Private Tour
Private Kyoto Tour with a Local, Highlights & Hidden Gems, Personalised
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
Experience Kyoto with a private walking tour shaped around your interests and pace.
This experience combines Kyoto’s most iconic sights with quieter local corners, creating a day that feels both reassuring and personal. You may explore well-known places such as Gion, Fushimi Inari Taisha, Ginkaku-ji Temple, Kyoto Tower, or Togetsu-kyō Bridge, alongside lesser-known neighbourhoods and spots chosen around what interests you most.
After booking, you’ll receive a short questionnaire about your interests and travel style. Based on your responses, we’ll match you with a host who fits you well and who will be in touch before the experience to suggest ideas and shape a flexible plan together.
This experience is designed to adapt as you go — allowing time to linger, adjust pace, and explore Kyoto in a way that feels natural rather than rushed.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
This is a private City Unscripted experience: real people, real connections
After booking, you'll receive a short online questionnaire to share your interests, preferences, and must-sees. Your City Unscripted guide will personally reach out to craft a fully customized itinerary that suits your style—whether you love history, food, hidden gems, or cultural experiences.
This private tour is a walking experience. A private vehicle is not included.
Public transportation or local taxis maybe used to transfer between sites. Exact transportation costs can be discussed with your host after your reservation is finalized.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Kyoto
See Kyoto through the eyes of someone who calls it home—uncovering its hidden gems, rich culture, and untold stories with a passionate local by your side. This isn’t just a tour—it's a City Unscripted experience: real people, real connections, designed around you, full of authentic moments and unforgettable discoveries. Before your adventure begins, you will receive a short online questionnaire so we can craft an itinerary that reflects your interests—whether it’s exploring world-famous landmarks, savoring local flavors, or stumbling upon tucked-away treasures only locals know. Here are some highlights and hidden gems to spark your curiosity:
Pontocho District
Pontocho Alley—a stunning hidden gem often hailed as Kyoto's most picturesque street. With its car-free, timeless charm, traditional wooden shops, and intimate restaurants, it offers a glimpse into authentic Kyoto.
What‘s Included
Meet your host at your accommodation or a convenient central location (where accessible)
Flexible pacing and route, adjusted as you go
Local insight, recommendations, and cultural context
Pre-experience questionnaire to personalise your day
Private walking experience tailored to your interests
Direct communication with your local host before the experience
Food, drinks or entry fees (chosen together on the day, if desired)
Transportation (primarily a walking experience, public transport may be used at an additional cost)
Fixed or guaranteed itinerary
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Options
4 hour walking tour of Kyoto
Duration: 4 hours
Pickup included
2 hour walking tour of Kyoto
Duration: 2 hours
Pickup included
3 hour walking tour of Kyoto
Duration: 3 hours
Pickup included
5 hour walking tour of Kyoto
Duration: 5 hours
Pickup included
Reviews
1,554 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Excellent Tour of Kyoto
Scott H,,Feb 23, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00This was a wonderful tour. We were matched with a guide based on our preferences, and they took care of the rest. We were meet at our ryoken, discussed the purpose itenerary/route and headed off. We saw temple, shrines and other key landmarks. All the whole, our guide filled is in on history, culture and other unique facts we wouldn't have gotten on our own. Highly recommended.
Great half day tour in Kyoto!!
NeilA1589,,Feb 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Alex was our guide for over 4 hours. She provided a wonderful experience going to historic sites throughout Kyoto. In addition to a description of the sites she provided great insight to the people of Kyoto. She had a great description of the people of Japan as well!!
Kyoto tour
Susan P,,Feb 20, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00It was relaxed and guide had lots of history and cultural knowledge of area- enjoyed very much. Thank you!
Excellent down to earth tour of Kyoto
catfishreid,,Feb 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Oulan was absolutely excellent. Chilled, v knowledgeable, understood the pace we wanted to go at, very flexible, went the extra mile on ideas, cafe stops and we chatted all the way. Best of luck to him. He made our first day in Kyoto an absolute pleasure.
Great tour
Meredith D,,Feb 17, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Michael was excellent, knowledgeable and fun! He left us with wonderful food and shopping recommendations! We will definitely do this again at next visit. Thank you, Michael!
Highly recommended!
Georgios P,,Feb 15, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Alex is absolutely the best! couldn't recommend her more! She gave us great background on Japan and Kyoto history and a local perspective.
If you want to taste Kyoto-like udon, here!
Daydream13278352085,,Feb 13, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We just opened in December 2025 in Kawaramachi, Kyoto. Udon noodles yard yard ★ The Japanese modern and fashionable exterior of Kyoto first catches our eye! There are about 7 tables and a counter in the store, and you can watch the udon making from the counter with a live feeling ✨ The udon you get after watching it being made doubles the taste! We had nabe-yaki curry udon and menta kettle ball butter udon. The staff told us that fried shrimp toppings are a good choice for nabeyaki curry udon. I topped it with shrimp ⑅ ◡̈* The shrimp tempura was also plentiful and I was happy with two large ones ♫ Meita Kamatama Butter Udon was also too delicious with an elegant and gentle taste, which is completely different from eating at other restaurants ⭐️ The curry nabe-yaki udon was so classy that I even wanted to drink the entire soup stock, and it had a very Kyoto flavor, which was great! While the texture of the udon is firm, it is also soft, and the more you chew it, the more the taste of wheat spreads in your mouth. Anyway, it was an undisputed udon restaurant! The clerks all served us with nice smiles. We had a luxurious time of udon noodles. Thank you for the meal. We will go again ☺️
Exceptional historian who is very knowledgeable and enthusiatic
Marlene B,,Feb 13, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00Our tour guide Amy was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about all of the sites we visited in Kyoto. Be prepared for quite a lot of information on the history of places as well. Amy has so much information to share she is probably better suited to adult groups who can afford to spend the entire day with her. We only did the 1/2 day tour and ran out of time which cost us another $50 US per hour (we also had to pay for the guides transport throughout the day)
Excellent
giocondar786,,Feb 10, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Angel Dominguez at Hilton Cancun all inclusive, was an excellent bartender, very friendly and attentive
Great tour!
642kck,,Feb 6, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was such a great tour and Amy was an amazing guide. I really appreciated her communication leading up to the tour to make sure we saw the things we wanted to. She was very knowledgeable about Japanese history and culture and had great recommendations for restaurants and shops in Kyoto after the tour. She was also very flexible, extending our tour as needed and changing the itinerary based on a traffic jam to Mae thing more efficient. I would definitely book this tour again and highly recommend Amy!
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