10 Must-see Spots in Kyoto One Day Private Tour
Overview
Available languages
8 hours
Mobile ticket
If you have only one day in Kyoto and want to see all the top 10 must-see spots of Kyoto, this tour is the best for you.
A professional local guide shows you the best, comfortable and convenient way to the spots. And you can enjoy walking along with the beautiful sceneries, paths, and back alleys only the local people know.
We use taxis 3-4 times to save you time and energy. This tour is a mixture of public transport and taxis.
Thanks to taxis and a friendly local professional guide, you can visit the 10 most famous attractions such as the Fushimi Inari shrine (thousands of Torii gate), Golden Pavilion, Kiyomizu temple (with huge balcony), bamboo forest, Geisha district, and so on.
If you check the spots you can visit on this tour, you can notice that all must-see points in Kyoto are included!!
Please enjoy the top ten spots with the beautiful stories of your guide.
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
You will visit so many places only one day so you can not change the itinerary, lunch place and starting point.
If you have some food you can not eat, please inform us when you book this tour
This tour will take you to not only tourist attractions, but also to nice Japanese-style streets and back alleys. Please wear comfortable shoes.
Many places in Kyoto such as temples and taxis do not accept credit cards. Please be sure to have some Japanese yen ready before joining the tour.
＊On very hot summer days, it is recommended to change to Plan B course, which requires fewer steps and takes you to Chishakuin Temple( a hidden gem indoor temple) and Sanjusangendo Temple(famous for a forest of Buddhist statues).
The cab can accommodate four people. 3 guests + a guide, so if there are 4 guests, two taxis are required.
Important: Guests arriving by cruise ship must be able to travel to Kyoto Station on their own.
What To Expect
Kinkakuji Temple
You can see the shining golden pavilion which used to be the political center of the Shogun(the head of Samurai warrior).It is one of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites in Kyoto.
Bamboo Forest Street
You will go through the Bamboo forest. This beautiful bamboo forest appears many times in the advertisement poster of Kyoto.
Options
UP to 7 people
What‘s Included
Infants under 3 years old are free of charge.
English speaking Professional Guide
Age 3 and up are charged the same rate as adults.
Pick up service: not included
for all temples(1500yen par person)
＊This tour uses both taxi and public transportation(1000yen per person)
Taxi: (7000 〜9000 yen per cab for all rides) If You are 4 or more people, you need two cabs.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
1,294 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Amazing experience
Sapna K,Jun 10, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00We had an incredible experience touring Kyoto with Naoko. From the moment we booked, she was highly proactive and communicative, even reaching out two days before our tour to ensure everything was perfectly set. She took us to all the locations promised in our itinerary and provided a rich, detailed history of each site that truly brought the city to life. We also thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful lunch spot she selected for us. What made the experience truly special was her thoughtfulness; she was mindful of our time and even suggested additional places to explore the following day that we hadn’t been able to cover. If you are looking for a knowledgeable and welcoming guide in Kyoto, I cannot recommend Naoko highly enough!
Tammy is amazing!
Navigator258640,Jun 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Tammy was an absolute amazing guide! I have been on many tours and she was most impressive. Very knowledgeable about the Kyoto area and Japan overall. Tammy‘s English is on point and she is so easy-going. I ended the tour feeling like I made my first friend in Japan!
10 site walking tour
matthewaA9272FV,Jun 4, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Everything was as good as advertised. Pagodas were stunning and bamboo forests very green and fresh. Red arches very picturesque. Was a little long with a lot of walking, but to do that in one day it is needed. There was also some flexibility which was nice. Food was very good and something there for everyone. Guide had good English and told a lot about Japanese and Kyoto’s history. Would recommend, very worth it for price, but it was a long day (do be sure to bring an extra 3,000 Yen (20 usd) in cash to go into each place)
Akemi was excellent and...
Steve A,Jun 4, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Akemi was excellent and shared lots of wonderful insights about the sights, the culture, and the city.
Amazing tour!
aryana k,Jun 4, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Great experience with our guide, Naru! He was very accommodating with our requests to visit certain site early. He gave great shopping and photos recommendations and was patient while we did both. Would highly suggest this tour to hit all of Kyoto in one day.
Fun Tour
Theresa P,Jun 3, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00We had Mairan as our tour guide and she was fantastic. Not only was she punctual, she communicated all updates either via email or WhatsApp so we were never left in the dark. Mairan was very knowledgeable about the history of the temples we saw and we enjoyed what she had to teach us. This is a great tour to get a brief overview of some of the temples in Kyoto if you have never been to this area before. We had a great time. Bring good walking shoes!
Amazing Kyoto Tour with Mailan
69borisa,Jun 3, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a wonderful experience on this tour. Our guide, Mailan, was excellent from start to finish. She was knowledgeable, patient, and explained everything very clearly in a way that made the history and culture of Kyoto easy to appreciate. I was traveling with my mother, and Mailan was incredibly understanding and thoughtful throughout the day. She never made us feel rushed, took the time to wait when needed, and was always happy to help take photos so we could remember the experience. The tour was well organized and a great way to see Kyoto’s must-see spots in a limited amount of time. Mailan made the day feel personal, comfortable, and memorable. I would highly recommend this tour, especially for anyone traveling with family or looking for a guide who is both professional and genuinely kind.
Incredible tour of Kyoto with Yoshi
Tania W,Jun 3, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00This was an absolutely incredible tour with a most knowledgeable, fun and engaging tour guide Yoshi. Prior to the tour Yoshi got in touch with me and we were able to customize the tour to our interests, Yoshi had wonderful recommendations for our free time including restaurants, shopping , sightseeing, a show and even photo recommendations. The tour was absolutely the best, i would book Yoshi for all of West Japan sightseeing in the future.. an added bonus - Yoshi is a great photographer!
A wonderful way to experience Kyoto with amazing guide!
Gregory B,Jun 2, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Yoshi was amazing and our family had a wonderful day exploring Kyoto with him. We saw so much in one day, with none of the stress of working out the best way to get around. Yoshi was great with my 10 year old and super patient answering all of his questions. Highly recommended!
Incredible day in Kyoto with the most amazing Tour Guide Yoshi
Tania W,Jun 1, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We spent a wonderful day with Yoshi, the most amazing Tour Guide one can imagine, the best we had in Japan. Yoshi is extremely knowledgeable, very friendly and eager to customize the trip to your interests. We traveled all around Kyoto and saw amazing sites while Yoshi provided all the information. An added bonus – he is an excellent photographer. He was also full of suggestions for our free time, had wonderful recommendations of restaurants and shops. Please book a tour with Yoshi directly, you’ll be so happy that you did.
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Operated by EE tour