• Private Tour
• Family Friendly
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Imagine this: a scenic road trip from Kyoto to explore Arashiyama with stops along the way to discover viewpoints, villages, incredible nature, and cultural gems. Sounds like a dream? No, it’s possible on a Withlocals day trip with a local host leading the way!

Destination

Kyoto, Japan

Category

Day Trips

Duration

6 hours

Transport mode

Public Transport

Available languages

English, 日本語, Indonesian, العربية, Français, Español

Included

• Private Guide
• Public Transportation
• 1 Local Tasting
• Tickets for Iwatayama Monkey Park; Okochi Sanso Villa and Tenryuji temple
• All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral

Excluded

• Entrance for other attractions than mentioned
• Lunch (on guest expenses)

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 6 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 Kyoto station - at the Central Exit in front of Porta Dining and 7 Eleven - 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. Station Meeting Point

   Meet and greet your local host at an agreed station and get an introduction to your full-day trip and what to expect

4. Scenic Trip

   This full-day trip is arranged for you, so all you have to do is enjoy the sights as your host takes you through Arashiyama while telling you incredible stories and insight

5. Only You & Your Host!

   Forget about cramped touristy buses, on this private day trip, you’ll have all of your host’s attention. Get the chance to speak 1-1 and get all of your questions answered for a personal experience that will make this trip more memorable

6. What’s in Store for You

   Check out from viewpoints, nature, and cultural gems such as Bamboo Grove, Tenryuji Temple and Monkey Park Iwatayama plus other stops your local host has prepared for you along the way

7. Optional Lunch

   Along the way, your local host will recommend you typical and local places where you can stop to have lunch and catch a break. Lunch is not included in the price

8. 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

Gabriel🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sebastian)

28 November 2024

Great experience!! Sebastian is the best guide of Kyoto!! My wife and myself went with him to all the best places, including all the temples and a tea ceremony. Ask for Sebastian if you are in Kyoto, Thank you!!!The Best of Kyoto with Sebastian!!

Camilla🇺🇸 United States

(About local Yoshihiro)

21 August 2024

Better late than never! Teddy-san was amazing. He was very responsive and more than willing to modify our tour to include a location we requested. He also recommended some temple night illumination events, and we’re so glad we followed his advice. The experience was absolutely beautiful! We also lost a souvenir we had bought for our niece and described to him where we had purchased it, but we couldn’t remember how to get back there. At the end of the tour, Teddy went out of his way to take us to the place he thought matched our description. It was such a kind and thoughtful gesture. We highly recommend Teddy—he’s sociable, very nice, and a fantastic guide.Teddy is sweet and kind!

Candy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Guia)

19 August 2024

We had an amazing experience with Guia as our guide in the bamboo forest and Arashiyama! Her deep knowledge of the area’s history added so much value to our visit. Guia was incredibly patient and flexible, seamlessly adjusting the itinerary to suit our needs. As a family with varying ages, we were especially grateful for how well she connected with everyone, making sure each person felt engaged and included. Her warmth and attentiveness made this tour truly special. Highly recommend Guia for anyone looking to explore this beautiful area with an expert guide!Guia’s Tour was Arashiyama-zing

Darcy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Mako)

10 June 2023

Mako completed our day in Kyoto wirh her charm and grace. She knew so much about the city and highlights, (local short cuts also) our day was flawless. I would highly recommend Mako for your day in Kyoto.Japanese hospitality and Charm

Katrin🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Ollie)

9 April 2023

Olli was a very nice and courteous guide. he adapted the route to my wishes and was even able to show me a few hidden corners and paths that weren't so crowded. so we had a little more peace. At the end he showed me a very nice café and gave me a few addresses and tips for the coming days. it was very nice excursion and I recommend itRecommend Olli and the Tour

Birgit🇳🇴 Norway

(About local Ollie)

1 April 2023

I was travelling on my own and only had a short days stop in Kyoto. I booked Ollie so that I could see as much as possible when I was there. The chat service is great, then I could make wishes and it was easy to communicate. He met me at the train station and we visited several places, by train, taxi and bike. And we had a great meal together. Ollie had picked the best places and it made me want to come back. He is a very relaxed person, and although we did a lot in short time the tour was never stressed. He had lots of information, and since we share a passion for hiking he gave me lots of tips for future trips. I highly recommend Ollie, I had a great day hanging out with him!Custom made day with Ollie

Colleen 🇳🇿 New Zealand

(About local Eiji)

24 February 2023

Eiji is a lovely guide, taking us to Arashyiyama and then to two wonderful temples. Eiji is well informed and was eager to meet our needs for both sights and restaurants and to see things at a pace that allowed us to appreciate everything. Thank you for a memorable day.Wonderful day trip

Inge🇧🇪 Belgium

(About local Sebastian)

24 April 2025

we hadden een erg leuke fietstocht, ik was vooraf niet op de hoogte dat we elektrische fietsen zouden krijgen, dus dit was in het heuvelachtige Kyoto een aangename verrassing! Sebastian was een zeer goede gids, hij wist ons veel te vertellen over de leuke plekjes in Kyoto. Alleen spijtig van de regenbui op het einde. Een hele leuke ervaring!Leuke fietstocht in Kyoto!

Neil

(About local Guia)

24 April 2025

What a wonderful day with Guia exploring Kyoto We saw exactly what we wanted to see and Guia ‘s knowledge was fantasticGreat Dsyc

Christiane🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Eiji)

24 April 2025

Eiji was a great guide and we had a brilliant tour discovering interesting and beautiful places in Kyoto. He was very welcoming, had a lot of insider information and took great pictures of us throughout the trip. As we had only one full day in Kyoto (not enough) this tour with Eiji gave us a really good insight with a great local guide. This is one of our best holiday memories, thank you so much Eiji! Christiane and family/friends Great cycling tour with local highlights

Julia🇯🇵 Japan

(About local RYUKI )

24 April 2025

We had a fantastic tour with Ryuki today! He is truly a local who knows his history and was full of helpful recommendations for what to do during our remaining days in Kyoto. He also helped us with ideas for the rest of our Japan trip. And, he took great photos :) We would highly recommend him!!!An AMAZING tour with Ryuki!

Bonnie

(About local Guia)

22 April 2025

We had a wonderful culture tour of the Gion area with Guia. Guia is very knowledgeable about the maiko/geisha training, culture and history. She also shared great insights into Japanese culture and life in Japan. Thanks!Insightful

Kaye🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Yoshihiro)

21 April 2025

My husband and I spent several hours with Yoshihiro “Ted” at the Nishiki market tasting the weird and the wonderful. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience and Yoshihiro a great guide and companion. He artfully selected the best stalls to sample from and introduced us to flavours and tastes we hadn’t tried before. He’s a lot of fun too. All round brilliant day. Thanks “Ted”.Wonderful day in Kyoto. Thanks Yoshihiro!

Kelley

(About local Yoshihiro)

21 April 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

Andrew🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Eiji)

21 April 2025

Bonnie

(About local RYUKI )

21 April 2025

We thoroughly enjoyed our walking local food tour with Ryuki. He took us to some delicious local places and was enthusiastic to share local food flavors and specialties with us. Ryuki is knowledgeable about the area and answered our food questions. He also gave us recommendations for places to go by ourselves on another day. We highly recommend Ryuki for a local experience food tour. Thanks!Awesome food tour with Ryuki!

Nani and Manuel🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Yoshihiro)

20 April 2025

Ted was incredibly kind, polite, and warm-hearted. He shared so many interesting stories and facts with us, and his passion made everything even more special. We truly enjoyed our time with him – such a lovely person!History of Kyoto with Ted

Heather

(About local Guia)

20 April 2025

Guia gave us a wonderful tour in Kyoto - she was warm and personable. She was very knowledgeable and we learned a lot. The kids are still bringing up things they learned from Guia today on the tour. Guia was deft at giving a tour that met the needs of an age range of 11 yrs old to 54 years old. Guia is the perfect tour guide

Sabine

(About local Eiji)

19 April 2025

We were quite a big group with a six year old child. Navigating traffic in the narrow streets of Kyoto is not easy. Our Guide took very good care of us in his relaxed way. He took good care of us

Mary🇺🇸 United States

(About local Yoshihiro)

19 April 2025

Yoshihiro was a great guide and helped us experience the history, beauty and charm of Kyoto, even in the rain!Great experience in Kyoto

Darren🇺🇸 United States

(About local Yoshihiro)

18 April 2025

Just want to send a shout out to Ted. We booked a simple walking tour with him on our first morning in Kyoto. Weather was great, sakura were still in bloom, and luckily the crowds weren't too big. To top it off, Ted did a great job of providing context to us as we walked through Gion, Chionin Temple, and Maruyama Park, ending at the Yasaka Shrine. He then dropped us off at a nice soba and tempura restaurant, which the family was craving. Wish we could've done/seen a little more within the tour, but that's probably a good indicator. Not to mention the next two days in Kyoto our kids were asking if we were going to bump into Ted again and were actively looking through the crowds for him =). Great first Kyoto experience with the fam

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!

Simone🇭🇰 Hong Kong

(About local Eiji)

17 April 2025

We were a group of three generations travelling together and we had a wonderful time with Eiji - he was very patient and happy to be flexible to accommodate individual preferences, which was great. We learned a lot and would definitely do a tour with him again !! Awesome food tour in Kyoto

Sarah

(About local Eiji)

16 April 2025

Eiji was fantastic. He took us to see a few temples of Kyoto and expertly guided us through the streets, stopping off for some street food along the way. He was very kind and patient with our kids (nearly 3, 6 and 8) who aren’t always the easiest! He was informative and friendly and easy to talk to, explaining to us about the many temples of Kyoto, pointing out details like the little gargoyle protectors on houses. He took some great photos of us which he sent us right after the trip and gave us some tips for a rainy day. It was lovely to meet him and spend that time exploring with a guide - especially as we visited at a busy time and we would have struggled to navigate it all. Thank you so much Eiji! Brilliant guide of Kyoto

Michael

(About local RYUKI )

15 April 2025

Ryuki, was a late stand-in for our selected guide Guia who was unavailable for our tour. Ryuki was an enthusiastic tour guide who introduced us to some hidden gems of Kyoto around the Gion region. He is a local born guy who had some interesting facts and history of the area and the sights we visited. It was a wet day but we pressed on and saw Kodaiji Temple, Yasaka Shrine where we were introduced to the prayer technique of a Shrine vs a Temple. We passed through Shimokawaracho area and the bamboo gardens. Ryuki, took many photos for us which used techniques on the iPhone that were new to us - with some impressive results. The stroll down Ninen-zaka Path was colourful in the rain and passed the Hokan-ji Temple. In all an interesting introduction to some of the history and culture of Kyoto. Thank you Ryuki Interesting introduction to Kyoto

Unknown

(About local Sebastian)

14 April 2025

We loved our biking tour with Sebastian! He was easy to talk to and full of information! He obviously has a passion for history and Japan. We loved all of the temples and shrines and other landmarks that he pulled over to to tell us a story about. We would highly recommend him to anyone!Favorite tour guide yet!

Susie🇳🇿 New Zealand

(About local Eiji)

14 April 2025

Highly recommend this tour, you can see so much by bike and it is all flat. Eiji is super lovely and full of interesting information. Eiji was fabulous

Kwame

(About local Yoshihiro)

13 April 2025

Ted was a great and informative guide. Very easy-going and fun to be around. He even helped us at the pharmacy. Highly recommended. A really enjoyable time

Joost🇹🇭 Thailand

(About local Maha)

12 April 2025

Maha took us for a night walk in Gion. She explained about architecture, history and culture. It was very interesting for us, the adults, as well as our kids. It was also fun, the kids really enjoyed it. It was a special experience that we will always remember. Thank you Maha. An amazing night walk in Kyoto

Laurie🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sebastian)

12 April 2025

We had a blast with Sabastian. He has a great sense of humor, knows his stuff and some great off the beaten path adventures. Can’t go wrong with The way to see Kyoto.

Renarta🇯🇵 Japan

(About local Yoshihiro)

11 April 2025

Ted was very flexible with our tour given our children and showed us some key sights of Kyoto. He also shared some great recommendations for later in our trip. Lovely host

Tamara

(About local Yoshihiro)

10 April 2025

Ted-san was very accommodating to prepare our tours with what we wanted to see with the highlight being The Philosophers Path during peak cherry blossoms! He also took us to a very local restaurant that served delicious soba and udon noodles and I was interested in purchasing handmade prints and he took me to the perfect store. On our second day we took the Romantic Train outside of Kyoto and then transferred to an old fashioned boat to come back down the river. A delightful day and Ted-san planned everything perfectly! We look forward to returning and will definitely book him again. Great two days of tours with Ted-san

Sean🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Eiji)

9 April 2025

Had a great time with Eiji. Got to try lots of different things we wouldn’t have thought to order ourselves and he taught us lots of different things about the city’s history annd people along the way. He was a fantastic host and would definitely recommend him for anyone visiting the city. Eiji was fantastic

Lydia

(About local RYUKI )

8 April 2025

We really enjoyed our walking tour !!!we did about 12miles which was good !!!our tour guide was very knowledgeable and we enjoyed our time with himWe really enjoyed our walking tour !!!we did about 12miles which was good !!!our tour guide was very knowledgeable and we enjoyed our time with him

Julie🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sebastian)

8 April 2025

We absolutely loved our tour with Sebastian! He was super friendly and engaging and his English is very good. He showed us so many little hidden gems and we learned so much from his tour. Would definitely hire him again! JessicaAbsolutely loved our tour with Sebastian!

D Scott🇺🇸 United States

(About local Yoshihiro)

8 April 2025

“Ted” provided two great tours in Kyoto. He took us to places that we would have never seen on our own. Loved the shrine with the fully bloomed plum trees at the Kitano Tenmangu Shrine. He is very knowledgeable of the historical places. An even bigger highlight was being guided by him in the Nishiki market. We had a lot of free tastes and experiences and besides cost of his time, we only paid for food and drinks we were interested in. It was a very good food tour. I recommend Ted as a guide for Kyoto.2 Great tours

Dmitri🇺🇸 United States

(About local Yoshihiro)

7 April 2025

Ted was great. Knowlegeable, easy going, great with our kids. Someone you want to spend the day sightseeing with.Quality time

Bianca 🇬🇺 Guam

(About local Guia)

6 April 2025

Firstly Guias English is excellent and I mean truly excellent. She also has such a warm and friendly personality and instantly welcoming to all of us. She adapted the tour on the spot based on tastes of what we liked and every single food tour spot was a hit. In fact we went back to some of them another day Along the way she had plenty of information about the area, the history of the food and really made the experience a highlight of the trip. We looked to book another tour with her before we left kyoto but she was already booked up, unsupringly so. Definitely a fantastic hostess!

Sue

(About local Yoshihiro)

5 April 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

Joya

(About local Yoshihiro)

5 April 2025

We enjoyed our food tour with Ted so much! He taught us about different food specialities and gave us insights about Kyoto that were super helpful for our stay. Super recommended and he is such a nice guy ❤️Great food tour with great company!

Katie

(About local Yoshihiro)

5 April 2025

Ted was punctual and very good at communicating prior to our tour. He gave us detailed information on the tour about Kyoto and the history and cultural events. Plus, he felt like a friend and was so kind and courteous and went above and beyond to help us figure out some plans for that evening and the next day. Ted went above and beyond!

m.n.k

(About local Jessica)

5 April 2025

Jessica was a very nice guide, who went with us to all the „must see places“ in Osaka, told us a lot about those places and the history behind it and also took us to two very good restaurants, where we ate the best gyozas ever. We can recommend Jessica to all people who want to see beautiful places around Osaka and/or who want to go to the best restaurants, also japanese people would go to. Also she recommended us a very good kobe restaurant, where we ate the best beef in our life. So thanks a lot.very tasty tour

m.n.k

(About local Yoshihiro)

5 April 2025

Ted was a very nice guide who knows a lot about the history of Kyoto and takes us to the important historical places. He also showed us the most beatiful cherry blossom spots and took a lot of pictures from us. We can recommend Ted to all, who are interessted in the historical site of Kyoto.intressting historical tour

Ilhan🇹🇷 Turkey

(About local Guia)

5 April 2025

We recently had the pleasure of taking a guided tour in Kyoto, and I cannot recommend our guide enough! With years of experience under her belt, she truly brought the city to life with her deep knowledge of its rich history and cultural nuances. Our day was wonderfully organized and flowed smoothly from start to finish, thanks to her meticulous planning. She was incredibly helpful, answering all our questions and providing insightful recommendations that enhanced our experience. From exploring beautiful temples to tasting local delicacies, every moment was memorable. Overall, our day in Kyoto surpassed our expectations, and we are grateful to our guide for making it so special. If you're considering a tour in Kyoto, definitely seek out her expertise for an unforgettable experience!Wonderful Day Trip

Harry🇮🇲 Isle of Man

(About local Eiji)

4 April 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 April 2025

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

Heather🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Eiji)

4 April 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

Cathy🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Guia)

4 April 2025

Guia was very knowledgeable and took us to some interesting places in Gion with full descriptions about traditions including Geishas. I had asked for a tasting of food during the tour but this did not eventuate. The tour was 2 hours not 2.5 hours.Comprehensive tour

Lindi🇺🇸 United States

(About local Guia)

1 April 2025

First of all pick Guia for the Kyoto food tour!! She was absolutely incredible, not only does she know all the best spots but she basically knows all the vendors even having inside jokes which was so cute! I’m literally still thinking about those tofu donuts she got us. She’s also fantastic at catering with what you like to eat and don’t as well as can’t eat, my friend has a seafood allergy and was great at finding optionsSo delicious

Stevie

(About local Yoshihiro)

1 April 2025

I purchased this experience as a gift for my parents on their trip to Japan (March 2025) They did the Kyoto food tour with Ted and absolutely loved it! His local knowledge, humour and ability to adjust the tour to suit the needs of my parents (my dad is a particularly fussy eater) was second to none and so appreciated! Thanks Ted they are not easily pleased so thank you for making this a highlight of their trip! Gift for my parents! They LOVED it