Full Day Tour of Kyoto with Private Transportation
Recommended by 100% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Osaka, Japan
- 8 to 10 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Kyoto is jam-packed full of temples, shrines, and museums, so you’re bound to feel overwhelmed with all there is to see and do. This private full-day tour of Kyoto whisks you between top sights such as Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and the iconic Fushimi Inari Shrine to help you maximize your time. Plus, a private guide means you can set the pace.
- Check off more Kyoto highlights than you would on foot
- Explore at your own pace rather than rushing in a large group
- Take away tailored tips for the rest of your time in Kyoto
- Relish the flexibility to customize your itinerary according to your interests
What's Included
- Fuel surcharge
- Parking Fees
- Private transportation
- Travel time from Osaka/Kyoto to all the destinations and back to hotel
- English Tour Guide
- Entrance fee to Kinkakuji Temple (500yen)
- Entrance fee to Kiyomizudera Temple (500yen)
- Gratuities / Tips is very welcomed
- Lunch / Personal Expense
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
The travelers will be picked up on their hotels/accommodations. If you cannot find your accommodation in the pickup column, feel free to put a note on where to pick you up as long as it is in Kyoto or Osaka areas. Please wait for the driver in hotel's lobby 10 minutes before the scheduled pickup time starts.
Itinerary
1
Kiyomizu-dera Temple
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
2
Sannenzaka Ninenzaka
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
3
Kinkakuji Temple
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
4
Arashiyama
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
5
Arashiyama Kimono Forest
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Togetsukyo Bridge (Pass By)
6
Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- The remaining hours are allotted for travel time
- Some destinations in Kyoto have lots of staircase and not recommended for wheelchairs
- 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
5.0
based on 233 reviews
Jeffrey_S, Apr 2026
Our tour guide Nozo was excellent - very friendly and competent, and he went out of his way to make our tour comfortable. He made sure to request for mobility access and parking at the sites we visited which was very helpful, and his driving was safe in a spacious car. Nozo’s English was very good and he was knowledgeable about the visitor sites and how to navigate them. I would recommend Nozo again.
Mary_K, Apr 2026
After a bit of a mix-up over terminals, Christine picked us up and we drove to Kyoto from Kobe port in a very comfortable clean van. She had multiple photos on her iPad to show us where we would be visiting and described the importance of each spot. At age 25, Christine spoke as if she was an American with appropriate idioms, slang and no accent. We walked through crowded streets to view the bamboo forest and she took great photos of our group; at the Golden pagoda she facilitated help from security due the fact that I was using a walker to mobilize due to an injury; we saw old town Kyoto and finally the "Thousand Torii Gates and Fushimi Inari-taisha shrine. Instead of walking half mile or more up hill to visit this spot, we were parked right next to it. In between she took us to a neighbourhood ramen restaurant that is a favourite of her husband. It was delicious. If I had a critisim is that in her youth she did not realize that 70+year old Americans walked slower and need more time to look, rest, etc. We chose this tour because so many that were offered used public transportation and we knew we were not cabable of doing that. Plus having a driver saved us so much time and allowed us to see more.
Wendy_H, Apr 2026
The guide was wonderful. She provided a lot of information and answered our many questions. There was a guide and a driver, so the guide was able to focus on talking to us. We were picked up and returned to the Osaka cruise terminal, so it was very convenient. We saw many wonderful sites in Kyoto. We definitely recommend this tour.
Dana_T, Apr 2026
Yuhey was an amazing tour guide! He was so knowledgable about all of the sites as well as general history and anything we wanted to know. It was so nice to have a car to relax in and see the whole area between points. We also stopped for some delicious sushi and sakura gelato. A+ day all around. Highly recommend this tour - especially with Yuhey.
David_G, Apr 2026
This was a great tour. Nozo was our guide and he was fabulous. He took us to all the places we wanted to see and took time to explain everything. His English is very good. It was a private tour in his car which made it perfect to get around to all the sights. Nozo is the best!
Diane_G, Apr 2026
Nozo was our guide for the day and was AMAZING! He was very flexible and had some great insight into the local attractions. He found us a great lunch spot...best meal we had in Japan! I would highly recommend him for any local tours! Kyoto was definitely worth the trip- it is a beautiful city and so much history and charm.
Cindy_S, Apr 2026
Ben was a wonderful driver and tour guide. He is young and enthusiastic about his country and has a nice spiritual side that was perfect for touring shrines, temples and peaceful gardens. Kyoto was packed with people but Ben knew the back routes and very close parking to make our day so much easier. His English was excellent, and he had lots of interesting stories about how and why certain things came to be. Ben picked us up at the port off our cruise ship and took us to the four sites we had picked and one extra locale and then dropped us at our hotel back in Osaka. He also took us to a local restaurant where we shared a great meal. We are two retired women who had a great day with Ben. We both highly recommend him.
pamela_G, Apr 2026
Ben met us at the cruise terminal in Osaka at 9 for our day trip to Kyoto
He was friendly, very knowledgeable and spoke excellent English so could answer all our questions. We had a very full day. I’d already messaged to say we’d like to tweak the itinerary and not visit the large bamboo forest. He took us to lots of smaller sites with lovely blossom as well as the major sites and knew the best places for photos. We stopped at a yummy sushi place for lunch and showed us how to order the food which was great. We avoided most of the rain and travelled in an extremely comfortable vehicle. Transfer time to ship about an hour. Back about 7 pm so a full day. Great value for money. Thank you so much
Melanie_L, Mar 2026
Caroline was an EXCELLENT tour guide. We enjoyed our day fully beginning to end. She was so informative with regards to all of the historical background on all the sights visited, but did so in an approachable and easy going manner. Would highly recommend this tour.
Gregory_O, Mar 2026
Ben is incredible! He's knowledgeable about Japan History, religions & he knows the best spots for Kyoto & Best Picture spots as well.
He was with us the whole tour, help with the pictures & told us about everything about every spot we were visiting.
We were with our 1 year old baby and he acomodate to our needs all the way.
He's veichle is definitely 5 stars 💪🏼
Andrew_S, Mar 2026
Christine was an excellent guide and we all enjoyed a fantastic day out. Very knowledgeable and spoke English perfectly.
The driver was also very safe and reliable.
David_L, Mar 2026
Our guide (Ben) made this tour truly memorable!! His deep knowledge of Japan’s history (a speciality of his) coupled with the photo books and iPad images he shared throughout the day brought the tour to life! Very very highly recommend Ben (Yujiro) for your private group.
Kent_V, Mar 2026
We had a fantastic day with Somei seeing the beauty of Kyoto with an experienced guide. With our private vehicle we were able to park near the sites and accommodate our group that included older adults. Somei was very kind and customized the itinerary to our requests. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience!
Dianne_M, Mar 2026
Our tour of Kyoto was the highlight of our 2 weeks in Japan. Much in part because of our tour guide Somei. He was so knowledgeable respectful,friendly, yet relaxed. We covered a lot of sites yet didn’t feel rushed . We had an authentic Japanese lunch recommended by him and it was spot on. He spoke very good English. If ever we are back this way we would certainly look him up for a tour. He does his country proud !
Jonathan_S, Mar 2026
Our guide, Christine, was helpful and knowledgable and spoke excellent English. We had two elderly relatives with us and she accommodated the tour to suit them. Great day out. Would recommend.
Raymond_I, Mar 2026
We had a great tour with Lewis and couldn't have asked for a better time being shown around Kyoto. Even though it rained the day was definitely a good one.
Jeff_M, Feb 2026
We had a great day exploring Kyoto with Ben! He is a young energetic young man that has a passion for his country. Even though it was a national holiday weekend in Japan, Ben navigated us through the large crowds and we were able to get everything in! If you are looking for a great day touring the Osaka/Kyoto area you will be very happy with Ben! Highly recommend. 5 Stars!!
Georgia_D, Feb 2026
This tour was more than we could’ve asked for. We all had such a fun time with Christine. She took us some incredible sights and was so informative and actually taught us heaps! Christine was so nice and accomodating to us as we had such a big group 11 people and made sure we were well looked after the whole day. Very Highly Recommended!!
Dion_K, Jan 2026
An incredible tour taken by Christine.
Our group of 7 was picked up directly from our accommodating and given what I can only describe as the best tour of Kyoto. We saw all the best highlights and she knew all the best picture spots and places to try different foods. She was so friendly even with the kids and so accommodating of our extra requirements.
I would highly recommend Christine for any tour you ever take our Kyoto.
Tom_S, Dec 2025
We had a fantastic day exploring the highlights of Kyoto with Ben. He is such a charming, friendly and informative guide. He picked us up from our Osaka hotel and drove us around in a really comfortable van. The sights were of course beautiful, but his insights and explanations made everything much more enjoyable than if we had been on our own. We stopped for lunch at a fantastic little neighborhood ramen place, far from the tourist areas. Highly highly recommend using this company if you want to get the most out of your time in Kyoto!
Paige_M, Dec 2025
We did a full day tour with Somei and he was absolutely the best guide! He went above and beyond to make our tour extra special. He took us to see the main sites and even took us to places that mostly locals go to (at our request). He found a terrific Ramen shop for us to eat lunch and when I mentioned needing to buy Pokémon cards for my nephew, he drove us to exactly where we needed to go. He is such a generous and kind person and I couldn't have asked for s better guide. We learned so much about the history of Kyoto with him. I highly recommend this tour.
Jasmin_P, Dec 2025
We spent an amazing day in Kyoto with guide Ben (Yujiro)! He was knowledgeable, friendly, funny and so accommodating to our family of 4. Our kids still rave about the ramen shop he took us to which had THE best ramen we had in our two weeks in Japan. He even provided a bunch of tips and suggestions for our upcoming trip to Osaka. Best decision to book a tour with Ben! It was one our favorite days of the trip. Thank you Ben!
Michael_L, Dec 2025
The tour was wonderful. The guide, Lewis, spoke perfect English and was very accommodating. He took us all over Kyoto to all the top sites and was very friendly.
Monica_P, Dec 2025
This was hands down one of the best tour guide experiences my family and I have ever had. Ben is so kind, accommodating, extremely knowledgeable, and fun to be with. This tour was completely worth it and I am so happy we booked it. It made our time in Kyoto magical. Additionally, Ben is easy going but was able to relate to all ages (from my ten year old to my teen to us adults). He catered the tour to meet everyone’s interests. Moreover he was able to answer even the most detailed questions we had on Kyoto landmarks, history, landscape, nature and more. Honestly, we’ve traveled quite a bit and Ben is one of the BEST guides we’ve ever had. Thank you Ben and I truly hope our paths cross again!
Lisa_C, Dec 2025
Amazing and unforgettable would be how I describe our awesome tour of Kyoto with Ben. He was passionate, energetic and very knowledgeable of japanese culture and history. My 2 teenagers thoroughly enjoyed his touring style & sense of humour and engaging conversations.The pace & locations of the itinerary which we modified was perfect while travelling in a super comfortable&luxurious car. Ben & Christine, thank you for your speedy, friendly and genuine heartfelt services, you've made a difference to our holiday. All the best and give us a call if you're coming to Sydney! Cheers Lisa & family
BeowHong_L, Dec 2025
We traveled with young children and teenagers so we requested our guide Caroline to modify the Kyoto itinerary to include both fun and educational sightseeings for the children. Caroline was very accommodating and we managed to cover all the places that we wanted to visit and had a wonderful time in Kyoto.
Martin_D, Nov 2025
Our tour guide (Ben) was very knowledgeable and informative at all our tourist landmarks. His English was very good as he explained each of the tourist sites. I would recommend this tour to anyone wanting to see Kyoto, Japan for the first time.
Paula_R, Nov 2025
The beautiful fall foliage enhanced the beauty of the shrines and temples. So many UNESCO World Heritage sites. Ben was a knowledgeable, patient and pleasant tour guide with a good mastery of the English language. Wood strongly recommend this tour.
Lisa_N, Nov 2025
Booked this tour for our family of 8 adults + 2 kids (ages 9mo and 2yrs) and it was the BEST decision we could’ve made. Our guide, Caroline, spoke perfect English and reached out prior to the tour to pick us up from our Airbnb and to choose our time of departure. She checked for allergies in the group which was so reassuring as my brother-in-law is allergic to shellfish. Caroline and the driver arrived on time and patiently waited for us to get ourselves together as is often a struggle with a big group. The car was so comfortable and the seats reclined. (Note, you need to bring your own car seat or the babies will need to sit in their own seat or on someone’s lap.) We got to enjoy the best sites in Kyoto at our own pace which (was also really helpful as my in-laws were with us) and Caroline was so friendly and kind to everyone in the group. After lunch our driver even made a detour to drop off the kids for their nap at our Airbnb. The flexibility of this tour made all the difference for our family I would recommend it to any group or family visiting Kyoto and would definitely recommend Caroline who made our day so special!
gratusatnc, Nov 2025
We have a shore excursion to Kyoto with many key sites in mind. We ended up visiting most of the sites we'd like to see. Our guide has good English and understood what we'd like to experience (rushed but covered more grounds). Overall, we enjoyed our experience.
From $255.29
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Full Day Tour of Kyoto with Private Transportation
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