Kyoto Gion & Higashiyama Historical Walking Tour
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Kyoto, Japan
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
Enjoy this half day walking tour of beautiful Kyoto. You’ll be led by your English speaking guide. Learn about the history, culture, religion, and the nature of this area. You’ll make stops at the Statue of Izumo-no-Okuni, Tatsumi Bridge, Chion-in Temple, Maruyama Park, Nene-no-Michi, Yasaka Pagoda, and Ninen Zaka Path.
- Wear walking shoes, as you’ll be walking for a half day today, making stops
- See the shrines and temples, along with modern Kyoto today
- Learn about the Meiji restoration from your guide
- Come away with a thorough understanding of Kyoto
What's Included
- Walking tour
- Lunch
- Gratuity to local guide
- Admission Fee
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Ben's Cookies Kyoto Shijo89 Shinchō, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, 600-8001, Japan
In front of Ben's Cookies Kyoto Shijo. Guide is holding a sign.
End point
- Kiyomizu-dera1-chōme-294 Kiyomizu, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0862, Japan
In front of the entrance of Kiyomizu Dera
Itinerary
1
Tatsumi Bridge
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Chion-in Temple
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Chion-in Temple
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Maruyama Park
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Nene-no-Michi (Pass By)
5
Hōkan-ji Temple (Yasaka Pagoda)
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
6
Ninen Zaka Path
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
7
Sannen-zaka Slope
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
8
Kiyomizu-dera Temple
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 232 reviews
Jana_S, Apr 2026
I really enjoyed this walking tour. Ayumi was an excellent guide—her English was perfect and she shared a lot of history, more than I’ve experienced on other tours so far. It added depth and context to everything we saw.
The pacing was good, and the group was small, which made it easy to hear and engage without feeling rushed.
A thoughtful, well-run tour with a knowledgeable guide. I would definitely recommend it, especially if you enjoy history and context alongside the sights.
Edgardo_R, Apr 2026
We had an excellent experience on today’s walking tour, led by our guide Jay. His knowledge of Japanese history—especially Kyoto—was truly impressive. He provided deep insights into the city’s history, culture, religion, and overall character, making the experience both informative and engaging.
Jay did a great job adjusting the pace to suit our group, which included two senior couples, ensuring everyone was comfortable while still keeping the tour moving efficiently. His ability to explain complex historical context in a clear and engaging way made it feel like we were walking alongside a living encyclopedia.
I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Kyoto.
alison_c, Apr 2026
We loved jay!!!
He was very knowledgeable, excellent English, accoaccommodating, fascinating stories!
Susan_K, Apr 2026
This is one of our best tours so far on our travels through Japan. Our guide Jay was easy to understand, provided relevant interesting information.
He took the time to personalize our tour.
Highly recommend this tour and mostly this guide!
Renata_P, Apr 2026
This was by far the best tour we have done in Japan. The tour guide was super friendly, super knowledgeable, and very enjoyable to talk to. We learned a lot about Japanese history and saw sides of Kyoto we wouldn’t have seen without the tour.
Antoinette_v, Apr 2026
We had an absolutely fantastic experience with Jay as our guide in Kyoto. From start to finish, he was exceptional in every way.
Jay brought Kyoto to life with his deep knowledge of its rich history, traditions, and cultural. He didn’t just share facts, he told stories that made each temple, street, and neighborhood feel meaningful and connected. His passion for the city was clear, and it made the entire experience so much more memorable.
What truly set Jay apart was how engaging and fun he was. He struck the perfect balance between being informative and entertaining, keeping us interested the entire time. Whether answering our questions, pointing out hidden details we would have otherwise missed, or sharing local insights, he made sure we got the most out of every moment.
Above all, Jay is a wonderful ambassador for Kyoto. His warmth, enthusiasm, and genuine love for the city shone through, and it left us with a deep appreciation for this beautiful place.
We couldn’t have asked for a better guide, we highly recommend this tour with Jay!
Jeffrey_S, Apr 2026
Jay was an amazing storyteller with amazing knowledge about Kyoto and so much more.
We asked for more tours from him this week but unfortunately he is not available.
Strongly recommend without hesitation.
Jill and Jeff Sugar
Pramod_T, Apr 2026
The Tour Guide Jay was very informative, Jovial and had a good knowledge about the history of places, we visited. It was leisurely paced activity and made the experience worthwhile.
Caroline_Y, Mar 2026
We had a wonderful tour guide, Mizuki, who was fun, cheerful, informative and helpful. The big value of the tour comes from (1) Mizuki's interesting explanations about Japanese culture and history, and (2) her expert guidance of our group on the JR trains. The Inari torii, bamboo forest, and Golden Pavilion are stunning, in both beauty and scale. Highly recommend!
Muoyo_P, Mar 2026
Had a really good experience on this tour. Jay was kind and deeply knowledgeable on the history of Kyoto and Japan. It was a gorgeous walk and I loved the history discussion.
Cengiz_S, Mar 2026
This tour was excellent! Packed full of history and local and national insights and facts. The tour guide Jay was a delightful host and incredibly knowledgable about his subject matter. Would recommend without any hesitation
Richard_K, Mar 2026
Our guide was extremely thorough and knowledgeable about the history of Kyoto. He made the tour fun!!
Abigail_H, Mar 2026
Great information. Guide was very pleasant and easy to talk to. Gave great history of Japanese politics
Bruce_B, Mar 2026
This was a super tour. Michael was very knowledgeable and took us on a terrific tour of the old parts of Kyoto.
Katherine_T, Feb 2026
Jay was an amazing tour guide! He was knowledgable, entertaining, and personable. Would absolutely do another tour with him!
althoff39, Jan 2026
This was an great tour! I also got a bit lucky in the off-season because I ended up getting a private tour and could ask tons of questions.
Jay was a super knowledgeable guide, with impeccable English and has the right amount of information. Plus, the tour route itself was well put together, it was smart to end at the shrine where you can explore further, and stop by the shops and food stands at leisure afterwards.
All in all, I'd highly recommend to learn a bit about Kyoto and see a sampler of sights while not taking a whole day to do it!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
We are very happy to hear that Jay could show you the historical Higashiyama part of Kyoto. Despite that the weather was cold, it was our pleasure to serve you and we hope to continue doing so in the future.
Alvaro_B, Jan 2026
It was a wonderful experience, visiting the most important Kyoto’s sites. Jay was great at sharing stories about the city and Japanese culture in general. We loved the tour!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Dear Alvaro,
Thank you for your kind words! It was our pleasure to show you the most historical part of Kyoto and many stories behind that. Stay warm back home!
Adam_H, Dec 2025
Jay was a wonderful tour guide. No language issues for us English-only guests. We all learned so much.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you for your kind words about our guide! We are grateful for the pleasure of serving you and meeting your needs.
michal_b, Oct 2025
Michel was knowledgeable, very nice, and accommodating. He gave us many recommendations for the next day of our trip. Highly recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review! We're happy to hear that you enjoyed your tour with our guide. Thank you for recommending us - We greatly appreciate it.
Darlene_T, Oct 2025
Tommy was a great guide for our first trip to Kyoto. He answered all of our questions and has a great sense of humor
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you for choosing our tour! We are grateful for the pleasure of serving you and meeting your needs.
Jonathan_K, Oct 2025
This was a great and informative tour. Aiyumi was wonderful. Would highly recommend it for a background on Kyoto history, the shrines/temples, and the Gion district.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
We're delighted to hear that you found our guide helpful. Wishing you many more unforgettable moments during your stay in Kyoto.
Sylvia_G, Sep 2025
This 3 hour walking tour was very informative and interesting. We covered a lot of different elements of history including theater, temples and geisha. We walked to major history sites and tourist areas. Our guide, Aiyumi, was very knowledgeable and very fun! She had great recommendations for us too.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
It is great to hear that you found the guide helpful! Wishing you lots of fun and unforgettable memories in Kyoto!
Sidney_M, Sep 2025
My wife and I had a great afternoon tour with Jay yesterday. He was fun, knowledgeable, and enjoyable to be around. He was very familiar with Kyoto and how it fits into general Japanese history. He also seemed at ease answering our questions and giving greater context when needed (likely because of his background studying history). The tour was a nice cross-section of historical Kyoto. There was a fair amount of walking so wear good shoes (it wasn't strenuous). We had an amazing time with Jay and learned so much about this city and its history, we can't thank him enough for the time, energy and knowledge he provided us. Overall I highly recommend this tour if you're interested in history and getting to know the city.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
We truly appreciate your kind feedback. Thank you for recommending our tour; we hope to have the opportunity to show you even more of what Tokyo has to offer in the future!
Cynthia_W, Jul 2025
This was probably our best tour in Japan. The area is beautiful and the guide was so knowledgeable. It made the day so interesting and enjoyable. The area with all the temples and narrow paths is probably the nicest in Kyoto.
I would highly recommend this tour and this tour guide
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review! We're happy to hear that you enjoyed your tour with our guide. Thank you for recommending us - We greatly appreciate it.
Jennifer_S, Jun 2025
Jay was a great tour guide. He is so knowledgeable about Japanese history and taught us a ton. This tour took us to spots we would not have known about otherwise.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thank you for your kind words about our guide! We are grateful for the pleasure of serving you and meeting your needs.
April_L, Jun 2025
Jay is a great tour guide with helpful knowledge of local history and folklore. (Ask him about his favorite vending machine in. Kyoto!)
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Your review keeps us motivated to do our best and continue providing excellent service. Thank you for being a part of our community!
Timothy_L, Jun 2025
One of the best tours I've had in Japan. It showed a different side of Japan than I had seen which was just what I was after. The guide Jay had studied history and was incredibly informative.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thank you for choosing our Free Walking Tour in Kyoto and for your great review. We're looking forward to seeing you back soon many more times in the future.
Brian_M, Jun 2025
A great introduction to Kyoto. We did the afternonn tour, our guide Jay was very knowledgeable and brought to life the history of the places we visited on the walk. Throughly recommend this walking to tour.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thank you for your kind words of appreciation. We are glad to know that you enjoyed the tour. It was our pleasure to serve you and we hope to continue doing so in the future.
Matthew_C, Jun 2025
Very informative and good mix of history, sights and culture, relayed with enthusiasm and some humour.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thank you for your kind words about our guide! We are thrilled to hear that you had a unique and enjoyable experience.
Lauren_E, Jun 2025
This was a terrific walking tour, packed with a lot of beautiful sites. Ben was a great guide. He provided the history as well as lots of memorable stories about each place we visited. Ben also provided some great tips about places to visit and spend more time, including gardens, temples, and some interesting shops. The tour was paced very well, although be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes! I would highly recommend this tour if you are interested in learning about Gion and Higashiyama.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thank you for choosing our tour! We are grateful for the pleasure of serving you and meeting your needs.
From $35.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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