Ahmed

the expert foreign local

Responds quickly
  • I live in Kyoto
  • I speak English, العربية
  • Verified Local host
  • Response time less than 12 hours

Hi there! Nice to meet you

Hello! I’m Ahmed, a passionate tour guide based in Kyoto, Japan. Originally from Kuwait, I moved back to Palestine where I earned my Medical Degree (MD) in 2008. In 2015, I was fortunate to receive a Japanese government scholarship to pursue further studies at Kyoto University, one of Japan’s top institutions.

Living in Kyoto opened my eyes to the rich history and stunning scenery of this ancient city, which served as Japan’s capital for over a thousand years. It ignited my passion for culture, history, and food, leading me to embark on a rewarding career as a tour guide.

I have traveled extensively across Europe and Asia, and I love sharing my knowledge of Japanese culture with others. I can provide historical insights at every stop, recommend the best local cuisine, and create personalized itineraries, including day trips from Tokyo to Kyoto.

I’m fluent in English and Arabic, and I thrive on connecting with people from diverse backgrounds. Whether you’re interested in exploring temples, experiencing traditional cuisine, or simply enjoying the beauty of Kyoto, I’m here to make your visit unforgettable.

Your safety and comfort are my top priorities. I measure my temperature before our tours and am happy to wear a mask if it makes you feel more comfortable. While I'm not a driver, I will accompany you in your vehicle or arrange for a separate car and driver if needed.

Book with confidence and get ready to explore Kyoto with me! I can’t wait to show you why I believe this city is the most beautiful in Japan.

Ahmed, MD, PhD, MBA

  • I live in Kyoto
  • I speak English, العربية
  • Verified Local host
  • Response time less than 12 hours

My Kyoto in pictures

Book one of my offers in Kyoto

Let's explore Kyoto together! As your local guide, I'll show you the best of Kyoto on a private & personalized tour for you.

Did you know that I can personalize your experience?

All Withlocals tours are completely customisable to your needs. Just let me know your preferences for a private and personalized experience!

Responds quickly

Reviews

Laura
19 April 2025
We had booked our full day tour with Ahmed, but he was ill and offered a replacement guide instead. It was a little confusing, I wasn't sure who would show up or what the new guide's name was, but Manabu turned out to be fantastic and we had a great day. It was actually serendipitous, he was a former novice monk, so he had a lot to teach us about Shinto/Buddhism, the temples, the omamori, and even looked up our individual Buddhas. He knew a lot of places to go where the crowds were less intense, but being high season, the crowds were still intense. Ahmed had advised us to hire a driver for USD $500+ for the day to avoid packed public transit, but that wasn't in our budget after paying $700+ for the tour itself (for 3 people). We ended up using taxis instead, which was much more cost effective and much easier. We never had a problem finding a taxi, and it was not expensive. I'd recommend that for anyone, it was very convenient and the best of all worlds. We were able to see more and do more without time wasted on buses and trams, and it was nice to get a break from the crowds. The eight hours flew by, we had a wonderful day despite being jetlagged. Really glad we chose the full day tour, and wish we had more time to explore in Kyoto with what we learned! I think Manabu is not normally a Withlocals guide, but if I could choose him again, I would. A last minute substitution, but excellent
Unknown
13 April 2025
We really enjoyed our walking tour with Ahmed. He was extremely knowledgeable and shared a lot of great information with us.Very knowledgeable guide
Sara
6 April 2025
Louise
23 March 2025
A massive thank you to Ahmed, you were such a great tour guide. Very knowledgable, and we loved your flash cards. You took us to some some great spots off the hidden track which made the tour so memorable. Thanks again Great tour of Gion
Andrew
17 March 2025
Our family of four spent a wonderful day in Kyoto with Hiroshi. We had previously made arrangements with Ahmed, but he had a last minute health emergency, and he kindly arranged for another guide, Hiro. Hiro met us outside our Airbnb at the agreed upon time, and did a wonderful job moving us around the city on foot, by bus, and by train visiting historical sites, temples, shrines, and enjoying fantastic food. Hiro was an elementary school teacher for 30 years before retiring and becoming a guide, so he did an incredible job keeping our two teens interested by regularly quizzing us all about the places we visited. Besides that, Hiro’s English was great, his knowledge deep, and his personality warm and amendable. In all, we spent about 9 hours traversing the city with Hiro and enjoyed it immensely. We would do a tour with him again for sure, and we highly recommend him (and Ahmed, for making a great last minute substitution.) A great family day in Kyoto
justin
13 January 2025
We are a family of two adults and two teens and we did the 3hr tour of Kyoto with Ahmed. We would highly recommend it. Ahmed met us at the station and took us on a tour through shrines, alleyways and local neighbourhoods. Ahmed was very friendly and very knowledgeable. We enjoyed hearing his insight of the local Kyoto sights as well as discussing Japan more generally. highly recommend
Desha
5 January 2025
Ahmed was very helpful and adaptable to our needs how to get around Kyoto especially with buying train tickets. He is very knowledgeable about temples, Japanese traditions and restaurant recommendations. Even before meeting him he contacted me ensuring everything will be fine (I was quite stressed about being in Kyoto and not knowing the language). I was very grateful for that. We booked him for 3 days but after 1st day his child got sick so he organised amazing Matheus De Mello to take care of us for the next 2 days. We are extremely grateful since getting around Kyoto is very challenging if you don’t know Japanese language and not familiar with train system. Kyoto - highly recommend get the guide
Ulrike
29 October 2024
The time with our guide was just great and fantastic. We felt from the first minute well and interesting informed Ahmed was flexible and warmheard friendly The places he show us had been just brillant My sons & myself enjoyed the experience so much 🫶 Fantasic interesting hours
Jennifer
10 March 2020
It was a good trip Ahmed was knowledgeable about each of the areas we visited. And even adjusted the schedule on the fly as he found we moved through each of the planned areas quicker then average. (There were very few tourist that day).A relaxing trip around tokyo
Viator
27 February 2020
My teenage daughter and myself had just two days to stop in Kyoto, and we concluded we need a time-efficient strategy to explore Kyoto's most significant sights. Our guide was an international medical student, with excellent knowledge of Kyoto. He planned the day according to our wishes. This included several famous temples and shrines, on all sides of Kyoto (West/North/South/East/Center). He knew everything we needed about each place visited. We also ha a lunch together, and numerous discussions about Kyoto, Japan and own experiences. I would highly recommend this way of exploring new cities .highly recommend

This is Withlocals

Play now

Connect with locals whenever and wherever!

Get the app to become part of the fastest growing local travel community. Ask your local guide to personalize your experience to your needs. Keep all your bookings at hand. Sounds cool, right?

  1. Japan›
  2. Kyoto›
  3. Ahmed, the expert foreign local