Uncover the best of Kyoto Day Trip the local Way

"Yoshihiro was the 6th guide on our vacation in Japan. His fluent English was truly impressive. He was very attentive and caring. About a month in advance, he prepared a tour based on my requests. He also gave me great tips about special things to do in Kyoto, even if they weren’t part of his own tour. He provided excellent recommendations on where to eat and what to see. More importantly, he was the first guide who truly knew the places he showed us in depth. He is very knowledgeable and highly professional at what he does. Even after his tour ended, he continued to advise us on where to go next, and thanks to him, we had a wonderful day. If you explore Kyoto with him, you’ll be very lucky. "

"So Naoki was our first tour after arriving after a few hours earlier in Japan. So we had done the overnight flight and the Shinkansen from Tokio to Kyoto that same day. We were a little tired but Naoki managed to pull us through a full 3 hrs tour and we didn’t even notice time fly. So on the one hand side he is a super easy to get along with person - super level of English and very knowledgeable about Kyoto and very likeable - we really enjoyed his guidance. The guidance to the specialities of the Kyoto area were also super - we tried lots of fun stuff - more then just the wagyu we had koi and eel and pickled vegetables - just to name a few. So overall we can really just recommend Naoki and this tour. "

"If you’re expecting a tour guide, Shohei will pleasantly surprise you — because spending the day with him feels nothing like a tour. It feels like exploring Kyoto with a brilliant, hilarious friend who knows everything about it. Shohei took us through Nijo Castle, the Golden Pavilion, and Kiyomizudera with the kind of depth and storytelling that made each site come alive rather than blur together. His knowledge is impressive, but it’s his warmth and humor that set this experience apart. We laughed the entire day. The highlight we didn’t expect: lunch in his local neighborhood. No tourist traps — just great food. This was the best day of our trip to Japan. Book with Shohei, you won't be disappointed. "

"Ren was a lifesaver! I contacted her just a month before our arrival, and she guided us through the planning process with so much patience, even though I wasn't sure what we could fit into our limited time. ​Our time together was wonderful. She handled everything—meeting us at the hotel and managing all the train tickets—and went the extra mile by bringing snacks and water. What impressed me most was her flexibility; she was happy to pivot our plans based on when my boys got tired or hungry. ​Lunch at a local spot she recommended was easily one of our best meals yet. She also acted as our personal photographer, sending us a collection of great photos at the end of the day. Ren is a fantastic guide, and I can’t recommend her enough!"

"We loved doing our 3h tour of some beautiful gems of Kyoto with our guide Shohei last week! This was our first time visiting and despite the rain, we had a wonderful time! Shohei showed us beautiful Temples and Shrines just a short walk from Gion area. Our favorite was sitting to appreciate the beautiful zen garden. Shohei’s explanation about the difference between shrines and Temples and the different Buddhist temples was useful for understanding our visits in other parts of Japan. Our kids also loved the experience at a nice matcha place. Thank you Shohei for showing us a bit of your beautiful city! We will definitely come back! "

"Shohei was friendly, engaging, and very knowledgeable about Kyoto. He was very flexible in tailoring the tour to what we wanted to see and experience, which made it feel personal and unhurried. What really stood out was his ability to take us to lesser-known spots, even during peak cherry blossom season, helping us avoid the crowds while still enjoying the beauty of the city. Along the way, he shared fascinating insights about Japanese culture and pointed out small details we would have completely missed on our own. We also had a great time chatting about his passion for music. Overall, the tour was both educational and genuinely fun."

"Ted is an absolute treasure and we highly recommend him. He showed us stalls in Nishiki Markets that we would never have found or tried if we were by ourselves. Everything from freshly cooked rice crackers to fugu (puffer fish sashimi) with quail egg stuffed baby octopus, foot long tempura prawns, wagyu beef nigiri to deep fried ice cream. With enormous local oysters, octopus balls (an Osaka specialty), beef gyoza, multiple spice mixes and sake thrown in. On top of that he was punctual, funny, very informative and very flexible - he made suggestions but if we said 'no thanks' or 'what about that instead?' it was all good. A wonderful morning - and go hungry :)"