Kyoto Food & Culture 6hr Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Overview
Available languages
6 hours
Mobile ticket
THE tour for a local's experience of Kyoto’s best food! Our nationally-licensed and experienced English-speaking guides will help you find the best eats while learning about Kyoto.
Kyoto’s dishes have little flashes of flavor that will surprise you from Tofu skin hot pots to eel rice bowls, and buckwheat noodles with a huge fish.
Street food fans must visit Nishiki Market. This 400 year old market is rich in history and food. See some too-cute-to-eat Japanese ‘wagashi’ sweets or the eccentric tako-tamago, a skewered octopus stuffed with a quail egg. Or you can enjoy looking at the pickled foods that locals love! If you are a tea fan, have some rich and warm green tea (matcha), or a green tea parfait to cool down.
Once your reservation is made, please chose 3-4 spots from the tour details and let your guide know your food interests when planning. We hope to guide you soon!
*The cost of food and drinks is not included in the tour price. The tour fee covers guide services only.
Additional Info
Specialized infant seats are available
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Wheelchair accessible
What To Expect
Nishiki Market Shopping District
Nishiki Market (錦市場, Nishiki Ichiba) is a narrow, five block long shopping street lined by more than one hundred shops and restaurants. Known as "Kyoto's Kitchen", this lively retail market specializes in all things food related, like fresh seafood, produce, knives and cookware, and is a great place to find seasonal foods and Kyoto specialties, such as Japanese sweets, pickles, dried seafood and sushi. Nishiki Market has a pleasant but busy atmosphere that is inviting to those who want to explore the variety of culinary delights that Kyoto is famous for. The stores found throughout the market range in size from small narrow stalls to larger two story shops. Most specialize in a particular type of food, and almost everything sold at the market is locally produced and procured.
Gion
Exploring the narrow alleyways of Kyoto’s Geisha District—Gion can be daunting for a first-time visitor. Eliminate the worry of getting lost by going on a guided tour. It’s a great way to discover hidden places that locals love, and to hear about Kyoto’s ancient past. Highlights include learning about Geisha culture and rituals, and visiting Gion, Pontocho, and Miyagawacho.
Options
Kyoto Food & Culture 6hr Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Pickup included
What‘s Included
Licensed Local Guide
Customizable Tour of your choice of 3-4 sites from 'What to expect' list
Other personal expenses
Lunch - Lunch (for yourself and your guide)
Entrance fee (for yourself)
Transportation fee (for yourself and your guide)
The cost of food and drinks
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
9 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Very knowledgeable and...
Jeffery H,May 5, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Very knowledgeable and spoke excellent English. Took us everywhere we wanted to go and was very accommodating.
Kyoto Food and Culture Tour
David W,Mar 10, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00We had a great day visiting landmarks throughout Kyoto. Visited the Nishiki market and had time to explore the food market and taste excellent dishes. Our guide Kazuo was friendly and knowledgeable.
Kyoto tour of culture.
Natan Z,Jun 19, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00Lily have open our eyes to the culture, tradition religion and meaning of the different aspects of Japan. She chose for us a tour that was interesting and educational for all - young and old - to enjoyed. We certainly recommend her for a wonderful trip in Kyoto. Thank you Lily.
A knowledgeable guide
natanz2014,Jun 18, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Lily was an amazing guide, she thought us so much about Japanese culture And religion . We had a great time and enjoin every minute of it.
Ichiro is amazing
awhsnow,Jun 7, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We did a 6-hour Kyoto food and history tour with Ichiro. He was really great and brought so much context and color. He has a printout for everything and was gracious in answering all our questions.
Delightful tour of Kyoto food and culture!
AiLoonY,Apr 15, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a most enjoyable day with Maya who was an engaging guide. We came away with more knowledge of Japanese and Kyoto food culture and thus our visit is more meaningful. Maya brought us to the famous Nishiki market and as a comparison, to the Takashimaya food basement where locals buy their fresh as well as ready-to-eat food items. Maya also introduced seasonal spring treats and brought us to lunch in a rustic duck shabu-shabu restaurant overlooking the river. A visit to Japan is a chance to enjoy its culinary delights and thus this tour is essential to enhance your eating experience.
Touring Kyoto with an insider
brookek778,Feb 14, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Ichiro was a great tour guide! It was wonderful to explore and eat our way through Nishiki Market with a local. He picked the best food, and pointed us to a few shops making quality crafts. From there, we visited temples and neighborhoods of Kyoto, and Ichiro provided detailed history at each location. He’s very knowledgeable and takes great photos!
A+ Kyoto food and culture tour with Kazz
xeille,Oct 11, 2022
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Kazz was our guide through the food markets and the cultural spots of Kyoto. The experience was amazing! Our guide showed us many iconic and hidden photo spots in the city we would otherwise never have found out. As the cherry on top, the tour took place in the evening, so the gold wash of the sunset enhanced the beauty of Kyoto greatly. Kazz is a great guide and well-connected in Kyoto. He knew all the ins and outs of the cultural and food aspects of the city. On top of it, we are thankful for the numerous photos he took of us during the trip. Looking back at it now, these photos are truly a blessing. They really captured excellent moments and are great to look through for the memories. We would highly recommend him and this tour!
Delicious food and beautiful sites with Kazz
Drewzoo331,Oct 6, 2022
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had an amazing evening with Ryoichi Kazz eating our way through Nishiki market and Gion district in Kyoto. Kazz was very knowledgeable about all the street food and vendors at Nishiki Market. He took us to a beautiful place where we tried matcha. We had a delicious dinner with him, which included a variety of dishes. It was just so wonderful to have him as a guide showing us the beauty of Kyoto. Bonus was he took many great pictures of us with his camera! He is very easy to talk with and is a kind, joyful person. He made this our favorite tour in Japan! Highly recommend him and this tour if you like eating!
Related Experiences
Operated by Japan Guide Agency