that matched exactly what we wanted to see. He was respectful, professional, and knowledgeable on his history. He was also very genuine!! He recommended us great restaurants for the remainder of our trip. Thank you for being so welcoming and showing us your city!! Ill be recommending to all my friends and will be contacting when I’m back :) A spectacular tour through Kyoto!!

John🇺🇸 United States

(About local Shohei)

1 September 2025

I highly recommend Shohei. My wife and I had a tour of the Shotgun Palace and the golden pavilion with Shohei. His explanations of the history and customs of these sites were fantastic. He is very knowledgeable, fun and has a great sense of humor. He has lived in the US and helped me better understand Japan's history and culture. You will certainly enjoy a tour with Shoei!Shohei is an excellent guide

Penelope

(About local Shohei)

19 July 2025

Great tour, highly recommended!

Natasja🇧🇪 Belgium

(About local Guia)

27 May 2025

We had a fantastic time exploring Kyoto with our Guia! She was incredibly knowledgeable and took the time to explain everything clearly, bringing the history and culture of the city to life. She made sure we saw everything on our list and even added a few extra spots that made the experience even more special. Her easygoing and funny personality made the day even more enjoyable. We highly recommend her to anyone planning a trip to Kyoto—she’s a wonderful guide and a pleasure to spend time with!Great experience

Whadzen🇺🇸 United States

(About local Guia)

11 May 2025

Thank you Guia for such a wonderful experience! So personable and knowledgeable. Your insights made our tour so much fun. We learned a lot and enjoyed our time together. Highly recommend Guia to anyone looking into having a tour in Kyoto! Our first withlocals experience was 10/10So much fun!

Jana🇺🇸 United States

(About local Guia)

18 April 2025

Guia was an amazing guide to have for my family during our time in Kyoto! We went on two tours with Guia, and she was so kind and helpful! We had some truly great experiences with Guia. She was able to share some stories and history behind what we were seeing-which really makes so much more of an impact, and she did so great with our three kids! She really made our time so much more meaningful. So glad we booked two tours with Guia. Thank you!Amazing guide and experience!

justin🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Ahmed)

13 January 2025

We are a family of two adults and two teens and we did the 3hr tour of Kyoto with Ahmed. We would highly recommend it. Ahmed met us at the station and took us on a tour through shrines, alleyways and local neighbourhoods. Ahmed was very friendly and very knowledgeable. We enjoyed hearing his insight of the local Kyoto sights as well as discussing Japan more generally. highly recommend

mariam🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

(About local Maha)

12 September 2025

We were a large group of 9 women, some of who had been to Kyoto before and some who were first time visitors to Japan. So we needed a customized tour that would please everyone and we loved Maha as our tour guide. She met us at our hotel and we used taxis to expedite our trips so that we could see more places. She spoke in English and Arabic to us and explained the culture and language while we walked. We visited new places, I’ve never been to before and she was extremely patient with our group as we kept drifting off to buy souvenirs and snacks at random times. I loved exploring the narrow alleyways with her and she showed us her favorite places as well. Highly recommended.Amazing to have Maha as a guide

Helene🇸🇪 Sweden

(About local Guia)

11 September 2025

Fantastic guide showing gems and places with history and personal details. We enjoyed the tour and company with Guia!Kyoto guide

Howard🇺🇸 United States

(About local Yoshihiro)

10 September 2025

We just completed an amazing 7 hour private tour with Ted to see the highlights of Kyoto. Ted was very well organized, professional, and communicated with me throughout the process. We had chosen 4 primary sites to visit but as we finished a little early Ted, at no additional charge, gave us a few options to see for a 5th additional site. We really appreciated that added flexibility. Ted was an incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and personable guide. He took several amazing photos of our group and gave us a great suggestion for lunch. We recommend him at the highest level. I plan on booking with him again on our next trip to Kyoto. Important Note: We had an ambitious 1 day itinerary and with Ted’s assistance we booked a private driver for the day. If you can mange the budget, I highly recommend the private driver. The rate through Ted was lower than if I contacted the transport company myself. It was very hot during our September trip, having toe driver drop off/pick-up directly in front of most of the sites was definitely a lifesaver. Amazing Kyoto tour with Ted!

tina🇸🇮 Slovenia

(About local Tiro)

8 September 2025

Had a great walk exploring Kyoto with Tiro, despite the crazy heat. We found a few parallels in our lives and our travels, so it was also fun to chat and compare experiences. The tour was really relaxed but at the same time very informative for all 4 of us. We saw some spots, which we would have surely missed if we had explored on our own. Tiro dropped us off by the restaurants next to the river, where we also had a delicious lunch. Great morning in Kyoto!Great walk and talk!

Julie 🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Naoki)

5 September 2025

We had the absolute best time with Naoki, he really went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable and happy. We will definitely be going for another tour with him next time we are in Japan. Oh and he knows all the best spots to eat, if he makes a recommendation go there. Best time

Kerstin🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Shohei)

2 September 2025

Wegen der Hitze haben wir uns für einen Abendspaziergang mit das nächtliche Kyoto entschieden und es war ein sehr schönes Erlebnis. Von historisch bis modern, wir konnten viele Seiten dieser schönen Stadt kennen lernen und auch einige Tipps für den nächsten Tag mitnehmen. Shoei ist ein netter offener Typ der uns mit Spaß und viel Wissen einen guten Eindruck, auch abseits der großen Touristenmassen vermittelt konnte. Schöner nächtlicher Spaziergang

Dimitri🇺🇸 United States

(About local Simone)

2 September 2025

We had a wonderful time touring Osaka with Simone. What a personable guide! He was truly indefatigable considering that it was an unbelievably hot day at 95 degrees Fahrenheit. He kept up a running dialog about all the sights he shared with us and it was clear he had a real love for Japan and was eager to share the special places of Osaka with us. We never felt rushed and he was so attentive to our needs, especially my wife who had some trouble with the heat. Very highly recommended!!Great introduction to Osaka with Simone

Michel🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Simone)

1 September 2025

We had a fantastic time last night on our food tour with Simone. Simone was really knowledgeable on every aspects of Osaka. The food was really good and it gave us a real appreciation for the food scene in Osaka. We had a lot of fun and really enjoyed the experience. I hope to get the chance to do this all over with Simone on our next trip to Japan. Ciao Simone and thank you for making this a really fun experienceOsaka food tour with Simone

Mary🇦🇹 Austria

(About local Naoki)

28 August 2025

My husband and I loved our time in bustling Osaka with Naoki. Naoki designed a tour with the weather and out mobility in mind. We delighted on local specialities and saw several different areas of Osaka with Naoki generously providing cultural perspectives,insider tips, and information as we made room for more! Exceeded expecations!! Discovering Delicious Osaka

Maria

(About local Simone)

28 August 2025

We had an amazing guided tour of Kyoto’s main temples with Simone. He was incredibly knowledgeable, kind, and always willing to answer our questions. What we appreciated the most was his openness in sharing insights about Japanese culture and traditions, making the experience not just informative but truly engaging. Thanks to his explanations, we were able to understand the deeper meaning behind the temples and rituals. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to discover Kyoto with someone passionate and attentive!A great japanese experience with Simone

Chris🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Naoki)

28 August 2025

Es hat super viel Spass gemacht mit Naoki die Stadt zu erkunden. Er hat ein super Wissen über Stadt Kultur und Bräuche. Hat uns sehr geholfen uns in der Stadt besser zurecht zu finden. Können wir nur jedem empfehlen. Mit Naoki Kyoto erkunden

Dominique🇧🇪 Belgium

(About local Yoshihiro)

25 August 2025

We enjoyed very much the tour with Yoshihido. He gave the tour a personal touch and we learned a lot from him. Excellent gyided tour

jim

(About local Shohei)

22 August 2025

Great knowledge of the sites

Mária

(About local Guia)

21 August 2025

Mark🇺🇸 United States

(About local Guia)

21 August 2025

Great job. We learned a lot. Great English. Kyoto

monika.wagner.paf🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Yoshihiro)

18 August 2025

Our guide was very nice and gave us a really good time in Kyoto. He was very kind and well informed about everything we wanted to know about the town and history. He also helped us with a reservation in a spezial keiseki restaurant. Thank you very much. we were 6 people, the price was a little bit high for 3 hours 310 €.Umfassende, sehr persönliche Betreung

Karol🇱🇺 Luxembourg

(About local Yoshihiro)

16 August 2025

3h tour with Yoshihiro at the beginning of our Kyoto adventure gave us great insights into Kyoto culture, Kabuki history and religious context. Exactly whether we needed! Local stories and family atmosphere. Taste of Kyoto Culture

Kurt

(About local Simone)

15 August 2025

Simone met us on time and with a cheerful greeting. His English is excellent, and he has deep knowledge of food, sights, culture and is very engaging. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour and he went well and beyond helping make our visit to Kobe memorable.Simone is a great guide

tembe🇺🇸 United States

(About local Shohei)

13 August 2025

Perfect choice as a guide for Kyoto. Gave us a great insider look at Kyoto and in a short period of time we saw everything. He is fun and informative with a great command of English. Shohei is amazing

Irene Kanter🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Yoshihiro)

12 August 2025

Ted is extremely friendly and knowledgeable, he answered all our questions along the way and made sure to make the tour engaging for our teenage girls as well.Very nice tour!

jar0311

(About local Guia)

12 August 2025

The tour with Guia was really nice, fun and interesting. She has shared really a lot about the history and life itself in Japan, she has great knowledge about Kyoto. She’s very open and easy talking to. I really had a wonderful time with Guia exploring the beautiful historical places in Kyoto. I really recommend her as an experienced tour guide!Exploring historical Kyoto

Rebecca🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Simone)

10 August 2025

Simone was excellent. We would highly recommend him for anyone looking for a tour in Osaka. He went above and beyond in preparing for our tour to meet the food allergies of our daughter. Everyone in our family had a fantastic memorable time. Osaka Food Tour

Mark🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Simone)

8 August 2025

On our last day in Japan, we had a wonderfull tour with Simone. In advance we had contact to tailor-made our tour and we eventually had a great day with Simone. He showed us several interesting places in Osaka and we had much fun. Not only knows Simone a lot but we had a great connection and time run by very fast because we had a lot of fun. He showed us how it is to live in Japan and how everyday life in Japan is. If you have the chance to book Simone, we highly recommand it. Thanks Simone!A wonderfull tour with a wonderfull guide

Katarina🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Yoshihiro)

6 August 2025

We booked a private 90min Tour with Yoshihiro (Ted). Communication before our meeting was very easy. Ted was really great and so friendly. He gave us a nice Tour of Gion and answered our many questions. He also gave us many recommendations and asked where we were planning on going next. After the tour he sent us a lot of information on our next stops via Whatsapp! I can fully recommend booking a tour with him. Thank you so much for a great time!Fun and interesting Tour with Yoshihiro

Anne Lene

(About local Simone)

6 August 2025

We are super happy with the guided tour from Simone. He had a good overview and a great historical understanding of everything he showed us, as well as being very sympathetic, attentive and responsive. Overall he was a wonderfull guide and we can highly recommend Simone.We highly recommend Simone

Shay🇺🇸 United States

(About local Guia)

3 August 2025

Look no further. It was a perfect day with Guia with Kyoto with my family including two kids. She showed us cool spots, history of Kyoto and Tokyo and a perfect end to our trip in KyotoBest day in Kyoto wiyu Guia

Karen🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Tiro)

29 July 2025

We had a great time with Tiro. His tour was the perfect mix of education, information and entertainment. We really enjoyed the way he shared his experience and knowledge about sake, Kyoto, living and working in Japan. Highly recommend for a family with adults children!An unforgettable sake experience!

Steven🇺🇸 United States

(About local Naoki)

29 July 2025

First day in Osaka and hoping to get a quick overview of city as only had a couple of days. Naoki was truly enjoyable to be around and learn more about him and this wonderful city. We ended the day with local favorite foods at a place he and his friends hung out at when younger and the food was great. Highly recommend.Wonderful day around Osaka

jameselliotlawrence1975

(About local Yoshihiro)

26 July 2025

We had a fantastic morning with Yoshihiro (Ted) at Shimogamo water festival. Ted has really considered our brief, 'off the tourist trail, with some fun for the kids', he hit the brief spot on. I would highly recommend booking a tour with Ted, his english is great and so is his patience and most importantly he has a wealth of knowledge. If/when I return to Kyoto i would happily spend some more time with TedAuthentic tour with a great guide

Damiano🇮🇹 Italy

(About local Yoshihiro)

23 July 2025

Best guide everTed simply the best

Paula🇩🇰 Denmark

(About local Yoshihiro)

21 July 2025

We had the best time with Yoshihiro who was very communicative before our tour which made is feel very welcome. He was incredibly flexible and gave is three good optional tours on the day which was specifically nice because it was so warm so we adjusted the original plan. We visited SO many spots that we would never have seen, food we never would have tried if it wasnt for Yoshihiro. Hils english is great and he is incredibly helpful with all kinds of other tips for after the tour. Can highly recommend! Charming knowledgable guide

Michael🇩🇰 Denmark

(About local Shohei)

21 July 2025

Anna🇮🇱 Israel

(About local Yoshihiro)

19 July 2025

We had a fantastic tour with Ted in the center of Kyoto! It was engaging and full of interesting information. Ted patiently answered all of our questions and even recommended a great restaurant and other places based on our interests. We definitely recommend taking a walk with Ted!Great Experience

Bernie🇺🇸 United States

(About local Tiro)

19 July 2025

We met Tiro right on time at the designated spot and hit it off right away. He was fun and really good at and excited to be a guide. He was full of little and big facts and tied in the history of what we were seeing as well as giving great tips about current Kyoto. Tiro kept things moving, we walked and talked a lot but still took time for a break or 2. Felt like an old friend by the time we left for our hotel Had a Fantastic Tour with Tiro

Andrew🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Simone)

18 July 2025

Simone is a great guide. He was very knowledgeable, but also very accommodating and personable. Highly recommend. Our group had a variety of tastes/wants/needs, and he was able to meet them all. Thank you, Simone!Simone is great

Tom🇺🇸 United States

(About local Simone)

17 July 2025

We could not find a better guide than Simone. Smart, energetic, well informed, good sense of humor. I would also consider Simone for general touring not only a food tour. We have done many and Simone is at the top of the list! Book him now, you won’t be disappointed. Japanese food beyond sushi and shashimi!

Bill🇺🇸 United States

(About local Guia)

16 July 2025

Guia started our Kyoto food tour in a small teppanayaki-style restaurant, the kind with a hot griddle in the middle of each table. Among the items she ordered for the four of us to try was yakisoba, a delicious noodle dish that I couldn’t stop eating. Luckily Guia knew exactly how to make it and wrote the recipe for it in my phone. From there we went on to the Nishiki Market where we sampled a lot of food from an unending number of stalls. One of the next best stops was to briefly sit at a counter to be served the famous Wagyu beef. Yum. Guia never rushed us through the market and was so patient as we quizzed her about all the packages of food that were new to us and written in Japanese. Having grown up in the Philippines , she is a native English speaker, always a welcome help.Fantastic food tour of Kyoto

Nicole🇺🇸 United States

(About local Shohei)

15 July 2025

A nice tour with a good overview of some of the sights. Definitely wouldn't have gotten as much out of it on our own. Nice tour

Wu🇺🇸 United States

(About local Yoshihiro)

15 July 2025

We loved spending time touring Gion and Nishiki market with Ted! He is very knowledgeable about the history of Kyoto, and he recommended amazing food for us at Nishiki market! Definitely recommend Ted, he is a fantastic guide and he was very accommodating. Learned a lot about the Culture of Maiko/Geiko, as well as Kabuki history. Ted even sent us food recommendations for our next destination which was Osaka. Superb!A great tour with Ted

Jenn🇺🇸 United States

(About local Simone)

13 July 2025

We had such an amazing time on this food tour with Simone. Our stomachs AND our hearts were full! Simone is a knowledgable guide, excellent communicator, history buff, foodie and he managed to connect with each of us in our group, spanning ages 65 to 17--no easy feat. Our teen son said he had no idea that a tour or a tour guide could be like this--this GOOD! It was worth every penny and more! If he's open, book it now. You will not regret it. Truly, Simone is that "One in a million." --from US family of 4 (foodies)The BEST!

Penelope

(About local Shohei)

10 July 2025

Khatera

(About local Tiro)

8 July 2025

Tiro was the best guide! He was very knowledgable and interactive with our kids, kept everyone engaged, yet learning tons of information about Kyoto and Japan. Highly recommend Tiro!!!!Fantastic guide!