Visit a traditional Japanese townhouse known as a machiya, and partake in a tea ceremony in traditional attire in Kyoto. First of all, after you arrive, a kimono made of authentic silk will be quickly fitted for you. Explore the machiya, built in the Meiji period. After that, discover three storehouses and the six tsuboniwa gardens where you can feel the flow of seasonal wind. Arrive at the tea ceremony room, Rakuju, and the detached tatami room where Noh plays were performed. Tea is an inseparable part of Japanese culture. Hear an explanation of the tea ceremony in the tea room and watch a tea ceremony performance. Feel as if you were transported back in time to the Meiji period and experience the spirit of Wabi-Sabi. Feel free to take as many pictures as you like during your stay and experience Japanese culture to the fullest.

Explore the Gion district by night with an experienced English, German, French, or Spanish-speaking tour guide who knows everything there is to know about the area. The tour starts near Kamo river, where you’ll learn about how the tradition of Geishas came to be. After a short stroll along a busy commercial street, you’ll slip into a calm, quiet area to visit the Yasaka Jinja shrine. After that touch of education, it’s off to the Gion.   The Gion has secrets and history scattered across its narrow streets, but this is also a modern entertainment district—so it’s time for a deep dive into what goes on here. Your guide will keep it light and fun, and explain some of the more interesting cultural mores of these parts. Step into a restaurant and graze from a multitude of small plates at a sort of Japanese-style tapas experience. Enjoy a drink as well before continuing on.   Between restaurant stops, there will be an exploration of Kiyamachi, Ponto-cho, and some other commercial and nightlife streets. Your guide will show you both modern and historical Kyoto, painting a well-rounded picture that gives you a real sense of the place. This tour keeps the groups small and includes your food and drinks, so that you can have a carefree night like you’re simply hanging out with someone who knows the neighborhood. A delicious Kobe (or nearby sourced) Beef option is available on top of the usual food and drink. This option is for bookings at least 10 hours in advance.

Enjoy a traditional table-style tea ceremony in a Japanese house. Take a seat and relax with this calming and authentic experience as you taste tea and traditional sweets. The ryu-rei (table-style) tea ceremony, with guests seated as opposed to on the ground, has been performed for foreign visitors to Japan since 1872. First, select your favorite tea bowls and other authentic tools before you taste matcha (powdered green tea) and seasonal sweets. Not only do you get to experience the tea ceremony, but also learn more about everyday tea practices and the lives of tea farmers in Japan.

Experience one of the most popular walking tours in Kyoto, joined by nearly 5,000 guests annually. This 100-minute guided walk is led by a licensed English-speaking guide and takes you through nighttime Gion. The tour begins at Gion Omoide Museum, connected to a traditional pastry shop. Walk down the classic cobblestoned streets next to the Shirakawa River, and admire the scenery that was featured in the book and film, Memoirs of a Geisha. As you walk beside this beautiful stream, the guide will tell you about the history of geisha and give you a detailed explanation in regards to their kimono, hairstyle, traditional rules, and what their daily life is like. Although it is not guaranteed, during the walking tour guests often encounter geisha walking along the street.

Discover Kyoto’s historical sites, favorite local spots, and hidden gems on a private walking tour with a nationally licensed guide. Choose from a 6 or 4-hour tour, whose itinerary can be customized to fit your interests. See both the modern and traditional sides of this dynamic and ancient city as well as some of the best sightseeing areas, restaurants, and shops. Visit places like the Fushimi Inari Shrine, famous for the Torii Gate Corridor. Explore the filming location for the film “Memoirs of a Geisha”, displaying a colorful crimson scenery with a mysterious atmosphere. Walk through the shrine’s corridors that were erected as a symbolic continuing gate from the current world to the world of the dead inhabited by the gods. Go to the Kinkaku-ji Temple (Temple of the Golden Pavilion), which was given its name from the golden color of its reliquary hall. Admire its simple yet bold structure that features beautiful mountain views in the background. Enter the ancient Kiyomizu-dera temple to get panoramic city views from its large veranda. Walk from the path from the temple to Gion, to find many Kyoto-esque shops filled with unique souvenirs. Grab a snack or enjoy a delicious dinner at one of the many fine restaurants in the Gion district. Your guide will give you dining recommendations that are sure to delight your palate.

Experience a 3-hour immersive experience filled with unforgettable sights and stories on this walking tour in Kyoto.  First stop is the Imperial Palace. Enjoy a brief stroll around the gardens before entering the Palace’s grand buildings. As you walk around the complex, your guide will tell you stories about the palace’s history and design.  After leaving the Imperial Palace, feel like a local as you cross the Takeyamachi area, where an interesting mix of traditional Japanese homes, modern buildings, and locals shops and cafes come together. After a casual 15-minute stroll, you’ll reach Nijo Castle.  Nijo Castle dates back to the early 1600s, and consists of two palaces. The first is Ninomaru Palace, where you'll relive the days when the Shogun held court and conducted affairs from this imposing complex. After leaving the Ninomaru Palace's interior, you will continue to the second palace of the development, the smaller Honmaru Palace. Here a fortified wall and other defensive features remain, as well as a peaceful garden. Combining the Imperial Palace with Nijo Castle allows you to take a closer look at some of Kyoto's most valuable treasures, while also affording you lots of time to spend the rest of the day as you please.

This casual evening tour is perfect for families and those wanting to explore these historical and delicious neighborhoods. Experience 5 food and drink stops with something for everyone. Start off in a retro Showa-era (post-war Japan) restaurant to try seasonal and regional, tasty dishes. Next, try several types of yakitori (charcoal grilled skewers) in a classic Pontocho eatery. Then, head over to a privately owned sake tasting shop to try local nihonshu (rice wine). Bring the kids, because there is even a local plum soda for a kid-friendly tasting at this quaint backstreet spot run by a passionate entrepreneur who celebrates Kyoto sake culture. Head onto a 100-year-old soba restaurant for handmade noodle dishes. You are sure to feel pretty full by this point but don’t forget to save a little room for a tasty green tea dessert at a trendy new neighboorhood spot that blends tradition with modern innovation. Have fun beyond the temples and Kyoto tourist experiences and ask your guide about the history and culture surrounding the food of Kyoto. This fun and friendly tour is the perfect way to spend your evening. There are too many great restaurant choices, and a few that are certainly too touristy, so let the tour help you make the best choices. Create delicious memories with on this unique tour. 

Explore your way with a private and customized walking tour to discover the highlights of Kyoto with your own local guide. See Kyoto Tower, Togetsu-kyō Bridge, Ginkaku-ji Temple, Nishiki Market, and more with an itinerary crafted to your personal interests. Depending on what sparks your interest, your guide will help you create an itinerary to see Kyoto's top attractions. Get insider tips on what to see and do, learn about the culture, and discover hidden gems along the way. Visit sacred sites like the shrine of Fushimi Inari Taisha or Kinkajuki Temple, explore the cultural Geisha district of Gion, or go off the beaten path in historic neighborhoods with the help of your guide. Walk the perfectly preserved streets of Higashiyama for a bird's-eye city view from Yasaka Pagoda, or amble eight minutes north to Gion, Kyoto’s famous lantern-lit geisha district and nightlife hub. Along the way, choose to sample street food at centuries-old Nishiki Market or head one mile west for green tea and pastel-colored wagashi confections in Sanjo-dori Shopping Street, a foodie’s paradise (food costs not included). If you're an outdoor enthusiast, take in a sunset view from Kurama, a natural hot spring area nestled in pine-tree-blanketed mountains reachable by a 30-minute train ride. Whatever you choose to do, your guide will help you get the most out of your visit.

Your experience will include stops at family owned stalls and shops which have stood the test of time. At a few of the stops sample specialty products like tsukemono (vegetables from the surrounding mountains preserved in vinegar), yuuba (the world’s smoothest sashimi tofu made from the world famous Kyoto mountain water), Kamaboko (seafood preserved in fish paste), Tako (Octopus with quail egg) and Macha Warabi Mochi (a special traditional sweet covered in ground tea leaves). During the tour learn detailed information about the ingredients of different Japanese dishes, how their food is prepared and what is used to eat it. Your experience will do more than just give you a chance to taste Kyoto’s delicious food but will also give you a sense the history and atmosphere of the Nishiki Market experienced by the Japanese for generations. You will be consumed with physical and visual stimuli every step of the way and enjoy stories from the past told directly from shopkeepers and families you will spend time with. After your market exploration walk to a nearby restaurant and have a course lunch featuring beautiful and delicious local dishes.

Explore the world of matcha and experience tea ceremony in a beautiful, 100 year old property surrounded by two traditional Japanese gardens. Located across the road from Ryoan-ji, our house has long been connected to this world famous zen temple, and our teahouse offers guest the utmost privacy, a moment of escape from the outside world. At the start of your session, your instructor will welcome you with a brief introduction to the history and culture surrounding tea in our sofa room overlooking the front garden. Here you'll enjoy seasonal sweets from one of Kyoto's most renowned confectioners. Next your host will move you to the tearoom itself where you'll watch an authentic tea ceremony with the main garden as backdrop. After being served tea you'll have the opportunity to make your own bowl of delicious matcha and will have plenty of time to ask questions and take photographs. During the tea ceremony we have chairs available for those who would prefer not to sit on the floor. At Garden Teahouse we have a dedicated kimono dresser, so if you would like to dress in kimono for your experience please let us know on the checkout page. Once a private property, providing tea ceremonies is a way to preserve this important house and give visitors a taste of authentic Kyoto. Located close to the Unesco World Heritage sites of Ryoan-ji, Ninna-ji and Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion), we offer an accessible experience that offers an oasis of calm and complete privacy for guests. We look forward to welcoming you for a unique, personal and unforgettable experience.