Private Tour
Private Kyoto Customizable Day Tour with English Speaking Driver
Overview
Mobile ticket
Explore Kyoto in Comfort and Style!
Discover the timeless beauty of Kyoto on our exclusive, private day trip by car. Tailored just for you, we create a personalized itinerary based on your interests, allowing you to enjoy Kyoto’s iconic sights at your own pace. Visit renowned landmarks such as Kinkaku-ji, Kiyomizu-dera, Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine, and the tranquil bamboo forest of Arashiyama all in one day!
The itinerary can be customized based on your requests.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
This experience includes an English-speaking driver
Special rides, cruises, and admission tickets aren’t included and can be purchased directly at each location.
What To Expect
Arashiyama
Arashiyama, located in western Kyoto, Japan, is a picturesque district renowned for its natural beauty and cultural heritage. It is best known for the iconic Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, where visitors can walk through a mesmerizing pathway lined with towering bamboo stalks. The area is also home to the historic Tenryu-ji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site with stunning gardens, and the scenic Togetsukyo Bridge, which offers breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains. Arashiyama’s charm is especially captivating during the cherry blossom season in spring and the vibrant autumn foliage, making it a popular destination year-round.
Kinkakuji Temple
Kinkaku-ji, or the Golden Pavilion, was originally built in 1397 as a retirement villa for the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. After his death, the villa was converted into a Zen Buddhist temple. The structure reflects a blend of traditional Japanese and Chinese architectural styles. Although the original building was destroyed by arson in 1950, it was rebuilt in 1955, with the top two floors covered in gold leaf, symbolizing purity and enlightenment.
What‘s Included
Pick-up and Drop-off to Hotel
Pick-up options available from Osaka and Nara charging an additional fee.
English-Speaking Driver
Air-conditioned vehicle
Private transportation
Food not included
Admission tickets are not included. Travelers can purchase these directly at location.
Pickup points
Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto
7 Seikanji Ryozan Cho, Higashiyama Ward Kyoto Japan
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Options
Pick-up and drop-off at Kyoto
Pick-up and drop-off at Kyoto Pickup included
Reviews
151 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great experience with a great guide
Victor Z,May 26, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Wow, great experience and worth it and we would do it again…made for an amazing day in Kyoto! When booking, ask for Nomi…just a great guide, knowledgeable of the area and sites and very flexible with plans for the day. Nomi made our visit to Kyoto our best stop in Japan.
A wonderful day trip of Kyoto
dr abhijit9,May 26, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Had a wonderful full day tour of Kyoto with Viator, including pick up and drop from our hotel in Osaka at an additional amount of 20000 yen. I'm told that the additional amount is for pick ups and drops from hotels in Osaka and Nara and not for excursions starting and ending from hotels within Kyoto. Viator sent us a luxurious Toyota Vellfire along with a kind, patient, knowledgeable and English speaking Chauffeur Shan who showed us all the important places in Kyoto as per our pace, convenience and comfort. Since we are vegetarians, Shan also found us an excellent Sushi restaurant with a Sushi train containing delicious vegetarian options. Highly recommend Viator for your Kyoto excursions. Go for it!
Nomi the great tour guide 🙌
Kit W,May 24, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00Nomi was a great tour guide, If you want an experienced, knowledgable guide who takes amazing (mind blowing) photos, Nomi is your guy. He was a safe driver, easy to get along with and had great vibes. Nomi gave us a small lesson about the history and culture of each site before entering, making the experience much more interesting. Overall Nomi provided us with a memorable experience and amazing photos that we can forever look back on and enjoy. Thank you Nomi!!!!!!
A++ PrivateTour
PRaquaman,May 21, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This private tour is definitely worthwhile. Shawn, our tour guide, was very helpful during the entire tour and I have to add he is such a polite and friendly person. His guidance throughout the tour was very helpful. The suggested areas that he recommended based on our limited time and the amount of places we wanted to see definitely allowed us to explore many sites. His brief overview at each site was very helpful in understanding the importance of each one of them. Most of all, we greatly appreciate his patience with our group and the willingness to accommodate last-minute changes to our trip.
A grand day out sightseeing around Kyoto.
carolynbN2253DA,May 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a great day out with our driver Dhanu, he was very informative and a safe driver with very good knowledge of the tourist sights and his vehicle was comfortable with efficient aircon. We’re not quick movers and he adjusted his pace to match ours, as we frequently stopped due to the heat and amount of stairs we encountered (we’re in our 60s 😂). He was very good in taking pictures of us at the tourist spots, including some that were especially good in the way they turned out. A brilliant time out, it didn’t seem like a long day and we’d recommend him at any time.
Malik was a great guide....
Amy B,May 15, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Malik was a great guide. He was knowledgeable and accommodating. Highly recommend this tour. A very easy way to see all of Kyoto in a day!
Best of Kyoto
alpahol,May 11, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Sha is a superb tour guide together with his driver Sam. He is very knowledgeable with the sites we visited and explained the history of every place we visited.
Best Way to Explore Kyoto
340navir,May 11, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We booked a private tour around Kyoto through TripAdvisor and had a great experience with Malik as our guide. He was very knowledgeable, shared lots of interesting history and cultural insights, and made the tour enjoyable from start to finish. We were able to see many beautiful places while learning more about Kyoto and its history. Highly recommend booking with him if you’re visiting Kyoto!
Nice and informative
Richard S,May 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a great day with Shawn. He was easy going and had may places for us to choose from to visit. Spoke great English and had many insights to the places we went as well as shortcuts and insights to make a great day for us all.
Around Kyoto sights
Aaron M,May 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Shawn showed us the high points of Kyoto and made navigated to these different locations much easier than doing so on our own. Also, got to see the monkey park and great goyza place we never would have found.
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Operated by Ashan Global Tours