Explore History and Culture in Kyoto

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Explore History and Culture in Kyoto

By Sean Takagi

Free cancellation available

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Features

Free cancellation available
5h
Mobile voucher
Instant confirmation
Multiple languages

Overview

Discover the rich culture and history of Kyoto on a private walking tour with a knowledgeable bilingual and local guide, who has abundant international and local experiences as well as social media activities about Japan’s tourism over the years. We’ll stroll through picturesque streets, visiting iconic landmarks and hidden gems with detailed cultural insights.
I ensure you gain insider knowledge and local insights, making your visit more enriching.
The main course takes 5 hours from Kiyomizu-dera to Gion District. I recommend early morning to avoid the crowds.
8hr course includes the 5-hour course + 1 more site:Please pick 1 from Pontocho & Nishiki Market Food Tour, Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, Kinkakuji Golden Pavilion, or Nijo Castle.
3hr course is when your time is limited. Please inform me which places you'd like to visit.
All courses are customizable. Please tell me where you'd like to visit.
We’ll use Kyoto's efficient public transport systems to travel around the city.

Activity location

Kiyomizu-dera Temple
- 1-294 Kiyomizu, Higashiyama-ku
- 605-0862, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan

Meeting/Redemption Point

Karasuma Station
- Naginatabokocho
- 600-8008, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan

Multiple meeting/redemption points available, see location information for full list

Check availability

3hr Tour

5h
English

Please choose a destination: Kiyomizu-dera + Higashiyama
Gion
Pontocho & Nishiki Market Food Tour
Fushimi Inari Taisha
Kinkakuji
Nijo Castle
or others

Travelers

Languages available

Starting time

Price details

￥5,370 x 3 Adults￥16,110

Paid at activity￥4,602

Total

5h Tour

5h
English

Travelers

Languages available

Starting time

Price details

￥7,671 x 3 Adults￥23,013

Paid at activity￥4,602

Total

5hr Tour + 1hr Break

5h
English

Travelers

Languages available

Starting time

Price details

￥9,205 x 3 Adults￥27,615

Paid at activity￥4,602

Total

8hr Tour + 1hr Break

5h
English

Please choose a course: Main Tour + Pontocho & Nishiki Market/Fushimi Inari Taisha/Kinkakuji/Nijo Castle
or
Arashiyama 8hrs
or
Custom Itinerary

Travelers

Languages available

Starting time

Price details

￥13,808 x 3 Adults￥41,424

Paid at activity￥4,602

Total

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View the translated text (Japanese)

What's included, what's not

Admission fee to Kiyomizu-dera is included.
Fares for trains, subways, buses and trams are not included.
Optional/Customized courses not part of the itinerary might be subject to additional entrance fee. Price may vary.

Know before you book

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Activity itinerary

Kiyomizu-dera Temple

1h
Admission ticket included

Kiyomizu-dera Temple is one of Japan’s most famous and celebrated Buddhist temples. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto." The most famous feature of the temple is its wooden stage. It was built using wooden interlocking joints and it doesn’t use any single nail.

Sannenzaka Ninenzaka

Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka are iconic pedestrian streets in Kyoto, located in the historic Higashiyama district. Lined with traditional wooden townhouses (machiya), teahouses, and shops, these sloping, stone-paved lanes offer a quintessential glimpse into ancient Kyoto.

Hōkan-ji Temple (Yasaka Pagoda)

The Yasaka Pagoda, officially known as Hōkan-ji Temple, is one of the most recognizable and enduring symbols of Kyoto. Located in the heart of the Higashiyama district, it is a prominent landmark that can be seen from various points in the city, especially along the famous Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka slopes.

Nene-no-Michi

Nene-no-michi, or "Nene's Path," is a beautiful stone-paved walkway in Kyoto's Higashiyama district. It's an essential part of the walking route that connects some of the city's most famous attractions, including Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Sannenzaka, and Ninenzaka, with Kodai-ji Temple and Maruyama Park. The path is named after Nene, the wife of the great 16th-century warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who founded Kodai-ji Temple in her late husband's memory.

Maruyama Park

Maruyama Park is Kyoto's oldest public park and a designated Place of Scenic Beauty. Located at the eastern end of the Gion district, it's a popular and central spot that serves as a beautiful gateway to the Higashiyama area. While it's a lovely place to visit all year round, it is most famous as Kyoto's premier spot for cherry blossom viewing (hanami).

Yasaka Shrine

Yasaka Shrine (Yasaka-jinja) is one of Kyoto's most important and famous Shinto shrines. Located at the eastern end of Shijo-dori Street, it serves as a prominent landmark and the spiritual heart of the Gion district. The shrine is a central element of Kyoto's culture, history, and major festivals.

Hanamikoji Street

Hanamikoji Street is the most famous and atmospheric street in Kyoto's Gion district, the city's renowned Geisha quarter. This pedestrian-friendly, cobblestone lane perfectly encapsulates the traditional, refined elegance of old Kyoto.

Gion Shirakawa

Gion Shirakawa is one of Kyoto's most picturesque and serene areas, offering a tranquil contrast to the bustling main streets of the Gion district. Located a short walk north of the famous Shijo-dori Street, this area is a designated "Traditional Buildings Preservation District" and is renowned for its traditional teahouses, willow trees, and the beautiful Shirakawa Canal that flows through it.

Minamiza : The Kabuki Theater of Kyoto

The Minamiza Theater is an iconic landmark and a cultural institution in Kyoto, which is recognized as the oldest Kabuki Theatre in Japan. Located in the heart of the Gion district, it has been a center for the traditional Japanese performing arts for over 400 years since the beginning of 17th century.

Statue of Izumo no Okuni

Izumo-no-Okuni is a pivotal figure in Japanese history, widely credited with the creation of Kabuki, one of the country's most famous and enduring traditional theatrical art forms.

Location

Activity location

Kiyomizu-dera Temple
- 1-294 Kiyomizu, Higashiyama-ku
- 605-0862, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan

Meeting/Redemption Point

Karasuma Station
- Naginatabokocho
- 600-8008, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station
- Otabichō
- 600-8001, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
Gion-Shijo Station
- 1 Chome
- 605-0801, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
Kyoto Station
- Higashishiokoji Kamadonocho
- 600-8216, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan

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