This 5-hour tour is created for those who wish to learn about the historic district of Kyoto but do not have the time to explore in-depth. Everyone is welcome to participate as the tour has a mixture of history, nature, architecture and experiences ( shopping or souvenir browsing, introduction to Japanese sweets and food/drinks, meditative walk).
At your hotel (in Kyoto)/Kyoto Station
Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, we are heading to Tofukuji Temple, for a meditative walk. We will go through the wooden Tsutenkyo Bridge to wonder at the beauty of the Japanese maple trees and autumn foliage gardens.
Kiyomizudera Temple is one of the symbols of Kyoto, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site and a sacred place under the protection of Kannon. Visitors enjoy beautiful views of Kyoto city from the hinoki (Japanese cypress) stage supported by pillars.
These two historical slopes are signatures of the Higashiyama district, abundant in old houses, shops, temples and shrines, inns and museums. As this is a protected cultural area of Kyoto city, visitors can really feel the Japan of long passed times.
We will arrive at Yasaka Shrine following the Nene-no-Michi street for a bit of historical guidance and traverse Maruyama Park one of the oldest parks in Kyoto to enjoy a quick tea break. After, we will walk on the grounds of the Yasaka Shrine - the protective shrine of the Gion area.
Behind the shopping avenue Shijo, we will explore Gion and walk in the Hanamachi neighbourhoods where geiko (geisha) live and work. With luck, we might encounter maiko (apprentice geiko) on the way from dance or shamisen classes.
End of tour.
Kyoto Station
For 5 hours we will walk together in the historic Higashiyama District of Kyoto, learn the history of this beautiful city, see great architectural sites, enjoy traditional food and shopping moments, and wonder at the preserved nature of the area.
Guide fee
Hotel pick-up
Transportation fee between destinations
Entrance fee
Meals
Please have good walking shoes and folding umbrellas as the tour has slopes and stairs, and the weather can be unpredictable.
We will use a train line to reach from Tofukuji Temple to Kiyomizu Temple for efficiency purposes. The train ticket fees are not included in the tour fee. We will take proper necessary breaks during our walk.
Our family of 4 had a wonderful day in Kyoto with Ana. She is knowledgeable, professional and very considerate. We highly recommend her tours! Thank you, Ana!
Thank you Svetlana for choosing me to guide you in Kyoto and for your generosity and kindness on the day. I enjoyed my time with your family greatly!! I wish you all happy days ahead :)
We loved our tour with Ana! Seeing Kyoto in the early morning hours was definitely the way to go. We really got a sense of serenity in the historic temples and shrines she took us to. We also got some great pictures without the crowds. Ana was very knowledgeable about the sites she took us to. We would recommend her tour.
Dear Katie, thank you very much for the kind review. It was a pleasure showing you Kyoto in the early hours. I will keep all the feedback in mind and work to improve the tour. It was a lovely morning with you and the family. Thank you for choosing me!!
The tour was amazing ,informative and interesting. Ana was absolutely amazing. She was knowledgeable and a joy to be with. We were a group of nine and we were all happy with the tour Ana made it extra special. She knew history anecdotes and helped with restaurant suggestions. We would give her ten stars if it was an option
Dear Marisa, thank you all for spending a few hours with me in Kyoto. Everyone questioned about Japan which made my time together with this group very enjoyable. Thank you for the kind review! I wish you all sunny days ahead and safe travels!
Our group of six peoples had only one day in Kyoto and Ana was incredible with us. We did everything we wanted to see during the day (Kinkaku-ji, Nijo, Nishiki market, Gion, Kiyomisu-dera) but not in a hurry way. We had perfect time to every places. She is really efficient and has a friendly approach. She planned metro, bus, taxi and walking in the itinerary. She was also giving us some historical or living facts about Kyoto and answering to all our questions. She has also help us for the last taxi because we wanted to finish our day to Fushimi Inari at night. The perfect day! I strongly recommend her.
Dear Veronique, thank you very much for spending a full day with me in Kyoto. I had a lot of fun planning and enjoyed all of your company. Your excitement and curiosity to discover as much as possible of this city made my job easy. I appreciated your flexibility and the group’s warmth. Thank you all!