Experience tomorrow the best of
Kyoto with Withlocals

"Although the rain was pouring down the day of our tour with Shohei, he did a great job of showing us all around Kyoto. He told us all about Kyoto’s history, showed us some beautiful temples and areas around Kyoto, and kept us relatively dry. He was willing to answer any questions we had, took us to a great matcha stop, and recommended a delicious sushi place to us for lunch. The rain may have put a small damper on the tour, but it also kept the crowds away!"

"Ryuki took us to Fushimi Inari Taisha. Our friends had been there the day before, but Ryuki took us to a completely different part they'd not been. We saw a hidden bamboo forest, a shrine stone garden (which was absolutely fascinating), and finished up with some amazing dining recommendations, both in Kyoto and beyond. It was a fantastic experience and we really appreciate Ryuki's knowledge and time helping us to understand his city a bit better. Thank you so much, Ryuki!!"

"My husband and I booked a private 3-hour tour with Tiro recently while we were in Kyoto. We weren’t sure what we wanted to see, but we knew we wanted to learn some things about the culture and spend some time in nature and Tiro delivered! He listened to our likes/dislikes and quickly came up with an agenda that ticked all the boxes, from a leisurely stroll through the outskirts of a geisha district—we were lucky enough to encounter a couple geisha walking down the street with no one else in sight!—to a Buddhist Temple and, our favorite, a visit to a beautiful Shinto Shrine in a forest. Tiro isn’t native but he’s lived in Japan a long time and is fluent in Japanese. It was perfect as he knows the culture but also pointed out things that he knew would be especially interesting to us being from another country. Really glad we chose Tiro; it was a great way to spend a few hours. And now I know that tatami mats are a standard size and they sometimes measure rooms as such: i.e. 3 tatami mats wide by 5 tatami mats long. Little fun facts like this make me super happy! LOL"

"We joined Ted for the highlights and hidden gems of Kyoto tour and he was fantastic - he sent us visitation information before we arrived, he met us right on time, and was knowledgeable, funny, and friendly. The pace was perfect for our three hour walking tour and we hope to visit again, and he took us to a bunch of non-touristy spots including some of his favorites. We will definitely message Ted the next time we come; don’t hesitate to book him!"

"We absolutely loved our bike tour with Tiro. He was helpful, shared lots of interesting information, and made the whole experience really fun. We did the bike tour our first day in Kyoto and it was a great way to get our bearings and learn more about the history. Tiro took us to some really cool places that were also quiet and felt very unique. Our group of seven people (ages 13-45) all agreed it was one of our very favorite experiences from our entire Japan trip. Thank you! "

"Eiji was a wonderful tour guide, he is Japanese and from Kyoto. The real deal! We enjoyed our tour a lot and appreciated the secrets and Tipps about Kyoto he shared with us. We especially liked that he took pictures for us regularly and also showed us how to make a wish praying at the temple."

"Our family greatly enjoyed our tour with Naoki. He brought so much history and context to all the sites we visited, which added so much richness and depth to our experience. In addition, he is very kind, adaptable, and a lot of fun to spend a day with! We highly recommend booking a tour with him!"

"We had a fantastic nighttime tour of the Gion district in Kyoto with our guide, Naoki. He was incredibly knowledgeable and shared fascinating insights about Shinto shrines, demonstrating how to pray there, which deepened our understanding of Japanese spirituality. Naoki also enlightened us about the lives of Geishas, discussing the evolution of this traditional art form. He led us to beautiful photo spots and provided excellent restaurant recommendations, enhancing our experience even further. Overall, Naoki's enthusiasm and expertise made this tour unforgettable. I highly recommend him for anyone wanting to explore Kyoto's rich culture! Kim & Dario"

"My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our bike tour with Sebatian. He knows many great bike paths including the Philosophers path and was very patient with us as we navigated city streets. We learned a great deal about the city, history of temples and shrines and the importance of water. Highly recommend Sebatian’s bike tour. "

"Yoshihiro "Ted" is a great guide. Informative, friendly, intuitive with a depth of knowledge that makes the tour truly engaging Having taken many tours and experienced private guides, he ranks at the top. Book with him if you can."