Private Tour

Kyoto UNESCO World Heritage Site Private Tour with a Premium Van

Overview

Available languages

English

9 hours

Mobile ticket

Discover Kyoto’s UNESCO Treasures with Ease!

Explore Kyoto’s UNESCO sites stress-free on this private one-day tour! With a personal driver and guide, travel seamlessly between landmarks while learning about Kyoto’s rich history. Your guide also doubles as a photographer, capturing stunning shots at Instagram-worthy spots.

Visit must-see sites like Nijo Castle, Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion), Ryoanji or Ninnaji Temple, Tenryuji, Fushimi Inari Shrine, and Kiyomizu-dera. Enjoy a local lunch at a handpicked restaurant—just sit back and savor the experience!

Perfect for first-time visitors, families, couples, and solo travelers, this all-inclusive tour ensures a hassle-free Kyoto adventure. Hotel pickup, flexible dietary options, and a comfortable itinerary make it ideal for everyone. Immerse yourself in Kyoto’s beauty with ease and comfort!

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation Policy

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

What To Expect

Nijo Castle

After introductions and a quick overview of the day’s itinerary, your guide will ensure all preferences and food restrictions are addressed. Then, hop into a comfortable private car and head to Nijo Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Immerse yourself in the rich history of the samurai era, marvel at the intricate architecture, and stroll through the serene gardens once graced by Japan’s shoguns.

30 minutes • Admission Included

Kinkakuji Temple

Continue your journey with a visit to Kinkakuji, the famed Golden Pavilion, where you can capture stunning reflections on its tranquil pond. Kinkakiuji is registered as World Heritage since 1994. Its original name is called " Rokuon-ji". This was rebuilt two times in 1694 and 1950. Kinkaku-ji is made from 3 floors. The second and third floor is covered with gold which is why this temple is called "Kinkaku-ji". Each floor has a name and was constructed differently using different traditional structure.

30 minutes • Admission Included

What‘s Included

9-hour Private Chauffeur Service with a Licensed Japanese Driver

Lunch （Vegetarian, Vegan and Gluten-free options are available with advanced request.）

Hotel Pick-up & Drop-off Please provide your pick-up place at least 24 hours before the tour starts.

Entrance fees of all venues we will visit

Tour photos Photos during the tour would be shared after the tour through email.

9 Hours of local guide Suggest suitable itinerary based on your interests and weather.

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Options

Kyoto UNESCO World Heritage Site Private Tour with a Premium Van

Pickup included

Reviews

5.00

13 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Wonderful tour guide & excellent day in Kyoto
Alison B,,Oct 30, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Our tour guide, Mari, was fun, knowledgeable, flexible & easy to chat with. Our driver Kyomi was highly competent. We had a fantastic day in Kyoto. We saw Temples, gardens, shrines, pagodas, the Geisha district. We felt as though we saw what we wanted to see in Kyoto on day 1.
Perfect tour of the tops sites in Kyoto
daviesukmkd,,Oct 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Meri, our guide was amazing. Full of local knowledge and fun to be with. The tour was perfectly paced with breaks when needed and a perfect lunch stop.
Highlights of Kyoto
Elizabeth D,,Oct 28, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had an excellent day with our guide Meri. We visited the top sites in Kyoto in a very comfortable vehicle and our driver was great at making sure we got exactly where we needed to be. Meri gave us lots of information about the places we visited and all the historical background. She was also great at answering our questions on Japanese life and culture. It was absolutely the best way to make the most of our time in Kyoto. I would definitely recommend this tour
A WOW experience!
949rael,,Oct 18, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
The tour was well beyond my expectations! Well organized, informative and so enjoyable because of friendly well informed guidance by Marie and safe driving by Mr Hashimoto.
Family visit to Japan.
Dawn K,,Oct 18, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We couldn’t have asked for a better tour guide (and driver). Meri Nakajima was well versed on every UNESCO site we visited. And cudos to our driver Mr. Yamashita. He was excellent as well. I would do this tour again if ever I return to Kyoto.
Palaces, Temples, and Shrines Oh my!
loreny75,,Oct 18, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Meri was an excellent guide with a delightful personality. Her brightness throughout her storytelling and factual information made the tour informative and fun. Yamashita san at the wheel of our van was exceptional. Skilled driving and extremely professional approach made us feel safe and got us where we were going very quickly
Best Japan Experience Tour
142ry,,Oct 18, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
I believe that this tour is the best experience of my two weeks in Japan. Very complete and informative. We had a party of five people and considering the crowds at the major sites it moved very smoothly. Our tour guide Mari was excellent and went above and beyond to give everything we needed to learn and enjoy. Our driver Yamashita-san was excellent navigating a passenger van around tight streets in big crowds.
Private Kyoto tour with amazing guide Meri
11luker,,Oct 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Today we had a private guided tour of Kyoto. We had limited time and so this was the perfect option. Our driver was absolutely amazing. Meri, our was exceptionally knowledgeable, kind, and just an absolute pleasure to be around. She was able to change the itinerary slightly on the fly to help us find some lacquer pieces. My father was looking for. The company was also great at communicating prior to the tour.
Kyoto with a wheelchair
Y37TJjohnh,,Oct 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Josh and Yamashita did a wonderful job of looking after us. We Yamashita as a driver in Oscar as well. He supplied a wheelchair for the day for my wife. When we went to the Sento Imperial Palace we had discussed limiting the visit because of the loose gravel. (This was the worst location for this, making the wheelchair hard to move even when pulled along.) Thankfully we were able to borrow an electric wheelchair from the site. This allowed us to see the whole site. We were able to tailor the tour to fit our capabilities. Because of their knowledge of the area, I was amazed what we got to see in the day. I later went back to the Torrii Gates early the following morning to try and beat the crowds.
Full day, private guide with private driver
scrosby76,,Jun 14, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We were 2 couples on our first trip to Japan and this tour was money well spent! Our guide was Hikari and she is a real treasure, a wealth of information, and spoke English well. She was a great historian and offered a lot of information that we wouldn't have learned without having a private guide. The driver was Mr. Yamashta and he was extremely professional, we were picked up and dropped off directly at our accommodation. Having a private driver and guide gave us the opportunity to cover a lot of ground in 9 hours. Our guide and driver were well organized saving a lot of time to allow for many things. We were even able to make an additional stop that wasn't included on the itinerary to a little hidden gem because we were so efficient with our time. Hikari took us to a lovely soba restaurant for lunch and even did the ordering for us. The admissions, lunch, driver, and guide are all included in the price. Hikari also took over 100 pictures of us with her phone and air dropped them to me at the end of the tour. I certainly didn't expect personal photography services to be included, what a nice surprise! We felt that there was tremendous value in this tour and would recommend it to everyone. If you have the good fortune of getting Hikari and Mr. Yamashta you won't be disappointed. Thank you for our best day in Kyoto and being one of the most memorable parts of our vacation to Japan!