• 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 horas

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

中文, English, العربية, Français, 日本語

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 7 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

Natasja🇧🇪 Belgium

(About local Guia)

27 mayo 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 mayo 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 abril 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 enero 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

Steve🇺🇸 United States

(About local Shohei)

26 junio 2025

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

Brandon🇺🇸 United States

(About local Naoki)

25 junio 2025

Naoki is an amazing tour guide for Osaka. It started even before the trip where we wanted to know more about the family. Naoki has grown up in Osaka and showed us an amazing time. Not only did he explain the history of each stop, but also talked about some his past experiences. Each restaurant we stopped at was amazing. From Takoyaki to Gyoza and more, each one was delicious. What my family found most impressive was his attentiveness. It happened to be hot and Naoki catered the tour to make sure we didn't get too hot. Even though it was a a tasting tour, my family really loved how he shared Shinto and Buddhism beliefs in Japan. I highly recommend Naoki for an amazing experience in Osaka. Tastings of Osaka for Family from US

nicole🇺🇸 United States

(About local Yoshihiro)

22 junio 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 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!

Barbara

(About local Shohei)

20 junio 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!!

Sara🇺🇸 United States

(About local Yoshihiro)

17 junio 2025

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

Unknown

(About local Yoshihiro)

15 junio 2025

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

Craig🇺🇸 United States

(About local Shohei)

14 junio 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 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!

Unknown

(About local Yoshihiro)

12 junio 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!

Nolan🇺🇸 United States

(About local Ahmed)

10 junio 2025

We had a great time with Ahmed, and was a great source of knowledge for us. Tour was well paced, and he was happy to take our pictures at various spots along the tour. Additionally, he gave us recommendations for the other sights we should see after the tour was finished.Great source of knowledge!

Patrik🇸🇪 Sweden

(About local Shohei)

9 junio 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 junio 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 junio 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 junio 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 junio 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

Nisa🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Naoki)

5 junio 2025

The best guide I could wish for! Naoki-san is a true local with so much knowledge about traditions and culture, and besides he is such a kind and welcoming person :)

Donatas🇱🇹 Lithuania

(About local Naoki)

2 junio 2025

We have tested 5 guides in Japan an I can say Naoki was the best in terms of how good his english, knowledge about jaban and how easy it was to communicate with him. Alao very helpful - helped us on our journey to find lost phone :) Thank you fluent english and friendly

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

Gail🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Naoki)

30 mayo 2025

We would recommend a tour with Naoki to anyone visiting Osaka, not just for the excellent food but for the insight into Japan, its culture, history and traditions. We learnt so much, and enjoyed trying all the dishes in authentic restaurants….. the best gyoza we had in Japan. To Naoki…. “ We enjoyed our conversation”, it was a wonderful evening, a pleasure to meet you and thank you again. Excellent tour with the best guide

Craig🇺🇸 United States

(About local Guia)

29 mayo 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 mayo 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

Irina

(About local Naoki)

27 mayo 2025

We had the most wonderful tour with Naoki. He is incredibly knowledgeable about Osaka food scene, the city, its culture and history. The food was delicious and was accompanied by Naoki's stories about Osaka, its culinary history, and very helpful tips that made our stay so much more enjoyable. Naoki's English is impeccable. We highly recommend this tour. In fact, we cannot wait to be back in Osaka and meet with Naoki again. Amazing Tour

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

Unknown

(About local Yoshihiro)

23 mayo 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

Tom🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Tiro)

22 mayo 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 mayo 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

p7nm7kdqgq

(About local Guia)

21 mayo 2025

We had an amazing experience with Guia in Kyoto! From the very first contact, she was incredibly friendly and made sure our tour was perfectly tailored for us. She was punctual, welcoming, and open to all our questions, answering everything in detail. The food tour was absolutely fantastic, with fresh and delicious snacks at every stop. Guia’s passion and knowledge made the experience even more special. We highly recommend her 100%—it was a truly enjoyable and memorable day!Perfect time in Kyoto

Ross🇺🇸 United States

(About local Guia)

20 mayo 2025

Guia is an outstanding tour guide, the epitome of customer satisfaction and going out of her way for us—pleasant, joyful, and a true professional. She is fun to talk to. Her excellent english communication skills and deep knowledge of Kyoto made every moment of the tour informative and enjoyable. What truly set her apart is her dedication to her customers; she goes above and beyond to ensure her clients have the best possible experience. I asked her, a few weeks before we left for Japan, if she knows of a Ryokan with western style beds, near our tour area that was full service including meals; she, on her own, inspected several and emailed her favorite to us, with the estimated price and the website link. I made the reservation and the stay the the Ryokan she selected for us (no charge by her) was one of the vacation highlights for us - is was perfect. With Guia, you’re not just taking a tour—you’re gaining a memorable, enriching journey led by someone who genuinely cares.Over delivered on every promise

xgd6hp8px9

(About local Shohei)

20 mayo 2025

If we could give 11 out of 10 we would! My husband and I spend 2 days in Kyoto with Shohei and enjoyed every minute of it. Shohei is a full package: his English is outstanding (he lived in US for many years!), being native of Kyoto he not only shows most amazing places (we kept saying wow!) but also knows the best ways to get there without the crowds, he is an expert on convenient inexpensive places to have very tasty lunch, he is very flexible and understanding and has a great sense of humor, he is just a pleasure to spend time with! If he got availability on the day you are in town - run to book him!Look no further!

Suzanne🇺🇸 United States

(About local Guia)

19 mayo 2025

Guia was knowledgeable and personable, sharing history, and her own experiences to round out a delightful tour.excellent tour guide

PAUL

(About local Yoshihiro)

19 mayo 2025

ractices are all interconnected, shaping Kyoto into the timeless center of Japanese tradition that it remains today.

Joseph🇺🇸 United States

(About local Yoshihiro)

18 mayo 2025

What else can we say about Ted? This was our 2nd day of touring with him. Absolutely the best. He took us to less crowded temples with beautiful gardens. He is a wealth of knowledge about every place. 2nd tour with Yoshihoro “Ted”

Joseph🇺🇸 United States

(About local Yoshihiro)

15 mayo 2025

We can’t say enough about how fantastic Yoshihiro aka Ted has been. Great communication from the beginning. A wealth of knowledge not just about Nara but also any recommendation for shopping and restaurants. My daughter and husband planning a trip in about 2 years and I will be sure to have them select Ted. Thank you Ted. A tour of Nara with Yoshihiro

Unknown

(About local Guia)

15 mayo 2025

We really enjoyed the tour of Kyoto’s food market. Guia was an excellent guide, the food was delicious, and we particularly enjoyed learning more about Japanese culture from Guia.Great Tour of the Food Market

Unknown

(About local Naoki)

14 mayo 2025

Naoki was a wonderful guide. Excellent English and very knowledgeable. Set a walking pace that all could handle. Took us to a wonderful local restaurant as well. Walked over 6 miles.Ambitious walking tour of Osaka

Karen🇺🇸 United States

(About local Naoki)

14 mayo 2025

Naoki led us on a wonderful walking tour thru Osaka. So much better than the big bus ship tours. We learned about the history of the Shoguns, saw castles, temples, walked the market and the knife/kitchen store market area. Also saw Running Man and the busy anime streets. He took us to a local restaurant and advised dishes to try. Same with the market strolls. He successfully helped us shop for 2 things we needed - cough drops and a lap top sleeve. Naolki handled all the subway tickets. He was very kind and open to adjusting to what we wanted to do. Be advised it is a walking tour and there is a lot of walking involved although there is always the option taxi. Great way to experiemce Osaka

Melissa

(About local Tiro)

13 mayo 2025

Visite intéressante et guide fort sympathique. Tiro s’est adapté à nos souhaits. Top

nina.miller22

(About local Tiro)

12 mayo 2025

We were recommended Tiro’s tour by some friends and it was by far the best tour we’ve taken so far. Tiro took us the ancient streets of Kyoto, countless Buddhist Temples, Pagodas, Shinto Shrines, as well as amazing restaurants in bars in Pontocho. He was able to gauge what we were interested in learning about and tailor the tour to explore our specific interests (Geisha Culture, Religious Mysticism, Popular local bars and restaurants, etc). His knowledge of Japanese culture, history, food, and religion has completely reshaped the way that we understand Japan and we are so grateful for the entire experience. I only wish we had more time in Kyoto to book Tiro’s tour of the country side. His tours are a 10/10 and I will definitely be recommending them to all of our friends and family back home! The Best Tour of Kyoto Hands Down

Alex🇭🇰 Hong Kong

(About local Shohei)

11 mayo 2025

Arian🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Shohei)

9 mayo 2025

Growing up in the states, Shohei was very easy to understand. He had a very good knowledge about Kyoto and the sights and a fun way of communication. Sometimes he was maybe a little bit toooo sarcastic but that is really just individual preference.Exceptional english skills and knowledge

Brian🇺🇸 United States

(About local Tiro)

8 mayo 2025

Bottom line… Tiro was awesome! Highly recommend him if you are looking for a personalized tour in Kyoto. We had a very short stay in Kyoto (literally 30 hours… tip: 2-3 days minimum!), so we hired Tiro to show us the important parts of Kyoto. He met us at our hotel, right on time, and off we went. He is very knowledgeable of the area and more importantly the history and traditions. We learned so much, and saw so much, in a compressed period of time! We would have never covered that much ground if left to ourselves! Aside from knowledge tour expertise, he was just a cool guy to hang out with! Kyoto was amazing - we should have spent less time in Tokyo and more time in Kyoto! Thanks to Tiro, we squeezed in a good amount of stuff and we will definitely return to Kyoto!Kyoto Tour

Breck🇺🇸 United States

(About local Yoshihiro)

8 mayo 2025

Although we were delayed by traffic, we were able to stay in touch with Yochiro by What’s App to let him know our times. He graciously accommodated his schedule to ours and took us on the full tour. He was a wealth of local info and answered all our questions. Sadly, I dropped my wallet but he took me to the security booth where someone had turned it in, where I reclaimed it with no lost cash. Japanese culture is great!Excellent half-day overview tour!

Stefanie🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Naoki)

7 mayo 2025

Naoki is an outstanding guide and is incredibly friendly and full of knowledge about the city, the country, history and much more. You can feel that he loves his job and you always get useful little bits of information in passing. He speaks perfect and clear English, which makes listening and communicating super easy. Thank you very much, Naoki, for the great time with you!Outstanding