• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

¡Bienvenido a Kioto! ¿Quieres conocer los mejores lugares para comer? ¿Eventos geniales en la ciudad? ¿A qué lugares ir y cuáles evitar? ¿O simplemente obtener ayuda para navegar por la ciudad? Reserve este tour privado con un local y obtenga la introducción perfecta a Kioto para comenzar su viaje por la ciudad con el pie derecho.

Destination

Kyoto, Japan

Category

City Highlight Tours

Duration

1.5 horas

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

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

Included

• Private Guide
• Local Tips & Tricks
• City Orientation
• All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral

Excluded

• Entrance to attractions

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 At the entrance of the Tohka Saikan building - 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. Puntos destacados de la ciudad

   Vea el templo Kenninji, el Santuario Yasaka y más puntos de referencia y visitas obligadas de la ciudad. Su anfitrión local lo llevará a los lugares principales de la ciudad para que pueda obtener la introducción perfecta a lo que hace que Kioto sea tan especial.

4. Puntos calientes locales

   En el camino, su anfitrión le indicará lugares de reunión y gemas ocultas que solo los lugareños conocen y lo ayudará a familiarizarse con la ciudad de la manera más local posible.

5. Recomendaciones de alimentos

   Reciba recomendaciones personalizadas según su gusto y dónde ir y qué comer durante su visita a Kioto. ¡Evita las trampas para turistas gracias a tu anfitrión local!

6. Orientación de la ciudad

   Aprenda a navegar por la ciudad y obtenga las respuestas a sus preguntas sobre Kioto que lo ayudarán en los días siguientes a hacer que su tiempo en la ciudad sea mucho más fácil.

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

David and Susan🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Yoshihiro)

30 junio 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

Steve🇺🇸 United States

(About local Shohei)

26 junio 2025

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

nicole🇺🇸 United States

(About local Yoshihiro)

22 junio 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!

Scott🇺🇸 United States

(About local Eiji)

19 junio 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

Meera🇺🇸 United States

(About local Eiji)

15 junio 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!

Katie

(About local Yoshihiro)

13 junio 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!

Ambika🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Yoshihiro)

2 junio 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

Madison

(About local Yoshihiro)

27 mayo 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!

Debbie🇺🇸 United States

(About local Yoshihiro)

24 mayo 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 mayo 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

Helena

(About local Eiji)

15 mayo 2025

Eiji took us around interesting and beautiful parts of Kyoto for 1,5 hours our first day in Kyoto. He was fun and had interesting facts and history to share. Eiji gave us valuable tips for the rest of our stay, and also to restaurants. Very good at speaking English.Perfect guide for first day in Kyoto!

Kai

(About local Simone)

14 mayo 2025

We found Simone to be a wonderful guide and excellent company. Even before the trip started, he reached out to make sure we had all the information we needed. The tour was an excellent introduction to Kyoto, Simone provided excellent insights and was very happy to customise to our interests. It was clear Simone is passionate about what he does and we really enjoyed our time with him and he even went to the extra effort of providing us with some further recommendations after the tour. We fully recommend him as an excellent guide.A scholar and a gentleman

Arielle🇮🇱 Israel

(About local Eiji)

9 mayo 2025

We met Eiji for an introductory walking tour of Kyoto and we are so glad we did. He was a very knowledgeable tour guide - sharing tidbits about what we were seeing as well as Kyoto in general. He was warm, engaging and did a great job answering all of our questions. He also took a ton of pictures of us which was unexpected and also fun. He shared some of his favourite recommendations with us which we really appreciated. For any first timers to Kyoto, this tour is money well spend and Eiji is a great tour guide to lead it! A great intro to kyoto!

Julian🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Eiji)

9 mayo 2025

Very friendly

Anne🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Shohei)

2 mayo 2025

Shohei was easy to communicate with, excellent English and very knowledgeable about the Nijo Castle. Very helpful to guide us to our subsequent activity. Nice easy going guide

Kelley

(About local Yoshihiro)

21 abril 2025

My family of four had a wonderful time touring Kyoto with Ted. He is very knowledgeable about the city and gave us all sorts of tidbits related to culture, history, etc. He was also very flexible when we told him we had already visited one of the sights he had in mind. He gave us great restaurant recommendations and stayed in touch to offer his assistance afterwards.Delightful tour

Sue

(About local Yoshihiro)

5 abril 2025

We met Ted for his 90 minute tour on our first day in Kyoto. It was a great way to orient ourselves to the city and to get some insider tips on how to navigate the busyness of cherry blossom season. Ted was friendly and informative. I would recommend him to others. Kickstart Kyoto Tour

Harry🇮🇲 Isle of Man

(About local Eiji)

4 abril 2025

We had an amazing tour with Eiji! It was the perfect tour for our first time in Kyoto. We walked through the streets in the evening and Eiji took us to some great well known places like the Geisha street and a great shrine just outside the centre. He was great at pointing out the local history, he took brilliant photos for us and had a really great sense of humor! After the tour he sent us some amazing recommendations for quieter shrines, temples and local restaurants one of which led to us finding our favourite lunch spot during our time in Japan! Would definitely recommend if you’re looking for a fun, fact filled, friendly tour! Thanks Eiji! :) Incredible Kyoto Tour!

Carla🇿🇦 South Africa

(About local Eiji)

4 abril 2025

We had a fabulous time with Eiji, he was knowledgeable and so accommodatingLoved our experience

Heather🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Eiji)

4 abril 2025

Eiji was a wonderful guide who gave us lots of information about Kyoto’s history, sights and culture. We took a scenic route to see the best cherry trees in bloom and Eiji knew exactly where to get us to stand to get the best photos! He was generous with his time and stories and gave us great travel tips for our stay in this lovely city. Thanks Eiji we had a great eveningFriendly and knowledgeable

Jerry🇺🇸 United States

(About local Eiji)

15 marzo 2025

Eiji provided prompt, clear, communications, and guidance on meeting and updates for Weather, which we were able to convert to some indoor sightseeing activities and a shrine that was excellent. Great knowledge and combination of friendliness and sense of humor and understanding of the local area as well as other cultures, which was greatly appreciated. Also a terrific photographer with many great pictures!Great, quick overview tour

Bonnie

(About local Eiji)

28 febrero 2025

Eiji came highly recommended and we were very pleased. He gave interesting information without overwhelming us.A pleasant and knowledgeable tour guide

Kelly

(About local Eiji)

27 enero 2025

Very insightful- very kind and showed us around the city at night. Took great photos as well of us as another perk!! Wonderful tour!Wonderful tour!!

MaryAnne🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Yoshihiro)

12 enero 2025

Yoshihiro (Ted) changed our meeting point closer to our hotel which was very kind. We learnt a lot about how to get around and some local history in our 1.5hr tour. Ted even went out of his way to get us to the markets at the end of our tour. A friendly local guide. Great start to Kyoto

John

(About local Guia)

30 diciembre 2024

She’s a great person and a great guide and really knows her stuff. I’m really glad that I spent the time with her and it was a short tour, but I got a lot out of it!Local soulful knowledgeable!

Celeste🇺🇸 United States

(About local Guia)

26 diciembre 2024

Guia was wonderful, helping us orient ourselves on our first day. She adapted instantly to our interests, telling us cultural and historical information. As we walked through the market, she pointed out the best foods and products. It was like visiting a friend who lives in a foreign city—comfortable and warm. Thank you!Like being with a friend

Assaf

(About local Shohei)

23 diciembre 2024

Gabe🇺🇸 United States

(About local Shohei)

23 diciembre 2024

Sasha

(About local Eiji)

11 diciembre 2024

Thank you a lot Eiji for such a wonderful walk. Eiji is very friendly and open local guide. He showed us some of the must see spots in Kyoto and few hidden jams. We learned a lot about Japanese culture and about the city itself. Besides that we just had a great time and as a bonus received so many beautiful pictures as a memory. A wonderful walk in Kyoto

Unknown

(About local Eiji)

7 diciembre 2024

Eiji, is a really nice and friendly guide. He had a program in mind of where we should go, which was great, as being new to Kyoto, some guidance is really helpful 😅. Besides, we had a lot of questions about the Japanese culture, history, traditions, and he answered all of them. He's a great guide and and our times was really enjoable.Friendly, knowledgeable and fun

Toby

(About local Shohei)

6 diciembre 2024

We had a wonderful tour around Kyoto with Shohei! Shohei was really informative and gave us great pointers for after the tour too! We would highly recommend for everyone to book in with Shohei! Great Tour Full of Gems

Judith 🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Yoshihiro)

25 noviembre 2024

Ted was a wonderful guide who know explanations to everything we wanted to know- since this is out first time in Japan, it was a lot:) he was very kind, very patient, very entertaining and had very good recommendations for our whole stay in Kyoto - Perfect Information in a Brief but still relaxed way. Until next time, Ted! Simply perfect

Claire🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Yoshihiro)

18 noviembre 2024

Ted was a terrific local guide. We communicated well and everything worked perfectly. He took me to the places I wanted to see and explained a lot of history and points of interest. I just wanted more time A great introduction to Kyoto

Karin🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Yoshihiro)

14 noviembre 2024

Ted was an amazing guide. He speaks very well English and answered all of our questions. The tour was great to get a good first impression of Kyoto of and even after our tour he was still available for questions and advice. 100% recommendWhat a great way to explore Kyoto!

Mary Ellen 🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Maha)

13 noviembre 2024

Maha was so helpful and friendly. Really enjoyed our time with her. We spent a couple of hours with her in Gion. She helped plan the rest of our time in Kyoto. Very knowledgeable. Lovely person. Afternoon tour in Gion

Margaret🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Maha)

9 noviembre 2024

Maha was a delightful guide to some interesting temples and a wonderful old area with street food and beautiful houses. She encouraged us to go back at night and we were glad we did. The lighting of the huge Pagoda was magical. As wonderful walking tour with Maha

Andrea🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Yoshihiro)

7 noviembre 2024

This is my first visit to Japan and I so I booked the 90 minutes Starter Tour with Ted. Communication via WhatsApp was easy, tourstart was very much on time. I enjoyed his explanations and benefited greatly from his knowledge. Besides from walking me around he answered all my questions, gave me helpful ideas what to do in Kyoto and even sent me links via WhatsApp after the tour. Thank you for making the start in this fascinating city easy Ted. Highly recommendedPerfect start of my Kyoto stay

Ambita🇮🇳 India

(About local Eiji)

4 noviembre 2024

Fun, knowledgeable , kind , accommodating, flexible, and the MOST wonderful person to see Kyoto with. Kyoto through his eyes is magical. The only way to see Kyoto. THE most authentic experience. Thank you Eiji. You made our trip so so special!The master!

Christine therese🇵🇭 Philippines

(About local Guia)

4 noviembre 2024

Time was short but Guia gave a great over view of the history and culture of Gion . She has a good vibe and was considerate of the difference in ages in our travel group. She was very helpful in sharing with us the Dos and Donts and even helped us get a dinner reservation since we were a big group of 8 . Great introduction for the area

Kathleen🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Eiji)

1 noviembre 2024

Eiji was so friendly and full of fun facts during our 1.5hr walk. We saw places we may have missed on our own, and learnt so much, it was amazing how much Eiji fit into our short time. He very kindly went at our slower pace and took lovely photos for us at every opportunity. We chatted about travel and family and got to know a little bit about him too. We could have spent much longer, the time flew by. Thank you Eiji for a great tour!Interesting & entertaining walk with Eiji

Joseph 🇵🇹 Portugal

(About local Yoshihiro)

21 octubre 2024

Ted was a super guide. Knowledgeable, pleasant and lovely company. Id most certainly recommend him to anybody! JoeExcellent Tour in Kyoto

amy🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Shohei)

18 octubre 2024

My teenage daughter and I had a wonderful experience with Shohei. We explored the streets of Gion while also gaining insights into cultural and historical aspects of Kyoto. Shohei is a wealth of knowledge and we had great conversations that gave us much deeper appreciation of the beautiful city that we were in. Shohei is also very friendly and entertaining and I’d highly recommend him. Informative and entertaining

gary🇺🇸 United States

(About local Eiji)

7 octubre 2024

What an awesome, “kick start” tour with Eiji through busy Gion and surrounding areas. Eiji was very accommodating and knowledgeable of the places we visited. We even were so lucky to see 7 geisha/maiko in the busy Gion district that evening! He even walked us to our dinner restaurant that evening tucked away in Pontocho district. Very nice gentleman and would highly recommend him as a guide. Bring your walking shoes as lots of walking and hilly areas in Higashiyama district. Great value for price paid. Great experience with Eiji

Roberta and Gregory🇺🇸 United States

(About local Shohei)

1 octubre 2024

We had an amazing day with Shohei and actually we booked an extra short tour with him upon arrival in kyoto. We saw the major sights, took lots of photos, had lunch together at a very local spot, and he even helped us get a bus ticket to the Osaka airport for our departure the next day. He was very easy and enjoyable to talk with and his knowledge of japan was great. He enjoys giving tours and loves japan. We learned so much and would highly recommend. Kyoto extraordinary experience

Neil🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Shohei)

27 septiembre 2024

Shohei was extremely friendly , enthusiastic and knowledgeable in our quick first day tour in Kyoto. It's a good way to get your bearings and understand what areas you would like to return to later in your stay in the City. He also kindly gave some great advice for restaurants and other places to visit. Highly recommended tour guide.Great way to start in Kyoto

Thomas🇧🇪 Belgium

(About local Yoshihiro)

25 septiembre 2024

Ted was very pleasant and helpfull. He could answer all our questions and understood what we need. I think it’s an advantage that he is Japanese but with working experience in other countries. He gave us useful tips (philosopher pad, bamboo forest…) and we only can promote him to book him. He is really a nice guy. So thank you very much Ted 🙏 Excellent guided tour

Louisa🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Eiji)

22 septiembre 2024

Thanks Eji for a fantastic night time tour of Kyoto. Eji knew all the secret lanes and best photo spots, and also answered all our questions - with knowledge and insight. We even saw a geisha during our walk and I’m sure it was Eji’s good vibes which conjoured her! Arigato for a beautiful atmospheric evening. A beautiful night!

Lorraine🇺🇸 United States

(About local Yoshihiro)

16 septiembre 2024

My son and I took a walking tour with Ted Yoshihiro on our first full day in Kyoto. Ted was very knowledgeable and provided many insights and tips on how to take in the city. We learned a lot! More than that, Ted is a warm and friendly guide who took time to get to know us and connect on a personal level. We really enjoyed the tour & visiting with him! Japanese culture intro

Gil🇺🇸 United States

(About local Guia)

18 agosto 2024

Guia was a pleasure to meet and to take this tour with. She is smart, funny and engaging, and extremely knowledgeable about local customs and Kyoto. It was a pleasure taking this tour with her!A terrific tour with a an excellent guide

Briana🇺🇸 United States

(About local Yoshihiro)

9 agosto 2024

We had a great tour with Ted. He was so friendly and knowledgeable. He showed us some spots we would have missed otherwise and the only thing I might change was the timing of the tour to later in the day as many places were not yet open and our tour was 9-10:30. When choosing a guide, you should plan for a good experience with Ted. Great tour!