Private Tour

Kyoto top must-see Golden pavilion and Bamboo forest half-day Private tour

Overview

Available languages

Japanese

English

4 hours

Mobile ticket

This tour is best for first-time visitors to Kyoto. You will visit popular must-see tourist attractions such as Golden Pavilion, bamboo groves, and Tenryuji Temple with its wonderful World Heritage garden.

We will also take you to hidden jem, meaning the temple of heaven, which is a relatively quiet and beautiful temple.

You can enjoy popular sightseeing spots in a comfortable and efficient manner by cab.

The tour ends in the Arashiyama area.

After the tour, the guide will give you directions to other must-see places such as movie studios, Nijo Castle, Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kiyomizu Temple, Gion, etc. If you are new to Kyoto, please join this tour and get an outline of Kyoto sightseeing.

Additional Info

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Public transportation options are available nearby

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

The tour ends in the Arashiyama area.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Selected Local Professional Guides

Pick-up service

Taxi fee: About 6000 yen per one taxi. *Depending on the hotel location and traffic conditions.

＊4people (a guide+3 guests) can get on one taxi. If your group is 4 people, you need two taxis.

Admission fee : around 1500yen per person for all temples

Retern transfer, The tour ends in the Arashiyama area.

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

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.

50 minutes • Admission Not Included

Jojakkoji Temple

A relatively uncrowded and quiet temple. This temple's name comes from the atmosphere as if it were playing in heaven.

30 minutes • Admission Not Included

Options

Kyoto top must-see Golden pavilion and Bamboo forest half-day Private tour

Pickup included

Reviews

4.96

50 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Half day Kyoto tour
Liebersu,
Nov 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
My 91 year old father and I went on a half-day tour of Kyoto with Yoshi. We had a great time seeing the Golden Pavillion, the Bamboo Forest, and Tenryuji Temple. Throughout the tour, Yoshi provided historical and cultural information. He was so friendly and helpful. Yoshi found us a nice spot for udon lunch and even a shop to buy beautiful fans. We are very grateful for the excellent service and highly recommend Yoshi.
Highly recommend this tour
730teril,
Oct 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Mailan was a wonderful guide. She picked us up at the train station, got us to our hotel and waited until we checked in, then started our tour. Mailan is from Kyoto so she was very friendly and knowledgeable about what we were visiting. We enjoyed the tour immensely and saw a tremendous amount as well as gaining with a better understanding of the area and culture. Great tour!
Great day in Kyoto!
Amy P,
Oct 16, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Tammy was a fantastic guide. She shared a lot about history, and also shared how she and her family live today. We enjoyed all of the sites.
Great tour and tour guide!
Brent F,
Sep 24, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Yumi was a wonderful tour guide. We learned a lot about the history and culture of Kyoto. Great experience!
Very insightful
Shivanshu C,
Sep 20, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
We had a great experience with Chihiro san. She shared many details about the places visited. Though it was a walking tour, but the activity was done at our pace. She was very kind and attentive even to our child. I will not recommend this activity for families with small kids as it could be exhausting for them. But for everyone else who is up for an interesting walk down the history lane, this is a must do activity in Kyoto.
The Best Tour in Japan!
alurar2025,
Jul 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This tour is a must-do while you are in Japan! We saw the most variety out of any of our days and learned so much thanks to our amazing tour guide, Aya. Not only is it so beautiful but the experiences are once-in-a-lifetime. Aya was so knowledgeable and kind; it didn’t feel like we were being led on a tour but being taught by a friend! We were able to see multiple temples and shrines, the bamboo forest, a lot of Kyoto’s streets and experience great, traditional food. We went with our whole family and there was something for everyone while we were there. If you have the opportunity, don’t turn this one down!
Kyoto
Clifford F,
Jul 8, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Kaori was spectacular. Her knowledge greatly enhanced our tour! Kinkaku-ji and the bamboo forest were so peaceful and rewarding.
Kumi is a wonderful Kyoto tour guide professional!
356polinar,
Jun 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Kumi-san was a wonderful tour guide through Kyoto! She was incredibly knowledgeable, thoughtful and kind. She was also very flexible, as we had to make some last-minute itinerary changes and she accommodated that easily. My family learned so much about Kyoto and greater Japan, and never felt bored or treated like tourists. If you have the chance to see Kyoto with Kumi, take it!
Yoko was so nice and...
Allison C,
May 6, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Yoko was so nice and knowledgeable! We had a great time at the bamboo forest Golden Palace. Thanks Yoko!
Very enjoyable tour
Jan O,
Apr 27, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
This was a well organised and worthwhile tour. The places are busy but you still get to enjoy them. Guide provided good information and helped us navigate around.