• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Make your trip a wholesome experience by seeing what other cities outside of Kyoto have to offer. On this private day trip, you don’t need to worry about anything! Follow your local host to Nara and be back in Kyoto the same day but with more unforgettable experiences than before.

Destination

Kyoto, Japan

Category

Day Trips

Duration

8 hours

Transport mode

Public Transport

Available languages

English, 日本語, Indonesian, Italiano, Español

Included

• Private guide
• Entrance tickets Toufokuji & Toudaji Temple
• Nara bus pass
• All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral

Excluded

• Train tickets are not included (JR passes are valid) and need to be paid at the train station.

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 5 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 At "JR central" exit ticket gate / Shichijo dori Exit - 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. More about Japan

   Give yourself the time to not only visit Kyoto by also visiting Nara. Japan is such a beautiful country that the more you know about it, the more you’ll fall in love with it. That’s why your host can’t wait to take you to Nara

4. Gems of Nara

   Check out Toudaji Temple, Nara Deer Park, Toufokuji Temple, and more must-sees but with a twist...through the eyes of a local. Get to know some of the less walked paths in Nara with some great hidden gems and alternative stories that only a local knows about

5. Cultural Contrasts

   Cities are like snowflakes; each one of them is unique. And as you visit Nara, you’ll be able to see the differences compared to Kyoto. Discover how much traditions, architecture, and even language can change from one city to another and how they complement each other

6. Local Knowledge

   To experience the best of Nara, there’s no better way to do so than like a local. Your local host will make this private day trip an enriching experience by sharing knowledge, stories, insights, and answering your questions!

7. 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

Marie-Jeanne🇧🇪 Belgium

(About local Eiji)

3 May 2025

We had a great time with Eiji in Nara. He showed us lots of great places skipping most of the crowds. He’s a kalm nice man we really loved his way of explaining everything to us. we made an extra stop to see the Fusjimi-Inari! 🤩Great guy!

Nick

(About local Eiji)

17 February 2025

The Nara tour was booked for my mother and her friend (60s). Here are the messages I received from them: "We are having a very good time ☺️Eiji is a wonderful tour guide." "We had an amazing tour, on our way back to the hotel now, my battery is at 10%🤣" [so many photos and videos] "What a great tour. The deer bit Eiji’s bottom, Jan’s bottom and tried to eat my tags on the wheelchair! Such a fun day 💕💕💕" It's been their favourite part of Japan so far - which is quite a high recommendation. If you're looking for a tour in Kyoto, Eiji-san is your man!Laughs, bites, and photographs

Pam

(About local Yoshihiro)

21 May 2024

Yoshihiro was so great and made sure to connect with a week ahead to make sure we had information on meeting point and to double check if we had JR Passes yet or not. We are so glad we booked a guid for Nara day tour as it is such a historical town and place that I would not have known a lot of the history. Additionally because Yoshihiro, knew we were in Kyoto for a few days in May, he gave us a great recommendation for a special Geisha performance, that again we would not have known about. We were able to secure tickets to such a special performance that not many tourists knew about. Thank you so much for making our trip so memorableGreat way to learn about history

Nick🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sebastian)

5 May 2024

We had a great day in Nara with our guide, Sebastian. We met up at the Kyoto train station and from there Sebastian took over. The train ride to Nara was quick (40 minutes) and easy. Once in Nara it’s a 5 minute walk to Deer Park. There are hundreds of deer all over. The best place to feed them is closer to the Todaiji Temple. The Temple is pretty amazing. You will see the largest bronze Buddha in Japan. On the way home we stopped in the small town of Uji. It’s the home of matcha. Lots of small shops and a few temples. Great scenery. I would highly recommend this tour and booking Sebastian if available. Wonderful day in Nara with amazing guide

Haley🇺🇸 United States

(About local Shohei)

31 January 2020

Great tour! Shohei was very knowledgeable and accommodating to our party's dietary needs. We say a lot of stuff in a short time and if was great having a guide to help us through the madness and not get too caught up in one place. Definitely recommend.Wonderful tour!

Jason

(About local Simone)

2 July 2025

We had an incredible time on our food tour in Osaka, thanks to our fantastic guide, Simone. He was knowledgeable, friendly, and made us feel welcome right from the start. Simone took us to excellent local spots we never would have found on our own, and every stop had delicious food and great stories behind it. He shared so much interesting history about the city and culture, which made the experience even more memorable. We left full, happy, and with a deeper appreciation for Osaka’s amazing food and city. We highly recommend this tour and cannot recommend Simone enough to anyone visiting!A wonderful Osaka food tour experience

Steven🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Guia)

1 July 2025

Guia was a lovely lady who had a wealth of knowledge and a happy friendly personality. She expertly guided us around Kyoto and a smooth and effective pace, taking into consideration the heat that particular day. I would highly recommend her and will miss her smiley face.Fun and informative

David and Susan🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Yoshihiro)

30 June 2025

Yoshihiro was most accommodating and came to our hotel to meet us. He is very friendly and clearly knowledgeable on all Kyoto has to offer. He gave detailed historical information with insights on why this beautiful city came to be and encouraged us to see the Silver Temple and its gardens which was the highlight of our visit. Meeting Yoshihiro

Stephen🇺🇸 United States

(About local Shohei)

29 June 2025

What makes Shohei great is that he's a native English speaker and equally versed in all things Kyoto. That combined with his ability to adapt to harsh rain storms and changing needs made him an ideal guide for my family of four.Adaptive, Agile and Knowledgable!

Mojca🇸🇮 Slovenia

(About local Tiro)

28 June 2025

This was a special experience to have a guide all by yourself and with so much flexibility. Tiro guided us around so smoothly, so all we did was enjoy the area without looking at the map or reading the guide book. He told us most interesting facts and stories, which we enjoyed very very much. During the tour we had a deliciouis snack. Three hours passed soo quickly, but without any further dues Tiro showed us all what he planned. We enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and we loved the seven rule quize. We keep it in mind as we go, especially the last one :) We are very greatful for this experience and we highly recommend Tiro for the tour. Afterwards ( and even before we arrived to Kyoto), he gave us further recommendations on food, which turned out to be delicious. Last, but not last, during the tour we got lucky to see maiko on the street. Excellent experience

Steve🇺🇸 United States

(About local Shohei)

26 June 2025

Shohei was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic sharing the Japan experience with us. 10

Charma🇺🇸 United States

(About local Eiji)

25 June 2025

This tour was fantastic! Eiji made the experience exceptional, and I would recommend him to anyone considering this tour. For the Nishiki Market portion of the tour, Eiji recommended the foods and we had the ability to decline and try something different. We chose to take his recommendations and try the things he thought we would enjoy. He focused on the shops that had been in the market for a very long time and not the new pop-up tourist trap stalls. He took a ton of pictures for us as we tried the different things. He also explained the origin/history of the foods we were trying. Part two of the tour was even better! Eiji took us to several different shrines and explained the rituals that are performed by those who worship at the shrines. He walked us through areas in Gion and pointed out things we never would have known or never would have seen. He gave us an education into things that we were interested in learning but didn't expect to get from this tour. This was by far one of the best tours I have taken in many years of traveling. When I go back to Kyoto, I will book a tour with him again! Thank you Eiji for making this a wonderful time for us. Amazing Guide

Pamela🇺🇸 United States

(About local Simone)

23 June 2025

Simone was a lively, well-informed, and joyful tour guide. Not only did he bring us to great places to eat, but showed us a bit of the vast history of Osaka. We loved walking down the streets with him and cracking jokes while eating gyoza. Book Simone if possible! His Japanese is great which was very helpful in getting around. We will be keeping in touch with him! Thanks, Simone!!!Miso hungry, miso full!

nicole🇺🇸 United States

(About local Yoshihiro)

22 June 2025

Come hungry for fascinating and fun tour of Kyoto food. Ted-san guided us through both Nishiki market and the Gion area (NB: 2 tours) and kept our distractable teenagers engaged and fascinated. We all learned a lot and feel a new connection and appreciation for Kyoto and Japan. Very worthwhile (& delicious) tour!Ted-san is warm, informed local “uncle”

nicole🇺🇸 United States

(About local Yoshihiro)

22 June 2025

Ted-san was our charming tour guide for 5.5 hrs (2 tours) and our easily-distracted teenagers were engaged and happy the whole time. We covered the Gion area history, both general and secret, including shrines, daily life, and samurai and geisha cultures. Ted-san was an expert and warm “local uncle “ who made our introduction to Japan a joy. Ted-san is amazing!

Barbara

(About local Shohei)

20 June 2025

This was a wonderful tour! You won’t be disappointed with Shohei! He was on time for our tour, very informative about where we went and what we saw, and fun to be around. He also took us to the best Raman place for lunch. You can’t go wrong with Shohei!!Shohei was awesome!!

Scott🇺🇸 United States

(About local Eiji)

19 June 2025

We asked Eiji to put together a tour that would help us better understand what life is like in Kyoto for Japanese locals who live away from the tourist attractions. What an amazing experience! The tour was focused on his neighborhood in northeastern Kyoto where he has lived for many years. It was one of those experiences which is made up of a series of small moments that come together to create something special. Be sure to ask him to take you to his favorite ramen noodle place - so good and so cool. The tour gave us a deeper appreciation of Japanese culture and what it means to be a part of a community in Kyoto. Don't miss this unique opportunity.Life in Kyoto

Amanda

(About local Simone)

19 June 2025

Simone is the best! This was my first time to Japan and Kyoto, Simone was so knowledgeable about the area! I couldn’t ask for a better travel guide! He took us to the best sites that I would never find on my own! Simone is very comfortable to be around, such a genuine person! I couldn’t be any happier!! HIGHLY, highly recommend! Also, he’s fluent in Japanese, English, Italian and more! All around perfect!!!!!! He really cares that you are having the best experience! I will use his service next time! Thanks Simone! Also, if you have questions after the tour for further recommendations in Japan period, he replies promptly and has amazing taste!!!!AMAZING experience!!!!!!!!!

Bruna🇮🇹 Italy

(About local Simone)

17 June 2025

One expects that when going to Japan the things that amaze most are the landscapes, the culture and the food...and instead then you meet Simone!! A golden boy, more golden than the Buddhas of the temples! An exceptional, competent guide, who reads inside you and aligns himself with your desires. He brings you into this world speaking your language and so you feel at home on the other side of the world! Simone, the East has a new Sun thanks to you.Arigatō, Simone

Bruna🇮🇹 Italy

(About local Simone)

17 June 2025

Uno si aspetta che andando in Giappone le cose che stupiscono di più siano i paesaggi, la cultura e il cibo...e invece poi incontra Simone!! Un ragazzo d'oro, più d'oro dei Budda dei templi! Una guida eccezionale, competente, che ti legge dentro e si allinea ai tuoi desideri. Ti porta in questo mondo parlando la tua lingua e così tu ti senti a casa dall'altra parte del mondo! Simone, l'oriente ha un nuovo Sole grazie a te.Thanks to Simone

jan.hunek🇨🇾 Cyprus

(About local Jessica)

17 June 2025

Jessica is wonderful guide, and I had a great tour with her. Great time in Osaka

Sara🇺🇸 United States

(About local Yoshihiro)

17 June 2025

Great day with Ted. Very informative and great food choices. Highly highly recommend!Amazing tour!

Julie🇺🇸 United States

(About local Simone)

15 June 2025

We had one day in Osaka and had the perfect day with Simone on the food tour. Simone LOVES Japan, and it shows in every part of his tour. He was engaging, knowledgeable, and took time and thought to cater our experience to our needs. We wandered all over the city, tried delicious food, and had a great time. This was my first experience with With Locals and I will definitely use it for future traveling. Thanks, Simone, for a great day in Osaka!One day in Osaka? Spend it with Simone!

Unknown

(About local Yoshihiro)

15 June 2025

He was great, and super accommodating. Even customized the tour to make it better for our 9yoGreat!

Meera🇺🇸 United States

(About local Eiji)

15 June 2025

I took a day trip to kyoto with my three teenagers, so we didn't have too much time. The tour covered all the top spots and gave us an idea for the afternoon on our own. It was pouring rain the entire day, but we had a blast. Eiji took amazing photos. Great activity if you have limited time. Excellent tour despite downpouring rain!

Craig🇺🇸 United States

(About local Shohei)

14 June 2025

If there is one thing we know for sure we will be doing next time we are back in Kyoto, it’s booking another tour with Shohei. The experience he provided was the perfect mix of history, culture, hidden gems, a tasty treat, and he’s very funny! Just what we asked for. We really felt like we got an inside view of Kyoto. He answered our many questions and customized the tour to our liking. He even gave us plenty of recommendations for other places to check out after the tour. Our only regret is that we didn’t book the full day tour and opted for the half day. Thank you for an amazing time, Shohei!The Best Time!

Katie

(About local Yoshihiro)

13 June 2025

Our private tour of Kyoto was an unforgettable experience that perfectly blending history, culture, and hidden local gems. Our guide, Ted, was incredibly knowledgeable and helpful. From serene temples to bustling markets, every stop felt thoughtfully chosen. It was the perfect way to explore Kyoto at our own pace and truly connect with the city’s spirit.Excellent Tour!

Unknown

(About local Yoshihiro)

12 June 2025

What an amazing experience. We did the Nishiki market food tour with Ted (Yoshihiro) and were immediately put at ease once we begun. The market is a massive, 300+ vendor single walkway that can be easily overwhelming. Navigating with a local guide as experienced as Ted is the recipe for success. If we went it alone, we would have easily spent time and money at the vendors he recommended to avoid! The pricetag was on the more expensive end for what we were looking for but the combination of local expertise with high quality food items included justified the expense. Plus, Ted is a warm, friendly, and respectful man and we would book the experience again if only to hang with him for another few hours!

Nathalie🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Eiji)

10 June 2025

We had the absolute pleasure of doing a guided tour of Kyoto with Eiji, and I can’t recommend him enough. From the very beginning, he was incredibly warm, kind, and welcoming — the kind of person who instantly makes you feel at ease. He’s extremely knowledgeable and shared so many fascinating stories and historical insights about Kyoto that really brought the city to life. What stood out the most was how thoughtful and patient he was with us throughout the entire experience. Eiji went out of his way to take so many beautiful photos of us along the way — such a kind gesture — and even sent them afterward to us, which meant the world to us. It’s little things like that which make a guide truly special. Overall, Eiji is not only an amazing guide but a genuinely lovely person. We were so grateful to have met him and will remember this day fondly. Thank you, Eiji!Eiji, a guide like no other

Mitch and Melissa, Ryan and Paige🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Jessica)

9 June 2025

I would say that this kind of tour’s success is really based on the person you choose to lead this tour as restaurant selection is really based on the personal opinion of your guide. Jessica was friendly but not originally from Japan. She took us to many local restaurants but the food was just ok. Where she came in handy was for general communication with the restaurant staff. We did eat lots of food that night so go on an empty stomach but I wouldn’t say it was the best food. We did get to try most of what was on our list but we had some line ups so be prepared for that as well. Lots of walking and subways to various areas. Not sure it is a must!Was just ok

Patrik🇸🇪 Sweden

(About local Shohei)

9 June 2025

We got to have a great time with Shohei. The tour have is a good overview of Kyotos eastern parts and great stories about the history of both the city, shinto, Buddha and Japan. Great tour with great guy

Dr Bruce🇺🇸 United States

(About local Guia)

9 June 2025

She was very informative and she knew a lot of hidden secrets about Kyoto. Also went to really cool Japanese sword shop. Had food a great restaurant and walked a lot and enjoyed every minute.8 hour City tour

Zee🇸🇬 Singapore

(About local Yoshihiro)

9 June 2025

Ted-san is thoughtful, kind and funny, so it was a joy to spend 3 hours with him exploring Gion. He is full of wonderful stories and information about the past and present of Kyoto. After the tour he offered tips on where to eat, what time of day/week to visit popular attractions etc. We really enjoyed our time together and hope we have the pleasure of seeing Ted-san again! A wonderful enriching time!

Ray🇮🇪 Ireland

(About local Tiro)

7 June 2025

As soon as you meet Tiro you can see he is a nice person, very comfortable in his role as guide. He also has huge passion for Japanese history and culture. We had a great afternoon and learned so much. It is a wonderful thing to do and you can see that there is such a difference between a personalised tour versus ambling around yourself Wonderful tour in Kyoto

Leslie

(About local Guia)

6 June 2025

We enjoyed walking and talking with Guia and learned so much. We appreciated her generous candor, discussing topics of the day. Time with Guia is time well spent. Grateful

Dirk🇧🇪 Belgium

(About local Sebastian)

2 June 2025

Great expierience ! Great insides to Japan from an outsider. D'ont hesitate : book

Ambika🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Yoshihiro)

2 June 2025

Yoshihiro was an amazing guide for us! We took him on day 2 of our time in Kyoto (day 1 for my friend) and we were quite jet lagged so a bit confused about where to go and what to do! He suggested we do a tour of the palace together instead of the 1.5 hour intro tour because it would be a duplicate of something else we were already on that evening! Extremely helpful, worked with us to ensure we got to see a different part of Kyoto while explaining it's rich heritage and history to us. He even sent me additional info and things to do for the rest of the days. The sanjusangendo temple and seeing the fushimi inari at night were amazing suggestions which we really appreciated when we went there! Would highly recommend Yoshihiro San to anyone looking for an introduction to Kyoto ! Wish we had more time with Yoshihiro

Johan🇧🇪 Belgium

(About local Eiji)

31 May 2025

Fijne persoon die ons Kyoto op zijn best liet ontdekken overgoten met de juiste commentaren en tips. Een echte aanrader wat ons betreft !Een zeer leuke ervaring met een topgids

Veronique

(About local Jessica)

29 May 2025

Our tour with Jessica was wonderful. She was cheerful and enthusiastic. The tour was comprised of 3 different restaurants, all very different from one another allowing us to taste very diverse Japanese delicacies. Furthermore, Jessica was an excellent guide through the streets of Osaka, showing us all the highlights. We would highly recommend her to discover the city.Tasting tour in Osaka

Craig🇺🇸 United States

(About local Guia)

29 May 2025

We had a great tour. Guia gave us the highlights filled with a ton of cultural info. We got a real sense of history and place! She was super friendly and even gave us many restaurant recommendations which we loved!Friendly, Helpful, knowledgeable!

Mitch and Melissa, Ryan and Paige🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Shohei)

28 May 2025

We had one and a half days together and it was worth it. Shohei was a great guide. He was super friendly and made the learning fun and chill. Spoke excellent English as he has lived in the US only recently returning to Japan in 2019. I think for touring in Kyoto with all the many sights spread out all over the city it is well worth the splurge! He took us to a great local Ramen restaurant for lunch and we really enjoyed his company and expertise. Thank you Shohei!Great exprerience

Madison

(About local Yoshihiro)

27 May 2025

This was our first time using With Locals and Ted was a joy of a tour guide. Funny, informative, and helped us avoid the crowds. After the tour, he sent us more information to help with our itinerary. He was a great! 10/10! We loved Ted!

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

Tyler

(About local Eiji)

26 May 2025

Eiji led us on a fantastic food tour of Nishiki Market. We tried over 10 different food stalls with a great variety of foods. Eiji made it so simple to talk with food vendors and made the purchases with us. He was friendly, informative and we really enjoyed our tour with him. We would highly recommend the tour with Eiji!Fantastic food tour!

Debbie🇺🇸 United States

(About local Yoshihiro)

24 May 2025

Our City Kick-Starter 90 minute tour with Yoshihiro/Ted was a great way to get our bearings on our first day in Kyoto. We toured the Gion area and shopping district, visited a temple, and learned so much about the Geisha history and lifestyle. Great experience! Great overview of Kyoto’s Gion area

Daniel

(About local Yoshihiro)

24 May 2025

Mr. Ted’s knowledge of Kyoto is superb! Spoke great english and gave us great advice on what to visit and at what times. Highly recommended! Excellent Guide

Unknown

(About local Yoshihiro)

23 May 2025

We had such a wonderful few days with “Ted”. He was so knowledgeable about everything and let us know all the customs of the locals. Highly reccomend. We were sad when we had to say goodbye. Great experience

Henriette🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Simone)

22 May 2025

Being guided by Simone through the street market was a marvellous experience. He knew what kind of food was local, traditional, authentique or even unique to the market. We had a lovely time tryimg out a variety of food. We appreciated that we could always say, what we would like to try and what not. So it felt very much like a tailored experience to our needs. Moreover Simone not only made sure that our bellies were filled, but our heads also. He patiently answered all our questions we had about Japan and Kyoto. We really enjoyed being able to discuss food and culture with Simone. We would certainly recommend the experience. Very friendly and knowledgeable host

Tom🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Tiro)

22 May 2025

Awesome tour by Tiro. We mainly strolled down the Nashiki Market, as this was our preference. We tasted many new things, food we might have skipped if Tiro didn't suggest. Really easy going, explaining some of the history and origin of the market and Kyoto along the way. Highly recommend! Good drinks and talks after tour as well. 10/10Awesome tour

Bharat🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Yoshihiro)

22 May 2025

We (family of 6) had a marvellous time with Ted in Kyoto spending two very informative and pleasurable days with him touring around the sites of Kyoto. He has a joie de vivre and his enthusiasm and passion for Japan comes across and can be seen in the way he gives his explanations and answers to our questions. Hiring the van to take us around the first day was very useful as we could see a lot more sites and it was very comfortable. We will be strongly recommendingTed to other friends who will be visiting Kyoto shortly. Thank you Ted for giving us such a wonderful and memorable experience.Our time with Ted in Kyoto