Kyoto Private Day Trip - Enjoy Your First-Time Visit to Kyoto!
Recommended by 96% of travelers
Kyoto, Japan
- 7 hours (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
What's Included
- Tour Guide
- Private Tour
- Transportation fees, Entrance fees, Lunch, and Other personal expenses
- Standard tour：Estimated Costs of the Tour: 5,370 JPY per Traveler
- Customizable tour：Entrance fee and other necessary expenses for the guide
- Admission Fee - Kiyomizu-dera Temple¥5,370.00 per person
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Bus Ticket Centre / Information Centre902 Higashishiokōjichō, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, 600-8216, Japan
In front of Bus Ticket Center, JR Kyoto Station Central Exit
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Fushimiinari Shrine
32 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Kiyomizu-dera Temple
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
3
Sanneizaka
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
4
Hanamikoji Street
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Nijo Castle
55 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
6
Kinkakuji Temple
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- All transportation costs, entrance fees, food and drink costs, etc. incurred at the visited spots, will be borne by the customer.
- Please wear comfortable clothing as you will be walking a lot.
- If you choose the "Taxi Preference", all taxi fares incurred during the tour, including those for the guide, are also the responsibility of the guest.
- For customizable tour option: Please note that if you do not respond to us, the tour will be conducted according to the standard itinerary.
- For customizable tour option: The hotels that can be designated as meeting places must be in the city of Kyoto.
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 136 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Rebecca_E, Jun 2026
We had an incredible day exploring Kyoto and experiencing so much of its history, culture, and amazing food with Osuga Eriko.
One of the highlights was visiting Fushimi Inari Taisha with the beautiful 10,000 torii gates winding up the mountain. Walking through the endless gates was unforgettable.
We also visited Nijō Castle, the shogun’s residence, where we learned more about Japan’s feudal history and enjoyed the beautiful architecture and gardens.
The Tō-ji temple with its gorgeous pagodas and Kinkaku-ji’s Golden Pavilion and gardens were stunning.
Kyoto was a beautiful blend of history, tradition, and amazing food. It was a wonderful tour.
Laurie_M, May 2026
KIYOSHI was a fabulous guide. He was very attentive to our wishes of what we wanted to see and he adjusted the itinerary as it got quite hot and very crowded. He took us to some beautiful out of the way places with very few people in attendance. We very much appreciated his efforts, enthusiasm and flexibility!
Dacia_G, May 2026
The tour guide expected us to buy his lunch. When we did not, his whole attitude changed towards us in a negative way. He became very quiet, unhappy, and sullen.
Rohan_L, Apr 2026
No show from Guide and we had been waiting for an hour and no phone or contact from the tour operator
Mary_T, Apr 2026
We enjoyed our time with Casey in Kyoto. She knows all the ins and outs of Kyoto, including where to eat and shop. She knows the stories of the Shrines / Temples we went to.
Bob_M, Mar 2026
This person was not guide definitly.
She don’t have any logical plan of our tour in Kyoto - where to go, where to stand up to say some historical things - nothing!!!
So she didn’t have any story or something that she wants to tell us. She decided to visit Kyoto places with us))). It was very strange. Moreover we bought tickets for her to all paces we visited.
I guess we need to get our money back for that tour.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you very much for your message, and we are truly sorry to hear about your disappointing experience in Kyoto.
We sincerely apologize that the tour did not meet the standard you expected, and that the guide appeared unprepared and did not provide the level of guidance, planning, and storytelling that should be expected from a professional tour experience. We also understand your frustration regarding the additional ticket costs during the tour.
Could you please contact us at guest-support@otomo.travel with your booking number?
Once we receive your booking details, we will carefully review the situation, listen to the full circumstances, and consider both an appropriate refund and the necessary follow-up action regarding the guide.
Wendy_S, Feb 2026
Ito was very knowledgeable and friendly and packed a lot into a day. He stayed with us until sundown and we got to see everything we on the itinerary and more thanks to his guidance.
Melissa_M, Jan 2026
We booked this expensive customized private tour In the hopes that we would have an amazing and insightful 4 hour walking tour of Kyoto. We did not get what we paid for or had hopes for.
Our tour guide, Casey, started out great, she communicated via WhatsApp, she was on time to meet us at our hotel lobby. The itinerary she had communicated about in advance sounded great.
Unfortunately, that’s where the positive remarks end. She is not a local which is not a problem but she seemed unfamiliar with the area. When we asked her basic things like where is Pontocho Alley (a very well known food alley) she seemed confused and didn’t know. We went to Kiyomizo-dera where she rushed us through, taking very little time and did not explain the history or cultural significance. When we asked questions, she would give vague answers. We then went onto other places on our itinerary where she rushed us. The really disappointing part was we spent an extended amount of time in a place not on the itinerary (Chorakuji Temple ) wandering through a forest looking for some spot she said had a good view of the city. We never found it and we ended up in a cemetery. We had to pay ¥800 per person to go into this shrine that was not on the original itinerary. Before we went in, we asked her if it was worth it and she said yes. I did not realize it was not in the original itinerary and it was absolutely not worth it. I believe she realized she had rushed us and was out of places to go and was looking to fill time. She constantly looked at her phone for the time and Navigation.
As we ended the tour, we headed toward Gion and she actually went the wrong direction.
I am so frustrated that she doesn’t know the history or cultural significance of the places we visited. She rushed us through the most iconic places. She had us go to a temple and pay for all three of us to enter that was expensive, total of ¥2400, and it was not worth it nor was it on the original itinerary. At one point when she was wandering through the forest I asked her if she had been here before and she said yes, once, a year ago. I don’t understand why we were there.
In another instance, I asked her about a shrine we were standing at and she gave me an answer but then when I found and read the signage it was completely different and unrelated to anything she had said. I think she was just making things up.
I have done so many tours through Viator and this is the first truly disappointing and frustrating one.
We are from United States and it was truly a long journey to get to Japan and had expected our time to be honored with a tour guide who knew the area and did not add an expensive additional shrine that was truly nothing. We did not get what we paid for and we ended up out of pocket more than expected.
We could have walked around these places on our own for much cheaper. We did not gain anything from having her as a tour guide us. She was very nice but she was not a tour guide and she wasted one of our few precious days in Japan.
Marianela_G, Dec 2025
Wonderful experience with Tokiko. You can tell she loves the city and was a wonderful tour guide. Despite our late arrival she showed us a lot!!
Roz_E, Nov 2025
With so much to see in Kyoto it was valuable to have a private tour. It turned out to be a rainy day yet still an enjoyable one !
Thomas_B, Oct 2025
Josh is excellent! He made sure to optimize our schedule according to major tourism times so that we could avoid overcrowding as much as possible during our 7 hour tour. He had great recommendations for shopping areas and lunch. Our tour was incredibly informative and he was so nice. I highly recommend.
MariaTeresa_H, Oct 2025
Our guide, Kai, listened to our specific needs for a specialized tour. It was precisely timed to fit I all we wanted to see in magnificent Kyoto. Kai did a fantastic job translating language and cultural differences! Thanks for a memorable visit!
Vicky_F, Sep 2025
Really enjoyed. The walking tour was informative and the ntetedting. Out guide was absolutely amazing and very much appreciated.
jenny_d, Sep 2025
Was a wonderful first look at Kyoto. Our guide and now friend Tetsu listened to the things we wanted to do and then organized a tour that was time efficient and covered what we wanted and some ideas from him as well that turned out great. Tetsu also helped us navigate transport and gave us lots a tips about our further adventures in Kyoto. We could not have been more happy with our tour and Tetsu.
Paula_G, Jul 2025
We had the pleasure of touring Kyoto for one full day with Arima Kai, a young man who, having spent a year in Ireland, is extremely fluent in English. He gave us a great tour of FujiAnar and the Golden Temple; and chose and amazing luncheon spot for Kyoto’s famous ramen. Arima was flexible and cheerful regarding our desire to do a little shopping - showing us some great stores and carrying our bags while we browsed.
We highly recommend Arima as your Kyoto guide!
Antonio_C, May 2025
Our guide Fumi was absolutely fantastic. She selected a Kyoto itinerary that showcased the best that the city had to offer. Fumi's flexibility enhanced our experience and we were sorry that the day had to end. She was also very helpful in selecting restaurants for us to attend after the tour! Meeting her was like reconnecting with a long lost friend. If we could give her 10 stars, we would.
RAMAKRANTHI_M, May 2025
Absolutely loved the experience and it was definitely worth every penny. OSAMU, our guide was excellent and he had a lot of experience and facts to share with us about all the places we explored. 10/10 would recommend!!
Hatem_A, Apr 2025
We had a great experience. It was our first trip to Kyoto and Jun was really great. She was right on time meeting with us at the train station as planned and created a great itenarary that allowed to see the most important sites in one day. I highly recommend this tour and Jun as a tour guide was amazing.
Laura_L, Apr 2025
What a great time, Allen was a fantastic guide.. he made sure it was safe but fun at the same time. We highly recommend this experience!!
Garrett_S, Apr 2025
Kazu was a great guide. He explained everything and also found us an amazing okonomiyaki restaurant for lunch.
Tony_T, Apr 2025
This was a customised tour.Masa ,our guide ,planned it perfectly for us .And he reserved our lunch at Ikedaya which was an unforgettable experience.
Alyson_B, Mar 2025
Great tour! Loved our guide Kei he was very informative and fun to explore the city with. Kyoto was beautiful.
Response from Host, Mar 2025
Thank you for your lovely review! We're so glad to hear you enjoyed exploring Kyoto with Kei. His informative and fun approach clearly made the experience even more memorable. We're happy you found the city as beautiful as we do!
Teki_H, Mar 2025
We had a bit of trouble finding her initially as we were coming from another part of the station, but we found her exactly where she said she’d be. She was so helpful and kind and most of all patient as we navigated around with two children. She was informative and creative and we felt completely safe with her. I love learning about the history of Japan and she gave so much information! Overall I would highly recommend using this service. We were on time, had zero hiccups and was sad to leave! So thankful for giving this tour a chance!
Response from Host, Mar 2025
Thank you so much for your heartfelt review! We're glad you were able to connect with your guide smoothly in the end, and it's wonderful to hear how kind, patient, and informative she was—especially while traveling with children. Her creativity and historical insights clearly made a lasting impression. We're honored you chose our tour and even more so that you were sad to see it end!
Chris_D, May 2024
This was a nice, low impact tour. Our guide spoke very good English and had accurate historical knowledge of the sites and myths. He quickly calibrated the tour to account for a family members capabilities and made extra effort to ensure our tour was extra pleasant.
Kathy_F, Apr 2023
Thank you to Kevin at Oromo Travel for helping with last minute arrangements. Sugahara Kiriko was our private guide and she was a delight taking us wherever we asked plus making suggestions and taking pictures of us. My friend and I went to the tea house for dessert and tea. Fantastic! Everything was Fantastic including sights and lunch. This tour is a must do.
Response from Host, May 2023
We sincerely appreciate your kind words and feedback! We're thrilled to hear that Sugahara Kiriko, your private guide, made your tour delightful by accommodating your requests, providing suggestions, and capturing memorable photos. It's fantastic that you enjoyed the tea house experience for dessert and tea. Thank you for your enthusiasm and recommendation; we agree that this tour is a must-do!
Aleke_K, Dec 2022
This tour is an absolute must for first timers to Kyoto. It provided great insight on the essential places to see. Our tour guide (Fukumoto) was very flexible and allowed us to change the planned itinerary due to certain places being closed or already visited. She explained the history very well and the visited sites were quite amazing with fall colors. I would recommend this tour to get an essence of Kyoto as a whole.
Response from Host, Dec 2022
Thank you very much for your review!
At otomo, we strive to give our customers the best experiences possible, and we are glad that you and your fellow traveller enjoyed our walking tour of Kyoto, complete with splendid autumn colours! We are also happy that your guide, Ms. Fukumoto, gave you great explanations on the places you visited, and helped arrange your itinerary to ensure that you enjoyed your tour 100%.
We will be sure to pass your comments to Ms. Fukumoto to let her know that you appreciated her services, hospitality and vast knowledge.
Thank you so much for choosing us, and we hope to see you again!
JoseCarlosR_S, Apr 2026
Tour very objective and efficient, accompanied by a very attentive and competent guide we know the main temples, palaces and tourist attractions of the city
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Susanne_U, Oct 2025
We had a great day in Kyoto! Our guide Kei has chosen the absolute highlights for us. First the Fushimi Inari Shrine with its thousand gates, then the kiyomizu-dera temple. Afterwards we had time for a very good lunch in a Japanese restaurant chosen by Kei before we visited the golden temple Kinkakuji at the end. It was a very successful day in Kyoto and Kei a great guide who gave us even more tips for our visit.
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From $94.55
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Kyoto Private Day Trip - Enjoy Your First-Time Visit to Kyoto!
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